My current idea for the major project in documentary art is as follows: survey my town and/or Suffolk county more generally, find broken down, overgrown, burnt, crumbling and otherwise significantly damaged and destroyed structures/buildings, find records/photographs/videos of these buildings, and recreate them in the present with the available photographic and video recording equipment to compile a record of before & after. While I am not entirely sure of the message of the project quite yet, I believe this is a worthwhile project to pursue, even simply in the name of historical comparison and archiving of the past to the present day, as I am enamoured by history and so wish to be able to see it in front of me.
Outcomes:
- Find and photograph dilapidated buildings in the Riverhead township area
- Write out brief complimentary statements regarding the photographs and their bearing on the project
- Compile all photographs and other media on a webpage as a historical archive
- Total out amount of photographs/video/other related media to around 10 to 15
Materials:
- Digital camera(s)
- Various news sites, interviews, hearsay
- Car to be getting from place to place
Methods:
- Still photography
- Essay writing
- Creation of a website to compile information (google personal site or SBYou journal)
Time Schedule:
- 1-2 weeks location scouting
- 1 week or less for research
- 2-3 weeks for photography/video capture
Research references:
- Baltz Lewis/New Topographics in the way that buildings are cleanly but coldly photographed
- Frederick Sommer’s photographs of death/decay and the Arizona desert for the intention/meaning behind the photographs
- General photographic conservation efforts, example: https://exhibits.library.gsu.edu/a-race-against-time/photographic-legacy-importance-of-documenting-the-past/
untitled photograph of Arizona desert
“Jackrabbit”
“Industrial park”
Untitled
After reading your proposal, I really like your idea of creating similar picture as what your example shows. I think the black and white shocwcase a great contrast for the object. I think both of the aritst that inspired you are interesting. Baltz Lewis who works great with these contrast photo, and he was a master of using shadow in his work. Frederick Sommer on the other hand, his picture often consists with using organic or life object, like rabbit, an arm. I do see the similarity of the two artist both work with black and white pictures, but other than, the two do work with diffferent topic, thus I am really interesting of seeing your outcome of the combination of both of the style.