My Inspiration for The Rambler photographs came from idea testing earlier in the year where I had photographed my first black sculpture being held in the air. Having revisited these photographs I found there was potential for development as I felt when these forms were combined with the human form interested and that it could help to give further contextual understanding to my work. However I wanted to develop it much further.
My first decision was make the sculpture ‘wearable’ having found the work of Rebecca Horn and Jamie Isenstien interesting for the potential to personify a sculpture. Considering this, I decided to make a sculpture that would conceal the wearer’s head and thus blocking their senses and concealing their personal identity. I then decided that though the black form was effective in my past photos, I felt using pink as a disruptive element would be more effective and striking in my photographs.
After constructing the wearable sculpture I took test shots in the studios that led to my decision to take it into the landscape to where its appearance would appear more odd and unfamiliar. I also decided at this point to use a male figure, as I wanted to further disrupt preconceived ideas and remove associations of the pink form to be attached to the female gender stereotype. The question of gender in the landscape is something which has remained a underlying consideration to my ideas after the issue was raised to myself after seeing Claude Cahun’s ‘I Extend My Arms’ photographs seen at Tate St Ives. This has led myself to consider the associations of ‘mother nature’ but also the stereotypical masculine hunter and explorer figure in the history of the landscape.
My first day of photograph testing I drove through the through of Bowland and the Whitewell estate taking photographs at various places. At this stage I was unsure on the composition and tone I wanted from the photographs so took a mixture of serious and mock posed photographs. Reviewing these the ‘mocking’ photographs appeared too comical and reduced the pink form to appear as more of a theatrical prop than a disruptive element. From these photographs the most successful photo was one that featured the wearer looking out over the sprawling Lancashire landscape. From these photos I also concluded that clothing needed to be plain to not interfere with the sculpture as much and also that they should be shot on a day when the light is much brighter to illuminate the form and landscape more so.
My second day of testing I waited for a bright sunny day where I felt the light would be more suitable and revisited the same areas. This proved more successful and the light was able to capture the surface textures of the sculpture. The combination of colours in the photographs also proved more vibrant. I felt the composition of the photographs was settled at this point. The back view of the figure also aided to further remove the identity and draw the pink object more into the main focus of the image.
The final day of photographing was in Ribblehead in Yorkshire. Having visited this area before I found the natural limestone pavement rock forms particularly interesting as they appear to be unnaturally carved and formed. I felt this would provide a interesting element for the photographs as well as the vast view of the landscape around this area. These photographs were taken later in the day and therefore the sunlight was lower in the sky and casting more dramatic shadows. I think this added to the success of these photos.
The final two shots for exhibition from 290 test photos taken were printed as A2 prints for exhibition. Though I considered framing these, it was decided against to keep the feel of rawness of the landscape in the images and taking into consideration how they would be presented in close proximity to my sculptural installation, I did not want frames to become an interference.
Choosing the name for this series was difficult. However I decided that I wanted to choose a name that would give the viewer a hint of the ideas but to still leave it open for interpretation. I chose ‘The Rambler’ as it makes reference to the commodification of walking in the landscape. I also felt it would give a added disruptive element to make no reference in the name to the pink form, though it is a obviously odd element in the photograph as to represent how the ideas I am exploring are almost entirely overlooked and ignored. Furthermore ‘The rambler’ then remains without personal or gender identity. Finally my consideration of these photographs as a part of my work for exhibition was that they would play a vital role in providing a introduction and contextual framing for my installation by making a direct reference to the natural landscape and human relationships to it.