17th February 2013
Something very light and refreshing after ‘Light From The Middle East’.
A very quirky way of making images and a wonderful way of making a talking point. There was certainly plenty of discussion on how the images were made and what was really 3D in them and what was a cut-out. I can see these images making their way into a modern front-room setting and looking as good as a piece of traditional art and at the same time creating a great talking point.
The idea is to create images that the viewer has difficulty in determining which plane is which and what’s 3D and what’s 2D, also it introduces the ideas of cubism, now there’s a thought.
Robert Enoch, the tutor who was in attendance with us for this OCA sponsored study visit was very enthusiastic about them in his introduction and exhorted us to look and think about how they related to space and the filling thereof. He also pointed out that any one of us could emulate this type of photography at home, but after looking at the exhibition I wonder if anyone would get away with mimicking this. The problem as I see it is that it is a small field, and anyone who knows about this would realise that you’re attempting to copy. Everyone at some point copies, that’s well-known, and imitation is the highest form of flattery, but I can’t help thinking that a great deal of time would also have to be expended becoming an artist in other mediums too as I certainly believe that a certain amount of painting expertise went into these image constructions.
© Laura Letinsky, Ill Form and Void Full, Untitled 29, 2011
© Laura Letinsky, Ill Form and Void Full, Untitled 29, 2011
© Laura Letinsky, Ill Form and Void Full, Untitled 19, 2011
© Laura Letinsky, Ill Form and Void Full, Untitled 3, 201
Although this sort of imagery has an immediate attraction to photographic practitioners, I’m not sure how long one would continue to pursue the form. I know we’re asked to look at all the imagery we see in such a way as to extract as much meaning and influence as possible but, once again, I’m not sure how much influence this work will have on me. I’m sure that no-one expects a student to be captivated by everything they see nor would we be expected to add influence where none can be taken by the individual, all I can think as I leave this exhibition is that it was a very nice interlude and it had some stimulation attempting to work out the methodology, planes and dimensions, but it doesn’t leave me wanting to continue any further.
Lerpy's Photography Log 