“Rite of Passage” depicts a surrealistic viewpoint of childhood and the link between mankind and nature. He explores these ideas focusing on the rate at which we are losing touch with our natural and spiritual awareness. Chambers asks, “Why do people costumed in formal dress seem so omnipotent on the street, yet so vulnerable in the wild?” (Tom Chambers Official, 14/10/10) He uses photo imaging software, subtle lighting and carefully staged camera angles to create images reminiscent of various emotional childhood memories. He carefully plans his image through sketching and then takes a photo of each individual component as well as a background. Once all the pieces are complete, he uses Photoshop software to overlay, blend and reassemble each individual photo to then harmonise the complete artwork by adjusting certain lighting or contrasting aspects. Chambers delicately creates surrealistic photography by rearranging separate images to create a particular scene far from reality. His work is enhanced by the visual affects added through technology. Lighting, shadow and contrast play a significant role in conveying his message and they are only made possible by using technology.
"Night Light" by Tom Chambers, Photomontage
The image Night Light is reminiscent of a childhood memory. This quality has been achieved through the use of surrealistic imagery, and visual language. The focal point is the body of a girl wearing a delicate formal dress, brightly lit by fairy lights that have been draped around her, almost as if she were a Christmas tree. Due to the particular camera angle, only the bottom half of her face is visible taking away a complete representation of expression. In doing this, Chambers has created a sense of mystery and vulnerability. You are both unaware of how she is expressing herself but very much aware of her fear through the way she is holding her body. The landscape is a grassy, inland area and the lighting in the sky suggests a lonely, isolated atmosphere. Placing this young girl in the spotlight in this isolated landscape has created a strong sense of vulnerability. The elegance of her warm coloured dress juxtaposed against the grassy, cool outback environment is harmonized through a strong contrasting light scheme that enhances the focal point whilst subtly adding to the surrealistic ambiance. There is a dark eerie mood hinting at feelings of vulnerability and desperation or the need to hide. This young girl, obviously, is in an unwanted spotlight and this is demonstrated through her posture, she is awkwardly holding her dress like a nervous child in front of a crowd, she is also slouching her head and shoulders is an effortless drag. It seems as if she is worried about something that isn’t really worth worrying about, maybe she feels as if the worlds eyes are on her. The aspect of this image, expressing the transformation from being a teenager to becoming a woman, is strengthened through the positioning of the girl in this particular scene. In the background the sky is dark and the colours are producing a strong contrast, creating an unknown presence. It seems as if there is a spirit there, that herself and the dog are unaware of, but are definitely feeling the weight of it. The sky is dark and this hints at a storm brewing. This could be the start of something tragic, or maybe just a step toward something new. The girl appears as though she is being hesitantly pushed into adulthood, something she isn’t ready for. The purity in this image is strengthened through the natural ecosystem that is “warning” her. Almost a warning from Mother Nature herself, it’s time for her to mature physically, but mentally she isn’t ready. This spiritual awareness being presented could possibly be Mother Nature. This image, through the use of technology has positioned the viewer to engage in this surrealistic view on transforming and growing as an individual.
"Foggy River" by Tom Chambers, Photomontage
This image Foggy River by Tom Chambers is another that subtly displays the diversity of technology present throughout the art making process. Chambers’ vivid, surrealistic expression intertwined through his images helps to convey a message sometimes difficult to see in reality. This image is quite simply of a girl delicately floating in a river alone. She appears not dead, but immersed in a hyper-reality or at peace with her spiritual self… ready to wake to a refreshed life: perhaps adulthood. Through the use of photo imaging software, Chambers has the ability to create a scene that “mythically illustrates” the “delicate transition experienced by a child passing into adolescence and then adulthood” (Burn Magazine, 15/10/10). His delicately assembled photomontages express some aspects of their strong, surrealistic quality through the use of contrasts of warm and cool colours, though he subtly harmonises this through the gentle de-saturation of the original photographs. Due to the technology used in this image, the visual language is enhanced to give the viewer the opportunity to conjure a memory or particular emotion or event from their childhood. The lighting creates a focal point of a girl floating in the river, as the young girls tranquil skin and fragile gown are obviously much brighter than the water and trees she lays amongst. The pure colours radiating from her create an aura of complete serenity. The eerie atmosphere of the lake/river gives the impression that something bewildering is developing, unaware and vulnerable, the girl lays completely exposed to the world she can’t control. Without the use of technology through the art making process in this image, the harmonious contrast and surreal atmosphere would not have been conjured if he had painted it. The need for photography and Photoshop is vital to Chambers works, as they need the real life link between the image and the viewer’s memory.
"Springtime Landfall" by Tom Chambers, Photomontage
The image Springtime Landfall by Tom Chambers creates a nostalgic ambience through the divine surroundings of the natural and spiritual world, as the girl appears immersed in her instinctual self as the blindfold forces her to focus on her sense of hearing and smell. The landscape he has created from individual photographs has come together to create a scene you could only imagine in your dreams. He has enhanced the surreal, dream-like atmosphere amplifying the girl’s inability to escape. This image presents symbolism through various aspects of the image, one being the two birds flying overhead, that all together are brilliant in conveying a message; the sum is greater than it’s parts. These birds seem to be guiding her decisions, representing a figure of importance or guidance in her life. Chamber’s has focused on the symbolic aspect of the photomontage through the careful and tedious use of Adobe’s Photoshop to harmonise this image as a complete photograph and artwork. The focal point of the image is of a young adolescent girl, blindfolded and trying to row a boat over a dusty, grassland. She appears quite calm and aware of her surroundings only through her sense of sound. She appears effortless in her actions to escape, presenting the idea that she is in a peaceful state of oblivion, perhaps, enjoying the sounds of the seagulls flying above. Her lack of sight could perhaps be symbolic of a heightened awareness of the natural world that she has complete dependentcy upon. Again, as seen in the other photographs, Chamber’s has created a unified work through the de-saturation of colour, harmonising both contrasting warm and cool. The placement of the flowerbed in the rowboat suggests her natural growth as a woman. Mother Nature has planted her and is now at the adolescent stage, allowing her to blossom as a mature woman. The lighting and cloudy shadows throughout the sky in the background indicates that something hugely significant is approaching. The blindfold is symbolic of her vulnerability as a child, not seeing her near future of adulthood from a mile away. She is completely unprepared, but nature doesn’t wait. It seems as if this new ulterior life is approaching sooner than anticipated. The boat mounted on land represents her inability to escape the forced maturity and this is enhanced through the use of photo imaging. It is almost unrecognisable that she doesn’t really belong, creating the eerie, unsure atmosphere of the overall artwork.
Through the use of technology, Tom Chambers is able to assemble photographs, creating scenes reminiscent of childhood with a surrealistic, dream like quality. In using photo-imaging software Chambers has place together multiple images to enhance symbolism and make sure every part of the image is exactly where he wants it. He has achieved this with his delicate editing, whilst harmonising the entire artworks individually through the use of colour as well. Tom Chambers’ artworks present mythical illustrations and trigger the viewer’s imagination or memory and emotion. Through the use of technology Chamber’s is able to focus on the delicate state between adolescence and adulthood and transform an individual artwork to present this concept to a viewer through visual language.
No comments:
Post a Comment