Shades

Rochester Institute of Technology

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8-1-1999

Shades

Lisa Camire

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ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS AND SCIENCES

"shades"

A THESIS PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF

PHOTOGRAPHICARTS AND SCIENCES IN CANDICACY FOR THEDEGREEOF

MASTER OF FINEARTS

BY

LISA A. CAMIRE

NEW_YORK,NEW YORK

"shades"

Graduate Thesis

Master of Fine Arts

School of Photographic Arts and Sciences

Rochester Institute of Technology

By LisaA. Camire

August 1999

Thesis Board Members;

Elaine O'Neil, Thesis Chair, Professor, SPAS

date,_ - L .9

-t-

I

-t-1--L.'17r----r

7

Jeff Weiss, Associate Professor, SPAS ~!

date

7U1!J-I

date

q

/1

h'i

I

I

"shades"

Graduate Thesis

Master of Fine Arts

School of Photographic Arts and Sciences

Rochester Institute of Technology

By LisaA. Camire

August 1999

Thesis Board Members;

Elaine O'Neil, Thesis Chair, Professor, SPAS

date,_ - L .9

-t-

I

-t-1--L.'17r----r

7

Jeff Weiss, Associate Professor, SPAS ~!

date

7U1!J-I

date

q

/1

h'i

I

I

Copyright1999 _byLisa A. Camire

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii

ARTIST STATEMENT ix

Chapter

1. INTRODUTION 1

2. THE HISTORY OF PINHOLEPHOTOGRAPHY ... 4

3. THEORY 12

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure _page

1. Lisa A. Camire, shades,Untitled #1

, 30x30 TypeC,Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 ... 1

2. Lisa A. _Camire, shades,Untitled_#6,30x30 Type_C, Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 2

3. Lisa A. _Camire, shades,Untitled_#7,30x30 Type _C,Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 ... 5

4. _{Rainer Gemma Frisius from De Radio Astonomica}et_Geometrico,

1545 ... .... 6

5. Lisa A. _Camire, shades,Untitled#5,30x30 Type_C,Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 9

6. Lisa A. _Camire, shades,Untitled#10,30x30 Type_C,Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 10

7. Lisa A._Camire,shades,Untitled#3,30x30 Type_C, Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 13

8. Lisa A._Camire, shades,Untitled#2, 30x30 TypeC,Pinhole

9. Rorschach inkblot . 15

1 0. Lisa A. _Camire, shades,Untitled#9, 30x30 Type_C,Pinhole

Photograph, 1994-1997 17

1 1. Lisa A. Camire, "shades",Installationleftwall, 1 997 . . x

12. LisaA. _{Camire, "shades",}Installationdetailright_wall, 1997 . x

13. LisaA. _{Camire,"shades",}Installation rightwall, 1997 . . x

14. MarcelandLisaCamire atthe _openingof_{"shades",GalleryOpening,}

October_24, 1997 x

ARTIST STATEMENT

Humans have an instinctive need to redefine what _they have seen and experienced

subjectively so as not to disrupt their perception of reality. When confronted with

sensory input that conflicts with preconceived _notions, it is common to alter these

perceptions as _they are _being processed and later alter the memories which are left

behind. The perception of a shared experience _{may have} a common thread but the

recollection will_{vary between}twopeople.

One of the facets influenced most _by subjective _{reality is in} the _viewing of the

aesthetic, "shades" is intended as a means of _evoking the viewers'

sense of _beauty,

"aestheticpleasureto themind". _Ambiguity, abstraction and_{obscurity (cameraobscura)}

furthershape these events/imagesintopersonalones.

"shades"

is comprised of ten 30 x 30 untitled pinhole/camera obscura type-C

photographs.

Lisa A. Camire

I.

INTRODUCTION

Fig. J."shades"

Untitled#1, 30x30typeC, pinholephotograph.

"shades"

is intended to evoke the viewer's sense

of _beauty; to _bring "aesthetic pleasure"

to the

mind. The methods used to stimulate this

perception of_beautywere chosen for their_ability

to produce a level of_{ambiguity in both form} and

content. As _such, these images contain no single

immediately recognizable subject. Photography's

traditional role has been as a medium of _truth,

providingthemostobjective representationofthe

world around us. Rather than offer a _{record, my} purpose was to intimate a subject's

existence. (Fig. _{1) My}work's abstract nature allows amuchmore personal interpretation

oftheworks_beauty anditssignificance.

The images for "shades"

were created _using happenstance or stream of

consciousness. There are no storyboards nor_mappingout of_ideas, nor is ita mechanical

process, but an intuitive one. I _{bring my} cameras on a walk through _{my thoughts,}

stopping every so often in one spot _long enough to expose the film. I am never quite

certain where I will go, orwhether ornotI will find something striking enoughto shoot

whenI arrive. Theendresultisnever a concrete representation ofthe actual_location,but

Fig. 2."shades"

Untitled#6,30x30typeC,

pinhole photograph. I set out with several-loaded _cameras, a

changingbag, and film. Thecharacteristics ofthe

camera and type of pinhole I use engage _my

attention. Each exposure _{may vary from} one

secondto fiveminutes _depending on the weather

conditions. I _consciously and _intuitively

calculate: the amount of"natural" shake created

by the wind or _{my hand} movements and how

muchto allow _duringeach _image,whether ornot

to open and close the pinhole in direct view ofthe _{sun, creating} an arc oflight through

theimage (Fig. _2),orhowthecolorswillblendtoformtheperceptionof subjectmatter.

Asthesubjectisthe"loadedpaintbrush"with which_I, as a pinhole_{photographer,}

paint _{my canvas,} its selection is critical. Pinhole photographers tend to adhere to a

particular genre such as figure studies, still _life's, and domestic landscapes. The

consistent choice ofsubject matter_tends, "toreduce the variables _they are _workingwith

to a few known elements: _{volume, perspective, the quality} oflight and the surface of

objects."1

The experience of_taking a picture is allowedto become less mechanical and

moreintuitive. This is a_necessityas _duringthe_long exposure, theendresult mustbe felt

ratherthan seen. In the analysis ofthe contact _sheets, I searchfor that spark or surprise

thatinspiresme to take the imagethrough the finalprinting.

1

While intuition isa critical tool intheprocess of_capturingthe imageson_film,the

selection of images to be shown is _extremely deliberate. _During the _editing process I

evaluate the _{resulting imagery} rendered _by the raw visual information that I have

captured. Atthatpoint, I selectthose imagesthat communicatemost _effectivelythe idea

of a subject's existence. As instrumental to the success of the end result as the initial

capturing of the _images, this part ofthe process _inherently holds more regard for the

viewer, as I am influenced _by the knowledge that others will _{eventually interpret} the

works. Through the selection I am able to begin an association which will guide the

viewer's _{thoughts, ideas, experiences,} and memories. Instead of a subject photographed

at a specific time _they are able to represent unrelated _{thoughts, emotions,} and

expressions.Negativestoprintarenotchosen forwhat_theymighthaverepresentedatthe

time of _exposure, but _instead, for what _they are unto _themselves, images which are

capable of_bringingtoalevel ofconsciousnessan awareness ofa memory.

Eric _Renner, the creator of The Pinhole Resource, a periodical about pinhole

photography, states, "I've always been excitedto seejust what_mypinhole camera will

do,witha certain amountof_helpfromthosesourcesbeyond myconsciousfaculties, for I

never_fullyknowwhat's _goingtobe intheimage

-there's the surprise Ilook forwardto!

It seems I amsomehow closer to_my own person_{by allowing}theimage to _{be something}

over whichI don'thave full control."2

2

II.

THE HISTORY OF PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Pinhole _{photography,rendering} ofsubjectonto paper unmitigated_byoptical _corrections,

has a _history longer than the process of _photography itself. Observation and

understandingofhow itevolvedin science andtheartswill_helptoelucidatehowpinhole

imageryhas been seen, titled, anddescribed_byartists and critics. _{Further,it is necessary}

tounderstandhow its_historyhasinfluenced_myown work.

Pinhole photography generates _imagery without the benefit of lenses. A simple

pinhole replaces all ofthe more elaborate optics _typically found in modern cameras. At

it's most _basic, the camera is a light tight box with a pinhole sized aperture at one end

andfilmor photographic paperaffixed at theother. Pinhole camerascanbe made out of

almost _anything, provided the environment can be made light tight. _They can be of a

variety of sizes: a car, refrigerator, or _mouth, and can utilize almost _any material:

oatmeal, cardboard, or wood boxes, soda, tin or trashcans. The pinhole itself can be

inscribed in a _variety of materials: metal, wood, or _cardboard, with a number of

implements: _laser,saw, or_safetypin.

Pinhole photographers _generally make their own cameras. _However, there are

plenty of services available that will provide components or pre-built cameras _ranging

from _{deluxe, cherry} wood, 4x5, bellowed cameras with laser generated pinholes to

pre-made oatmeal boxes with aluminum pinholes. Each camera varies and the degree of

photographer makes when _deciding on the

balance between accuracy and atmosphere. "The

infinite depth of _{field, equally} focused or _fuzzy

fromextremeclose_uptofar distance is afunction

ofthe lenslesspinhole

aperture..."3 (Fig. ₃₎

The term pinhole, originally coined pin

hole_by Sir David Brewster in _1856, andthe term

Fig. 3."shades"

Untitled#7, 30x30typeC,

camera _obscura, coined _by Johannes Kepler in pinhole photograph.

1571-1630, are often used in conjunction with

one another. A camerafromthe_{Latin meaning}room and obscura fromthe_{Latin meaning}

dark, literally "darkroom", is a darkened enclosure with a pinhole or lens on one end

fromwhich lightenters andforms an image ofthe subject ontheopposite surface. _Early

references to the camera obscura _generally refer to a _room, tent or box with a lens

aperture used_by artists to draw a landscape. The geographic region a person originates

from usually reflects the term used. For example, the English tend to use pinhole,

whereastheGermansrefertoapinholecameraas acamera obscura.

Moe _Ti, ofChina wrote the earliest extant description ofthe development of a

pinholeinthe 5th_{century BC. He described}theprojected, inverted imageof a manas"an

illuminatedperson_shiningasif shooting forth

rays".4

Itshouldnot,however,be assumed

that thiswasthe first_discovery ofpinhole optics,wherebyan image isprojectedthrough

3

P.C._Smith,"ComplexVision,"

Artin America,March1996,68.

4

MoeTi,"Mohist PinholeOptics",Pinhole Journal2: 1(April _{1986) 2.,}quotedin James R.Hugunin, "Notes TowardA_{Stenopaesthetic",}TheInternational Pinhole_PhotographyExhibition (Santa Fe: Centerfor

a _tiny hole and inverted on the opposite _surface,

for _history tells us that _discovery goes back

thousands of years. Apinhole image can be seen

under the right _{conditions, occurring} naturally:

Forexample, images ofthe sun or a solar eclipse

are projected onto the ground from a pinhole

created_byleavesina_canopyoftrees. (Fig.₄₎

Fig.4. RainerGemma FrisiusfromDeRadio

Astonomicaet_Geometrico,1545. This_drawingis

believedtobethefirstpublished_{illustration of}a

pinhole camera obscura_observinga solareclipse as reportedin "International Pinhole

PhotographyExhibition"

(SanteFe:Centerfor

the_ContemporaryArts,1989)p.25.

Pinhole optics in the sciences was years ahead ofitsuse in the arts. _By 500 AD

pinhole optics were_beingusedto _studythe summer solsticebutourfirstrecordofitsuse

by artists is not until the 15th century. Filippo Brunelleschi formed the basis for

structuring perspective in the visual arts through the use ofthe pinhole. In _1425, at age

47, Brunelleschi invented a pinhole perspective _device, in which a pinhole camera

obscurawasusedto understandtheconcepts behindonepointperspective andtheuse of

a _vanishing point. _Using his _training as a gold smith, Brunelleschi painted a silver

background toa paintedpanel _allowingthe_passingclouds tobecomepartofthe_painting

as seen_bytheviewer. The panel wasconstructedwithahole at the_vanishingpoint. The

reflection ofthe image was viewed in a mirror through the _{hole, giving} an illusion of

depth.

One of the earliest recorded artistic uses ofthe pinhole camera obscura was _by

Leonardo DaVinci around 1500. DaVinci usedthe pinhole camera obscura as anartistic

aid in a _variety of ways. For example, he projected images onto a translucent screen

placed perpendicular _{to the pinhole, intentionally distorting} the image _{by angling} the

were oftenhidden inpaintings. Paintingscreatedthroughanamorphic pinhole projections

still exist in Rome. To see the undistorted image one must view it through a pinhole

angled in the same way. _Today, anamorphic lenses are used for widescreen movie

theatres. When thefilm is shot, these lenses squeezethe image sideways untilit fits onto

an almost square film _{space, saving film,} then at the _theatre, a reverse anamorphic

projectionlensreverses_{the effect, producing}a_longrectangularimage.

During the _Renaissance, in an attempt to create a window to the world, artists

readily made use ofthe pinhole camera obscura. This was, most _often, a dark room in

which light entered through a small hole in the wall. The light entering the hole was

projectedontotheopposite_{wall, creating}a_laterallyreversed;upside downrepresentation

ofwhat was outside the pinhole camera obscura. The orientation is due to the fact that

any particular area of an object will reflect light in many directions. The aperture of a

pinhole camera filters most light rays except those of a specific angle. Lord Rayleigh

made an _{interesting early} observation into the process in his 1881 _{essay "Pinhole}

Photography". He stated,"the pinhole's sharpness canbe equalto thesharpness made_by

the lens ofthe human eye, but no _sharper, a modern camera with _{many lenses} makes

imagesmuch

sharper."5

From the 14th through the 19th centuries the camera obscuraunderwentcontinual

changes. The need to _{realistically} capture the world demanded that technical

improvements be made, and _by 1550 the lens and mirror were _{added, replacing} the

simple pinhole in the camera obscura. The lens made the image brighter reducing the

5

LordRayleigh,"PinholePhotography"1881,quotedinEricRenner,"OnthePinhole itsHistoryScience

need for such _{lengthy exposures,} while the mirror reflected the image down onto a

viewingsurface. Bothinnovations improved image quality.

During the nineteenth _century several large-scale camera obscuras _using

innovative lens _technology for improved projections were built for education and

entertainment. Several of these remain today: The Camera Obscura at Royal _Mile,

Edinburgh; the Giant CameraatCliff_House, San _Francisco; thecamera obscuraat Santa

Monica, California, and others. There _was, and still _is, a fascination with the

reinterpretation of the commonplace. _{The ordinary} can _{become extraordinary} when

portrayedinanunusualfashion.

Use ofpinhole cameras was pervasive until the _{early 1920's,} as an inexpensive

wayto make photographs. In 1892alone4,000pinhole cameras weresoldin Londonand

over 100 articleswere written about thepinhole and _photographyprior to 1900. As with

many forms of stylistic expression, pinhole photography's _{popularity has} waxed and

waned. With the advent ofinexpensive cameras with lenticular optics _early this _century

and a change in taste _{away from} the soft impressionistic images' pinhole cameras

generate, it wasn't until the _I960', when our culture started _questioning traditional

beliefs, that there was arevitalization ofpinhole imagery. Artists began to "evaluate the

assumptions of pure and_{documentaryphotography, to}extendthemedium so thatcamera

imagesmightavail themselves of a range of meansinorderto expresssubjectivefeelings

and public and privaterealities."6

1

Fig. 5"shades"

Untitled#5, 30x30typeC,

pinhole photograph.

Pinhole characteristics echo the

Pictorialist's atmospheric _{imagery byutilizing} the

movements'

penchant for _emphasizing

romanticized pictorial qualities. Different

constructions of pinhole _{cameras, long} exposure

times, concave film _planes, multiple _pinholes,

reciprocity failure, and focal length distortion aid

the artist _{in rendering} these effects. Traces ofthe

sun_may arc _{through the sky, fast moving} objects

will not be recordedthrough_{long exposures, trees blowing}turn into a green stroke (Fig.

5), colorisaltered,andfacialnuancesblend intocharacter studies.

During the 1800-_{1900s there}

remained artists who chose to use their more

sophisticated cameras equippedwithmirrors andlensesto expose photosensitivematerial

inmuchthe same_waya pinholewould. Julia Margaret_Cameron,themost_{widely known}

Victorian portraitist sought out men and woman ofher acquaintance so that she might

record, in herwords, "faithfully, the greatness oftheinner as well as the features ofthe

outer

man."7

At _{her urging friends} posed, sometimes _heavily costumed in religious or

literary themes, for the _{undeniably long} exposures necessitated _by the albumen and

collodian glass plate processes and further extended _by her technique. She was often

criticized forthe_"slovenlymanipulation of anart_{photographer"8,}however "camera

7

BrianHill,"Julia MargaretCameron:A Victorian_FamilyPortrait"

(London, 1973,127)quotedin Naomi

Rosenblum,AWorld_Historyof_Photography(NewYork:AbbevillePress, 1984),74.

8

Unknownauthor,"ReportoftheExhibition_Committee",The PhotographicJournal (October16, 1865),

portraits _by the most critical of her

contemporaries, HenryPeach_Robinson, and even

by Lewis Carroll (another who found her work

too intense for his _taste) often seem bland in

comparison."9

Contemporary photographer _Larry

Bullis'

philosophy on pinhole photography: "For me

Fig. 6."shades"

Untitled#10,30x30type

pinhole _{photography is}more _likelytobe done for Cpinhole photograph.

the right reasons: _{intellectual, emotional,}

physical, intuitive, sexual, but not _{greed, hatred,} fear of ignorance. The pinhole is a

vehicle through which the essence of the act of _imaging can be performed. It is

impossibletousea pinhole camerawithoutan active andfunctional intuitive

side."10

This

statement exemplifies the _imagery, andthe act of_{creating "shades". My images rely}on

the characteristics ofthe pinhole and it's intuitive process and are impossible to create

with conventional photography. _{Bymy utilizing} softer _focus, infinite depth of_field, and

chromatic aberration I am able to depict scenes in which a _rendering of the subject

photographed is subservient to the otherwise intangible physical and emotional realities

ofthe image.

While photographic impressionism was popular after _WWI, the softer focus had

lost its appeal _{among contemporary} photographers. Present _day pinhole photographer

Martha Casanave expresses her dissatisfaction with conventional photography, "The

9

NaomiRosenblum,A_HistoryofWomenPhotographers (New York: AbbevillePress, 1994),52.

10

LarryBullis,"OnthePinhole",The InternationalPinholeExhibition(Santa Fe:Centerfor_Contemporary

Arts SantaFe, 1989),27.

creative _evolution, selection and revision thathappens with _{memory is}precluded_by the

very impartiality and _specificity of straight _photography, the poet Stephen Spender said

'a memory once _clearly stated ceases to be a memory'. These thoughts have prompted

my interest in the potential of pinhole _photography to more _closely approximate

memory."11

I believe the term "straight photography"

is used here to describe the

modernist_photographythatbecamepopularafterWWI: too_sharpandtoodetailed forthe

Pictorialists'

atmospheric _imagery and _lacking in anything that would approximate a

memory,

"shades"

mightresemble_manyexperiencesyouhave_had, butnone specifically.

(Fig. ₆₎ It requires the viewer to de-code the _{image using} a collection of personal

memoriesforplacementinreality.

11

MarthaCasanave,"TheExhibitors",quotedin,JamesR.Hugunin "Notes Toward AStenopaesthetic",The International PinholePhotographyExhibition(Santa Fe: Center forContemporaryArtsSantaFe, 1989),8.

III.

THEORY

The AbstractExpressionists ofthelate 1940'sbelievedthatas _artists,theywere _onlyone

part of a combination of forces which came together to create a work of art. _They

consideredtheirpsyche tobe the orchestrator ofthese forcesand _that, "... the artist has

only 'a general

notion'

ofwhathe is about and provides 'the ultimate source of

energy'

for the creation of_{the object,} but not much

more."12

The energy generated _by their

subconscious works in conjunction with the _surrounding environment, whose random

elements _help shape the artists work. "... The artist is not the embodier ofa design but

rather one _{force among others,} which _working together determine a

pattern."13

This

pattern wasnotalways_realized, andthose paintingsthatdidnotcommunicatethe _energy

and orchestration_properlywereremovedinthe_editingprocess.

The Dadaist and Surrealist movements used the antithesis of this selection

process. Ratherthan _{editing down}to what _theyconsidered thebestrepresentative ofthe

inner psyche of a particular _series, the Dadaists and Surrealists worked under the

assumption that the selection process itselfwas capable of_revealing the artist's inner

being. "The focus is not on _{recording the} artist's 'psychophysical

action'

but on the

12

Allen Carlson._{"Appreciating}artand_appreciatingnature",quotedin SalimKemalandIvan_Gaskell, Landscape,natural_beautyandthearts(Cambridge:UniversityPress, 1993),209.

Ibid.

spontaneous _working out ofthe _unconscious, the

irrational."14

Artists such as _Duchamp and Dali

used random selection itself as a subliminal

meansofexpression.

*

i

Fig. 7."shades"

Untitled#3, 30x30typeC,

pinhole photograph.

Unlike the _Dadaists, whose experiments

in the subconscious pushed random selection as

subject to the _extreme, I made deliberate

decisions on the conditions under which I

exposed _my film. Like the Abstract

Expressionists, I made aconscious flight from directrepresentationto the implicationof

emotion and thought through color and gesture. (Fig. _{7) However,} as there must be a

certain relevance to the viewer inorder tomaintain _{any level} of_engagement, the levelof

abstraction employed requires the viewerto become an active participant. For _beauty to

maintain enough relevance for the _participant, whatremains after the original content's

deconstruction must inspire reinterpretation. _{The energy}ofthe artist is the element that

ties theworktothe interpreter.

Pinhole _imageryhas been describedthroughoutphotography's _history as _evoking

a number of responses: _{sensuality, spirituality,} and_{mystery among}them. Theuse ofthis

medium aids in the abstraction of the subject yet allows the viewer to extract the

relevance. The interpreter of a work of abstract art imbues relevance through an

associative _process; therefore _{any hint} of commonality, _including an awareness of

medium, will be used in making the association. Though the image might not be any

'Ibid.,210.

more ofa representation ofa subject than an abstract_painting, the _{very fact} that it is a

"photograph"

is suggestive _{to the viewer,} and heightens the desire to make a correlation

ofsomekind.

Derek Jarman's Blue is an example of suggestionbasedon medium. For

seventy-six _{minutes, the film displays}

nothing but a blue screen. _{A soundtrack, in which the}

director describes his experiences _{resulting from AIDS complications, including that of}

blindness, accompanies this. The fact that the viewer _{is watching} a movie evokes a

reaction ofintensedesperation to see _{something in} theblue field. The spoken words are

suggestive, and one can almost see the objects and places he speaks of. A reviewer

comments, "This can get_{dizzying, nauseating} or hypnotic

-depending on your _sensory

makeupor yourattitudetowardsvisualdeprivation."15

We haveaninstinctiveneedtoredefinewhat wesee and experience _subjectively

so asnot to disrupt ourperception ofreality. Whenconfrontedwith _{sensory input}which

conflicts withpreconceived _notion, it is common to alter these disruptive perceptions as

they are _{being processed,} and later alter the memories that were left behind. The

perception ofa shared experience _{may have} a common _thread, but the recollectionwill

vary.

Minimalist painter Agnes Martin is able to _convey emotion and _beauty to the

interpreter through _{line, pattern,} and color. She believes _"beauty and _happiness,

expressions of the sublime and perfection of_reality, are the subject matter of art. Art

cannot depictperfection since perfection is _immaterial; nor can art itself be perfect since

it ispart ofthephysical world. What art can express are abstract emotions of_beautyand

15

DessonHowe, "Blue",TheWashingtonPost,11_February1994.

Fig.8."shades"

Untitled#2, 30x30typeC,

pinhole photograph.

happiness."16

In the _Beauty and _Mystery of_Life,

she states "It is _commonly thought that the

intellectisresponsible for everythingthatismade

and done. It is commonlythought that_everything

that is canbe put into words. Butthere is a wide

range of emotional responses that we are not

consciously aware of... until theyare represented

inart

work."17

Our perception of experiences becomes a

defragmenting process for the psyche. _Using what we _{remember, both consciously} and subconsciously, of our past _experiences, we take the individual components of those

memories to decode imagery. The more abstract the _image, the more room there is for

interpretation as there is no _{literal meaning pointing} us down the direct path the author

took.

As an _example, I will refer _{to psychology}

and the Rorschach tests for _measuring

personality. Herman Rorschach developed the

famous inkblot _personality tests, whereby a

subject is presented with ten to fifteen abstract,

ambiguous inkblot forms and is asked for

interpretation. How the inkblots are perceived

Fig.9. Rorschach inkblot.

16

BarbaraHaskell,"Agnes Martin: The Awarenessof_Perfection",Agnes Martin (New York:Whitney

MuseumofAmericanArt, 1992),94.

17

AgnesMartin,"Beautyisthe_MysteryofLife",quotedinBarbaraHaskell,Agnes Martin (New York:

WhitneyMuseumofAmericanArt,1992),10.

reflects memories and experiences ofthe conscious and or unconscious mind, _"shades",

like the Rorschach_tests, is a means to relate to or rekindle a_{memory in}the mind ofthe

viewer.(Fig. 8 & ₉₎

Carl _Jung and his followers believed that what we perceive is _deeply rooted in

symbols, fantasies, dreams, delusions and myths. I choose from my psyche images that

reflect_my emotions anddesires_byutilizingabstract representations of_myunconscious I

give the viewer the _ability to act as a voyeur of_my experiences. In _leaving the abstract

imagery in this exhibition _untitled, and _{supplying only} the title _"shades", I refrain from

suggestive descriptionand allowinterpretationtobe free floating. Asa releaseofinternal

energyandadeliberate choice ofa"best example"

of_{my innerself, these} imagesare, in

Jungian_terms,givingamplification andintuitiveassociationto the shadowofmyself.

Pinhole _Photography is an intuitive and emotional process. The dreamlike

qualities signified in pinhole images are reflected _by exhibition titles such as "Altered

State", or "Reflections ofthe WorldofIllusion andFantasy". Reviews ofpinhole shows

speak ofthe work in terms of"stream ofconsciousness", "altered relationships oftime

and_space","illusivereality"

and_{"magnetically}charged

zones".18

The writings of pinhole photographer Barbara _{Ess, concerning her} experiments

with_{sensory deprivation}andtheneedtocontrast_{between memory}vs. experience,played

a major roll in my development of"shades". Ess' performances have illustrated that an

elimination of all immediate sensory input can produce an altered state of_being where

fragmentsof ourperceptionsarebasedon suggestedorreferenced_{sensory input. Her}

'

Hugunin, 10.

Fig. 10..

"shades"

Untitled#9, 30x30typeC.

pinhole photograph.

images have been described as _"walking the

magical borderline where the subjective view of

reality and its 'objective' existence merge

imperceptibly to form a vague but _highly

intriguingtwilightzone."19

It is _likely that the same _{sensory input}

may stimulate _similar, yet_{personalized,} reactions

in twoindividuals. _Thus, two people _looking at a

completely abstract form _may experience

thoughts, memories or emotions with a collective thread. In "shades"

I provide an abstract sensorial depiction ofan experience and ask the viewer to share the _memory

eitherfrompersonal experience ortoelicita_{memory from}thesuggestedcontent.

The _imagery in this exhibition is not part ofthe experience thatwould contain a conscious memory, as the place and or subject can not _{readily be defined.} Rather the

experience becomes an intuitive _memory or a shared experience between the

photographer andtheviewer.Theresultsare thedreamlike_imageryof"shades".(Fig. ₁₀₎

The images are_{aesthetically}beautiful inpartbecause _they draw from the organic_beauty

ofthe_landscape,meldedwiththe_beautyoftheexpressionofhumanthoughtor memory.

The title "shades" is derived from shade or in Greekskotos_{meaning darkness. In} mythology, theplural shades refers tothe shadowsthatgather _duringdarkness. Further it can refer to spirits, or to indicate _{its similarity} to a_previously encountered experience.

19

BarbaraEss,"BarbaraEss: BeyondtheGardenWall",quotedin SusanKrane,BarbaraEss: Beyondthe

GardenWall (Georgia:HighMuseumof_Art,1992),8.

The title describes both the _recording of tonal values and a more in-depth discourse

regarding the spiritual afterlife; a deja-vu of _memory and experience, "shades" are

memoriesof experiences rekindled_by theviewer's perceptions oftheabstract with which

theyarepresented.

INSTALLATION

'shades"

openedOctober_24th, 1997attheS.P.A.S. _Gallery, RochesterInstituteof

Technology,One Lomb Memorial Drive,Rochester,NY.

*0

Fig. 11. "shades"

Installation left-wall. Fig.12. "shades"

Installationdetailright-wall.

Fig. 13. "shades"

Installation fullshot_of

right-wall.

Fig. 14. MarcelandLisa Camireatthe_opening

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barg,Barbara. Eyesbehind Eyes: Barbara Ess Iam notthisBody. New York: Curt Marcus_Gallery, 1991.

Chave,Anna C. "Agnes Martin: _Humility,The Beautiful Daughter...AllofHer Waysare

Empty."

In Agnes_Martin,ed.Barbara_Haskell, 131-157. New York: _Whitney Museum ofAmerican_Art, 1992.

Carlson,Allen. _{"Appreciating} artand_appreciating

nature."

In_Landscape,natural_beauty

and_{the arts,}ed. Salim Kemal andIvan _Gaskell, 199-227. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 1993.

Crawford,Donald W. _"Comparingnatural andartisticbeauty."InLandscape,natural beautyandthearts, ed. Salim KemalandIvan_Gaskell, 183-198. Cambridge: Cambridge_UniversityPress, 1993.

Ess, Barbara. This is it? Barbara EssPhotographyInstallationandBooks.NewYork: The Queens Museumof_Art, 1993.

Haskell, Barbara. "Agnes Martin: TheAwarenessof

Perfection."

Agnes Martin. New

York: _WhitneyMuseumofAmericanArt, 1992.

Howe,Desson, "Blue."TheWashingtonPost, 1 1 _February 1994.

Hugunin, James R. "Notes Towarda

Stenopaesthetic."

In TheInternational Pinhole

PhotographyExhibition,Organized_byCCA, 7-11. Santa Fe: Center for

ContemporaryArtsofSanta_Fe, 1989.

Indiana, Gary. Barbara Ess isaCharacterinaNovelI amWriting.BarbaraEss

PhotographyInstallationandBooks. New York: The Queens Museumof_Art, 1993.

Krane, Susan.Barbara Ess: BeyondtheGarden Wall. Atlanta: High Museumof_Art,

1992.

Martin,Agnes. "SelectedWritings."

In Agnes_Martin,ed. Barbara_Haskell, 9-31. New

York: _WhitneyMuseumofAmerican_Art, 1992.

Miller,John. Beauty:An Anthology. San Francisco: Chronicle _Books, 1997.

Renner,Eric. "OnthePinhole: Its_Historyin Scienceand

Art."

In The International Pinhole_{Photography Exhibition,}Organized_byCCA,24-27. Santa Fe: Center for

ContemporaryArtsofSanta_Fe, 1989.

Pinhole Photography:_{Rediscovering}aHistoric Technique.Boston: Focal

Press, 1995.

Rosenblum,Naomi. A World_HistoryofPhotography. New York: AbbevillePress, 1984.

. AHistoryofWomenPhotographers.New York: AbbevillePress, 1994.

Roskam,Mathilde. Barbara Ess. Madrid: Galeria LaMaquinaEspanola, 1990.

Shull,Jim. The HoleThing,AManualofPinholeFotography. New York: Morgan &

Morgan,Inc., 1974.

SLIDELIST

1. Lisa A. Camire, shades,Untitled#1, 30x30 Type C,PinholePhotograph,

1994-1997.

2. LisaA. _Camire,shades,Untitled#2, 30x30 Type_C,Pinhole_Photograph,

1994-1997.

3. Lisa A._{Camire, shades,} Untitled_#3, 30x30 Type_C, Pinhole_Photograph,

1994-1997.

4. Lisa A. _{Camire, shades,}Untitled_#4,30x30 Type_C, Pinhole_Photograph, 1994-1997.

5. Lisa A. _{Camire, shades,}Untitled_#5, 30x30 Type_C, Pinhole_Photograph, 1994-1997.

6. Lisa A. _Camire, shades,Untitled#6, 30x30 Type_C, PinholePhotograph,

1994-1997.

7. Lisa A. Camire,shades,Untitled#7,30x30 Type _C,Pinhole_Photograph,

1994-1997.

8. Lisa A. Camire, shades,Untitled#8,30x30 Type_C,Pinhole_Photograph,

1994-1997.

9. Lisa A. Camire,shades,Untitled#9,30x30 Type _C,Pinhole_Photograph,

1994-1997.

10. Lisa A. Camire,shades, Untitled#10, 30x30 Type _C,Pinhole_Photograph,

1994-1997.

Lisa A. Camire1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled#1,30x30

I

I

LisaA. Camire 1994-1997

H ' r-1

"shades"

Untitled#3,30x30

Type_{C, Pinhole Photograph.}

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h3 3 Ci

amire

Untitle

inhole

Q (o >0

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Lisa A. Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled_#5,30x30

TypeC,PinholePhotograph.

LisaA.Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled#6,30x30 TypeC,Pinhole Photograph

1

Lisa A. Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled_#9,30x30 Type_C,Pinhole Photograph

Lisa A. Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled_#10, 30x30 TypeC,Pinhole Photograph

Lisa A. Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled#4,30x30

TypeC,PinholePhotograph

Lisa A. Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled#7,30x30 Type_C, Pinhole Photograph

Lisa A.Camire 1994-1997

"shades"

Untitled#8, 30x30