The images of my series are pulled from family photographs, documenting my grandmother’s life. They show the vitality of the context from which a photo is taken. As with the artistry of Sally Mann’s photos, the images emerge from the mysterious perspective of the photographer. The background of a photo is often assumed unimportant. Removing it, however, makes it impossible to form an accurate judgment. This idea is conveyed by presenting realistic, accurate images in a disconnected way.
The pieces in my series are accurate. They are photographs of my grandmother from different times in her life. The figures are drawn in colored pencil and attached to a decorative watercolor painting. The brightly designed backgrounds are used to erase the possibility of space within the piece, and create a sense of disconnect and confusion. Rather than extend the image, it is intended to pull the figure or figures into the focus of the viewer. This allows the focus to be solely on the idea that the original photograph intended to portray. We often make inaccurate assumptions about people due to how a situation is perceived from an outward perspective. It is clear that without the background information, the foreground is not properly represented. "Celebration" (10) and "Wonder" (3) show vague emotions and incomplete stories, leaving the mysterious portraits difficult to interpret. The artificial background encourages the viewer to look past their original assumptions of the piece. Similarly, the figure in "Joyful" (11) appears distraught. To counteract this initial thought, the orange dots filling the background are critical to insure the proper interpretation of the piece. It is evident that when viewing situations in life, as well as in art, an incomplete story removes all possibilities of creating an accurate judgment.
The pieces in my series are accurate. They are photographs of my grandmother from different times in her life. The figures are drawn in colored pencil and attached to a decorative watercolor painting. The brightly designed backgrounds are used to erase the possibility of space within the piece, and create a sense of disconnect and confusion. Rather than extend the image, it is intended to pull the figure or figures into the focus of the viewer. This allows the focus to be solely on the idea that the original photograph intended to portray. We often make inaccurate assumptions about people due to how a situation is perceived from an outward perspective. It is clear that without the background information, the foreground is not properly represented. "Celebration" (10) and "Wonder" (3) show vague emotions and incomplete stories, leaving the mysterious portraits difficult to interpret. The artificial background encourages the viewer to look past their original assumptions of the piece. Similarly, the figure in "Joyful" (11) appears distraught. To counteract this initial thought, the orange dots filling the background are critical to insure the proper interpretation of the piece. It is evident that when viewing situations in life, as well as in art, an incomplete story removes all possibilities of creating an accurate judgment.