Keeping nature in mind: A Journey
23.3.15
 |
| Keeping nature in mind |
A thought crossed my mind whilst I was laying in bed one night. I was thinking about how everything comes from natural means. Even 'manmade' things aren't fully manmade because more than likely the primary resource came from the earth. My point is, is that humanity and nature are the only two things that exist on our planet, and like siblings, have a pure connection with one another.
My images are a simple observation on the fragile relationship between humanity and nature.
Below is the description of the piece:
'Nature is a part of us, whether we know it or not. It surrounds us and almost everything, in one way or another, is made out of it. Keeping nature in mind reminds us of the fragility of our relationship with it, and keeps us from harming it.'
HOW DID I GET HERE
I started this project by exploring the theme of digital technology and its effect on our perception of the world around us. My premise was to create a 'memory box' that had the power to extract data from the environment around the subject, and manipulate the reality around them into something ultimately more idealistic and pleasant to look at.
HOW DID I GET HERE
I started this project by exploring the theme of digital technology and its effect on our perception of the world around us. My premise was to create a 'memory box' that had the power to extract data from the environment around the subject, and manipulate the reality around them into something ultimately more idealistic and pleasant to look at.
reference photograph:
 |
| Illusion of Conciousness - Andrey Bobir |
However, I quickly moved on from this idea, and started to explore the archive, and how digital memory fades over time.
But the idea of doing my photo series on 'the archive' was too similar to my film idea, and it was suggested to me that perhaps it would be sensible to free myself from this idea of digital memory and do something a bit more refreshing. From this I learnt to let some ideas go, step outside of my comfort zone a little bit, and stray into the realms of nature.
I struggled with this concept initially, but started to do some research and found a style I really wanted to emulate.
 |
| Scarecrow | Kyle Thompson |
On my first shoot I went scouting for locations in a forest near a friends house. We spent a few hours exploring and taking photos without much thought behind them, with the intention of attaching meaning to them in post. Although this didn't yield any outstanding results, I felt this shoot was extremely successful, mainly because it helped me secure the freedom to explore creatively without being tied down by a pre-planned meaning.
This creative freedom was something that felt completely new to me, and was genuinely exciting. I felt more confident in my abilities now that some of the pressure to take a single photo with a deep meaning was taken off of my shoulders.
This brings me to shoot #2
I like to call this shoot a 'visual brainstorm', because it has helped me develop my ideas even further than I could have imagined. The idea behind this 'brainstorm' was that I immerse myself into the nature around me. I got Megan and Lawrence to throw a load of twigs all over me, and then take photos of it and experiment with compositions. This was when the idea was in it's conceptual stage, because basically I was told to go out and just take photos and see what ideas spring from experimenting. RESEARCH
My research of this relationship is based on the advise of my tutor - to look at the Green Man mythologies, and relate it to old pagan rituals and their traces in the woods.
But what is a 'Green Man'? A Green man is a a sculpture or drawing or some other representation of a face that often has grass or roots springing forth from the mouth/ears of it. This is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of growth each spring. Some speculate that the mythology of the Green Man developed independently in the traditions of separate ancient cultures and evolved into the wide variety of examples found throughout history.  |
VISUAL INSPIRATION
I was recommended to look into the works of Ana Mendietta, who explored relationships between body and nature, and our imprint on the nature around us. In her piece Siluetta she demonstrates this very finely
FINAL RESULT
I printed in large A2 because I really wan the viewers to be immersed into the nature. The pictures of nature above the eyes for me act as an extension of the characters head, showing only a snapshot of the nature around them. I chose the layout not only for its aesthetic value, but also because it keeps the piece tidy and thus, easier to look at.
The strong use of the colour green is to give off strong connotations of nature so that it is clear to the viewer that the pictures are of natural material, and not anything else.
In summary I feel like I have reached a point where I am happy with the art I have made, but naturally I have a few things I would develop if I were to develop this idea further. I would have liked to do a series of collages, perhaps putting manmade objects and natural objects next to each other in a similar style to continue this idea that 'everything comes from nature'.
0 comments