Over a period of years since graduate school in the 1980s I developed a strong interest in architectural decoration. Although I crossed the threshold into digital imagery, I wanted to do something with the architectural analog imagery that I had collected. These images are part of The Folk Tales Series. They emerged from a selection of imagery photographed in Germany and Austria during a summer Cultural Exchange in Germany. I postponed the development of this series until I had the extended amount of studio time needed to photograph the models; develop a system of making large prints; and finally, to determine if the collage elements in this large work could be mounted in a satisfactory manner. A number of challenges surfaced at different points during the expansion of the project. Often my work teeters on the precipice of technical possibilities; work on these images offered no exception to that fine line of juggling.
Frequently, my work process and images evoke questions about the ‘whos’ and ‘whats’ of the Pre-Modern architectural elements that are parts of the imagery. Who was Sophie Alt for whom the Angel Staircase was built? Who were the people on the Rathaus exterior wall? What goes on in the upper floors of the Burg Theater? Who attended the summer parties at the Gloriette Pavilion? Did Napoleon see the ceiling corners in the Bishop of Passau’s special reception room? Why were such strange faces embedded in the ancient Gothic column?
The images are printed on forty inch matt Ilford roll paper. They are large in format – most with almost 5 feet in one dimension. During the application of color on the paper surface with Prismacolor and oil pigments, I find myself making up stories about the images. As you view the work I invite you to make up your own stories and ask your own questions about the combination of elements in the pieces. |
