Here are some of his thoughts from my mid-term report:
"Of late Mark has engaged in more conceptualized work, leaving the camera on a tripod and capturing images via time-lapse settings. This approach is interesting in that it automates and mechanizes the capture of photographs. It represents a form of empowerment by employing the same observational tactics that capture all of us on security cameras multiple times each day as we go about our daily business. Mark takes this further by deciding on the staging, the canvas in a manner of speaking, and then abdicates control by letting the preset time-lapse intervals impose the regimented rhythm of advancing time to inform his work and his viewers. The implications of abdicating authorship at a certain point are rife with questions about control, the illusion thereof, and the prized photographic “decisive moment” heralded as the ultimate measure of a good street/ documentary photograph and beyond. Still, though very interesting, the lack of authorship represents certain challenges. It is the quality control, or in Mark’s case, conceptual, editorial and sequential decision-making where his ownership re-engages.
Having photographed the outside of things, documented and interpreted them, Mark is interested in addressing the personal and psychological this semester. The dichotomy between the two, the assumption of authorship, and ultimately the integration of these approaches as a sustained inquiry rather than compartmentalization have been central to our dialogue so far."
One aspect that I have been challenged to do is to be more considerate of the place and context where I place my camera for collecting images. The images need to be more compelling with a tighter edit. I need to decide on my authorship and commit to it with deliberate intent. The viewer can't be left with too little. As I approach documentary photography in a new way, I need to find one aspect of concern and if need be, discover this as an editor.
I also discussed with André how I feel like I have two different sides to my practice as an artist. On the one hand I have an interest in documentary, portraiture, and the social practice. On the other hand I have a deep desire to seek and create meaning through a process of internal intuitive exploration. He gave me an assignment to find images of photographers that resonated with me on each side of the spectrum.
It was really interesting to plum the depths of my photo history knowledge to discover how certain photographers have influenced my thinking and my work.
Below are some of the pairings that I considered:
