Unit 3: Environment - The Uncanny - Isolation Image Research

Hello Everyone,

I have been researching Isolation today, in addition to a number of other things... I found this topic of research very interesting as there are a number of decent imagery out there... specifically from the brief so if you haven't already check that brief out it has some nice links particularly:

http://www.davidhilliard.com
http://www.damianloeb.com

The above artists leak into both areas of my chosen topics of the Uncanny. They also happen to have flash free sites which allow you to reference imagery from them (nothing annoys me more then flash blocking my access to images.

Anyway onto the image research:

Figure 1 - David Hilliard - 1996-1998 - That Glorious Society Called Solitude
Figure 1 is very fascinating, mostly due to the way the tree and the house bend perspectivly & the isolated use of the chair. The entire scene feels wrong and yet it feels rather peaceful.

Figure 2 - David Hilliard - 1996-1998 - Dad
Figure 2 is interesting because of its use of colour, the hues in this scene demonstrate the eerie, the erratic. This scene conveys the outside as alien/isolated with the inside being warm and populated.

Figure 3 - David Hilliard - 2009-2010 - Turret
Figure 3 is complete disarray and empty, the only thing exhibiting peace is the sky. The central figure is evocative - a mini enclosure, for what? One can only wonder... The divide of David's shots make one wonder if something is missing in between.

Figure 4 - Damian Loeb - 2009 - The Peak Experience
Figure 4 is completely haunting the deep toned blue makes one imagine a palm tree above a murder scene. The green of the tree in contrast with the blue causes a more subtle uncanny but one cannot help but feel unsettled looking at this image.

Figure 5 - Damian Loeb - 2008 - The Shadow
Figure 5 was to show the contrast of light and shadows. What I particularly found interesting about this image was how such a vast range of light could effect such a limited plane. The isolation is evident and appears alien to the eye.

Figure 6 - Damian Loeb - 2007 - The Color of Money
Figure 6 I found interesting due to the excellent use of light. The isolation is clear and very evocative (why is the car covered?). The drama in the sky is also very uncanny with such nightmarish clouds how is the sun breaking through?

Figure 7 - Tom Hunter - Prayer Places Series
Figure 7 is an effective use of isolation, the distorting camera is particularly what interested me. This picture conveys exactly what is felt from Stanley Kubrick's film "The Shining" - I love this style of photography the frontal perspective just towers over everything.

Figure 8 - Tom Hunter - Swan Songs Series - Tree of Heaven
Figure 8 is the isolation of nature, nothing conveys this more then that of a dead tree. The idea that the tree has lost its leaves can constitute this shot as an autumn possibly winter scene. Winter is a brilliant time for outdoor isolation especially at night.

Figure 9 - Francois Baranger - Heavy Rain Concept Art - Overgrown Kitchen
Figure 9 is much more like the style I will be considering for this project. This image conveys the un-homely nature of an every day location namely a kitchen. Having played the game I can tell you that in this kitchen you have to cut off your own finger to save your son.

Figure 10 - Francois Baranger - Heavy Rain Concept Art - Back Alley
Figure 10 is my biggest inspiration - exactly what I'd love to be able to convey in my project. The subtleties of an alley covered in a hale of rain. What makes this uncanny is the light... where is it coming from? Why is it just hitting this point? What the alley signifies is also Uncanny - abandonment, insecurity & abuse.

Well that concludes my image storm for Isolation. This has given me a great number of ideas, specifically how I will combine my two favourite elements of the Uncanny. This project is much more like me...

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx