Artist Statement
My Senior Exhibition showcases the different characteristics of human nature, shedding light to human behavior we all engage in, although we may not always realize. The ideas of human nature in my work cover topics from natural, common issues to complex, psychological behaviors to even philosophical ideals that everyone, deep down, shares. Among the many inspirational artists one that really stood out to me was Irving Penn and his work because of his simplistic portraits focusing primarily on the model’s facial and bodily expressions. Like much of Penn’s portraits, I occasionally like to add props to further get my idea across. Although much of his work was shot in black and white I prefer incorporating color in order to give my photos warmth.
Group Project
In this photo our model, Ismael, is shown pulling his shirt across his chest as his throat has been slit. We shot this composition in an attempt to capture a similar feeling to our group artist Jerry Uelsmann. Uelsmann's work largely consisted of highly photoshopped photos primarily shot in black and white. Our main focus in this photo was to capture a photo that would make the viewer cringe, and to give off a creepy and eerie feeling.
Group project #2
In this photo we attempted to get across our main idea of following a futuristic theme. We wanted to stray away from the generic view of the future with flying cars, laser beams, etc. so instead we shot the more realistic view of the near future, where things aren't as happy and joyful as everyone hopes for. Instead of the future where technology is really advanced we took an approach to view the future as a place where humans ultimately lead themselves to self-destruction. In this photo, our model, Mohamed was shot laying down on a couple of newspapers also using one as a blanket. If it isn't obvious, Mohamed is supposed to represent a homeless man.