Anatomy of a Shadow
As I was walking along my daily route I noticed a silver necktie on the ground; over the next few weeks I noticed how the tie’s exposure to the natural elements had changed the physicality of its appearance. Eventually, I picked up that silver neck tie. I had no idea what would become of my instinctive decision to collect the tie, but it was one that I could not resist. After a year of living with the sun-bleached, dirty, and worn object; I placed it on the bed of the scanner in order to further investigate my discovery. Using the bed of the scanner to document the items created a unique depth of field as opposed to that of a camera lens. From the scan, I made a digital negative, which I then printed in the darkroom. The result became a beautiful representation of abandonment combined with my curiosity of the photographic medium; one that would eventually result in Anatomy of a Shadow.
Anatomy of a Shadow, is an installation of silver gelatin prints of photographs and scans of objects. The objects are from my collection of treasured articles, both found and kept. Some of the articles that I have chosen to keep reference the relationship that I share with my mother, who suffers from multiple incurable diseases. The juxtaposition between the subjects represent the notion of duality; between the abandoned artifacts and those sustaining life, happenstance vs control, and the organic vs the scientific. The photographs depict vacant interior spaces; emphasizing the idea of isolation and abandonment. Some of the images have a petri dish, an instrument used for the culture of microorganisms, intended to further communicate the theme of disease and contamination. The prints are suspended by thread, creating an immersive viewing experience. The variety of size and positioning of the work is a result of spontaneity; based on intuitive gestures to inform the placement of each object. The methodology of the work requires patience, relying on found material, to then analyze through the use of the traditional photographic process. My investigation strengthens the relationship between myself and the specimen; giving each discarded object a sense of importance. The overall installation is intended to create an ephemeral experience, one that highlights the viewer’s perception. The observation and analysis of different objects and images as one moves throughout the installation is similar to my initial discovery of the found material. Memory, time, and solitude are some of the common threads that appear in the work. Influenced by the ontology of the photographic medium and my personal experiences; it is my intention to represent the impermanence and conciseness of life through Anatomy of a Shadow.