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The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
Narrative motion on the two-dimensional plane: The “video-ization” of
photography and characterization of reality
Murat Germen
Sabanci University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Visual Art and Communication Design Program, Istanbul, Turkey
Abstract
"Art is not truth. Art is a lie that enables us to recognize truth" Pablo Picasso
Time, as known to many, is an indispensable component of photography. Period(s)
included in “single” photographs are usually and naturally much shorter than periods
documented in video works. Yet, when it comes to combining photos taken at different
times on one photographical surface, it becomes possible to see remnants of longer
periods of time.
Whatever method you use, the many traces left by different moments, lead to the
positive notion of timelessness (lack of time dependence) due to the plural presences of
time at once. This concept of timelessness sometimes carries the content of the photo to
anonymity, the substance becomes multi-layered and hierarchy disappears.
This paper focuses on creating photographical narratives within the two-dimensional
world. The possibility of working in layers with transparency within the computer
environment enables us to overlay succession of moments seized from time on top of
each other, in order to create a storyline spread in time that is otherwise not possible to
express in a single photograph, unless properly staged. Truth with the capital T is not
taken as the departure point in this article; on the contrary, personal delineations of
temporary yet experienced smaller realities is suggested.
1. Introduction
Time, as known to many, is an indispensable component of photography. Period(s)
included in “single” photographs are usually and naturally much shorter than periods
documented in video works. Yet, when it comes to combining photos taken at different
times on one photographical surface, it becomes possible to see remnants of longer
periods of time. There are different ways of doing this: German photographer Michael
Wesely extends exposures up to unbelievably long durations like two years, during
which it is even possible the see remarkable and unique traces of the sun’s course at
various seasons of the year.
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