More Light
Eyedrum
2016
Fiilex Light, Light Sensitive Photo Paper
Fiilex Light, Light Sensitive Photo Paper
Fiilex Light, Light Sensitive Photo Paper
Fiilex Light, Light Sensitive Photo Paper
Fiilex Light, Light Sensitive Photo Paper
More Light
In my artistic practice, I question photography as the medium, considering the relationship between documentation and the photographic record. More Light transgresses the very basis of what we think of a photograph: a direct physical impression of the world through light. The record gives way to a wishful correspondence between image and object. However, the connection is not indexical but implied.
What More Light ultimately represents is a way of seeing.
Dan Weiskopf’s review “Rejecting the Now, ‘More Light: Media Art from Atlanta’ at Eyedrum” critically examines a new media art exhibition in Atlanta. The show, curated by Kristin Juarez and Gregory Zinman, showcases diverse works from primarily local artists, highlighting the breadth of new media art produced in the city.
Weiskopf observes a paradoxical trend in the exhibition: Many new media artworks are fascinated by obsolete technology. He cites Anna Spence’s “New Radiant” as an example, which uses outdated equipment to create nostalgic visuals.
The review discusses various works, including Marcus Rosentrater’s “Star Wars Wars,” Cameron Kunzelman’s web-based games, and Robbie Land’s innovative film techniques.
In this exhibition, Weiskopf highlighted Washington’s installation “More Light” (2016), describing it as a “chilly” contrast to other works. The piece featured a massive Fiilex light with a parabolic softbox positioned near a wall, creating a bright corona effect. A single piece of light-sensitive photographic paper was placed in the narrow gap between the light and the wall, emphasizing the distance between image and world in photography.
Much of the review focuses on Dara Birnbaum’s “Rio Videowall,” a now-demolished installation that cautions about the transience of technology-based art. Weiskopf uses this example to suggest that the nostalgic trend in new media art might be a response to fears of obsolescence.
The review concludes by questioning the direction of new media art and its relationship with past and future technologies. Weiskopf argues that while embracing the past may seem safe, it’s ultimately a futile attempt to escape potential obsolescence.
(Weiskopf, Dan. “Review: Rejecting the Now, ‘More Light: Media Art from Atlanta’ at Eyedrum.” ARTSATL, April 11, 2016.)