LANEL
JANSE VAN VUUREN
Exhibition Work
Homing - The Houses
With these images I wanted to juxtapose the outsides of buildings, with the contents within – the objects within a house often defining that building as a “home”. This could lead to discourse on how we define “home”: as a building, place, sentiment etc. So anyone could define any building or space as their home by the sentiment they attach to that space and the objects within.
I contrasted other people’s buildings with the contents of my own home, trying to match the different personalities of the corresponding photos, for fun. All the buildings were shot on 120 slide film and cross-processed, while the contents shots were shot digitally.
Homing - The Detail
Manganese Blue - manganese poisoning is a toxic condition resulting from chronic exposure to manganese. In initial stages of manganism, neurological symptoms consist of reduced response speed, irritability, mood changes, and compulsive behaviors. I have selected images of things that is a cause of irritation in / around my flat.
Cadmium Yellow - for years yellow ribbons were worn as a sign of hope as women waited from their men to come marching home from war. Today, yellow ribbons are still used to welcome home loved ones. The Cadmium Yellow House has the national flag on display in the window on the left – I have selected images that portray something comfortable and welcoming, “homecoming”.
Turquoise Blue is used for nurse dresses / psychiatric institutions because of it’s calming effect. Since these institutions are associated with containment and restraint I have selected images from my own home that evoke feelings of anxiety and melancholia.
Indian Red refers to the colour of soil found in India. Soil moves continually in a natural cycle aided by oxygen, water & minerals. These elements create life in the soil, which is ongoing if not disturbed. I have selected images that symbolize this “natural” cycle of moving around.
Homing - Postboxes
Absent Portrait
When I started this project, the images were single representations of a moment in time that had led to an individual’s death. I wasn't necessarily interested in exploring the concept of death. I was, however, inspired by artists like Duane Michals and Francesca Woodman who dealt with these themes. Michals stated that the artist had to go beyond what the camera lens sees in order to deal with phenomena such as chance and death. This challenged me to describe the physical appearance of the spaces around me in a similar fashion. My aim was to describe the invisible and intangible world within my imagination. My photographs are constructed stories used to express my immediate environment. I used only objects that belonged to me and relevant locations to be more true to reality. I have created a fictional world to deal with issues that concerned me directly.
Lanel Janse van Vuuren