More photographs are taken today than ever before, and shared, transformed, remixed. The exciting developments in digital capture, HDR and others to come are thrilling, as well as fantastic ways to share them via social media + more.
But something’s been lost – how many actual photo prints have you handled or seen recently? The physicality of photography, of a handled, creased, worn print, the sense of touch, and the history that it has as it ages, or passes through different hands – if every digital copy is the same then none are special or unique.
Simon Watney talked of seeing photo collections thrown out, curled up on the ground like autumn leaves. That a print shows a number of decisions that were taken, including economic ones, and how the people who own those photographs imprint their own history on to the photo. So, too, these postcards are transformed by my buying them, displaying them, carrying them and, finally, sending them.
I got it!
I'll admit that when I first received the letter, I thought that I was about to be the victim of a subversive marketing campaign. Perhaps Polaroid was attempting to convince me to follow an ARG which, after many twists and turns, would lead me to a launch party where Lady Gaga would unveil a new hipster-approved relaunched dichromatic camera. So I put the letter aside for a while. Then I went on holiday. Then I came back and gave it another look.
OH! It's from Jaun-Luis! And it's part of this awesome art project! Oh. I'm an ass.
To make up for my lack of correspondence, I thought I might contribute a photo back. I imaging that Godzilla and the Creature from the Black Lagoon are friends: [[ http://theyellowdart.info/misc/godzilla_and_card.jpg ]]
Love the story! But Evan, Jaun Luis … 🙁
As Giray would say, Come on!
Thanks Evan! Love the idea – you've just exposed my sinister plan 6 months before it was due to go live.
I added the picture to the blog post, that's so frickin great.
Cheers again.
Look for more cards in the future!
J-L