Bill Leslie

CONSTANTIN BRANCUSI: THE STUDIO AS GROUPE MOBILE

If in the real world a sculpture may belong to one arrangement only, photography enables combinations of the same piece in different configurations, positions, and orientations. Brancusi articulated the studio around groupes mobiles (mobile groups), each comprising several pieces of sculpture, bases, and pedestals. Assembling and reassembling his sculptures for the camera, Brancusi used photography as a diary of his sculptural permutations. He also developed an aesthetic antithetical to the usual photographic standards. His photos radieuses (radiant photos) are characterized by flashes of light that dematerialize the static, monolithic materiality of traditional sculpture. http://moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2010/originalcopy/intro04.html

Shimmer

Pinhole image 1

Pinhole image 2

Shimmer construction image 1

verb (used without object)

to shine with or reflect a subdued, tremulous light; gleamfaintly.

to appear to quiver or vibrate in faint light or while reflectingheat waves.

–noun

a subdued, tremulous light or gleam.

a quivering or vibrating motion or image as produced byreflecting faint light or heat waves.

Origin:

bef. 1100; ME schimeren, s ( c ) hemeren, OE scimrian; c. Dschemeren, G schimmern to glisten

I've been asked to contribute an image to online gallery www.shimmer.ch, the concept is 'the shimmer'. I'm trying to use imagery from my recent work in Berlin - rephotographing one of the pieces with different lighting. I've also tried a couple of pinhole images. I'm really pleased with the way the object/image becomes indistinct.