My work focuses of the dynamic tensions between landscape and people, even though people are rarely depicted. Whilst contemplating the landscape I am constantly thinking of the impact landscape has on humans both in a physical and emotional sense. Conversely, I am also interested in the impact humans have on the landscape, not just in the obvious sense of environmental damage, but also in more subtle ways, in the signs of human behaviour left behind on a small scale, temporary basis.

My piece on caravan parks focuses on the evidence left behind by holidaying families in the form of temporary photographic imprints on the grass; repetitive shapes made time and time again throughout the holiday season, leaving short term evidence of those who came before; regenerating year after year as the cycle begins again.

In his essay Context as a Determinant of Photographic Meaning John A Walker explains how changing where an image is displayed changes its context; in most cases this results in a change in emphasis of content. However, a total change in meaning can also result. It is also possible to change meaning by juxtaposition to text to something which was not signified by the image alone.

Paintings and sculptures were originally created in situ, for example as a mural. the portability of the canvas enabled mobility which lost connection between the work and specific places, culminating in the availability of photography on a global scale.

When photographs of a place are viewed out of context, it is common to research its original meaning, thus rendering it eternally fixed. Walker suggests that we should also be investigating its context through the different socio-historic junctures it has passed since its ‘birth’ thereby also considering its ‘life’. Walker cites Jo Spence’s series Beyond the Family Album, Private Images, Pubic Conventions, as a prime example of this; originally personal images, their meaning was emphasised differently when shown in a feminist magazine, a library and a gallery. If the context in which an image is displayed can be altered by the space in which it is shown it stands to reason that the influence can also extend the other way.

The mental preconceptions of the viewer must also be taken into account, whilst assuming that many people’s responses will be similar.

I found the concept of the context of images changing depending on where they are shown interesting and this is something I had not really considered before. Once of our local department stores has shown art exhibitions for a while and I have found it interesting and refreshing to view art in a different context. Whilst I envisage my submission for Assignment 5 to be shown in a traditional white space, the local lido images I have been producing for Assignment 6 would definitely benefit from being displayed in the space they were taken and I would like to approach the local council regarding this if I have the confidence to do so.