Today was the last taught sessions on the IFY. Although I will carry on seeing most of my cohort next year, I was a little touched in thinking about the journey this year has taken us all on, and how far we have to go as well.
Firstly I checked on my rusting experiments from my sculpture and the results were better than I had hoped for!...
From these small blue marks, the ideas of aging I wanted have become brutally apparent! Jon agreed that they now look great and said the effects should just continue to grow over time, along with the drying out of the trunk.
After having scanned in my sketchbook and rounded off a few other things ready for this final module submission, I went into town to the Poly to visit the 2nd year Photography exhibition: Melange.
I was immediately drawn to this first selection, due its obvious religious iconography. I was really taken by the way the photographer took the holy and made it controversial by changing the fashion of the model but not the colour, and the colour being what draws the viewer into a religious mindset. Obviously I was of the mind of how it was presented, given that our own exhibition is less than a week away in the same space, but having had this particular exhibit "lay the ground" as it were to have the viewer explore the idea of what their gods and faith might be.
This piece called "Molusca", appealed to my own fascination with macro-photography. I could clearly tell the subject was based in the kelp that washes ashore so frequently on Cornwall's beaches. I knew from previous research that there can exist a microcosm of life in amongst the plant-life that springs from the oceans. It's not often I see such a wonderful piece that speaks to the unseen world all around us. It's large size and presentation were also to be commended as I am sure that it would offer up something new to see with each viewing.
Given the current cost of living crisis, this diptych was particularly poignant. Having the every-man presented in such bold images struck home that every worker, on land, sea and in the air has a story to tell, is living a life that is just trying to get by, exactly as we are. The juxtaposition of vibrant colour next to B&W spoke that nothing is always clear cut, even amongst the most colourful of characters we meet, they are facing the same struggles as those whose lives are obviously living in darkness. A very evocative presentation.
Finally I enjoyed this piece for a number of reasons - I was fascinated at how the photographer technically mastered printing onto a translucent material without losing detail in the image. Also the choice of having light fall through the image from behind was also enjoyable as a viewer. It was a clever choice given the subject matter discussed in the description provided. It also hinted at subjects I have been looking at in terms of our relationships with powerful primordial forces that, as a species, we have had a relationship with since the dawn of time. Obviously we look at nature very differently to our ancestors, but we are still drawn to it's power for creation, calm, inspiration and destruction.
