the artist’s statement
I had to write an artist’s statement recently, about the images you see on this post. I don’t like these things and always struggle to word them. The truth of it is – I notice something that interests me, I photograph it, I take it home, and I play with it on a screen until it looks the way I like it. That’s it. No great thoughts, concepts or ideas lurk in my head to be turned into meaningful words. I make photos purely on instinct even if I have to, or choose to, rationalise about them afterwards.
The statement I had to write this time was for a competition, and my husband Geoff – in the voice of a five-year-old – suggested this:
Here are my pictures. I quite like them. I hope you do too. Love and kisses, Gilly
After I’d stopped laughing, it seemed to me there was a certain sort of honesty in this that couldn’t be denied. It surely is the five-year-old in us that likes to take the pictures and just wants others to like them too. Simple.
September 30, 2018 @ 9:06 am
I’m with you and Geoff on this. As an editor, I find most artist statements unreadably pretentious. If I have to supply one, I make it a few sentences at most. I think Geoff’s suggestion is inspired!
Love the reflections here, especially the way some of them shade into mystery at the edges.
October 5, 2018 @ 9:37 am
Thanks, Jane. I was a little bit unsure if I’d done the right thing by vignetting the corners to fade them out, so it’s nice to hear that you find it effective.