'Apparition Apparatus', installation view
Vision 1
Underpinning this work is an interest in belief and value systems and their relationship to the natural world. These structures for thought and knowledge often rely on, or are reinforced, by experiences of natural phenomena. Faith and imagination contrive to instil meaning, symbolism and significance to hitherto unknown or misunderstood events. Examples of these could include a solar eclipse, a rainbow, the aurora borealis or even more common occurrences like the arrival of mist or the play of light in a forest.
In making these images I wished to emulate the construction of these ‘apparitions’. By applying the dots by hand I slowly build up a layer that hovers over the photograph underneath. As the dots increase they take on the appearance of an entity that interacts with or interrupts the ability to view the original image (without blocking it out entirely).
In a way these images demonstrate our collective visions of the natural world – mediated by our human experience and the search for meaning.
This work continues my study into the materiality of photography and the possibilities it holds to investigate philosophical questions. The title ‘Apparition Apparatus’ could be seen as a reference to the camera itself.
Photos: Docqment
