Black and White Photographs 2008

Recent Photographic works from Sydney

Here are some of my recent photo investigations of how we experience a new place. These were taken inside of the 432 bus to and from Circular Quay. The motion and reflective light quality are important methods for me in describing this intangible emotion. This is an on going process which involves taking a lot of images (most of which are rubbish) and then editing. I am looking for images where the motion transforms the objects, but doesn't distort them completely, leaving traces of their original form. It is this state of materialization and distortion that is important in describing how we experience foreign places -- primarily in transit.

Final Project: Restrain(t)

I am exploring an object which restrains or restricts the motion of playing a record. I thought this might be a good start:

Restrain: 

1 a: To prevent from doing, exhibiting, or expressing something <restrained the child from jumping> b: to limit, restrict, or keep under controlrestrain your anger>

2: to moderate or limit the force, effect development, or full exercise of <restrain trade>

3: to deprive of liberty; especially: to place under arrest or restraint

Final Project

So I am beginning to figure out my final project. I am making an object to restrain the movement of playing a record. I altered a fabulous pair of cheetah-print gloves last night so that they inhibit motion in all the fingers except for the pinkies. I now need pick the music for the piece. I want it to be from the 50's or 60's in keeping with the time period of the gloves and the record player. I now need to make a shelf to display the piece (if I can install it wherever our show will be) and I need to film one of my roommates performing with these gloves. 

I feel like I've been working in the dark this whole semester. We have no where to work, no space for our class to work because our classroom is a shared space. I have heard people complaining about grading for the class. I find it difficult because we work by ourselves some where else and then present our work with no feedback until the critique. I hope we will be provided with more feedback next week in our in-process critiques. I feel like the assignments have been so broad which is great, but we haven't had enough clear feedback along the way to encourage our ideas and craft to be improved, which has led to a somewhat bitter class as we were suddenly given grades. I hope the process will improve as we enter or final project.

story of the kiln god

So I thought I ought to give some background information on the tradition of the kiln god. Kiln gods can be found in the traditions of many ancient cultures including the Chinese (Tung- the god of fire) and the Egyptian (Khun- protector of all things made on the wheel) cultures. Kiln gods are traditionally made out of raw or fired clay and placed over the entrance to the kiln. Kiln gods are used as good luck idols to bless each firing. 

I chose to make my miniature monument to Alfred a kiln god to represent the ceramic history and traditions being passed on at the New York State College of Ceramics. Although bronze is not a typical material to use for a kiln god, I think it is appropriate because it is an enduring material that will outlast clay. The first thing I think of when I think of Alfred is ceramics. Ceramics is a central part of the village's history. I wanted to commemorate this long history of ceramics in Alfred and acknowledge its ancient origins. 

To see more images of kiln gods click on the link for Kiln God National.

Bronze Kiln God on Site

I went today and took pictures of my bronze kiln god mini-monument on top of the wood kiln. 

My How to Guides

So I decided to do my how to guides on the two thing me and my suite mates do everyday: 

-Brew delicious pots of coffee

-Play records

I have started by taking digital pictures of them performing these tasks step by step. Now I am going to trace/sketch them into my guide books and write up the instructions. I have to go up to the print shop or photo studio to use the light tables. I will scan in pages from the book once their done and I have access to a scanner. We had fun acting out and taking pictures, I'm taking that as a good start. Fun seems to be an important aspect in my studio process. In ceramics we're just experimenting and having fun, which is perfect for this time of the year when no one really cares anymore and we all just want to be outside in the sunshine.