On the Evolution of Spirit, Self and Dimension
– Please inquire with the artist if you are interested in purchasing this piece.
On the Evolution of Spirit, Self and Dimension is a body of work consisting of eight images that tell a story that is both narrative and autobiographical, both linear and circular. These images are an imaginative rendition of how we human beings strive to find that which is greater than ourselves, greater than what we believe we know. This sequence of scenes depicts a cycle of self-reflection, inspiration and objectivity that leads to a greater understanding of oneself. The characters shown in this work are seeking out a higher level of spiritual awareness in order to transcend the incomplete physical world.
In this series, you’ll find only two characters, one in the physical world and one that resides somewhere between here and the spiritual realm. In this semi-narrative, one character represents you and I in this physical world while the other is meant to serve as a kind of spiritual lowest common denominator, an entity that represents the metaphysical core to every individual. These characters were kept intentionally anonymous to encourage the audience to relate the images to their own lives.
The work begins as sketches created from dreams and daydreams, stories and emotion. From these drawings, I plan out the steps required to complete the work. Most of the components of each image are photographed using a Cambo 4×5 view camera, Mamiya RZ67 and a Mamiya C330 although in some cases, images from 35mm film already in my collection have been used. Parts of these images have also been acquired from the Hasselblad images shot during the historic NASA Apollo missions. The film is scanned along with drawings and pieces of fabric that also become part of the images.
In addition to the traditional 2D print, these images are designed to be viewed in 3D by the use of a stereoscope. Eight individual stereoscopes were created to show this work. They are built of Bolivian rosewood and cherry wood with glass lenses and acrylic light collector/diffusers. These pieces are shown below in images taken at the University of Colorado Denver: College of Arts and Media 2008 BFA Thesis Exhibition.
The 3D version of this work can be seen in the following images, please select the viewing method appropriate to your setup. For information on stereoscopy and on how to view these images, please click here.
Publicity:
The thesis exhibition was blogged about by a fellow student and gallery employee, and the work won the Emerging Artist Award in the Flagstaff Photography Center’s 2010 Portfolio Competition and is currently featured under Modern Stereo Photos on Brian May’s Londonstereo.com. Below, you’ll find some of the materials.
Flagstaff Live! May 20-26, 2010 cover
Flagstaff Photography Center – Postcard side 1
Flagstaff Photography Center – Postcard side 2