Warmath-Metaphor




 * Photo 1: Andy Goldsworthy, "The wall that went for a walk" ... This inspired me, not because of its composition or colors or design, but because of the title. It truly makes you think about the wall and the walk it took. Of course walls can't walk, but being able to find the curved wall among all the trees and seeing the little journey it took made the difference.
 * Photo 2: Francesca Woodman, "Self-portrait at thirteen" ... The thing that strikes me in this photo is the blurred, leading line of the string, which was attached to the shutter of the camera. It leads you into the picture and to Francesca. Her face is turned away, so it makes you wonder what she's looking at or hiding from us. Then the ultimate question is where is she? Why did she choose this place, which seems like an attic, to photograph herself? This inspired me to be a bit more mysterious with my photography, to make the viewer ask "What is really happening here?"
 * Photo 3: John Paul Caponigro, "Sounding I" ... This image is a mixture of the elements. The clouds and stars of the sky blend up into the ripples of the water. It gives it a surreal, dreamlike feeling. This work inspired me to mix elements together. Make it seem like its one thing, such as the sky, and change the view or idea with a drop of another element, such as the water.

"Open Your Eyes" - Yes

You got a great imagination

We carry on in the same old way No lessons learned from yesterday

Talk of changes lost in pages of paperwork

I believe it How can we refuse to see I've received it What could be our final destiny I believe that Still we go on from day to day Knowing what could be true

Wish I knew Wish I knew Wish I knew Wish I knew

Open your eyes and discover You're not the only one In disguise Do you wonder When the change is gonna come

Open your eyes

You got a great imagination

We cast the world, we set the stage For what could be the darkest age

Short exchanges From perfect strangers We'll never know But wish we knew

I believe it It's time to face reality I've received it Questioning the powers that be I believe it Are we too confused to see

Wish I knew Wish I knew Wish I knew Wish I knew

Open your eyes and discover You're not the only one In disguise Do you wonder When the change is gonna come

Open your eyes You got a great imagination Open your eyes Show it Show it

Wish we knew

I believe it It's time to face reality I've received it Things aren't what they used to be I believe it What I see in you, you see in me

Wish I knew Wish I knew Wish I knew Wish I knew

Open your eyes and discover You're not the only one In disguise Do you wonder When the change is gonna come

Change is gonna come Change is gonna come Change is gonna come You got a great imagination

Change is gonna come Change is gonna come Change is gonna come You got a sweet imagination

Change is gonna come Open your eyes Change is gonna come Open your eyes Change is gonna come You got a deep imagination coming

Show it Show it Show it

Show it Show it Show it

These lyrics are from one of the best, yet least known bands of the late 1900s, Yes. Their song, "Open Your Eyes," is a powerful, upbeat tune about change and expanding the mind. The chorus "Open your eyes and discover/You're not the only one/In disguise" is the line that really stuck with me, and inspired my visual metaphor project. Other people might see this as a very blatant song, interpreting it as "If you don't start growing up and opening your eyes, will change really ever come to you?" Some have gone so far to say "Most of it tends to be rather whimsical and verging on pretentious." Nonetheless, this song boils down to change, expanding the mind, imagination, and expression of self. I wanted to take these lyrics of happiness and imagination and twist them into something a bit more morbid, but still hopeful. I would have faces of all shapes, sizes, genders and colors, each with a bland, blank expression. With closed eyes, stitching would make them appear sewn shut. One, though, would be larger than the rest, almost transparent over the sea of faces, with eyes wide open. The stitching would still be there, but would be snapped, as if pulled apart to the breaking point. This is the one person out of all the rest that could open their eyes and truly see. In this morbidity, the gleaming, opened eyes will bring hope for the sake of imagination and change. The research that I did on the photographers/artists influenced my work by showing me that not everything needs to be particularly realistic -- sometimes surreal and abstract are the better visual metaphors.