John, Who would deny that most activities have a subconscious component? An autobiography might ought to include subconscious meanderings to be complete. The boxed busts certainly must have been a not-to-subtle reminder of your own history. I can't imagine that particular fact lying much below the surface. One might divide artists into those who find everything they need in their head and those who need to look elsewhere. Of the first type, my pet theory is that when we become aware of the subconscious we form new memory paths in the mind. They become worn with use and conflate with legitimate memories. Artists learn to follow and even further erode these paths. I suppose that is a good thing for art. Build a Lookaround! The Lookaround Book, 2nd ed. NOW SHIPPING http://www.panoramacamera.us > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Autobiographical Images > From: "John Palcewski" <palcewski@xxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: Sun, March 21, 2004 10:50 pm > To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" > <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > I've come to believe that the act of creating an image is unconsciously > but > profoundly autobiographical and will yield a succession of > interpretations > that if pursued with sufficient vigor will reveal one's entire > personality. > Which is what some psychologists say about dreams--i.e., they are > important > messages (in code/metaphor/symbol) from our unconscious to our > conscious. > > I believe a similar process occurs when we attempt to interpret the > images > created by others. No useful information about the author will come to > > light because we just can't get inside another's head or heart. But we > will > find resonances in our own life, our own story. > > I remember going to an art gallery here on the island last year and > taking > what I thought were casual shots of the sculptures. As I was shooting > I was > going for the color, the light, the beautiful detail. I wasn't aware > of any > emotional or personal component. > > Until, that is, a few weeks later as I was looking through the images. > One > stopped me. I suddenly realized it was a perfect representation of the > most > significant and formative event of my life: my mother's abandoning me > > shortly after I was born. For many years we were imprisoned in > completely > separate boxes. > > http://www.palcewski.com/images/mominabox.jpg > > As for the sculptor, her name is Liselotte Wahl. She lived here in > Ischia > for a long time until her death in 1996. "Lilo remains in Italy until > the > end of her life," says a biographical note. "After years of wandering > between cities and islands at the end she chose Ischia...[hers] is a > sunny > house, opening outwards, which she built piece-by-piece wrenching it > from > the dark and gloom of a suffocating historic centre...In this Ischia > she > lives to become both a legend and a local habit: many in the centre's > > streets still remember this 'Signora' always dressed like a Hollywood > Star > with coloured caftans and turbans, driving a small threee wheeled Ape > van. > Many remember her dogs. Others remember her kindness. Almost all, at > the > end of her life, judged her a little eccentric and if at the Bar in the > > centre someone says 'crazy' it's no wonder." > > More of her sculptures are here: > > http://www.palcewski.com/LW > > > John > Forio d' Ischia, Italia > http://www.livejournal.com/users/forioscribe > > _________________________________________________________________ > Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online > http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963
