Jo Ann struck out to me as I was doing my research for this week for her themes in her photography. Her photos are so compelling and make you feel some sorts of weird emotions I felt like I needed to share.
| from: Early Color | |
from: Early Black & White
from: Animal / Food
The lines leading our eyes all over the space seemed very intentional. The randomness of the subject matter leaves the viewer in some sort of array. Like why the goldfish? So odd! The reflections in the glassware is also a great compositional element.
Her images are compelling and random but that is what makes them so striking. The angles and lighting she uses are very different. At least something I would not consider making but they are very inspiring. "Callis’s photographs depart from these conventions, both in the plurality of their subjects, the anonymity of their relationships, and the insistently theatrical setting of the work."
Jo Ann was born in Ohio in 1940 and relocated to California for her education. She originally started off studying graphic design and one of her professors encouraged her to move towards more experimental photography. She currently is working at the California Institute of Arts where she has been working since before obtaining her MFA in 1975.
Avant garde, abstract photography is always intriguing. I feel as if every piece was very thought out of, even if it doesn't make sense to a viewer within the first second. Photography as such, gives a very strong tension and ambiguity that fine art photography always does, and should do!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how such apparently random bits and pieces (spaghetti and goldfish??) come together in her work to create such balanced, harmonious compositions. The "big picture" is so strong for me that it takes me a while to see all the disparate elements that make it up. Very cool.
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