Simen Johan.

I didn't know what to think about this photographer when the librarian gave me a weird look saying "Oh so you're the one who's checking this book out...I looked through it, weird stuff." All I know is that I think I understand what Simen Johan is trying to get at, it is all an illusion. Most of the reactions I get from my fellow peers are of disgust, but that's just it! Simen proves to us that he has the power to trick our brains to fill in the blanks. Our imaginations roam free when viewing his pictures, and are the true reason to blame, not the photographer. Here is some of his more controversial work:

Constructed Reality

My constructed reality was inspired by a poem I wrote based on the most influential relationship of my life. It had been the best and worst of moments filled with such passion that was unknown to me before. Love brought us together but eventually drugs drove us apart. I lost a part of my soul the day he left for Atlanta. I still wonder to this day if things could have been different had we only said no that first time. It is one of the only decisions I truly regret.

For this project I wanted to release myself by searching for beauty in composition and simplicity. The poem conveys a sadness and longing that I wanted to show in the expression of the portrait. My decision in making all of the pictures portraits was a consciously made one, the poem is written so that one person is reading to the viewer, and each portrait represents the reader. Hence the portraits “speak” to the audience, narrating the story.

Untitled.

A fire burned the night we met and realized who we were. It took us a year to collide like two dying stars imploding into each other like black holes we ate up anything and everything that came our way fueled by the insatiable thirst for the fountain of life I amazed that your passion exceeded mine. Compared to your bright gaseous cloud of light I was a pile of smoldering embers in the rain but you came and brought me the sun and shot it down to earth to the forest where I lay like a speeding fright train that burst my embers into blinding ethereal flames burning blue and white. We danced on graves without a care giggling all the way at the carnage we created. Our silhouettes stood next to each other in front of hundred feet flames that scratched the sky. My shadow reached for your hand and you grasped mine. It was cut off too soon…I stood in front of the sunset not knowing it'd be the last one we'd share. We were mere children premature to the harsh reality that no matter how hard we tried the world could not let a fire like us ravage forever. Eventually we had to die. For we realized that we are flesh and blood, cut and burned. Our imaginations got carried away…

Contructed Image: Preview!

The Moving Image: Illuminating dark places

My concept was based on the comparison between the restrictions of photography and the freedoms video brings. Say you are taking a portrait of someone, you can only do one at a time in a single shot with photography. However in film, you can do several portraits all within the same shot. I was interested in that idea of being able to control what the viewer sees. This video is my exploration of this idea.

Click Here to go to video:
Illuminating Dark Places

Manufactured Landscapes (final images)

Artist Statement:

My approach to this assignment was to find signs of man’s obvious intrusion into nature. In many of the photos I deliberately chose scenes where man completely blocks the view to nature as seen in my photo of a green building with a red truck obscuring our view to the forest behind them. However, I also wanted to show the beauty nature provides by placing it in front of man while simultaneously showing man’s invasion upon nature. This was done most successfully in my photo of a minivan placed right behind a large tree in which the van seems to pierce right through the tree itself. In one of my other photos, I captured a beautiful set of shrubs with fresh snow on the branches with a red jeep juxtaposed behind it, the driveway being an area man has cleared and cut off the growth of the shrubs. In another photo, I came across a red barn. To me the barn represented the face of man, the doors being the eyes while the windows are its teeth. I shot a full frontal “portrait” of it putting us face to face with man while standing in the field of nature. My last and final image just happens to be my favorite. A telephone pole standing perfectly straight amongst the chaos of gnarled branches going off in all different directions. While nature’s branches run free and untamed full of emotion, man’s structure protrudes in front standing stoic, apathetic, and invasive. I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed this project while I was completely at a loss upon first encountering the thought of shooting landscapes. Nevertheless the struggle, I’m glad for the opportunity of a challenge.

A lovely day.

Manufactured Landscapes (In Progress)