Shrines Statement

This series can be seen as psychic snapshots of my interior world produced during an intense period of transformation. They are narratives that chronicle an increasing self-awareness and a range of states of mind. I hope they find some universality in their final form as we all seek our own self-awareness within a media saturated/consumer culture.
The series began with a desire to use images I made as a freshman in college in 1968 of Robert Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Seeing the remarkable parallels in the eras, I felt it imperative to look back and bring these images forward. Through many variations, I began to move beyond the images of Nixon and Bobby Kennedy to a more interior space. Having recently emptied out my mother’s storage unit after her death, I found all sorts of interesting objects that would bring another personal and evocative layer into the work. I also realized that machine parts I had saved years ago that had been used to build whimsical robots by a good friend would add another contrasting personal layer. I often use postcards of famous artworks as a kind of foil or provocation in the constructions. Finally, I used ubiquitous items referencing our contemporary “Home Depot” / “Best Buy” culture to further the narrative.

The creative process started simply as I arranged objects and images that evolved into in an increasingly complex structure, sometimes in gravity defying balance. A motley crew of elements became a story, melding together under the fire of light. The process would build and flow with ritual intensity until the light failed. I came to see the stage as a space where kinetic energy and diaphanous layers interacted with objects, textures, and light to build an image that had a sculptural and physical presence. The final image was built out of the fragments and gestures made during the shooting session. The result is a blending of sculpture, painting, and photography. Both intoxicatingly fun and grueling, this alchemical path, for me, opened the door to a true chamber of wonders.

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Methods:

Images are assembled from a selection of 15-25 drawn from over 70 or more separate digital photographs taken during each session. The images are layered and selected parts are “painted though” to a base layer. Thus, these works are in the vein of Rauschenberg’s “Combines’ from the 1950’s - they are hybrids located between painting, sculpture and photography. All works are in an edition of 10 at 24x36 inch archival pigment prints using Epson’s latest HDR inks.

Shrines & Altars

Eric B. Johnson

Photography