SCOTT FARRELL

“Dry Documentaries”

Initially comprised of photographs taken along the North and South shores of Long Island, the “Dry Documentaries” body of work depicts both familiar and alien landscapes while simultaneously exploring organic, abstract art forms also encountered. The landscapes, seascapes and abstract visions that make up this multi-part series are non-manipulated photographs captured as camera RAW files. Only minor contrast, color and tonal balance adjustments have been applied to the digital negatives. It is of utmost importance that my printed images are actual representations of what I framed through my viewfinder.

The mountain ranges, deserts, forests, grasslands, coastlines and bodies of water that comprise “Alternative Landscapes” appear to portray a scope that is vast and expansive when, in reality, they often times measure less than one or two feet in actual length or height. Dimensional perspective simulates a viewpoint that is removed or at a significant distance from the scene when, in fact, separation between the subject and the camera lens is most often no more than eight to twenty- four inches. These vast landscapes, seemingly multi-dimensional, actually exist within small, planar areas.

Texture plays an integral role in defining these temporary landscapes as varying layers of paint provide a multi-dimensional appearance within these photographs. Some are polished, smooth and reflective while others are scuffed, worn and abraded. Texture helps to create spatial relations that give each scene the appearance of possessing tangible foregrounds against distant backgrounds. Fields of poppies or daisies seem to fade into the distance, while violent waves and storm clouds roil in tempestuous scenes of inclement weather.

Color further influences the interpretation of each image. Soft, subtle earth tones create warm compositions of beaches and sandy coastlines. Bright, vibrant yellows, reds and oranges enhance the seemingly sundrenched scenery of deserts and southwestern vistas. Brilliant blues, greens and yellows depict tropical or Mediterranean scenes. In contrast, scenes of polar ice caps, snow-covered mountains and forests, and desolate beaches and coastlines under frigid, starlit skies are imagined through variable shades of blues, blacks and cool white tones.

The underlying theme of “Dry Documentaries” is the temporary nature and existence of each photographed image. At one time clean, unblemished surfaces, each has been exposed to a wide range of elemental influence. Extreme temperature, wind, water, ice, and sunlight, as well as other physical effects, have transformed and transmogrified the ordinary into the extraordinary. In time, and for many already, these landscapes and abstract visions will disappear as part of the sometimes environmentally controversial anti-fouling process – using specially created materials or coatings to remove or prevent biological accumulation.