ALLUSIONS: Things Not as They Seem
My exhibition at Berlin Bar opens Thursday,
November 7, less than three weeks from today, and (what else is new?) I think I
still have five weeks of work to do. Does the word ‘procrastination’ come to
mind? “ALLUSIONS: Things Not as They Seem” is a series that, like its
predecessors, is hard to decipher at first. You seem to be looking at a
flower-strewn fountain or terrace, but something is off.
This time around I am playing a direct role in creating the illusion, rather than just finding and photographing it. I start with photos, shot from above, of ponds and cobblestones and fountains. Then I build up layers of glass, with spacers in between, adding flowers and leaves and other detritus that relate to the original photograph, as well as painting with glass paints, markers and oil pastels to enhance the sense of depth and movement in the original picture. I photograph this layered assemblage at night, lit from the side so that whatever is on the glass layers casts shadows. My intent is ‘point to’ the motion and reflection of what our eye really sees in that fleeting moment.
Once the photographs are taken, I brush the flowers off the glass and scrape off the paint or markers, wash the glass and start on a new piece. The ephemeral nature of this disappearing act delights me.
The
amazing David Mackenzie made a five minute movie of me talking about this new
series. You can see it here.
