SEQUENCING PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES

At this point in the module we are asked to think about sequencing our images in the medium of our choice, whether it’s a book or installation or something else.

I have chosen for the Human-Canine Bond project a pop-up installation in a park to be the outcome. The park area behind my backyard is visited by many dog walkers throughout the whole day. People often choose one and the same route for daily walks, often going out with a dog four times day. I estimate that this installation will be seen by many local residents throughout the day. One of the decisions to make in relation to this outcome is about where to put what and how to generally arrange it all in the space. Furthermore, this will be an interactive installation where viewers are invited to engage with the work by scanning QR codes. The content of the codes varies greatly: some QR codes lead to audio files, some to videos, some to images, some to social media, etc. The variety of the content is expected to create some excitement for the viewers, like opening Christmas gifts – the joy of receiving a gift is likely to be bigger than the actual gift. This notion of interaction also changes the relationship between viewers and the artwork and eventually the artist. Roy Ascott has stated that 'in the past the artist played to win and so set the conditions that he always dominated the play. The spectator was positioned to lose, in the sense that his moves were predetermined and he could form no strategy of his own' (2003: 111). Roberto Simanowski (2011: 122) refers to this as a shift from viewers to be passive spectators to active users or interactors. Of course, the reality is that not every walker-by will even pay attention to the installation, but at least they are provided with an opportunity to have a dialogue with the artwork.

‘Although interactive installation art cannot guarantee that every spectator follows the call, inevitably, if indirectly, it puts those who stand to one side into the spotlight: They are recognized as people who do not join in, who watch in detachment. Interactive installation art is the perfect deconstruction of the voyeur.’ (Roberto Simanowski, 2011: 121)

After having formulated what the expected outcome is going to be, it is time to take a look at possible ways of presenting the images in terms of sequencing them. When placed on a large wall together, one can see that the time doesn’t play any role in terms of sequencing. The images can be categorized in two logic ways. The first one would be to make several separate groupings, placing all images of a specific dog together.

Fig. 1: Saksens 2021. Images arranged according to the individual dogs

The second possibility is to group the images according to what’s in them, in this case to have four different groups according to the content.

Saksens 2021. Images arranged according to the content of the images

When the images were arranged, a slideshow was created to see how it all looks together.

Fig. 3: Saksens 2021. Slideshow [short video]

Generally, in overall the images seem to be working well together. However, there is definitely some further room for improvement for the project in the coming weeks.

REFERENCES

ASCOTT, Roy. 2003. Telematic Embrace: Visionary Theories of Art, Technology, and Consciousness. Edited by Edward A. Shanken. Berkeley: University of California Press. SIMANOWSKI, Roberto. 2011. Digital Art and Meaning : Reading Kinetic Poetry, Text Machines, Mapping Art, and Interactive Installations. University of Minnesota Press: Minneapolis. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central.

FIGURES

Figure 1: SAKSENS, Ruta. 2021. Images arranged according to the individual dogs. Ruta Saksens: private collection.

Figure 2: SAKSENS, Ruta. 2021. Images arranged according to the content of the images. Ruta Saksens: private collection.

Figure 3: SAKSENS, Ruta. 2021. Slideshow [short video]. Ruta Saksens: private collection.