BLUE DEATH

abstract photography

classic photography, color slides 6 x 7
inkjet print / lightbox / video
2018

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Needless to say, the fine line between documentary and virtual identity of photography keeps shifting. The traditional relationship working on the principle of disrupting human reality by means of digital manipulation: with artificial world represented by image modifications infusing it with new meanings. This project, however, reverses the relationship the other way around: the unknown, unexplored, but still relevant digital environment gets invaded by the world of human, by manipulation and our visual perception. As a result, the artificial environment of computers becomes the main focus point not only because of its superhuman powers of accuracy and speed, but as an image in itself.
The term Blue death has entered the folk-expert dictionary as an error notice. A fatal error defining system crash, when the computer can no longer operate safely and displays a blue screen to the user.

This collection was born from a semi-broken computer with a faulty software, through organic creation/random discovery rather than thorough research and troubleshooting the existing bugs.The simple and swift movements of dialogue boxes are based in the brushstrokes of a painter, a gesture that leaves a trace of an image only photography can capture – since they disappear once the computer and monitor are turned off.

The comparison drawn between the former limits life imposed on man like work, the family and gender, with the endless possibilities of choice we have these days introduces a dilemma we are made to face. Rules, boundaries, customs or stereotypes may turn out to be binding limitations on the one hand, but at the same time may also be taken for easy life solutions. On the other hand, pursuing one’s own decisions can be understood as being in tune with one’s own self and seeking the meaning of life. Quite interestingly, we are witnesses to a time of enormous importance – a breaking point – when people enjoy a seemingly infinite amount of ways to live, but simultaneously have never been exposed to so much pressure generated by new artificial realities that come hand in hand with menaces such as digital addictions and destruction of human personality. We tread a thin line between contemplations of seeking the meaning of life and an imminent threat of decay and descent into self destruction. It seems that the man himself is no longer the main symbol of this process, but technologies per se.