JUNE 2018 - THIS week's PICTURE
Smithsonian Screen Grab A : photo by Malcolm Aslett
Have I discussed this one before? I don't think so. I worked on this series for a couple of weeks and this is a screen grab from early in the process when trying to look for a way to manage it. There are so many issues and ways to go with photos of buildings. When that building is of a classical nature with pillars and pediment the issues are more acute - I think - because of our psychological relationship with the form. The classical temple is the basis of so many churches, banks and municipal buildings for complex and simple reasons. The simple reason: it looks great. A slightly less simple reason: it is imposing, both as a reflection of elevated culture and power. We could go on and on in this vein and not get to the bottom of it. My point is, that to break up the expected classicism of the form is already a commentary on all the other things it represents. I have another of the same building where I have constructed it in a parallel form which is less intrusive to expectations. By making the pillars turn in and be fractured there is an awful lot of disruption to our sense of order. I would contend that for many viewers this is both pleasing and disturbing. This is not the complete series. Next week I'll show a small section of this part that I worked on for a single image effect. |