The third photography interlude theme was ‘Cats and Dogs’ and would be my last theme as curator before I hand over my creation to other cohort members to act as theme setter and curator for the supporting brochure. I considered a number of different ideas for my submission. We have both cats and dogs in our home the cats arrived first. Most of the cats we have had are pedigree cats and in 2000s we started to breed oriental cats a very rewarding yet sometime heart breaking experience. Pedigree cats are not allowed to be sold until they are at least 13 weeks old as at that age they have developed their social skills can can have had vaccinations to protect them from common illnesses that could kill a cat (Feline infectious enteritis, Feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) and feline calicivirus – Cat flu.)
Having been part of these kitten’s lives for 13 weeks means that you develop a bond with them as much as their own mother so it is always with mixed emotions to see them leave our home for their new lives. The image separation with the rips represents that process of separation that happens as each kitten leaves our home.
Sontag describes photography as indexical ‘Photography is the vision for a moment captured through the lens’ (Sontag, 1979, P10). In source image the 3 cats were recorded together as a family unit however the introduction of the rips has introduce symbol of breaking apart the family.
The process of physically ripping an image was used by James Tylor in his body of work “Aotearoa My Hawaiki” which explores his ancestral roots in New Zealand however growing up in Australia he feels disconnected and the rip is the representation within the image.
As I write this entry I realise that handing over the curatorial role for photography interludes to other members of the cohort is a similar process. The concept is now sufficiently developed it no longer needs me to be the sole provider of creative direction.
Good luck to Kevin Darling as the first guest interluder.
Aotearoa my Hawaiki #4 2015,Inkjet print on hahnemuhle paper with rip,50x25cm, James Tylor
References
- Sontag, S. (1979): On Photography. Harmondsworth: Penguin
- Tylor, James (2015), http://www.jamestylor.com/aotearoa-my-hawaiki.html
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