I have become fascinated with the term “Ambient Art”. Ambient art is defined as: “representations of complex environmental and user information that reflect their surroundings as well as simply being displayed in them”. I define ambient art as not as uncomplicated as pop art or as complex as transcendental intellectual significances that classical art will have you realize. Other than art that makes you feel comfortable and inspired in your environment without the subject of the work of art being the center of attention. Art that places purpose in a purposeless setting, the experience of experiencing the setting in itself.
I am setting out on a new project to try to craft an ambient multimedia photography art project. The first couple of questions that come to mind are: Can ambient photography be produced and be meaningful? What would be the purpose of the photograph? Why, and for who?
Let me start out by answering what I know: I want to make photographs that have longevity, transparency and evolve for the environment that they’re placed in. Photographs that place a feeling of no beginning or end, experience instead of a journey, subject matter that is encompassing not narrative to the viewer and the room.
The impetus and meaningfulness of this project is directed from the idea that photographs can be an antidote to the noise of a TV. In the age of large screen TVs, the TVs have become the center point of most rooms and are more of a sonic/visual narrative of our background to life as oppose to achieving a sonic/visual landscape within our environment. TV draws in our attention numerous times when we are not even paying attention to the programming. The antidote would be to create a multimedia DVD photo slide show with original atmospheric music that would play on a loop. Brian Eno’s current work of 77 Million Paintings would be a large scale example of what I am trying to create for the living space.Ambient art can generate a “long now” sensation that the here and now is not only what is being directed at you but in a grander part of what is being intended for life around you. An example of a “long now” could be: noticing the stillness in nature and awareness of life in a single instant. In the end the accomplishment of ambient art will be to create and preserve a long now moment.
Next, moving onto the ‘why”: For the reason that I enjoy my environment. When I sit down to read a book, drink a glass of wine or to have a conversation with my wife I like to enjoy the atmosphere that I have surrounded myself with. The color, texture, sounds and aroma of my environment are important to me. I am not trying to create a trance hypnotic décor but enhance the ambient of my environment with art.
This project will not see its fruition until January ‘08 when I will start posting short multimedia photo slide shows. I have a back catalog of music and photography that I will edit together along with creating some new compositions and photo projects. I hope you stay along with me on this journey of ambient art.
