MINNESOTA NICE
scroll down to view portfolio
FRIENDS OF THE JANITOR
A PORTFOLIO OF READY-MADE PORTRAITS
In the spirit of DuChamp
Friends Of The Janitor is a conceptual portrait series pairing facial pareidolia with germane accompanying texts. Pareidolia, “seeing faces” in inanimate objects, is a modern visual trope. The trope is simple: Find the eyes. Find the face. Give it character. Give it a narrative. Give it life.
To make it an art form each step becomes increasingly rigorous and selective. Images should have strong visual presence, as well as cognitive and creative potential. Image and text combinations are expected to dance well together, as with idea, execution, and chance. Each readymade portrait is photographed as found, with no cropping of the original exposure. Some cosmetic spotting and local contrast adjustment is allowed. Based loosely on “the decisive moment” theory of photography, these constraints strengthen my thought process, provide me with specific boundaries, and improve the fundamental message I am communicating. These are rules of my own making. Core challenges to myself as an artist.
While these readymade portraits form the visual basis of the work, the text is equally important. When pictures and words are united, our perceptions pivot and new perspectives occur. The text provides the context for the viewer to ponder and parse the image in her or his mind. The words should compliment the visuals, while challenging and expanding the viewer’s thinking. The observer should become an active participant in the process of discovering hidden meanings. Humor is used to increase the scope and breadth of each piece, prompting the viewer to reflect deeper on the issues being raised.
This series is a conceptual riff on graphics-based internet tropes, a nod to the Dada aspects of life, a study in perceptual realism, an exploration in image contextualization, and a wry comment on social issues such as terrorism, torture, domestic abuse, ideological fervor, gods and demagogues, passions and addictions, life, death, the government, the aliens, the patriots, the little folks, and in due course, the American Way.
Portfolio size: 20+ / TBD
All Images:
24 in x 36 in (61 cm x 91.5 cm) or
24 in x 32 in (61 cm x 81.25 cm)
Chromogenic color prints, unframed
Edition size: TBD
