Surrealism by addition and subtraction
Finding a TV on the side of the road and making something new with it
On Monday this week Carsen and I were taking Georgia for a walk. Not one block from the house we saw it, a discarded CRT TV, waiting for someone to pick it up.
So we did.
Both of our minds started wondering what types of images we could create with the TV.
I thought it would be fun to shoot photos of playing video games on the Nintendo 64.
Carsen had ideas of surrealism.
What turned out where two separate photoshoots that created something new and unexpected. One was created by an additive process and the other was done by a subtractive.
addition
Carsen and I have been on a creative journey over the past few weeks shooting photos out in the field, incorporating my new photography style with unexpected locations and backdrops.
Flowers were in bloom and we were curious what the vibe would be; so as the sun started to set we created a playful atmosphere and scene.
We weren’t sure how the CRT tv would show up on camera, but we quickly discovered that its constant scrolling refresh and dim light gave it less of an impactful pop than we initially expected.
I think we were both having visions of the Maxwell blown away image in our mind.
But what we were identifying was that the tv had a much more subtle story to tell. It wasn’t as impactful of a statement piece that we originally anticipated, but if we incorporated it more into a photo that felt like a narrative it could stand out.
The TV started to tell a better story as the image of playing games took more of a forefront rather than just things being outside being the primary narrative.
So that got us wondering…
what would happen if we removed the outside
subtraction
A few days later we brought the found TV out again but set it up in a corner of a room with nothing else in it.
What we found was that we were telling a more dynamic and impactful story of this found TV.
Instead of painting a colorful plant with a white flash, we were painting clear white walls with contrasting shadows and colors. Almost in the same way that a TV paints your retinas with light.
It felt as if we were less creating images and more developing a story.
A story of a room that felt like a portal.
How it feels to be a teenager playing video games long into the night letting the video game fill the room with a new experience.
Maybe it was a bit ambitious at first to challenge an N64 and modest CRT to tell a story that could fill an entire backyard in bloom.
But then again that’s not what it was made for or where it was made to be used.
It reminded me that I haven’t held onto this Nintendo console since childhood as a create prop, I’ve held onto it due to it’s ability to teleport my mind to another world.
It’s no wonder my photos recently have felt like childhood play.
satori stori
When I first set an intention of writing more of my creative process this year and focusing on the Satori of it all I never had an idea that my creative journey would be so closely tied to my friends around me.Â
I don’t know if I would have already gotten where I am creatively this year had it not been for the love, support, and playful encouragement of my friends.
If you want to support directly, I’ve included a link here where you can donate any amount to support more of my writing and creative projects in the future.