Just after I took the last photo my battery died and I spotted the perfect shot. Although slightly disappointing, it made me realise that while I am walking around viewing the world through a little screen I am missing out on a large part of the experience. Being without a camera I was suddenly more aware of textures, scents and sounds. I found myself looking around at my direct surroundings on a more human scale, rather than 'viewing' and framing the landscape as an image.
This is a timely observation as this morning I made a note to myself to consider the scale of my work. Throughout my MA research I was constantly trying to capture the experience of landscape and the enormity of emotional response, but recent works have returned to a much smaller, human scale. Perhaps I am finally realising that landscape / nature / places can only ever really be understood on a small, human scale. Leaf by leaf and step by step.
Generally my love, whenever we go anywhere you tend to be absorbed in the smaller human scale, usually because you have some purpose in mind. I think that sometimes you forget to let your mind, thoughts and spirit just wander off into the greater landscape and marvel and how wondrous it is just to be part of it all. Maybe I should take time to remind you that sometimes we don't need purpose, just to be.
ReplyDeleteThanks John, of course you are right. I think sometimes everyone forgets to 'switch off'.
Delete