Photograph As Window
In speaking with my grandmother last night, she talked about an early work of mine she has where I broke the bounds of the photographic frame by drawing and colouring – extending the image beyond the photograph. Her comment – this piece was from an earlier period, when I was interested in breaking the frame.
This struck a chord with me. I had forgotten my roots – forgotten what originally drove me in the direction I’m heading.
How easily we forget the arc of our lives when we become engrossed in the moment.
Reflecting on our conversation this morning, I remembered even more and see now how this idea has driven me ever since. I was obsessed with the implications of the edge of the photograph – its limiting bounds – its enclosing restriction. I even went to great lengths to find a way to frame my photographs without a frame in an effort to mitigate this enclosing effect.
Ironically in opposition to this, I was – am still – fascinated by the enclosing effect – the window a photograph creates to another time – another place – another moment – another emotion. I find photographs are worm holes in time and space – portals or links across great distances.
My first exhibition called Openings explored this restriction of enclosure a step further. Openings was a series of images looking through openings – an enclosure within the enclosure of the frame and in some images openings within openings, iterating redundantly.
This was my earliest attempt at breaking the boundaries of photographic convention. Breaking limitation and restriction continues to motivate me and has evolved into my recent efforts – present an event in its entirety (interactive video installation Can I Help You and 3 channel enveloping video installation Airfish) – articulate emotion through core elements of shape, colour and movement (photographs, Metro Motion, Coloured City and recently Light Signatures).
All this time, I’ve been asking Why, pounding my head against restriction and limitation.
Truly – this is the story of my life… isn’t it.