Ordinary Aura

I keep looking at these photos of Harmon's and think that #2, 3, 4 have great potential for the postcard we are qworking on. OR, working on.

Alan, can these be used? Can you describe more about these three? The roped off area, the waterfall, landscape and insect wings.

i'd agree, i like how #2 is playing with aura and a specific place. aura as invisible, or not yet. empty and active space.

i like this one too
i think it might look good along with the dark wilke photo

i like this one too. it reminds me (for no good reason) of the pleasurable experience of visiting Caravagios and such in Rome in darkened corners of small churches - when I was there I had to insert a coin to turn on the light that would let me see the painting...

i think this is the most representative image of what I've seen discussed here on the blog. there's something in it about absence/invisibility, about marking out space, about separation between spaces, about how material and formal choices communicate that differentiation, about the institutional role in the process...there's also some simple signifiers of "church" or "museum" here that would be helpful.

kevin
i'm with you all the way
this will be the postcard image
i think chris and seth are going to work on the back/text
janet is sending out contracts today i think
each artist will receive a 200 dollar honorarium for shipping or whatever
i'm still figuring out tech stuff
what are the specific needs for video and sound?
aw

i didn't realize that this discussion was going on. sorry for the delayed response.

this image is definitely my favorite from the group of photos posted awhile back. i appreciate and agree with kevin and rowley's comments about space and presence. i'm really drawn to the idea of deliberately searching out these types of spaces/gestures of marking or separating. nevertheless, it seems that they are better "found".

in response to chris's questions about photos 2, 3, 4: the roped off area (2) is in the bathroom area of topkapi palace in istanbul. i have no idea of its original purpose or why its marked off. photo number 7 is the room adjacent, and it seems that they preserved a few remnants of the original wall for some reason. i was really drawn to that. the waterfall and landscape (3) are backdrops in a photo studio in uganda. i loved the idea of trying to create a "paradise" or perfect place to record yourself on film and the notion of what is perfect/edenic. i also appreciated the door that required a cut in the landscape photo backdrop- a way to get "there". the wings (3) are also from uganda. briefly, the (true) story goes like this- on moon lit nights the termites respond to moonlight shining in their mound-hole by flying towards the moon (like bugs around the porch light). in the process of flying to the moon, they literally beat their wings off and fall to the ground. the next morning the ground is blanketed with insect wings like leaves in the fall- it is amazing. strangely enough, everyone collects the wingless and confused bugs and eats them- some straight away, others take them home to fry them. i prefer the latter.

i particularly liked the wings photo because it reminded me of the traditional story of muhammad's "night flight" from medina (or mecca, i forget) to jerusalem. he flew to jerusalem during the night in a vision, "affirming" his role in prophecy, etc. it resonates with a "i can do it in my own power, i am the One" kind of feeling. this is a prosperous night for muslims on their calendar, when they believe that they can secure entrance into paradise and aquire forgiveness and other beneficials. this is their "night of power"- not God's power, but their opportunity to make use of the power associated with muhammad for their ends. folk islam.

wait - so our postcard image is from a shitting room?

that's rich.