SHARKFORUM: OPINION WITH TEETH

I went onto Ursula's web site to see other works by her, intrigued at first by the graphic quality and color of the images, and then went away undecided and unconvinced by the work. Admittedly, I have not seen these works in person, but after viewing several online they felt a bit campy in the idea and technic to me. With so many "digital" and manipulated images out there in the world, or perhaps too much Photoshop to deal with, her images felt cold and static. Staged without intent or purpose.

The "floral" pieces, obviously bring to mind the work of the 16th century Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo, who painted portraits using flowers, fruit, vegetables and the like to construct the faces in an illusional trompe l'oeil fashion: http://www.illumin.co.uk/svank/biog/arcim/arcidx.html

All in all, I was hoping that the work would take on more of an emotional and inventive/experimental edge to it.

I'm not sure what this supposed "art critic" is talking about. Not emotional enough? I realize that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but seriously, were we looking at the same photos? On the one hand you have to ask what is going on with her that spawns the ideas for these disturbing, yet beautiful pieces? On the other hand, her work is genuine and thought provoking. It's so completely obvious that she reaches inside herself - her fears, her memories, even small moments of joy - to create works with both balance and contrast. Every aspect pulls you in an opposite direction.

So, I'm sorry, but I'll have to respectively disagree with Mr. Roth.

Courtney,

The criticism was not mine, it was offered by Kevin Freitas. I'm with you - I think Ursula's work is invested, personal and complex.

I agree with Roth. With so many Photoshop images out there today I feel the work would be much more powerfull if it were done by hand. I understand that the artist is trying to achieve a certain emotive quality but this is easily achieved, and I think more powerful, when done with brush to canvas. There is so much expression in mark-making that it is lost in these soft, smooth, printed images. These would be much stronger as collages or mixed media pieces.

"...fuses projection installations with photography"

I find this phrase intriguing --- but I can't tell from the screen images what is projected, what photo, etc. or how. Is this performance-like or installation-like? I'd appreciate a description.

Jesse, Please take another look - the criticism is not mine, it is the offering of Mr. Freitas.

I appreciate all the feedback that has been received regarding my work. I would like to clarify as it states in the bio that all the images are created via slide projection in an 'analog' environment. While I'm sure its possible to achieve this digitally, my skill is as a photographer and not as it may seem a 'futuristic tech robot.'

I agree that one of the interests of my work has always been the saturation and color. These are things that can and do occur in natural space with the help of tungsten film and Comed. The extent of Photoshop that is used in my work is the same that any photographer would use, i.e., dusting. All the images that are projected are from an extensive archive of slides that I have photographed over the years. I feel I am sampling from my own work much like the way certain composers from the musique concrete era did with sound. I project images into a space and/or body to create an installation. I then document the installation via photography. I agree that working in a sterile digital environment behind a laptop with images feels underwhelming to me. That’s why I want to live and breath in the environment for better or for worse.

Not to demean Photoshop work by any means, because regardless of how a work is created it is a means to an end. It doesn’t address the underlying issue. Beyond corporate editing software, Jesse has pointed out another common thing many photographers working beyond the documentary norm will experience. It just isn't accepted yet. Acceptance is a funny word. It goes hand in hand with isolation. Isolation is also a key component not only in my upbringing but also in my work. If the work feels cold it probably is. One would argue that cold regardless of how negative it feels is still a feeling; especially living in Chicago in the winter.

Great explanation Ursula. Now I understand it better --- would love to see it all "live." How about some documentary photos including the room and perhaps (discretely) a viewer for scale. I hve had great response to such photos of my large wall-painting installations, which without these elements lose a lot of their strength in doc images. I think it might work for you too.

Mark, you make a very good point. It's something I will try. Since I am wrapped up in the entire process of creating the installation to photograph I do forget about the chaos outside of the lens, which may be of interest.