"If you don’t understand the capacity of materials to carry meaning. . . . you’re limited in your range to simple expressions rather than complex ideas." – Kerry James Marshall
I came across Kerry James Marshall’s quote after taking a still life class with photographer Birthe Piontek at Photo Center Northwest. This is what she was telling us; how we use materials and objects in our still life can send powerful messages. Understanding the potential for a material to communicate meaning is a powerful device.
Birthe was incredibly inspirational. Her critiques were informative and helpful. For the second assignment Birthe suggested we think about what was happening with the pandemic. Words that came up for me were distancing, separation, fear, loss, grief, quiet, how our emotions are influenced by our feelings and our history.
Employing four antique bottles, a couple of small white boxes and some translucent plastic I set things up near a window and began.
I enjoyed the work. I kept rearranging objects, kept moving around the setups. Kept going back at different times of the day to see how the light changed the still life. Then I edited my images in Lightroom which has become surprising robust at adding effects.
What meaning can three bottles and a plastic sheet have? What emotions are evoked? Is there a sense of isolation and distancing? Does a still life remind us that looking at art is a very personal experience?
