Signs
Images of Arroyoland
By Gareth Seigel 08/01/2010
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I could find these word-based pictures in a lot of cities, but the idea came to me in Southern California. It’s where my passion for photojournalism and street photography collides with a sensibility shaped by indigenous pop and conceptual art. I can be walking along a residential street in Pasadena or stuck in traffic on Highland on a Hollywood Bowl night. Spotting a word that strikes me in the right way sets off a reaction that’s like a fall of dominos. Is it the right time to take that first shot? How’s the light? Lighting is critical, but there aren’t any hard rules. Shooting while standing in shadow at noon can be as effective as coming back after dark with a Maglite. And finally, what do I want to say and what lens will help me say it best?
For some people, it’s about the latest camera or gadget, whether they’ve gone digital or not. That’s missing the point. From the beginning, photography has been about seeing something and capturing it. The trick is to open up new frontiers of perception. Culture is always moving forward and the job of any artist is to keep up — or better, to be ahead of the curve. Civilization is saturated with images and words; I like to challenge viewers to create new contexts, to value ambiguity and, maybe, to smile at it.
(Clockwise from top left): “Drama”; “Aid”; “Unknown”; “Carpe Diem”
Gareth Seigel is a Pasadena-based photographer. All images are gelatin silver prints; dimensions vary. For more information, visit garethseigel.com or stephencohengallery.com
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