PHOTOsynthesis

Ackroyd and Harvey, Mother and Child, c. 1998

stay-green grass, clay, wood, 3.9'x5.9'

This photograph is really exciting to me. These two artists, Ackroyd and Harvey, work together in figuring out how to manipulate the chlorophyl during the photosynthesis process into rendering a photo. I am amazed by these photos, and I think it is a beautiful way of working with science and art, something photography is known for, certainly, but they seem to take things to another level. 

I'm still researching the process. 

The bastard child of science, left on the doorstep of art.

Beaumont Newhall once described photography as, "the bastard child of science, left on the doorstep of art." 

This single phrase summarizes my overwhelming love and intimidation for photography. I am intrigued by the scientific attributes behind the brilliantly beautiful result of the art, the photograph.

Stream of consciousness:

Girl on cellphone, walking through the library:

"I was driving on the interstate, fast, in the rain. I was in a rush to get back on campus in time. And I did a 360 on the interstate."

Exit girl on cellphone.

back to the arts

Brody Condon, Twentyfivefold Manifestation 2008

After living in the woods for a week it was refreshing to come back to civilization, and to be immediately immersed back into school. Thursday of last week USF had a visiting artist, Brody Condon, speak about some of his most recent work. Brody got his MFA at the University of  California in San Diego. More recently he's been living in New York working on these instillation pieces. The one, in particular, that he came to talk about was Twentyfivefold Manifestation 2008.  I could feel the awkward silence swish around in the room, a few mumbled comments, blank looks on faces, but never so much as a giggle (thank god). Brody didn't seem entirely comfortable speaking in front of us. I didn't find this denoted him as a bad artist, I was only more eager to see his work.

With little explanation behind the piece, he played the video for us. I can't speak for everyone in the room, but I know that I was confused. The video was shot in a park in the Netherlands, if I remember correctly. The video seemed very raw, as if anyone with a video camera had happened to stumble upon this bizarre cult and pressed 'record'. There is no dialog (outside of some chanting, with only a few words recognizable), so the viewer is forced to come to their own conclusions of the happenings in the video by the characters use of body language, their surroundings, etc. Towards the end of the video I enjoyed the videographer's use of tight shots, I felt this gave the video a better sense of intimacy with the characters that we had been watching in the film. 

After the film was finished he gave a bit more explanation. The way he talked about his history with these LARPS (Live Action Roll Playing Scenarios) helped me to empathize with the characters. This may help give a better understanding towards this artists association and history with LARPS that fueled his desire to make this art:

Brody grew up in the mid west. He had a fondness for Dungeons and Dragons as a child, but was misunderstood as a demon worshiper for playing with such games. Since childhood it has been a struggle for acceptance with these so-called demonic games, and now as an adult the LARP world is evolving to such a larger scale that he is all the more intrigued. He is determined to revolutionize things in the LARP world even more. The Scandinavian countries warmly welcome LARPS, but it is in America where Brody wants to bring this way of life to this same level of acceptance.

For me, I think it's incredibly exciting when any one person becomes so passionate about one thing that they are willing to dedicate their life to that one thing. For Brody it is LARPS. When the discussion let out into the court yard for food and drinks I could hear the conversations rising up, "That was awful," "I can't believe I waited around for that," "At least I got some free food out of the deal." Granted, I thought the video was poorly executed, but I think that his passion for the subject is something that should be recognized. 

Also, the large, futuristic living spaces that he created for the scenario were extraordinary. He did warn the audience that his focus was/is in sculpture work, and that working with computers and video recording equipment is still new to him. Also, the entire scenario that these characters were living out was a LARP world that Brody had created himself. When the viewers take into account that these are what constitute as his art it becomes more exciting, for me at least. 

Here is a link that gives a better idea of this work. 

Here is a link that shows some of his older work. 

FNS: Stella's Search for Snow

Here is a collection of photos from our most recent gypsy excursion entitled FNS: Stella's Search for Snow. We started in Alabama trucking our way towards the east coast so that we could arrive in time for new year's eve to whiteness the first sunrise of 2009.

Disclaimer: The series of photos start from the bottom, working their way back up here.

Enjoy!

Reading my book in a hammock before we packed up and head back home.

Fort Mounds. The soldiers hollowed out these mounds (behind JB and Stella) to convert into spaces of storage, refuge, bunks, etc.

dorks

glowing

gun powder

creepy old fort hospital

cannon ball

Fort McAllister

fresh squeezed oranges for our mimosas

celebratory champaign

pop!

home

so sleepy

This is how cowboys make coffee.

the sun creeping in to our camp site

Happy 2009!

JB and Bean

Stella was cold, tired, and cranky

the first sunrise of 2009

stoked

pensive, fire-side

nap time

dancing fire

bambie

Still on our quest, we headed further east and slightly south. We ended up deciding on a place called Fort McAlister State Park.

Stella, did YOU drink the last of the Tennessee whisky?!?

fire

water

there's nothing like slappin your knee to the harmonica

these two trees were hugging one another

crucial

breakin' it down

harmonica break!

Getting to the tops of mountains means long and twisty mountain roads.

Time to head to Georgia. Our next destination was to camp in Blood Mountain (part of the Appalachians), in a place called Vogel.

the grass

good morning, sun

our tent

our car

The next morning frost had covered everything!

big knees, big heart

Yes, Stella had her own sleeping bag.

telling stories

Stella the water dog!

leprechaun Jb

self-timer = awkward poses

"I make you very good deal for my grandmother, she-ah cook for you."

exploring

These beautiful walls were covered in awful graffiti (i.e.- "ICP 4 Lyfe")

petrified

cave masters

spelunking

I helped him up as soon as I got this shot.

Mmm... Still water, mosquito breeding ground? Perhaps.

never satisfied

mountain goat

mountain hiking

JB's turn

All the trees trick one into think they are dead during the winter, but come spring they'll remind us of their beauty.

sitting on the edge of a cliff, Stella wasn't allowed (someone had to take the picture)

After a great deal of twists and turns down old coutnry roads (some still in service, but most were not), we made it to our first night of camping, Buck's Pocket State Park.

The branches seemed to claw at the roof of the barn like a giant's hand.

This was a beautiful old barn that had been taken over by this determined, decaying tree.

the mobility of Rainsville

This pleased the citizens of Rainesville

Rainesville, Alabama

endless pavement

December 27th through Januray 2nd JB, Stella, and I set out for adventure. We got in the car, with minimal preparations, and started driving. Due to our limited intimate knowledge of our bordering neighbors I was eager to visit Alabama, so we set our initial destination for somewhere in North Eastern Alabama.