My exhibition, Natural Abstracts, combines two forms of art. First, there is photography, with its inherent documentation of reality. Second, there is abstract art, where the observer is free to interpret the image any way they choose. Using this mixture of art forms, I am raising several important issues.
Regardless of the photographer’s intent, when a photo is taken, a moment in time is transcribed onto film. Whether the intention was to produce a social commentary of poverty or a hazy view of a cyclist moving at great speeds, that moment is documented. Provided that the image structure is not modified during post-processing, this document remains.
Abstract art is art that does not include figurative elements, meaning recognizable things. Some abstract artists try to remove any possibility of figurative construction by the observer, often resulting in works of one solid colour, or a series of geometric shapes. Other abstract artists, such as myself, leave the interpretation of the image to the observer. People are left to see their own constructs within the image. One may see a beautiful face where another sees a sunset. This is the essence of my abstract work.
The blending of photography and abstract art results in the question: ‘What is the truth?’ Consider an image of abstract art found in a rock face. Is the truth the rock itself, with its fine details of mineral deposits, erosion, and cracking? Or is it in the mind of the observer, in their perception of the image? Is the truth the face, the sunset, or the fractured lines of a troubled past that someone may see in the rock? All of the visual cues that create these impressions on the viewer were present at the time of image capture. However, it is the human mind that gives them meaning. So the question remains: ‘What is the truth?’ Is the truth ‘out there’ or ‘in here’? These are some the questions I am raising here. As with abstract art, answer resides in you.
In merging abstract art and photography, I bring forth another issue. Does art exist of its own right, or must it be created by the mind? All of my images presented here were captured from nature. No post-processing alteration of form or structure was done. These pieces were found in nature, whether the product of some higher being or merely the result of pure chance. Does it become art only after someone comes across it and appreciates it as art, or was it always art? Consider Nature as an Artist, producing boundless works just waiting for an audience.
Federico Jose Sanchez