Modern art and technology are linked so closely, today many artists rely on technology to help enhance and create a deeper meaning to their works. Programs such as Photoshop, enables the artist to create a work that can’t just be captured by a camera. The use of technology helps the artist to create a deeper meaning or mood for the audience this meaning or mood can’t always be captured by a camera. Samantha Everton, an Australia artist who grew up in rural Queensland has made name for herself through her art nationally and internationally. Her collection of underwater images titled “Utopia”, displays various uses of technology. Everton describes her use of technology, “It allows me to create without limitations. I use Photoshop as a tool not a feature”. Everton uses technology to demonstrate elements of surrealism, such as stressing the subconscious, to enhance the meaning and to create a greater depth within the series. The images reveal underwater worlds that describe a place of silent oppressive beauty (Everton. S, Artist Statement). However the use of a minimal approach to technology adds to the raw, vulnerable feeling felt throughout. . Revealing that the works are primarily concerned with depicting an untouchable reality.
Everton takes a very minimal approach to the use technology and this approach helps to enhance and create depth to her works. Everton strayed away from previous displays that often took 10 hours and 12 different lights to take just one photograph. For the initial photographs, Everton used a basic, plastic, underwater camera somewhat took a serendipitous approach towards the series. Everton relinquished all control and relied on nature and natural sunlight to provide light for these pieces instead of the 8-12 lights often used in previous works. Eventually, after scores of different film type Everton settled on a Fuji Pro 160c that offered a fine-grain film with a dynamic range best suited to underwater lighting and conditions. Then through Photoshop the images where enhanced by adjusting brightness and exposure. Through basic adjustments it is evident that Everton did use a very minimal approach to enhance the meaning of each work. As such as basic use of technology adds to works giving them a raw complexity. In each image it is obvious that she has used some sort of alteration of the contrast and brightness. Everton uses Photoshop it frame and crop the images to adjust them to the right size. Everton uses the positioning of the subject and light to create level of depth in each image. This technique is applied in the image titled “peace”, through light and the position of the subject she is able to create a sense of depth that enhances the meaning of the image. Everton also uses basic visual language to enhance her images, such as a contrast of the colours red and in “solitude” to create a level of unity and balance. The colours are murky and desaturated, contributing to the intense feeling of foreboding that is cast by the image. Along with visual language, Everton is able to encapsulate meaning through subject matter and technology.
Everton uses subject matter and the environment of which the photographs are taken to contribute to the surrealistic qualities of her images. Surrealism is a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images. Through the use of a female subject in dresses, underwater, Everton creates an element of juxtaposition. In her artist statement Everton describes her works as featuring elements of surrealism “My photographic art is primarily concerned with depicting an untouchable reality with elements of magic realism, I put together images that show quiet introspective and unconscious moments of life and our relationships”. Through surrealism Everton tries to evoke emotion, psychological and intellectual qualities. It is evident through the body language of the woman that within the series this woman has escaped through water into a different world but still has not found peace. The water is a metaphor for the divison between the external and internal world of our minds creating that element of surrealism. Everton creates this surrealism through the metaphor of water as it creates a feeling of the subconscious. It is evident that through the technology and visual language that Everton is able to engage with what she is trying to communicate. Everton explains the intended meaning of this series in article for the Dickerson Gallery in 2009, “I wanted to show the impossibility of total escape…we may be able to withdraw our bodies and our mind from the world but we cannot break away from our doubts and fears”.Through the use of technology Everton creates a oppressive and sad atmosphere felt by audiences.
The use of visual language and the oppressive, surrealistic atmosphere create a deeper meaning for each piece of which enables the viewer to articulate a response. Everton reveals, “The underwater worlds show in “Utopia” are a place of silent oppressive beauty.” (Everton. S, Artist Statement). This feeling of claustrophobia and suffocation is not only evident within the works but has been felt throughout the comments made by various viewers. Anastasia Ward reveals her thoughts on the pieces “The raw and openness of the subject also suggests the naturalness… this work explores ideas of the subconscious, or developmental transition, or perhaps an intermingling of the two; but there is definitely a relaxed sense of entering unknown territory. “ It is evident that Everton is able to create the same ideas and views of her works with her audiences.
Technology and programs such as Photoshop have become a fundamental tool within modern art today as artists rely on it to create a greater meaning and a greater connection with the viewer. Through the use of technology it is evident that Samantha Everton is able to create and enhance meaning to the underwater world depicted in her series ‘Utopia’ and each photograph.
Bibliography
Artist Statement, Samantha Everton, No date http://www.dickersongallery.com.au/artist/78?exhibitionID=23"
Nichola Garvey BIFB Core Program catalogue 2009-09-04 http://www.samanthaeverton.com/articles.php?id=15
September 2, 2009 “ The Depths that the artist goes” http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/sea-the-depths-an-artist-goes-to/2009/09/01/1251570707911.html
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