的 戲 耍 師 - Brian Oglesbee

PHOTOGRAPHY ART
PHOTOGRAPHY ART
水的戲耍師Ǘ Brian Oglesbee
ㆺጁჶഛ
Water Series 127
Water Series 41
Water Series 54
Brian Oglesbee 1951 ౺ӛᮝᅠ⇾ߡ␃Խ‫څ‬Ŋ߱ 1970 ౺˩ᅽቅŊ˟ⳖҘʴ␃Խ‫♊څ‬⠛ણずņArt Institute
of ChicagoŇȯᯍ˟ໞᣅɺ̤‫ۄ‬ᏈჶഛోരŊ1976 ౺˟ၑӷʴₚ₎ռⵒ᱿ Alfred University ᄞ࿙ჶഛُ
֬ӽȯ߱ 1980 ౺⿵Ŋ˟˫ञㄇỬഔ⏨ᤫᦸ᱿ાҙ̡⇦≟‫ט‬ӷᘜาȯ˟᱿̳‫ٴ‬⡕ೊᘒ᱿づӬ߱ʊ᮹‫߸׳‬᱿ҝ
Ҡ೘ῈҙŊॖŘₚ₎᱿ George Eastman HouseȮthe International Center of PhotographyȮᬟं᱿
the Musée de lƠElysée Ȯᅺ቏ᾀ߸ȯ≟˟ሩқᓝ᪀വₚ₎♊⠛ࡣ⸉ሳㅹᱹ᱿ᩦ⸉ȯ
⎊ 1987 ౺ŊBrian Oglesee ُ≘৕ɺ⬚̦߱ₚ₎᱿ Wellsville డ̳ાŊ≟⳧‫ ׏‬20 ౺͗Ŋ˟আ⃃૾ᘜᅠ
ᶇἄُᖛሷ〦᱿ჶഛʙ㆛ȯBrian Oglesee ᱿ὮɺΤ૾㆛̳‫ٴ‬ŘAquatiquŊ߱ 2007 ౺ 10 ሶ᮫ Insight
Edtitions ӛᦹŊᔍሬɺӛᦹ͵‫ט‬ӷᏎञ᱿⸅⣶ُ⩛ဗŊʏʈሰ˟⬂വṵⓧグ⦒ჶഛ⸉ᦽᩦŊ˫‫ד‬᩸Ἴӛᦹ
ჶഛ⹾ᦽᩦȯሱⲖŊBrian Oglesee ⿭আُဧᢇᣊ฻᱿ॉ଄រ Julie Taymor ଭ⿭‫̳׶‬ȯ
Brian Oglesbee was born in Chicago in 1951. In the early 1970's he attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1976,
after a career as a commercial photographer in Chicago specializing in room scenes, he moved to upstate New York, where he
taught photography and printmaking at Alfred University . During the 1980s he became known for a series of large-format color
photographs of room scenes and still lifes.
Oglesbee has been widely exhibited in one-person and group shows throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan, and
is represented in collections in such institutions as the George Eastman House (Rochester, NY), the International Center of
Photography (New York, NY), the Musée de l’Elysée (Lausanne, Switzerland), the Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn, NY), the Museum
of Fine Arts (St. Petersburg, FL), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston, TX) and many private collections, including the Sir Elton John
Collection (Atlanta, GA). He has twice been granted fellowships by the New York Foundation for the Arts.
Oglesbee's first monograph , Aquatique: Photographs by Brian Oglesbee, an 11 x 14- inch coffee table book with over 120
Brian Oglesbee
quadtone reproductions of large-format photographs was published by Insight Edtitions, Oct. 2007. Critically acclaimed ,
contact@oglesbee.com
http://www.oglesbee.com
the Year Awards, and the Independent Publisher Book Awards Silver Medal in Photography.
Aquatique won two national book awards in 2008 including the Gold Medal in Photography from ForeWord Magazine's Book of
From 1987 to the present, Oglesbee has maintained a studio Wellsville, New York, where he lives with his wife, Mandy. For the past
twelve years, he has worked almost exclusively on the Water Series (Aquatique).
Recently, Brian has been working with director Julie Taymor, who is highly regarded for her creative productions such as The Lion
King on Broadway. Inspired by Water Series images in "Aquatique: Photographs by Brian Oglesbee", Ms. Taymor asked him to
collaborate with her using his techniques on scenes for her upcoming feature film, Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (2010).
墜入攝影的夢境
水的
戲 耍 師
dpi : Please tell us how you entered the photographic
᱿〦͸ໟሷʴὮɺ‫ש‬᳈ᑨŊ≟߱ 8 ᔓ᱿ᆹαŊ
world? Who inspired you to be a photographer?
teacher and is one of my most important influences. His
Oglesbee : I remember first becoming interested in
work can be seen at: http://www.josephbellows.com/
᦬⤃‫ ⃛ב‬Oglesbee ⫀ʴ‫נ‬कɺ‫ ש‬35 ҝ‫׀‬ಎᦸ
of Technology. I was very lucky, he was an inspiring
photography in 1964 at age 12 when my father helped
artists/edward-sturr/
᱿᳈ᑨ̳ᣅᯃᏈẌ᧎Ŋഺ⴨ᆹα⿭আŊ˟ᆹ౑Ӵ
me build a pinhole camera for a 6th grade science
At 16, during my second year of high school, I began
ᮢ˟᱿ଅ໼⿵͗҂ᯍᇯ໼ُ֬ӽા͗ᗢᘺ᳈ᦸȯ
project. My father, an avid amateur photographer,
working as a messenger in a large commercial
gave me a 35mm rangefinder camera for my 8th
photography studio in Chicago. I found the world of studio
grade graduation present. Shortly afterwords I started
photography unbelievably fascinating, and over the
Brian Oglesbee
1966 ౺˟ⳖҘʴ Cicero ᱿㋧ʑŊ߱ 4 ౺᱿ჶ
ഛણ∳ʑŊബ౽⳥᱿ⳢӷʴEdward SturrŊʏ
experimenting with developing my own film and printing
next seven years, while finishing high school and then art
無形的水，該如何操弄於股掌之間？看似無法達成的任務，藉由黑與白的世界，讓我們更加清
ʈଃ Oglesbee ᮟᮝʴബञ᱿ഛㅨȯ16 ᔓ᱿ᆹ
the pictures in my makeshift bedroom darkroom using a
school, did just about every possible job in different studios
楚的看見他所擁有的高超技藝，在 Brian Oglesbee 的攝影中找到可能！原來世界上什麼事情
αŊ˟ⳖҘʴɺ⿵̤ᅠ␃Խ‫څ‬᱿ञࠣ‫ۄ‬Ꮘჶഛ፣
slide projector as an enlarger.
-- finally becoming a photographer specializing in room-
The following year, 1966, I attended High School in
scenes in what was at the time the biggest photography
డ̳Ŋʏ߱ᔍᆹ࣏Ҙʴჶഛ᱿ʊ᮹ʠʑᤀᘍ⎊
Cicero, Illinois, which had an incomparable 4-year fine-art
studio in the country.
ཥŊʏ߱ദര᱿ 7 ౺Ԋദʃ‫׺‬᱿ჶഛ፣ણ∳Ŋሱ
photography program led by Edward Sturr, a graduate of
都有可能發生，這就是他想要告訴我們的訊息！
Water Series 06
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Ὦɺᓝଃჶഛ฾ӷ⎟⬶ᆯ߱ 12 ᔓᆹŊߌᣅ᦬⤃
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രໞᣅ૾Ꮘჶഛోȯ
the noted Institute of Design program at the Illinois Institute
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART
PHOTOGRAPHY ART
水的戲耍師Ǘ Brian Oglesbee
ㆺጁჶഛ
Water Series 116
Figure/Foliage 130
Figure/Foliage 133
直覺與構成
ُบᘍŊʏʈ␕⫄ञⵒӠ᱿ᆹ⿵‫׏‬ඎ≙⥿ॖ̬‫ا‬
ჶഛᆹሱ߱ʢ᱿ଔᆯ‫̬˶⥶ݏ‬໽ᗞሷ‫⳧⥶ݏ‬᱿ʶ
ഢᔍʠ⿵᱿౹⠣Ŋ≟ᖛ₇Ӭԅᆯബ᳅࿲᱿⠧ⳭŊ
᧎ȯOglesbee ㄄౑⸅⣶˟Ὦɺ᳅⤌᱿ᱹ᫠Ŋ
ဘ‫⦦⥾ן‬ଔᆯ₊⻞᳈ᑨԊᯍʁ᱿ʶ᧎ȯ
᫠ᤫᦸŊࡣ቏ʀ⎏ଇሳሷɿᓝ᱿⥑હŊʏʈ⥶ߧ
ʏʈ⥶┮ԡⳍӛ˪ːߔง᱿ᯉㄇȯʬ⥓˫⩊≛໽
ʃᵧⳬ᱿༬ణŊᮚ⎏ᆯ҆ણ⩐ջ͗‫ا‬᫠ᖛʑ᱿ഛ
ЭŊ⩕⩊≛⎞ߧᦸᮟᮝɺỚ⋱⸇᱿˅ဘŊⳖ⠗ഢ
Oglesbee : Trying things I've never tried, or seen, before.
ᔍ᱿ଃ⥾ȯ˟บ☼ᔍ‫ו‬ᆤӛໟΩ߱⎊ᤋʊ᮹໽ᤀ
dpi : What feeling or sensation you would like viewers to
ᘍ᳖ӷ᱿ഐ⩽Ŋ≟‫׺‬ᆹʬశቃ⩊≛⋱च‫׏‬ᱹ⤌Ⳇ
catch through your works?
ΤṘम᱿฾‫ט‬ȯ
Oglesbee : I'm very interested in how we perceive things
visually, and I strive to make pictures that may have some
ჶഛሷқΤʙ⣬᱿ᑁೣŊὮɺŊჶഛᆯൕㅱ➄Ҙ
perceptual puzzlement to them. Perhaps the viewer is
˟໽บ⣬ཞჶ᱿ːȮʶȮ᧎Ȯ߸ʠʑŊʏʈഺɺ
not even aware that a trick of perspective or the strange
Τञ᱿ከᐉʑⳀិ᱿˫ῠᒑ᱿ᅞᘍ༪ӛ໽บ⣬ഐ
optical properties of water might be at work in an image.
A degree of wonder sets a dialog in motion between the
⩽ᐉߧř‫נ‬ɺΤᅞೣŊԅᆯ߱ჶഛ፣೘Ἴُ҆ഛ
viewer and the picture: an energy exchange. I think art
Э᱿Ⳑ⃌Ŋ☼᮫ʃᅜ᱿ᛟԽ͗⩴૗ᤫᦸ᱿ҙૌŊ
reflects on the undefinable nature of life and our place in
≟߱ჶഛ፣ʃ‫⋱ר‬ʃ͐ᮢ҆ℬŊOglesbee ۹ᔊ
⴨Ớ̷ʃᵧⳬሱരᤫᦸሳ‫ا‬᫠ˑ㓯ᑂ᱿ᄓኞ᱿฾
Figure/Foliage 138
dpi : What do you care about the most while shooting?
nature. I hope viewers would be moved to feel something
of that mystery.
⤌Ŋ˟⤌വⳆᆯɺㅮ૗ྏ໴ʈሷ⬶᱿ʶȯ
dpi : Could you talk about your creating process?
・฾ᆹ౑ӛ᫠߱˟રໞ໣≛ᱹ᫠ᅘ᱿ʶ᧎᱿
Oglesbee : Photography seems to have two main modes.
ᆹαŊሷᆹଔЭᤫᦸሳ‫⥿̷⥔ب‬ॖ̬ϝŊ≟
Oglesbee ʬሳӴᮢ₪ဎ቏͗⥆⻞〉ᙹʑ᱿・฾
In one, the photographer goes out into the world of
people, places, things, and events with a camera seeking
matter to depict, selecting the subject of the photograph
from the surroundings: a “subtractive” process. He or she
composes the image by deciding what to exclude, not
just what to include, in the frame.
The other mode is to start with nothing and build an image
from light and subject in the studio. This “additive” process
is how I make my pictures. Working in a studio, a place
where you can have no light, I am responsible for every
beam that reaches the film and therefore everything that
is visible in the final image. This I find endlessly interesting
and challenging. Ideas very often come from studying
what I've already done to find new directions and
avenues to explore. It seems like the pictures tell me what
to do next. I use a sketchbook to record ideas. Most of
the time spent working on an image is in analyzing and
thinking about what I'm attempting to do. Typically, a
picture requires at least three "sittings", and anywhere
from 10 to 60 negatives might be exposed before all the
elements of the picture find their proper balances.
My Water Series photographs are very “straight”; in other
words, the camera simply records on film what was in
front of it. All negatives are 4" x 5". The light is generated
by electronic flash. What is seen in the print is what was
presented to the camera; there is no manipulation of
the image after the initial single exposure. Silver prints are
Figure/Foliage 150
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Water Series 104
made in the darkroom using traditional methods.
Figure/Foliage 145
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART
PHOTOGRAPHY ART
水的戲耍師Ǘ Brian Oglesbee
ㆺጁჶഛ
dpi : What messages do you want to convey through
these pictures?
Oglesbee : I mean the images to be celebratory, and
reflect on the dual nature of human life. In all but one of
the photographs in Aquatique, the camera, or viewer,
is on one side of the surface of the water and the figure
is on the other. Sometimes the camera is above and
sometimes below, yet it is always focused on the surface
of the water, which I see as a metaphorical membrane,
intended to symbolize that which separates—and binds—
the physical and the spiritual.
dpi : Which one could represent your concept the most?
Oglesbee : There is so much variation in the photographs
in Aquatique , that it is very hard to pick one image to
represent them all. I guess the image used on the cover
of Aquatique (Water Series 74) may be a good one to
choose. It has some of the natural elements (leaves) in
combination with the patterns and textures of some of
the more 'abstract' images.
dpi : Where did you take them?
Oglesbee : The pictures are all made in my studio which
is a converted 1890's dance hall in upstate New York. It is
Water Series 47
Water Series 72
large enough for me to have two or three sets active at
the same time. The studio has a darkroom, a print finishing
area and a viewing area. There is also a shop where
I make frames and props for sets. Sometimes I make
prototypes for equipment to be used in the studio. A lot of
the equipment I use for sets, lighting and camera support
is custom desiged. (See: http://www. PhotoHeaven.com)
掌握合諧
̦߱ⵯቩ߸֒Ŋⳕ⳼ሷञᦸ᱿፳ኚŊሱⲖ
Oglesbee ᆹ౑ᘜาᮝᙙⳕ⳼᱿ᑋ┤Ȯグ⑽Ȯ
ᢆቌ໣≛ᄲᲿ᱿ᮝ⿢Ŋ˟ᱹ᫠˟Ωⅶᆯሳԡⳍ
ӛ㊻ː᱿⃅‫׶‬ȯ≟ːΩʬ∳๩᳖ӷ˟૽Ⳇˀቺ
⣫སߊჶഛ፣ (Figure/Foliage
138) ȯ≟ሱሷ⬶᱿
ʶଔᆯ㊻۹Ŋߌᣅᖝ⳵ʃሳᵧⳬʶ෼̬ᆹሳᱹ
Water-Colors 01
ᮝŊ‫׺‬ᆹʬԡⳍӛʴᤀく᱿‫⋱ר‬ȯ⎠͛͗⦦Ŋ
ϵᤋᱹ᫠‫˫ר‬Ӵᮢᖛʑ᱿ᖎᘗ̳ᣅⲿ⽷Ŋ౹ᆹ
Ⳇᑂ᱿ߧЭᆯʃૌᆞ⡕ᱹ᫠᱿Ŋ˫⎐ᅠᯍ˟ᱹ
᫠ᆹ฾ӷ㄄౑᱿⎟ॅ(Water
Series 41&44)ȯ̟ᆯሱ
ߔザ᱿ʶ̷ൕㅱ‫׏‬࿳Ӽ໽ሷ᱿Ҁ₪Ŋൕㅱ༪ӷ
Water Series 96
Water Series 44
҆Ȯ༆྆Ȯᖛ⎞ߧᦸ᱿‫⧒׶‬ŊⳆᆯɺㅮ㄄౑ң
ሷྏ໴ඖ᱿డ̳Ŋߌᣅⅶᆯ⣬␕ബघ᱿ᆹ⿵‫׏‬
誕生
ඎ≙⥿ॖ̬⣳Ԭয՛⎞ᖛʠ⿵᱿ʻՒ(Water
Series
58)ȯ Ὦ ɺ ᓝ ⿭ আ ཞ ჶ 〦 ᅠ ᖛ ᱿ ჶ ഛ ᆹ Ŋ ༇ ᱹ
ᯍᆹ߱Խజₗ఺ሷɺΤଭ⤍Ŋ≟ሷΤᯉ಴‫ ۊ‬Oglesbee ᆯ؋ㆤาሰ˟Ωӛᦹɺ቏Ӥ᧎Ŋ≟Ⳇଔᆯ
᫠Ң૪ໟΩʏʃᆯ᳠᱿⋱च᳖ӷ઩ΩŊߌᣅᖛ
Aquatique: Photographs by Brian Oglesbee ᱿⦘ᮝŊ⴨ᆯɺ₇Ӭ〦ᅠȵᖛȶ᱿ഛЭჶഛŊଭ
ଔЭᆯɺㄇ⽷ઈŊⳇ౑໽᳖ӷ᱿ⵣᆯ໽‫ૼו‬ӛ
᫠ːㆩ⎞ᖛʠ⿵᱿࿲⤯ُⳐ⃌ȯ‫׺‬ᆹŊOglesbee ബ⿭ൔⳆ቏ሬവӷʴқㅮᩦㅮŊ≟ʈʬߌᣅⳆ቏
͗᱿ഛЭȯ߱⎊ᤋ᮹ŊᖛᆯᙟՒ᱿Ŋ≟ሷᆹ໽
ሬ᱿ӛᦹŊ⩕˟ሷᑨሳُ Julie Taymor ‫̳׶‬ȯ߱ Aquatique ₇ӬŊ˟໽บ⣬⠧Ⳮ᱿ᆯŊː᱿ᮝ
‫ا‬᫠ӛ᱿ഛЭᆯ᮫⤐⫝≛໽฾‫ט‬Ȯ᳖ӷ᱿Ŋ≟
‫ل‬ⅶᆯሷқㄇ᱿Ŋሷᆹ̷‫˫ר‬ഺᖛ᱿Ⳇㄇ᳖෼ᇓŊ̟ሷᆹ‫ב‬᳈‫ו‬ŊҢ૪⁤Ṙُഐ㋤ᆯ‫˫ר‬Ӡサ᱿ȯ
߱ཞჶ᱿⳧ỄŊൕㅱ‫ߧ⥶׏‬࿜࿳໽ሷሳഛㅨӷ
Oglesbee ⠧ḻŊബザഺ Aquatique ྏⴆɺΤ͗˩⠧໽ሷŊ̟⦓ᣅ Aquatique74 Ⳇ೺ߧሳᆯɺ
ᖛㄇ᱿ߌ₪Ŋߌᣅሷᆹบ‫ا‬᫠᱿໣⥓ᆯɺΤᖷ
Τബ॑᱿ⴆႹŊߌᣅ઩ᆯɺౘӴᮢ┤⋸Ȯː⎞ᖛ⃌‫׶‬᱿དྷ⩽ߧᦸȯ
ࢤȮᝏᙟᮚ⎏ᆯɺΤᆣ₇᱿Ⅷഛȯ
⎏ᅠᆯ߱ˑ㓯ᑂ᱿߸ᅞཞჶⳆഛЭ᱿ŝ Oglesbee ⠧ḻ˟᱿ᤫᦸⵣᆯ߱ჶഛ፣ཞჶ᱿ŊᆯɺΤ᮫
1890 ౺᱿⎮ೕ໽ᄊⳍ᱿Ŋ˟᱿ଙ૸ञӷ⭁च⩕˟‫׺‬ᆹⳖ⠗ 2-3 Τడ̳Ŋ≟߱డ̳ાሷᇯ໼Ȯ֬ӽા
ُ⤐⫝ાŊⴒሷɺΤⵒ˷‫˫ר‬ᄍ⇦ቺ⣫Ŋʏʈ⋱चӴᮢञ⸇᱿ᥨ҆͗Ⳗ⠗ԡ̳ȯ
dpi : Has anything interesting happened on the set while
shooting?
Oglesbee : Sometimes the most interesting things are
the surprises: things that happen which were unplanned
dpi : Please talk about the publication of ‘AQUATIQUE’.
or unexpected. It is very important to be open to the
Oglesbee : I was having a show at the Volakis Gallery, now in Napa, California, (http://www.volakisgallery.com/) when
possibilities and opportunities that "surprises" can offer.
an executive from the publisher, Insight Editions, saw my work. That gallery visit led to them asking if I'd be
For instance, that is how I discovered that bubbles in
interested in doing a book with them. The result, Aquatique: Photographs by Brian Oglesbee, presents a collection of
water can act as lenses. I first noticed this effect in some
photographic images from my Water Series, exploring the visual interaction of water and the human figure. I'm happy
small incidental bubbles in one of my early Water Series
to report that Aquatique has been awarded two national book awards. Also, the images in my book caught the eye of
pictures. These bubble-images were not very apparent
the director Julie Taymor, known for the movie "Across the Universe" and the play "The Lion King" on Broadway. Inspired
or easy to see but noticing them led to a new exciting
by Water Series images in "Aquatique: Photographs by Brian Oglesbee", Ms. Taymor asked me to collaborate with her on
expansion of the Water Series.
scenes for her upcoming film, Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (2010).
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(see Water Series 41, p. 67, and Water Series 44, p.70)
Water Series 58
Water Series 74
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PHOTOGRAPHY ART
PHOTOGRAPHY ART
水的戲耍師Ǘ Brian Oglesbee
ㆺጁჶഛ
黑白幻化彩色
߱ Oglesbee ₇ӬໟΩ‫˫ר‬ᱹ᫠⥓घ㓺ᱺᤫŊᷨ
water in black and white.)
In 2003 I began a series called Water-Colors. Using water
as an optical element but with no figures. Color itself is the
subject. (see Water-Colors images) These pictures are made
૪Ŋ˟۹ᔊ㓺ᱺᤫŊ̟ʬബ۹ᔊഔ⏨ᤫᦸȯ߱ 1970
in my studio on 4x5 and 8x10 transparency film. Again, as in all
ӷ 1990 ౺⿵Ŋሯ⃻ᆯ˫ഔ⏨ಎᦸഺʶჶഛŊሷɺ
my work, what you see is what the camera "saw". There is no
₇Ӭ〦ᅠᮝᙙُჶഛ፣ჶഛ᱿ഔ⏨ᤫᦸř̟߱ 1980
manipulation, digital or otherwise.
ఢ‫׬‬ŊⳢӷʴɺˀᮁ㆐Ŋ⴨ᆹ‫⋱ר‬ᄮᄮɺΤሶ‫ף‬ཞ
ჶӛɺ೺ᤫᦸŊሷᆹᮚ⎏ཞჶ᳈‫׺‬᱿߸㔄ʃ‫׺‬᱿ᆹ
⿵ȯ̟ᯍ˟⿭আഺʶ㓺ᱺჶഛᆹŊɺ⊵⸅ᮝ᱿฾
⤌⠢Ⴛʴ˟Ŋ྆ḻഺ͗ᗞบӷ࿲ʁ͗᱿ 15 ౺ཞჶ
᱿ Aquatique ̳‫ٴ‬ᆹሳɺ᳅͐ᮢ㓺ᱺᤫȯ2003 ౺
Oglesbee ଭ⿭ʴ〦ᅠഔ⏨᱿ Aquatique ჶഛŊⳆ
₇Ӭᗞሷ໽⧨᱿ʙ㆛Ŋʙ⣬ᆯบ‫ا‬᫠㆞⏨⎞ᖛʠ⿵໽
ଭᮝ᱿⃌ኞȯ
未來的水系列
Oglesbee ㄄౑۹ᔊ˟߱ 2008 ౺᱿ᅘԡ̳Ŋʏᇺᆹ
૽˟ΩờᣅŘFigure/FoliageŊॖኞञ૊ሷˑ㓯〦ᅠ
‫׻‬઎᱿॑೘⩀ⵣ‫⦦˟⭢⎊⤃˫ר‬ȯᲿԊ˟ͩᤋ㄄౑૾
ᘜᅠ Figure/Foliage ₇ӬŊⳆᆯᲿԊ̫Ⴧ˟〉ᙹ໽
ሷบᘍ᱿ʶŊ‫׺‬ᆹʬశቃ‫ר‬ԡⳍሩघᅘ᱿〦ᅠഔ⏨᱿
Lamp W/Mirrors (1985)
ᖛ₇Ӭ̳‫ٴ‬Ŋ̟ʬ᛽ቃ⋱चཞჶɺˀ㓺ᱺჶഛŊぜᔍ
dpi : It seems like you love to take B&W photos. Why B&W rather
ʠकŊቍ͗ Oglesbee บ૽ᄲ̤༬⠛ሩԽ➄Ҙ߱˟
than colour?
᱿డ̳ʠʑȯ
Oglesbee : You're right, I do love black and white. But I love
color, too. For fifteen years from the late 1970's until the early
1990's I worked exclusively in color. I did a large series of stilllifes and room scenes in my studio on 8x10 color negative film.
(see images from the '80s) By the end of the 1980's my pictures
had become very difficult to make. (see Adytum) It typically
took a whole month to make one. In some of those images
(see Hysteron Proteron) there are two places at the same
time (indoors on one side and outdoors on the other); two
times at the same place (night on one side, day on the other);
while simultaneously you're looking up on one side and you're
looking down on the other. It was a welcome relief to do some
work in B&W again after so long. (I had no idea when I began
experimenting with water sets in the studio that I was going to
spend the next fifteen years working almost exclusively with
dpi : Which work or series is your favorite recently?
Oglesbee : I'm very much absorbed with a new body of
work I began in late 2008. For now I'm calling the series
Figure/Foliage. (If anyone has any suggestions for a better
name please let me know!)
dpi : What’s your ongoing or new plan right now?
Oglesbee : At the moment I'm really involved in my Figure/
Foliage images. That's just about all I can think about. I also
hope to make some new Water-Colors images sometime
soon. If the past decade or so is any guide, I'll probably do
some more B&W Water Series images, too. Other than that
I'm exploring (conceptually, at least) how I might incorporate
digital technologies into my work in the future.
Fenestra (1986)
Hysteron Proteron (1987)
dpi : Share the scene or the moment on the spot with us.
Oglesbee : Everywhere I go these days I see all these tangled vines
and amazing combinations of leaves, weeds, shrubs, and trees
jumping out at me. I live in a rural area with lots of forests and I
usually have pruning tools with me. People on the street outside
have had to get used to me dragging armfuls of brush up into my
studio. (see Figure/Foliage 138, p. 68)
dpi : What is the most difficult thing while you are making water
photographs?
Oglesbee : The most difficult thing is controlling all the disparate
elements at play. Getting the light, the figure and the water to
a final harmony can be quite challenging. A lot of time is spent
working out the timing of gesture, or pose, with the movement of
the water -- a "choreography" I guess you could call it. (see Water
Series 58, p.71)
When I first started thinking about working with water in the studio
I realized that in an optically important way we don’t really “see”
water. Water “mirrors” and “lenses,” so that we only really see
what is submerged in it, floating on it, refracted by it, or reflected
in it. What we most often see when we look at a body of water
is a reflection of the sky optically affected by the surface. In
nature, water is always moving, and its motion relative to the
viewer and the light dictates what it does optically. Surface shape
is determined by wind, gravity, and mechanical disturbances
(something swimming or splashing). The key is to control the
elements which affect the surface of the water, to create the
Adytum (1988)
72
2009
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illusion of a pond, a stream—or a galaxy or a microcosm.
Water-Colors 12
ߧᦸഛЭ⫏ᅆ͗᜺᮫ Brian Oglesbee ဏͧȭ⪸˶ℶⱓŘኚ⸂ᇏȭ⇾⠛ℶⱓŘづ⦝┏ ֠Ի≒⨿Ř᪗ઽ‫܆‬
Water-Colors 17
dpi
| 2009
73