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Dr ROBERT ORGAN |
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CHAOS TO CONTROL 2010
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“Chaos to Control” is photographic interpretation of the transition between chaos (represented by concepts such as disorder, randomness, informality, freedom etc) and control (represented by order, formality, discipline etc). The interpretation is centred around the six themes of “people”, “portraits”, “products”, “places”, “pets” and “paintings”. The approach of splitting things down into themes has been used extensively in the Ishikawa series of projects previously published by the photographer.
In each theme, twenty photographs are presented along a continuum of chaos at one extreme and control at the other. Two methods were used to interpret the themes: a literal, direct approach derived from the composition or the arrangements of objects within the photograph (e.g. the concept of chaos represented by objects randomly strewn across the floor), and an implied approach derived from interpretation of subject matter (e.g. the concept of control represented by the image of a captain of a boat). As in previous work by the photographer, all the photographs are fundamentally documentary in style. Each photograph should be capable of being interpreted on its own merits as well as playing an important role in the theme to which it belongs.
In “people”, chaos is represented by children playing, people at leisure and crowding while control is represented by the reverence of formal occasions, sport and skill. In “portraits”, models from the grotesque, through life-like, to authoritative figures illustrate the transition from chaos to control. Surreal overtones pervade “products”, where the change from randomness found in the natural world to the ordering of man-made objects is explored. The transition from the natural or living world to the synthetic world reappears in “pets”, particularly the urge for mankind to dominate other animals for its own uses. In “places”, the transition from chaos to control is seen on two levels: the randomness and wildness of the natural landscape to the finesse of the formal garden, and the bustle of a busy cityscape to the elegance of individual architectural and sculptural features. The change from the anarchic nature of graffiti and street art, through advertising posters, to formal works of art was used to interpret the theme of “painting”.
All of the photographs were taken during 2009 with digital cameras and were printed digitally.
Click on the themes on the left hand side of the screen to see the photographs. |