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Photographic
Prevarications Richard
Koenig For the last nine years, I have been working with pictures that I
re-photograph in some fashion or another, suggesting a form of
meta-photography, or tautology. I use this duplicative tactic as a way of
exploring the inherent tension that exists within photography—provided by
its capacity to both depict and deceive, concurrently. In my latest work, which I call Photographic Prevarications, space, planes, and
objects themselves are presented in such a way as to underscore photographyÕs
ability to tell untruths. In this way, I coax the viewer to question the nature
of photography itself—by making them aware that they are looking at, and
perceiving, a photograph, not looking at the subject matter of the photograph. ~ ~ ~ This work began as a small series made in the corner of a gallery
(see below). Here, paper prints taped to the wall of the gallery, when viewed
from a privileged point of view, can deceive the viewer. They can give the idea
that objects, such as a framed picture, or my body, can penetrate a wall and
extend to the space beyond—or tilt in such a way that is incongruent with
the confines of the room.
I continued this technique when I went to a residency at the
American Academy in Rome (see below). In this series, a faucet, radiator, or
wall sconce from a space was photographed, then reproduced after being
carefully distorted. Taped to the wall in a different location and
re-photographed in situ, these objects appear to defy the limitations of the
roomÕs floor plan.
The work took a different tack three years ago when I photographed
objects or my body in a space, then recreated them in paper form, installed
them, and once again photographed them in situ. With the work in
Rome, the placement of the objects was designed to defy the roomÕs
space—here they are more logical, being reproduced where they in fact did
exist (see below).
I am currently making work that exists as single photographs,
documents if you like (to be placed in a frame and exhibited), but also can be
exhibited as large paper installations (see below). In this case, viewers will
be encouraged to walk around the gallery and find the privileged point of view
for themselves. Related to this, I am also combining objects and images, with Chairs.
By using these tactics, emphasizing the tension that exists within
photography, playing up its ability to dissemble, I have moved its emphasis
from transparency to trickery. This in turn posits the viewer at a point where
depiction and deception meet—and hopefully leaves them teetering between
the two. Richard Koenig March 2009 |
