Had an email question the other day on the role of photography in my work... namely to the 2007 pieces (as found in the gallery on http://www.kurtcoleeidsvig.com/).
I decided that the role of photography in these pieces is akin to Brad Pitt's role as Floyd in the movie "True Romance." Now, Pitt doesn't get a lot of screen time in the picture, he is someone of a bit player in the script, but his character is absolutely wonderful (I once remarked in a screen writing class that this was my favorite character of all-time in the movies) and essential for the movie. Much like the use of photography for these paintings.
In my email response I offered something a but different. Here goes:
As far as photography in my creative process... this varies. Depending on the work I will often use found images (magazines, internet, comic books) either as collage matter (I may photocopy and glue down or just cut and glue down the original before applying colored paint over it), or as a basis for the larger "main" image (as with the women looking in mirrors).
When I use a found photo for the "main" image, I generally spend quite a bit of time on the computer altering it digitally. That is, cropping, warping (stretching it out, rearranging elements, etc.), and changing color shemes. I use an old Adobe PhotoDeluxe program that I keep recycling on my computers. So, I play with the size, dimensions, proportions, and cropping while experimenting with different color schemes and levels of detail. This helps me get an idea and a plan for what the final painting might look like.
Also, I have used my own photography as a source of collage elements. And last year I ran a contest called "Model Consumer" where I offered a $300 prize for the winning photo of entries that took a photo of themselves in a mirror in a clothing store dressing room. Part of this was to get more people involved in the photo end and creative process of my work and some of it was to get a new range of images to play with in creating painting/collages... part of it was a lot of something else's altogether, I would guess.
All that said, as I am playing against ideas of "image" and "images" I like preserving the basic idea that most of what I am doing is creating a singular work, a painting. Rather than a print or a digital photo or something. So, the final products are always paintings worked over collage elements.
When I use a found photo for the "main" image, I generally spend quite a bit of time on the computer altering it digitally. That is, cropping, warping (stretching it out, rearranging elements, etc.), and changing color shemes. I use an old Adobe PhotoDeluxe program that I keep recycling on my computers. So, I play with the size, dimensions, proportions, and cropping while experimenting with different color schemes and levels of detail. This helps me get an idea and a plan for what the final painting might look like.
Also, I have used my own photography as a source of collage elements. And last year I ran a contest called "Model Consumer" where I offered a $300 prize for the winning photo of entries that took a photo of themselves in a mirror in a clothing store dressing room. Part of this was to get more people involved in the photo end and creative process of my work and some of it was to get a new range of images to play with in creating painting/collages... part of it was a lot of something else's altogether, I would guess.
All that said, as I am playing against ideas of "image" and "images" I like preserving the basic idea that most of what I am doing is creating a singular work, a painting. Rather than a print or a digital photo or something. So, the final products are always paintings worked over collage elements.
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I like the Brad Pitt answer better.
Pic above is from e-stoned.com
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