My critical annotation on this blog.
I have always been captivated by the power of stories. They offer an escape from reality, transporting me to realms of fantasy and imagination. Throughout my Master of Photography programme, I initiated a personal quest to develop a visual language that would bring these stories to life. During my exploration of image-making, I undertook a journey to explore the connection between reality and the imaginative realm of myth, archetypes, and narratives. In this pursuit, I employed the powerful tools of symbolism, metaphors, and narratives to portray the fantastic atmosphere I was trying to illustrate. I realised how the use of symbols and metaphors can open channels to the unconscious mind and help me find the deepest fears, desires, and thoughts that I might have forgotten entirely. This slow process of art-making provided a means of communication and personal realisation. Additionally, it served as a validation of my choice to employ surrealism and hyper-realism (which are rich in symbolical and metaphorical elements) as my primary visual language, particularly in moments when I aspired for relief and assistance for my mental well-being.
In this blog, I have endeavoured to explore artworks and artists that are relevant to my own art practice. While there are countless artists who can serve as a source of inspiration, I have selected the following artists who have had a profound impact on my work, both technically and theoretically. My research has centred on the convergence of reality and imagination, analogue and digital collage to extract news meaning, and digital artists who employ cutting-edge technology to make artwork. Also, cinema, as one of my primary sources of inspiration, has always been a gateway to the realm of imagination. As Susan Sontag discusses in her book “The Decay of Cinema,” the real experience of watching a movie is when strangers come together and immerse themselves in the profound experiences of others. However, if things continue the way they are, this will ultimately perish and vanish into oblivion.
Fortunately, finding these articles and artists is much easier than ever, thanks to the World Wide Web and the communities of artists, regardless of their distance and heritage. I had the chance to get to know a broad range of different art practitioners who never had a physical exhibition, and the internet provided them with an opportunity to be exposed, seen, and recognised as artists. This blog, in which I tried to briefly explain each artist or artwork, is a practice of art curation for me. I do believe almost all, if I can call them successful artists, are very good curators. Because it helps to have a better understanding of the artistic and technical process as well as aesthetics and history. Through interpretation of other artists’ artwork, I was able to understand deeper levels of meaning and utilise this approach to meaning in my personal work. It was a fantastic journey, full of inspiration and getting to know more communities of practice and practitioners.
Hootan H.Bakerdar | June, 2023 |