These are a few of the images available online that the Historic Columbia Foundation has on their information page for this house-museum.Originally, I started looking at the museum system and how museums create displays and conveys information to their patrons. Then when I started this scanner camera project, those were the thoughts that were driving the original intent of the piece. Because those elements of the museum are not apparent in the image, or the iteration of the piece I currently am working on, the direction of the work may have changed. I am not sure if that new direction is emphasizing the narrative that can be constructed using a space, especially a space that is categorized and referred to as "historically accurate," a "historical recreation/interpretation/study/illustration etc..." All of these labels carry baggage and other ideas with them when describing that space and could be useful in formulating a different point of emphasis for the work.
One idea that I had was to make evident in the fictional narrative that precedes the pages that have the arrangeable images a point of contradiction, a slip in the continuity, expectations of the viewer, credibility of the materials/presenter of images.What if the fictional snippits that are associated with the images are the point of contradiction? Instead of these phrases be conveying historically pertinent information, would producing, sampling or otherwise creating anachronistic phrases that conflict with the age of the place photographed create an immediate sense of conflict between the information written and the image it's paired with?
Any other ideas?
Input?
Thanks everyone --
I recall someone mentioning an anthropological perspective that your work had (it may have been you, actually) and that seems like a good place to start in terms of the content of the images. Interpreting the significance of the rooms could vary wildly depending upon whether it was done from a chid's point of view, a woman's point of view or perhaps a slave's point of view.
ReplyDeleteThe fictional narratives, or comments, never really connected for me with a focused intent. They were like short individual vignettes. Maybe if different "personalities" were commenting on the same subject? Or perhaps contrasting that time and place in the past with the contemporary equivalent, like Graceland? You could discuss the similarities and differences between the two cultural and social values put forth by both places. This comparative approach might be interesting if only to provide this contrasting view, whether it be singular, or from plural points of view. Maybe it becomes an interview time-based project?
Just my 2 cents...
I kept on thinking of this piece. The narrative part may not so persuasive to me now, but I do think it is a good point to start. The space is arranged by certain entities in certain ways; however, who comes into this space will generate their own interpretation and fill up the narrative for the room. So I think there is a potential that you can have more interactivity in this piece. Just some ideas here, maybe make it to an installation piece which can record and playback audiences' voice, so that they can have conversation with these "invisible" family members, creates the narrative script for you. Collecting audiences’ footsteps and fingerprints, and project them to the surface of the displayed items. Because most of the exhibited items are not allowed to touch, but originally they were made to be consumed. Or maybe have audiences’ profiles projected on certain items in the room (like in photo frames). I don’t want to change your project by making it from a 2D net art work to a 3D piece. But I think it is the lighting, the angle and the effect that the scanner camera creates in those photos gives me a strong sense of the three dimensional space. Moreover, I agree with Todd that the point of view is important to this piece. (actually I thought it was from a pet’s point of view when we saw this in class). That’s also the reason I think viewers’ participation would largely change the meaning.
ReplyDeleteI have many responses to this project. Right now I am thinking that what IS NOT memorialized and preserved from the past might be the most important to the present and the future.
ReplyDeleteToday I came across this site: Silicon Monuments which exposes the history of hidden toxic pollution.