What can I say....I am a little late on the uptake with the whole blogging concept!! I have been inspired by what some university friends have achieved and by the blogs that inspire them, it is definitely about time I use the blogging world to put my thoughts and ideas out there including my own work. Living in London since 2004 i have been carried into the world of exhibitions, absorbed into the museums and held hostage by my SLR and small compact cameras.
I am currently drowning in the workload of my final year of Architecture, studying for my Part 1, I love every second but the workload never fails to shock. I treated myself to a visit to the Tate on Sunday. Specifically to catch the one of the last few days of the current exhibition in the Turbine Hall.
The giant steel box titled 'How It Is' by Miroslaw Balka, on approach was a complete disappointment, the scale of the giant container was incredible, sadly ruined by the mezzanine floor that divides up the vast space, yes it has its place as a view point within the Tate Modern, but in this case it ruined the impact of the installations scale.
I arrived before the Tate Modern opened, wanting to see the installation before the Easter weekender's arrived, taking my digital SLR with me to capture this space. I deliberately read nothing about the installation, I did not want to be influenced by the ideas and visions of others on this sculptural installation. I walked under the mass structure, snapping away with my camera, disappointed with the results, even more disappointed that taking photographs inside the space was prohibited..... but rules are there for breaking.... and what harm can it do as I avoid using a flash where ever possible......I enter the space arms outstretched, zombie like... walking into the darkness, your senses obliterated by the darkness, two women entered at the same time, using the side of the vast structure to guide them, but where is the fun in that. Eventually and sooner than expected I reach the end of the dark space. Turning round to view the entrance of the box, the darkeness is suddenly less intimidating.
The lady in the high vis jacket has disappeared, I crouch down onto the floor, hiding, rummaging to take out the camera, set up on a long exposure I know I don't need to waste time trying to sort the settings out in the dark, ignoring the rules I lay the camera on the floor and take the one photograph I have time for, the one image to capture this space. This vast dark void that makes you feel incredibly vulnerable, glad of my decision to arrive before the crowds, enjoying the silence of the space; something so rare in london. The two women left the space almost as quickly as they arrived into it. Left in the darkness alone I am completely aware of the loneliness that the darkness creates, encapsulated by this void, taking comfort in the distant figures silhouetted at the entrance of the box, capturing this moment in a single photograph. (Photograph seen at top of blog entry)
Well that was my first entry.... trying to capture a single spatial experience... something that has been key to my final year project, and I want to continue.
