Brian Urlich Lecture Response

I first ran into Brian Urlich’s work in the library while I was doing research for concepts a year ago. At that point, I was drawn to his work because of my interest in the relationship between people and their possessions. The body of work I had been exposed to, Copia I believe, concentrated on the acquisition as well as the wish potential purchases hold. Although I did not cite him because I was concentrating on the keeping of objects, I connect with all of his work. Now that I have seen a broader perspective of his work, I find I am most drawn to “Thrift” and his latest body of work in progress.

            When introducing “Thrift” Urlich asked a question that immediately hooked me, “Where do all these objects go?  I have had a long fascination with the idea that some objects maintain value while others are discarded as junk, and find that this body of work interplays with the concept of hoarding; something I am familiar with. My grandparent’s addictively went to thrifts stores, to both sell things and comb through those jumbled piles Urlich captured trying to find things of value; filling their house past function in the process of their quest. In trying to process this domestic situation, I created images that were aesthetically similar to images from this series. I have found myself also beautifying juxtapositions and formations created by these unwanted objects. I also find a parallel between my grandparents irrational urge to save the objects from being lost or wasted, and the notion that the American people donate possessions to alleviate guilt as well as the people from my own generation that are becoming altruistic in reference to commerce.

            His latest approach is dynamic and simple. The process of resurrecting an object, in this case neon signs from ghost malls, that have been left to crumble and die remind me of my grandparents original purpose to their obsession, find beautiful or valuable things that others see as junk, which now seems both beautiful and seemingly futile. Even without the political meaning attached to them, this work holds up by itself. I also identify with his urge to break away from simple documentation, either because you feel stuck in the process, or that your work is not saying quite what you want it too.  I am excited to find another artist that at time are not satisfied with just photographing, and hope to find more. 

Christina Mae Jeffers - 2nd Individual Meeting

I went and had my meeting with Tom this Tuesday. Just to review I’m trying to form a project in which I follow individuals home, creating a neo biographies on individuals in my age group because I find our current relationship with home is the most complex as we push forward to create our own space… our own home while having some, willing or not, connection with home. The end result would an installation combining film, photos, and material unknown. Naturally, Tom stated that my scope was huge, which it is. I need to tighten my ideas down because there is no clarity yet which is unusual for me because most of the time I have a clear image and then don’t move from it. I started a web writing down the different elements, and trying to find what I really want, and what could just be distracting or unneeded. It is in progress I’ll scan it later.

            In response to my early ideas about my installation, Tom directed me toward two artists, Lisa Sigal and Andrea Zittel. Zittel's work interested me in reference to viewer interaction.  Most of her works are installation environments in which the viewer can linger, interact, or at the least are completely surrounded by. There are a few, “Cool Chambers”, and “Prototype for A to Z Bed”, that are view from the outside and then can be entered. This process for the viewer is closer to what I want my viewer’s to experience viewing from the outside and then having a different experience on the inside. I am trying to get “Critical Space” in order to read more on her. Sigal’s use of materials and temporary installation caught my eye. The structural elements suggest shelters, or homes. I find that I do not have to be so literal with my installation to be reminiscent of a home. Her varied materials also opened up my eyes to other material options for my own installation. In “Tent Painting” the use of wallpaper and newspaper is one material direction I am pondering. The patchwork of paper has been a process I am familiar with and have had success with in AFO. The structure would be fragile and temporary which are both a positive and a negative. My photographs could be printed onto the surface (Liquid Light?) or pinned to the surface and therefore could be used multiple times. In “Architectural Shadows” and “Limits Returning”, Sigal uses actual pieces of homes, or building materials. In particular she used cabinet doors to construct a simple lean to in “Limits Returning”. I am very interested in utilizing pieces of home to create a structure if I am able to find the means.

Is there any artist you guys know about that could inform me in a way from working with the concept of home to my installation?

By this point you should have three entries posted on your personal blog. Make sure to read the guidelines I sent out over email/Bb this afternoon.

Alec Soth Is Hauting Me-Research

Alec Soth has been haunting me for the last year. Ever since I stumbled upon Sleeping By the Mississippi last fall, his work has been tumbling around my mind since. Then low and behold as I embark on my next body of work, he comes to mind again. My attraction to Sleeping By the Mississippi began with the formal qualities of his work. The attention paid to the surroundings in addition to the people made his portraits speak about the person, and their relationship to their current situation both within and outside of the frame. It became about a person as a whole not just their form. This emphasis on the environment also invites Soth himself into the dynamic.

The viewer is swept up in Soth’s journey… caught in the lonely reverie that in experienced by those who use transience as both an escape and a way to connect to the world. This loneliness felt by a chronic traveler is what attracts both Soth and I to capturing images of others and the environment around them. It is an attempt to connect to the world, especially the people around us in order to counteract the feeling that we are alone.

Soth’s urge to connect to the people and places around himself through photography can been seen through his medium itself. Soth uses an 8x10 camera regularly to capture his work, which causes the set up and exposure time to be longer than that of a modern photo shoot. The subject is aware of the photographer at the time of the exposure, but they are no longer self-conscious. They are relaxed back into their own thoughts, and into themselves allowing Soth to get a more honest perspective of them. Also giving him more time to become immersed in his subject as well as that particular place and time. He states about himself in an interview for Magnum In Motion, “I am a photographer that floats over the surface of the word… I float and I wander and I have brief but occasionally powerful encounters”. I too float and wander finding myself creating situations during my own processes that allow me to have more time with my participants in order to get a more relaxed and honest perspective. This shared technique also reflects my urge to connect to others in the best way I know how, through the lens.

I have just begun the process a newer body of work entitled, Niagara. This is his supposed exploration of love, passion and relationships through the areas surrounding Niagara Fall, a supposed honeymoon hotspot. I haven’t had enough time with it to truly make any grand assertions yet, but there is an awesome interview with Soth about this new work. Here is the link for those of your who are interested.

http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/niagara

And Soth’s website is:

www.alecsoth.com

Alec Soth From Sleeping By the Mississippi

Alec Soth From Sleeping By the Mississippi

Alec Soth From Niagara

Alec Soth From Niagara

Christina,

Please re-title your blog with your name. Senior Portfolio as a blog title will not help me keep up with your work. Thanks,

Tom