When are you an outsider to your own work?

I often feel as an outsider to my work. I have my own interpretation of my work, but viewers react to it in a different way. In fact, I am happy that my work has its own life.  The use of an animal eye would seem horrible, disrespectful for animals. In fact, my idea was to use an organ to materialize M-N’s concept of organ. For him, an organ is perfectly aesthetic and beautiful because its form is completely “programmed”, submitted to its function. For me, an eye, an eye lens or a vitreous humour are not especially beautiful, but looking at the Oscar Schlemmer’s Triadic Ballet, I found a deep similarity between the lens/vitreous humour and the women’s costume and now I find it aesthetic.  The movement changed my perception, maybe.

Add your message here

1. Is there a give and take between the concept and the act of making?

I wanted to act as a Moholy-Nagy’s student, with the idea of creating an object that could be mass produced, and available for everyone- or quite-, but in a nowadays context. I found an out-of-date technology camera with a removable lens that allow me replacing conventional lens by a lamb eye lens. It was not working with my new computer, but I store an old one for “risky” project. It was supposed to work well with the camera according to the company website, where I found a driver in the company’s archives. Great! But not working. Both computer and webcam were working well, and compatible (the power green light shined). I couldn’t connect them; the driver was not compatible!  M-N’s egalitarian project ended in the creation of programmed obsolescence. It forces us to buy new computers, appliances, etc. at the end of a determined (by company) time. Some components of our computers can be recycled, of course, but this process is a shame: computers must travel far away, this dangerous work is done by underpaid people ending sick, and residues contaminate their own environment. Where is the nice M-N’s egalitarian project?

I loved to be surprised by my work. I was so happy when I saw the first images from my OVOcamera (ovo is for lamb). They were not focused but I feel so close to the dead lamb owning the lens. We could see!