Questons For an Overcast Day
I, being a photographer tend to gravitate toward photography simply because i better understand the message being delivred through the photography. Therefore, the exhibition that caught my eye was natrualy one of photograhy. The Robert Adams exhibit called “Questions for an Overcast Day” consists of a set of 33 photographs pf a single tree. The photographs progress throughout the set and move from photos of the entire tree to eventualy only showing a patrt of a solitary leaf. As the exhibition continues and the leaves are shown in more detail, it becomes clear that the leaves on this tree are not perfect, they are damaged. However, despite the damage to each leaf when the tree is surveyed from a distance nothing seems wrong. I think Adams is trying to convey the message that everyone when examined from close posses faults, but when looked at from a far seem to be whole. That everyone is imperfect, but in general most people on the whole are adequite.
Additionaly, as the exhibition continues on the leaves seem more and more beautiful and interesting to the eye. The holes and gaps in the filliage seem to add character, these leaves are not just leaves, they have personality. I think this as well is a message, that not everyone is perfect but further, that those imperfections are that which give each persn their distinct personality.
To exaggerate the dstinctivness of each leaf the artist places the photographs in plain white frames against a plain white wall. Also, i think the fact that this gallery on like others had a more legant wood floor and desk instead of an industrial cement floor added to the impact on the viewer. The fact that the photos were presented in an elegant environment enhance the impresion that the leaves are aestheticly pleasing.
Even though this gallery looked and felt alot more like a mueseum than others, the art and the message in gave struck me more powerfully than most of te other art i viewed.
September 22nd, 2007 at 11:06 pm
hey you totally stole my post - oh well you got to it first. anyways i thought that was an interesting idea about the individual imperfections, i hadn’t even really paid that much attention to the fact that the leaves were damaged…. maybe the whole tree could represent looking at people/ humanity or a group as a whole and showing the positivity of teamwork and all that good stuff instead of representing looking at the whole person??? idk just an idea, but nice analysis and interesting note on the cement floors
September 23rd, 2007 at 12:01 am
i think that that interpretation is amazing. i guess i’m not very deep; i’m like that with short stories that are just pregnant with meaning as well. i actually remembered walking into that gallery because i liked the name of his collection. and i was just like.. oh, leaves. i took one quick stroll around and then i left. but i can totally see what you were saying. so.. thanks.
September 24th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Hey, I didn’t remember this exhibit until I read your analysis. I must admit that I took on Kitty’s perspective, I wasn’t really impressed or taken a back. I felt as if someone took a picture and in order to fill space, played with the zoom lens. Your insight is very persuasive and I now feel like going back to the exhibit for a second chance. Thinking about it now, the piece can be talking a lot about perspective. People can be looking at the same object or situation but see something totally different because of their stance or ability to “zoom in”.
October 3rd, 2007 at 1:39 am
Hey Zach, I must say that your post stood out to me the most out of all the Chelsea ones. After taking a photography course last year, I have come to appreciate photography a lot. I am very intrigued by your description of this piece, and I am now persuaded to go looking for it. I love your interpretation of it, and must agree on the overall statement that everyone and everything is flawed when you take a closer look, but from far away, everything can be made to seem perfect.