Well, so much for my stated goal of providing an update every week or two. I guess that didn't last long. But, I wanted to wait until I had something worthy of relaying to everyone, and, well, that time has finally come.
Blogging music today is Superchunk...a band I really only got into recently, but wow am I enjoying them. Scored a hand-numbered 7 inch single on Record Store Day by these guys.
Anyway, I said I had news, and I do. I've alluded to the fact on Facebook that I was on the cusp of a new photo project. Well, things have officially begun, and I even have a couple of images to share with you. Many of you likely saw these on Facebook and came here to find out more, and for that, I thank you. First, some background:
As most of you know, much of my work centers around themes of childhood, memory and how we construct, contextualize and use those memories. I've been working on these themes in one way or another for the past 13 years, and the two portfolios on my website address these issues in unique ways. Each of those series' is a multi-layered, labor intensive process that takes a long time (sometimes months) to arrive at a final print. And while I plan to continue developing those bodies of work, I started to yearn for a new project. Several months ago, my iPhoneography started being represented in stock and honestly, part of me felt relieved. I could just shoot with abandon, do my editing and send the image directly to the agency. This is the way that most photographers work - and I know this first-hand in my career as a Photo Editor. But, this method was completely different from the way I've always done my personal work. Digital imaging for me has always been one of many, many steps in a very complicated process. I needed a break, and my iPhoneography was providing that - but I decided I needed to develop a cohesive body of work above and beyond a single iPhone photograph here and there. And I knew I wanted these to be traditional photographs...iPhoneography wasn't the answer.
At the same time all of this was going on, I started rediscovering work by a lot of modernist influences - the Bauhaus, William Eggleston and contemporary screen printing to name a few. And I realized that we all had one thing in common - the idea of "constructing" something that taps into something wider. Up until now, my constructivism had been subtle...mostly bound up in layers and processes used to create the work. I decided my next series would have that element right up front for the viewer.
So, a couple of weeks ago I was mulling this over and I started thinking about this vintage toy collection I've been amassing over the last few years. It isn't a huge collection, but each piece in my mind has a very unique design aesthetic, use, or visual power that gives it an added element besides a fun toy. And as I thought about those objects, I realized those were the key. Those items represent something beyond themselves, and using them as a launching pad was where I was headed.
So, with that back story, here are the first two images, hot off the presses. First off, we have what I am calling "Building Block Runway" - at least for now.
The items you see in the foreground are original blocks, designed by Kurt Naef of the Bauhaus in the 1940's. Every side of each block has a different design, and the idea was that kids could use these to increase their fine motor skills and creativity by turning them to create different designs. I always liked this concept, and for some reason, the idea of building a road or runway from these stuck out to me since the day I brought them home.
The second image I just shot today. I'm calling it "Parked" (again, the title is tentative).
Who doesn't love a toy car? I mean, really? Exactly - everyone does! This one is obviously an oldie - a 1950's wind-up tin toy car by Marx. I was playing with a lot of themes here: coming of age, feeling overwhelmed by your surroundings, and how an object functions very differently when separated from its normal context. I'm pretty happy with this one...and hope you are too.
I'll keep everyone posted on how this work develops. I'm excited about it and look forward to sharing it with you.
-Marc
