my new blog
is here
Even though I had an idea at an early stage and I was able to develop and progress the same idea throughout our latest project, I found it very challenging. Our theme, 'electric vision' was so far the most difficult, especially bearing in mind I didn't want to use every day electricity as the subject. So, what else...I used death, the brain's electric activity and all the unexplained mysteries around it. It was interesting to play with this idea and I am happy with the final images, however unpolished they are. I didn't really highlight this in my workfile/statement but I dedicate this work to my dad. I took my photos on the 3-year anniversary of his passing away on 28th January.
"My photos are about the state when life, as we know it, stops and death takes place. It opens up another world, even if it might be only the trickery of our brain. I imagine the departure of the soul a powerful, in the meantime peacefully delicate transition between possible dimensions of our existence."
to be honest I should delete this video from here because this player makes its quality like hell...but it was part of the project and was presented with a better quality projection.
(download)
music: Sleeping Giant by Jónsi & Alex
...they are my heroes...
:-)
Directed by Roger Ballen and NINJA
Director of Photography Melle Van Essen
in my calendar:
Shadow Land: Photographs by Roger Ballen 1983 - 2011
Manchester Art Gallery
30 March - 13 May 2012
This project is about humans' consciencious and unconsciencious facial expression.
My original idea was simply to compare the smiling and not smiling face and its physical appearance and effects visually. However, after research about expressions, both controlled and spontaneous, inspiration from Bettina von Zwehl's work, and further more, my personal experience during the photoshoot, selection and the edit of final photos, led me to a more complex observation and conclusion.
I understand that the stimuli for genuine and pretented expressions are coming from different parts of the brain. I also believe that there is always one 'real face' at a time and the others are used for hiding the real emotion a person feels at that particular moment, for the purpose of deceive or manipulate other people or even the person himself.
This project is an observation about humans, including myself, and comparison represented through two simple images of each person. Although it might appear as a cold and over-objective study, I strongly feel it is an intimate and understanding approach.
I might be wrong though; we can never really look into strangers or even people we think we know well.
Once again, I thank these kind people for their help and willingness to take part in this small project.
Bettina von Zwehl - http://www.bettinavonzwehl.com/main.html
heatwave
