Wednesday, December 17, 2008

3 Staples, Paper, Ink and A Sticker




12 comments:

Nick said...

This is beautiful. Will we get to see the interior?

Timothy Archibald said...

Ha! Never. It didn't get farther than this. But there are lots of books in which the cover is the best part...don't you think?

Unknown said...

My portfolio?!... sigh.

Happy holidays, TA

Anonymous said...

Isn't youthful expression wonderful? Magic which can not be produced. I wonder if we are gifted with this heightened appreciation as parents, or if this is universal.

Timothy Archibald said...

Hi Sirfenn-

I appreciate your sentiments but they scare me a little: a big part of this project is an attempt to look at this child relationship in a cold and honest manner, a reaction to the sentimentality that often clouds honest views of childhood. Your response gets a little close to gooey sentimentality, a place I often fear this project going at weak moments.

Just an observation, thanks for reaching out.

Nick said...

It is a fine line. Having used children's books as part of my undergraduate thesis I know how difficult it can be to disarm the inherent sentimentality of children and child-like imagery.

I began to equate the experience to being a traveler in a foreign country, both from the perspective of being a child in an (overwhelmingly) adult world, and as an adult trying understand that perspective.

Excellent evolutionary project Timothy!

Timothy Archibald said...

Hi Nick-
Good points there.

Truth be told, I like this image due to the shapes and the text, but alot of the power here is due to taking something out of context. The book was supposed to be a book titled "My Birthday", about the activities that went on at a party. He made a mistake and abandoned it. I liked it better this way, because it brought to mind some unusual scenario where a child would actually try to write a book about his own birth. It just seems more whacked out this way, had more power and potential....you know what I mean?

Anonymous said...

Fine line for sure.

The question I raise is whether parenthood emotions, (deeply felt) compete with the aesthetics because of parental viewers' personal references, even strong graphical images created with an alternative message ...

If nothing else they sweeten the impact. :)

Timothy Archibald said...

Oh...like you are wondering if people who are not parents will get these images? I do wonder that all the time....it seems it's a mix, from my casual survey. The people without kids pic up on the tone and curious nature of the objects and poses, people with kids seem to relate to it as something familiar to them.

Is this what you are wondering?

Anonymous said...

No, surely not "will they get" these images. They are so powerful. The question I am doing such a poor job of presenting is how deep is the reaction to them, how strong of a filter is this experience creating?

For example, When I look at powerful imagery captured in the civil war or the gulf war, I may respond to them from an aesthetic, journalistic or even technical level. If my father, who was a marine, sees these same images his experience is heightened by a unique perspective based on deep seeded emotions. Given this exhilarated response, I was interested in the effect it had on the artists' intentions when he or she presents work...

Clear as mud I know ...

Nick said...

Timothy-

I love the idea of what a child would write about their birth. That's why I was curious about the interior!

Nick said...

Somehow this reminds me of David Shrigley's work.