As part of this weeks course work Week 4 Activity: Viewers Make Meaning, we were asked to submit one image that summarised our current practice and then our peers would:

• Evaluate the surface meaning, what you suspect is the intended meaning and the possible cultural meaning of these images.
• Reflect on your interpretation of the image.

I submitted the following image to the debate:

Figure 1

Feedback on this image was fascinating, with one peer commenting:

“This image is interesting to me. I see peace or fluid harmony.  A symphonic line of arms maybe reaching heavenward then bowing at its destination.  However, It could easily be seen in a darker context- sinister or even creepy- what lies beyond.  Breaking free or being buried? I wonder if it is almost like a Rorschach test – what you see depends on your psychological status, which could change day to day- even hour by hour for people”

The image above was a further experiment of trying to capture the light interaction with the ice on the surface of the water. The feedback was, for me, very positive, as it indicated that there was indeed a depth to the photograph.  The observation that there is a sense of dark and light, along with a fluid yet more darker context was a result I had looked to achieve.

This mixed sense of light and relaxing with an undertone of the more darker, ‘what lies beyond’ is indicative that I am going in the right direction. However this one image cannot make up a portfolio, so I now need to look at ways of combining what I am learning from these exercises to a more robust narrative that’s based on the theory of practice.

I am happy that my underwater and half in half out images can achieve results. I am however still lost on ways of joining these up to form a relatable and concise narrative that will make sense to the viewer.

My main aim now is to determine what I wish to say in terms of these images.

 

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References

• Week 4 Activity: Viewers Make Meaning

 

Figures 

• Figure 1 – JONES, Rob. 2019. Ice on the river. [Photograph]