Not As It Seem
(For a lovely feature article by Aedra Fine Arts gallerist, Michael Hanna, on this series, please scroll down to the bottom.)
Babylon
Assumptions... things that are accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
This current fine art photographic series is titled, Not As It Seems. A series testing assumptions and encouraging contemplation. What do you see? Are you sure? We are living in a time when jumping to conclusions has become sport. We’re quick. We’re decisive. Are we right? Fake news has become an art form. It’s everywhere. How can we be so quick and so decisive in our conclusions when so much of what surrounds us is made up?
No one can fail the Rorschach test. Why? Because we see what we see. And what I see today might be different from what I see tomorrow. We would never expect someone else to see what we see. Why is it, then, that we expect others to adopt our opinions on other things… to see things the same way we see them?
The political climate in this country is out of control. Many of us are downright mad that others are not bending to our opinions. We are ready to die on that hill.
Within my family alone we have parties on both ends of the political spectrum and when there are discussions, I have noticed that no one seems to be able to back up their beliefs with actual data. We jump to conclusions based on a social media post or whatever our favorite news channel is touting today. And we are so convinced we are right! No evidence, no data whatsoever, yet we have complete certainty. The Covid pandemic made this even more pronounced. I acknowledge it has become more and more difficult to obtain factual data. It takes a lot of research, a lot of digging into studies that have been done, and even extra effort to determine if a study used ethical processes. Consequently, our default is to simply go with our own opinions instead.
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Sideswiped
I want to challenge this. None of these pieces is what it first seems, the end result rarely being a representation of materials used. Not only is there alchemy through the process, but hopefully of audience perspective as well. The series as a whole provides us a challenge, an opportunity to question our own beliefs and judgements. How quickly am I convinced of what I see? What is the evidence that supports this? Is it credible?
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Cornucopia
In order to create each piece of art, I first draft out an idea for a scene or a mood that I want to achieve as the end result. From there, I build a physical, albeit mini, theatrical set which I then submerge in water. I watch the freezing process until I have achieved the desired 'ripeness.' Once removed from the mold, I use strobes and spotlights to light it for dramatic effect and mood. Lastly, I photograph the entire sculpture with a macro lens as quickly as possible before it disappears. I am fascinated with how water freezes. It can be manipulated by introducing different objects, textures, and materials. Even the rate of cooling can add another layer of intrigue. I hope you find it as interesting as I do! And I hope you will take the time to test yourself… test your assumptions, and hopefully enjoy the exploration. I encourage you to really look... and really think... and really question. What do you see?
Mid Snare
Indiscriminate
Octopus
"Ignorance is an enemy, even to its owner. Knowledge is a friend, even to its hater. Ignorance hates knowledge because it is too pure. Knowledge fears ignorance because it is too sure."
Sri Chinmoy
Correspond
Lemonade
Maneuver
Space BBQ
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
John Adams
Dhalia
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Good vs Evil
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GLASS
Looking Glass
Dissemination
Bones
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Scramble
"Assuming is a form of giving away your power to another regarding an outcome that concerns you."
Molly Friedenfeld
Zebra
Bell Curves Cubed
Opinion? Narrative? Feelings? Objective truth?
What do you know? What do you see? How do you know?
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Propaganda (all about the base)
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
George Orwell
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Fireworks
Solicit
Goal
"Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others."
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Did you guess them all? Were you right?
I was absolutely stunned by this beautiful commentary from Aedra Fine Arts gallerist Michael Hanna on the efforts put into this series, "Not As It Seems." I hope you will enjoy this read as much as I have.
"Patricia Fortlage is an experimental photographer who has exhibited across the United States, especially in California. Notable recent exhibitions include participation at Gallery 825 in Los Angeles, Brand Gallery in Glendale, California, Soho Photo Gallery in New York, and Hyde Gallery in San Diego. Publications include features by independent magazines such as Women United Art, CanvasRebel, and Dodho. Patricia’s awards include first place prize in a juried exhibition by Soho Photo Gallery and several recognitions by the International Photography Awards.
The current body of work focuses on a series titled Not As It Seems which conveys Rorschach test-like appearances of frozen objects. Patricia captures objects in the process of freezing in water with particles of ice formations. Capturing the process of freezing water creates distortions of various objects into complete abstractions which conceptually challenge the notion of assumptions. Because the photography remains based on actual objects and becomes captured in a process of freezing, the viewer will be left with trying to identify the composition only to be left in puzzlement.
These crystalized slabs of mid-frozen theatrical props (or installations) convey a sense of monochromatic aesthetics, not so much because Patricia uses black and white photography, but because the composition remains consistent with a frozen mini-landscape, set up by the artist. The photography can be described as a study in texture and crystalized form, like a science project, Patricia conveys the deep aesthetics of water but in an unfamiliar manner using detailed close-up photography to capture the beauty of freezing water. Ice has one ton of pressure per square inch, such a powerful natural force creates physical properties leaving dimensions of bubbles, scratchy surfaces, and gem-like features.
Sideswiped (pictured above) appears to be a floral-shaped object becoming crystallized and perhaps even destroyed by the process of being frozen. The unpredictability of the crystallization process creates smears of forms, shadows, scratches, and bubbles across the surface and around the composition creating an abstracted form of nuanced aesthetics. Conveying a complex T and X layout, the subject appears almost like a dandelion having pollen from petals exploding across the plane.
Patricia Fortlage creates brilliant compositions which exemplify extremities in contrast and texture. She captures a deep aesthetic of objects in the process of becoming frozen in submerged water to convey a sense of gem-like qualities and castle-like structures and landscapes of crystalized form. Her art remains immensely promising towards bridging with new concepts of contemporary image-making in regards to integrating scientific and natural processes in theatrical and installation-type settings. These energized compositions shatter notions of abstraction and challenge the viewer to test the limits of visual comprehension through complex textures and variation in surfaces."
Read full feature HERE.