Picture-less
Abstract photography is a concept that I unfortunately struggle to grasp. I can understand and read the photographs, but it is a topic that I find difficult to replicate myself. Because of this I decided to focus this post on one of the abstract photographers that Rexer mentions in his chapter–Alejandra Laviada. Laviada is a photographer from Mexico City. She has a background working in painting and sculpture as well as photography. In her work she tends to combine her love for painting and sculpture with that of photography. "Laviada's work explores photography's shifting role and relationship to other artistic media" (alejandralaviada.com).
Juggling, 2008
Her photograph Juggling depicts three chair precariously balancing on top of one another. But what makes abstract photography so interesting with this piece is that it is both documenting the chair sculpture as well as the picture of the chair sculpture. Each have their own artistic feelings. Looking at Laviada's collection of sculptural photography at first glance it seems like they are either photos of her own sculptures or she's documenting someone else's photos. However, using photography as an art form to capture these pieces creates an art piece within an art piece. It takes what was once a three-dimensional piece and turns it into a small, flat image. Through framing and controlled lighting, the photograph directs the viewer on how to look at the sculpture. The sculpture of three chairs turns practical objects into something impractical and unusable. With the photograph however, it once again becomes a practical image to look at. With this, abstract photography showcases an image that isn't all what it seems upon first glance.
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