artist statement
I hardly ever remember my dreams. But when I do, they remain on my mind for a long period of time, and often they are reoccurring. Many of the dreams and scenes I retain leave me with a feeling of anxiety and tension. Phantasmagoria is a series of photographs representing the emotions and fleeting images that I experience at night. These pictures have visual tension because of the conflict that the double exposure creates. Two subjects and two periods of time are meshed into one representation, similar to the way events and emotions are jumbled together in a dream.
The elements of the photographs I make are familiar enough to recognize, but improbable enough to be delusional. Although the manner in which each image is formed may seem arbitrary, they are captured by my intuition as an artist. Each frame serves as a sketch to find the perfect composition. I shoot each frame with spontaneity, but also caution in order to create double exposed negatives that are not too dense, have simple compositions, and will be easier to print. My family members are often a subject in these pictures because they are the most treasured assets in my life, and much of my anxieties revolve around them and their well-being.
Using film and analog processes for this work is important because of the aesthetic and the mystery of the double exposure in the camera. I use a brush to develop the photographs to enhance the surreal properties, and allow the image to flow off the paper like a dream.
The elements of the photographs I make are familiar enough to recognize, but improbable enough to be delusional. Although the manner in which each image is formed may seem arbitrary, they are captured by my intuition as an artist. Each frame serves as a sketch to find the perfect composition. I shoot each frame with spontaneity, but also caution in order to create double exposed negatives that are not too dense, have simple compositions, and will be easier to print. My family members are often a subject in these pictures because they are the most treasured assets in my life, and much of my anxieties revolve around them and their well-being.
Using film and analog processes for this work is important because of the aesthetic and the mystery of the double exposure in the camera. I use a brush to develop the photographs to enhance the surreal properties, and allow the image to flow off the paper like a dream.
