imagine

imagine

Inspired by a loss of personal freedom, which is largely self imposed, “imagine” aims to explore the possibilities we lose as we grow older. I started this project with research into what it is children posess that we as adults have lost. The answer seems to be the ability to immerse oneself in imaginative play. Current research has found that this ability tends to decrease with age, and that the current methods used to teach todays youth may be depriving children of “unstructured playtime”.

What I aim to explore in this series is the part of this situation which recieves less attention: evidence that adults lose the ability to play imaginatively with age. A growing culture of people have begun to push back this trend and play imaginatively as adults. Flashmobs, urban exploration, historical reenactments, and numerous other groups and subcultures seek to extract adventure and fun from the otehrwise standard routines of life. The webcomic XKCD has embraced this sort of sentimental exploration of the ‘inner child’. The comic depicts characters who merge fantasy with reality frequently, and I have found the ideas to accurately voice the growing discord I feel with reality as it presents itself to me. Comic 137 entitled “Dreams” examines the limitations we impose upon ourselves as we age:

“The infinite possibilities each day holds should stagger the mind…” an unnamed stick figure says. “We live trapped in loops, reliving a few days over and over, and we envision only a handful of paths laid out before us. We see the same things every day, we respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, each day a slight variation on the last, every moment smoothly following the gentle curves of societal norms. We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
“And no, I don't have all the answers… But I do know one thing: the solution doesn't involve watering down my every little idea and creative impulse for the sake of some day easing my fit into a mold… It doesn't involve constantly holding back for fear of shaking things up.
“This is very important, so I want to say it as clearly as I can:
“FUCK. THAT. SHIT.”

xkcd comic #150 "Grownups"

The Floor is Lava

Secret Agent

Super Hero

Above.

"Above." is a series of photos taken to inspire people to explore their surroundings. Also included are aerial views of the locations. Not well received by initial audiences.

Gunslinger II

A pretty straightforward retooling of my original "Gunslinger" series. This time, however, I've inserted a female element to make a subtle point about female roles in history.

There's something going on.

Or at least it feels that way. There's a movement going on. Perhaps it's a facet that's always been there and I'm just now noticing, but it doesn't feel that way.

Take a look at Owl City, the rash of childhood shows and movies being remade, footie pajamas for adults (Awesome, I know), artists working in fantasy and make-believe (myself included), and a general theme swirling around in culture: A lot of people are afraid to grow up. I mean, it makes perfect sense. I was talking with my mom the other day when I asked her "Is it really true that you used to be able to just go out and get a job?" She informed me that, yes, it was once that easy. I was at a loss for words.

People are living with their parents for longer and longer time frames now. Hell, healthcare lets 'children' stay on their parent's healthcare for an insane amount of time.

The world is a scary and unfriendly place. And not in the same ways we're used to either. We were taught as kids that the world was hard to get into, that it took hard work to get things done. But, we were not really taught that hard work often doesn't pay off. That's really confusing. And I seriously understand why that's a little frightening.

Why I'm making the art I do (yes there's a relevant point in here) is clearer to me now. I'm making art for a sort of confused generation. A generation which was told that the world rewards hard work. A generation which sees before it more natural disasters, economic downfall, terrorism, crime, and fear than we were prepared for. And as we enter adulthood it's like walking into a burning building. What in holy hell are we supposed to do? I make art. That art has dealt with our (my) escapes so far. Fantasy. Make-Believe. I suppose the next step would be to make art which addresses the fear, and I have absolutely no idea how to go about doing that.

Urban Decay

This series, titled "Urban Decay" draws from my stencil archive. This is the first black and white series I've done in quite a while. It also draws from more narrative than conceptual roots, which is almost an about face from my standard techniques.

Rant.

From my notebook (excuse the ego):

"The aim of my art is not to roll my eyes at the "is-this-art"ists. It is simply a coincidence that in attempting to do the very basic idea of "convey meaning" it sort of does.

I don't particularly care if what I do will be considered art. It is simply an expression.

If I am remembered for my art and it is to be labelled, I'd like to be placed in whatever movement made art simply to convey meaning to an audience. No jumbled messages about whether or not I meant to say that art is a representation of blah blah blah.

Movements are dead.

Art can come back out and take a breath. What we all do is art if we say it is or if someone thinks it is. (Relativity!) Point made modernists, postmodernists, anti-artists, anti-anti-artists. We get it. Say something else. And make it pretty. Not because art needs to be pretty, but because art has become like a TV show 12 seasons down the road. There are some hardcore fans that get the references and the inside jokes and the overarching messages. But the rest of us stopped watching. The rest of us are done. Make a new show.

Shit.

That was very postmodern of me. Wasn't it?"

Update on Projects (II)

Another brief update. Projects, many of them. More than I have time for and a growing list.

- Las Vegas Project (This semester?)
- Urban Decay (This semester)
- Mobius Tree Sculpture
- Re: All Things
- Consumer Carcass
- The kiss.
- "The stars fell like snowflakes from the sky and soon we made snowmen of stardust."
- Behind the Glass
- Party Perfect
- Unnamed Female Portrait Diptych:
|__ Bust shot of girl in front of a field of stars.
|__ Close up of lips exhaling a thin breath. Stars behind.
- Untitled History Project

Post on Photojournalism (II)

As far as photojournalism is concerned, I summed up my personal relationship with it in a post some time ago. My opinions are the same, but I wanted to explain another facet of what the photo taken by Stuart Franklin (I incorrectly cited Jeff Widener for the shot last time. He took another similar photograph, as did a couple of others) means to me.



This photograph illustrates a serious issue I had early in college perfectly. The issue is settled (mostly) now, but often rumbles uncomfortably (like a dormant volcano we're not prefectly sure of). Do I want to *make* this photograph, or do I want to *be* this photograph? The question remains. And another in the wake of this one: Can I do both?


(I know I have not posted here in a very long time. I thought the best way to begin posting again would be by posting again. You know, Instead of saying "I should post more" and forgetting again.)

Artwork in Strega

So I've finished an epic amount of work. At least it felt epic. The final project for photo is complete. Not only is it complete, but it's on display at Strega. Yep, that's right, I have an outside show. And it's not even only for the book. I have other art up as well. Lets have a look.

Update

I haven't updated for a while. And while I think I'll update this soon I don't think saying "I'll update this later today" is going to stick. I'm about to pass out because I haven't slept quite well for a very long time. In fact I didn't sleep at all last night. Still up. Anyhow. Photos. Pretty time. I hope they translate from browser to browser and screen to screen... The official link is here.