Long before, I encountered this artist’s work, I had thought about a conceptual photo of a human foot (scale 1:1) trampling a Humvee (scale 1:43) and an Army Jeep (again, scale 1:43). This was to emphasize the sheer magnitude of humanity against the modern day warfare systems (especially provoked by the ongoing insanity in the name of “war on terror”).
Check out Slinkachu’s work. His “Inner City Snail” project reminds me of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” number (one of my favourites as well), quite pertinent to the times that we live in. Hope you enjoy the Surrealism and simplicity of Slinkachu’s work.
This is the kind of work (among many) that really inspires the Fine-Arts side of me. As mentioned in one of the earlier post, I think one has to experiment until it provides him/her a sense of personal gratification. When I took to photography, I was working as a contractor (my $day_job). Involvement in photography provided me the much required diversion from mundane work. It encouraged me to travel. Later at some stage, I was saturated with the kind of photography that I was involved in. It no longer appealed to me the way it used to, before.
There were days when I used to sit clueless at Pershing Park (by the intersection of Pennsylvania Ave and 13th St) at Washington D.C., gaping at the Public activity in the Park. The Pennsylvania Ave headed on the south eastern direction led all the way to Capital Hill. Many weekends were spent at the National Mall area at Washington D.C. – summing up the loneliness in life. I couldn’t connect with anyone and was slowly detaching myself from my weaker and vulnerable self (it was the fight for an identity within self). Towards the end of 2006, I spent time wandering aimlessly along the Streets of Manhattan (middle and lower). Thus began my venture in to street photography. New York Manhattan life provided a Street Life that was uncommon in other parts of U.S. A visit to Harlem (upper Manhattan) would have provided a glimpse of the harsher side of the Borough. I had no idea and there was no theme on my head. I consider that phase as *nothing to lose period in life*. It was like crossing a busy main street with a very high probability of being hit by a vehicle. But all that mattered to me (the individual) was the random probability of successfully making it to the other side of the road.
Various Photographers in Flickr and other genres of photography started to interest me. The sheer simplicity of street life, perspective and the *decisive moment* capture brought about a meaning of Photography to me. If I were to capture a frozen lake or a tri-coloured lake with a shutter click then what difference would it make? A painter can do that. Photography (to me) should capture the essence of life. Conceptual or Popular Art form with a tinge of Surrealism also interests me. The major element in photography is to reproduce the ambient light, associated details and the ability to play with the “Science of Optics”.
Let me see how it works out. I guess it would be interesting to go an assignment with interesting street photographers as well as by serving as an assistant under cinematographers that focus on neorealism (my personal choice would be Magesh Muthusamy or Kathir). Having a conceptual thought and expressing it are two different things. Communicating your expression in varying degrees matters. A tricky artist can also intentionally misdirect an Observer. An intelligent Observer can sense the lack of communication or metaphor or much more from an Art work.
To be an Artist one has to be passionate with a tinge of idealism (i mean, *real* idealism). Once the idealism goes away, the Artist in him dies. Provocation is another factor and it depends on how it is channeled in the form of Art. At present I am satiated in the warmth and comfort of simple minded people around me. So, there you go…
Ever wondered why people in Cuba or Palestine or Iran or Afghanisthan or whatever can come up with some stunning piece of work? It is because they have nothing to lose in life. I am talking about the kind of work that don’t get sensationalized my mainstream media. “Rape of Mumbai” can be an expression of anger by M.F.Hussein, as an Artist. What about the resilience of human beings even in the adversity of living conditions? A conceptual shot of Red Cross Plane parachuting Prosthetics, and Amputees (victims of land mines) racing against fellow Amputees (and Citizens) with their wooden support to grab one for their family members. The survival spirit of human beings is captured poignantly in Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s film “Kandahar“. There is no dramatization in the form of melancholic background score. The visual image captures the brutal reality of a Country long affected by internal strife.
Some street and documentary Photographers of Interest:
Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Magnum page
and many more…
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