Week 48: Flesh.

After seeing Rineke Dijkstra, August Sander and Thomas Streuth's work in the flesh, I was drawn into a sense of direction concerning my work. Viewing a digital image is a completely different visual activity compared to seeing the actual print. I didn't really think about it whilst I was there but the after affect was brilliant. To see Dijkstra's prints of the Mother's after childbirth with so much detail was truly awesome, there was so much that I hadn't noticed before. For example, two out of three of the women were wearing wedding rings. This was quite a significant indicator since during labour the wedding ring is normally removed and kept off for at least a few hours after. So the middle photograph [http://www.heyhotshot.com/blog/blogimages/qa_with_hot_shot_cara_phillips/dijkstra.jpg] made me think; was she single? Or was it directly after the birth (you can see the trickle of blood, without any padding or aftermath pants like the first mother) [http://www.hildebrand.me/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Dijkstra_New_Mothers.jpg]. There are many other possibilities that aren't indicated through a picture, but it is an action of viewing the original print that triggers our imagination the most.



Once again, this is a filmic self portrait, very much inspired by Sherman. It is a constructed piece that contains signifiers that your eyes may just pass over at first glance. However, now that I have mentioned this, you will seek to notice. This is where text can be paramount to seeing the actual print. 5x4 transparancy also helps by expanding the amount of light that hits the film and enhancing details.

Song listening to right now: Do It All Over - Cocoa Tea