while an undergrad i wuz dissapointed with the way students would sometimes
view and comment on my 5x7 contact prints from their seats without even
bothering to approach them to the "proper" viewing distance. I found the 5x7
size ideal as the "ultimate in tactile purism" cuz the distance to view the
"surface qualities" is the same as for viewing the "image" (the pitcher
itself). 8x10 is too big for this and 4x5 seems too "precious". I thought
the size of the image would generate the proper viewing distance by itself
but apparently not... Anyway, instead of "you idiot yer not even looking at
my pitcher right" i tried to conceive a way to "passively" place the viewer
in the proper position... i came up with doors. It engages the viewer as a
participant, and does yield that nice "surprise"- also the closed cabinets
were nice in themselves...
A new problem though- galleries would display em with the doors open and
even when i stood there closing them, folks would leave em open, "spoiling"
it for the next person (the born-in-a-barn syndrome)- I'm getting a shop
again after years and am gonna do some more of these- gonna try self-closing
doors (lights will come on, too) and some other ideas (there are "things"
within and without the doors that aren't flat images)...
Also, i find having stuff hanging at home, seeing it day in and day out
walking by, makes it kinda "un-special"- stopping to open a cabinet to see
the contents- like taking a book off a shelf, or undressing a lover...
never had much problem hanging prints in galleries without glass, especially
with a little sign: please don't touch the surface of the prints...
In a portfolio, though, it's a real problem, even teachers and gallery
people, who presumably know better, put their oily fingers... hey, they're
tactile prints, and they beckon the fingers like the fishing lure a friend
just bought from TV with flashing lights (the trout seem unimpressed...)
-------------------------
Plywood and Rhetoric
graphic design from both sides of the brain
plyboy@teleport.com
http://www.teleport.com/~plyboy
"Momma DID raise a fool"