FINAL (and synthesised)

TOM CHAMBERS' USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Since the inception of technology, it has become inextricably linked to art because it produces a range of avenues for artists to explore and transcend reality. For this reason, photography and digitally manipulated images have become mainstream in contemporary art; there is a sense of superficial realism in photography that cannot be captured through other media, and computers allow artists to alter the visual language and subjects in their photographs. One artist who manipulates digital media to enrich his photography is Tom Chambers, who utilises photomontage to create his images. In his 2009 series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers successfully makes a statement about the fragility of the zoomorphic network, continually weakened by humans, who refuse to help. Technology permits Chambers to enhance his visual language, which engages his audience. Additionally, by using digital manipulation, Chambers is capacitated to distort reality in surreal contexts and transcend reality. These two things help to elicit a response from the viewer and reinforce the intended meaning of the works in Entropic Kingdom. Chambers exploits the relationship between technology and art by using photomontage; it enhances his work and allows the audience greater insight into their socio-political and environmental context.

Chambers enriches several elements of visual language with technology, including space, desaturated contrasting colours and balance, to appeal to his audience. His photograph, Saccharine Perch, demonstrates these elements of visual language in Chambers’ personal aesthetic. The use of photomontage in Saccharine Perch adds dimensions that would not have been possible in standard photography, while creating a sense of symmetry and balance. With a precise distinction between the fore-, middle- and background in this image, the viewer is given a greater sense of perspective; seen in the dissimilarity between the birds in the fore- and background. Without this sense of space, the birds in the distance could be confused with the frightened birds in the foreground, instead of appearing large and foreboding. Space is also important when considering the contrasting colours Chambers employs. The cake featured in the foreground strongly contrast with the dress in the middle ground, but harmonise with the purplish, yellow clouds in the background. The murky and desaturated colours contribute to the foreboding feeling cast by the image. The enhanced visual language assists in drawing the viewer into Chambers’ haunting reality, by delivering a visually stunning and exaggerated world. In this respect, photography eclipses traditional mediums by providing the viewer with a seemingly realistic image that then makes them reassess the reality offered. Technology aids Chambers in manipulating visual language to create an apprehensive mood that enhances the meaning of his series, and draws in the viewer by altering reality.


























Saccharine Perch (2009) photomontage, size and print medium unstated

Chambers’ subject matter relies on technology to create meaning, and contributes to the surrealistic qualities of his pieces. Surrealism was an movement during the 1920’s, where art adopted a dreamlike nature; commonly seen in an exaggeration of the physical world or creation of impossible images. Chambers uses surrealistic devices to fabricate unnatural relationships, generally between humans and animals. Chambers writes, “I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future” (Chambers, 2010), referring to his use of surrealism. This merging of reality and dreams is apparent in Goatherd, which features a young girl reading, surrounded by live goats. The realistic quality of the animals in this unnatural situation would not have been captured, had it not been for Chambers’ use of photomontage and ability to employ technology to transcend reality in a realistic way. This creates a very surrealistic image that would have otherwise been unfeasible, and enhances the meaning by fabricating the dreamlike relationships between humans and animals in the lifelike context of a photograph.























Goatherd (2009) photomontage, size and print medium unstated

The use of visual language and the dreamlike, surrealistic atmosphere aids the viewer to draw meanings from the pieces and articulate a response. Having interviewed several people on the nature of Chambers’ pieces, there is a unanimous consensus that the foreboding mood captured in Entropic Kingdom, and the surrealistic elements of his work, help the viewer to understand them. Chambers claims that the purpose of this series is to create an “emotional connection in the viewer” by offering images of a “disturbed eco-system created by man’s self-serving interests” (Chambers, 2009). A strong emotional affiliation is created between the viewer and the image in the digitally created photograph, Camouflage. This piece is an accent of Entropic Kingdom that almost summarises the statement Chambers is trying to make. It features a scared teenage girl who has been digitally placed behind a defiant-looking deer, hiding. The image uses colour and strong tonal contrast to create a mood of fear and foreboding as with Chambers’ other images, as well the effective use of space. As aforementioned, surrealistic elements are key in this image, with the relationship between the girl and the deer being dreamlike and unreal; however, this is where the piece draws its meaning and where the audience is drawn into Chambers’ fabricated world. The girl is hiding, scared, behind the protective deer from an oncoming character who appears to be threatening the two. She is abdicating care for the animal, putting herself first and out of harm’s way, as is seen on a daily basis in social-political and environmental conflict. In his artist statement, Tom Chambers has written, “the tension [between animals and people] has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth” (Chambers, 2009). Here, photography is more powerful than paintings, adding weight and credibility to the portrayed reality; photographs have the power to alter the perception of the audience. Chambers’ enhanced visual language incorporation of surrealist devices engage the viewer and draw an emotional response, due to the perceived realism of the images.


























Camouflage (2009) photomontage, size and print medium unstated

Tom Chambers manipulates technology to enhance his artwork; photomontage allows him to create and engage his audience by transcending reality. His heightened visual language captures the intended mood and draws the viewer into his surrealistic, dreamlike world. These consequences of technological use assist in eliciting an emotional response from the audience, allowing the message of the works to become apparent. Chambers has constructed a series that highlights his environmental and socio-political concern for ecology; it is a zoological tribulation, forgotten and unaided by humans. The surrealistic reality Chambers creates draws a parallel between the animalistic fragile world and the temporal, via technology. Digital media is becoming prevalent in art because it creates a world easily comprehended that can evoke a strong emotional reaction. Unlike traditional mediums, the nature of photography is capturing the tangible, therefore surrealistic photography has greater power to transcend reality. Chambers relies on surrealism and technology to visually enhance his series, Entropic Kingdom, stimulate his audience and deliver a message of socio-political and environmental importance.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chambers, T. (2010) Photomontage, http://www.tomchambersphoto.com/portfolio.html (7-11-10)
Chambers, T. (2009) Entropic Kingdom, http://www.tomchambersphoto.com/portfolio_entropic_kingdom.html (7-11-10)

two hours into the test (back up)

Since the incorporation of technology within society, it had become inextricably linked to art because it produces a wide range of avenues for artists to explore, and to transcend their own reality. For this reason, photography and digitally manipulated images have become prevalent in contemporary art; there is a sense of realism in photography that cannot be captured through other media, and digital programs offer artists to alter the visual language and subjects in the photographs. One artist who manipulates digital media to enrich his work is Tom Chambers, who uses the photographic technique of photomontage, compiling layers of photographs, to create his images. In his acclaimed 2009 series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers successfully makes a statement about the fragility of the zoomorphic network, continually weakened by the human race that refuses to help. The technology used permits Chambers to enhance the visual language of his work and create greater meaning that engages his audience. Additionally, by using digital manipulation and photomontage, Chambers is capacitated to distort reality and incorporate animals in surreal contexts and transcend reality. These two effects of technology help to elicit a response from the viewer and reinforce the intended meaning of the pieces in Entropic Kingdom. Chambers exploits the relationship between technology and art by using photomontage to enhance his work and allow the audience greater insight into their socio-political and environmental context.
In Entropic Kingdom, Chambers strongly employs several elements of visual language that are enriched via technology, including his use of space, desaturated contrasting colours and balance, to appeal to his audience. His work, Saccharine Perch, demonstrates these elements of visual language in Chambers’ personal aesthetic. The use of photomontage in Saccharine Perch (IMAGE 1) adds dimensions and layers that would not have been possible in standard photography, while creating a sense of symmetry and balance. With a precise distinction between the fore-, middle- and background in this image, the viewer is given a greater sense of perspective; one example of this is seen in the dissimilarity between the birds in the fore- and background. Without this strong sense of space, the birds shown in the distance could be confused with the small, frightened birds in the foreground, instead of appearing large and foreboding. Space is also important when considering the contrasting colours and strong tonal contrast that Chambers has employed. The cake and birds featured in the foreground strongly contrast with the dress worn by the girl in the middle ground, but are harmonious with the purplish, yellow clouds and grass in the background. The colours are somewhat murky and desaturated, contributing to the intense feeling of foreboding that is cast by the image. The enhanced visual language assists in drawing the viewer into Chambers’ haunting reality by delivering a visually stunning and exaggerated world. In this respect, photography eclipses more traditional mediums by providing the viewer with a seemingly realistic image, that causes them to reassess the photograph. Technology aids Chambers in manipulating visual language to create an apprehensive mood that enhances the meaning of his series, and draws in the viewer by altering reality.
Along with visual language, his subject matter incorporated relies on technology to create meaning, and also to contribute to the surrealistic qualities of his pieces. Surrealism was an artistic movement founded in the 1920’s by the French author Andre Breton, that constitutes the nature of a dream; commonly seen to be an exaggeration of the physical world or creation of unrealistic events, images or places. Tom Chambers uses surrealistic devices to draw relationships that would not naturally occur, generally between humans and animals. Chambers writes, “I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future” (Chambers, 2010), referring to his use of surrealism. This merging of reality and dreams is seen in his piece Goatherd (IMAGE 2), which features a young girl reading from a book, surrounded by goats. In a natural environment, it would be very difficult to fabricate an image like this, unless the creatures were taxidermied, however this may lead to the animals appearing stiff and lifeless. The realistic quality of the animals in the compromising situation they are in would not have been able to be captured, had it not been for Chambers’ use of photomontage and technology to transcend reality in a realistic way. This creates a very surrealistic image that would have otherwise been unfeasible, and enhances the meaning by fabricating the dreamlike relationships between humans and animals in the lifelike context of a photograph.

The use of visual language and the dreamlike, surrealistic atmosphere aids the viewer to draw meanings from the pieces and articulate a response. Having interviewed several people on the nature of Chambers’ pieces, there is a unanimous consensus that the foreboding mood captured in Entropic Kingdom, and the surrealistic elements of his work, help the viewer to understand them. Chambers claims that the purpose of this series is to create an “emotional connection in the viewer” by offering images of a “disturbed eco-system created by man’s self-serving interests” (Chambers, 2009). A strong emotional affiliation is created between the viewer and the image in the digitally created photograph, Camouflage (IMAGE 3). This piece is an accent of Entropic Kingdom that almost summarises the statement Chambers is trying to make. It features a scared teenage girl who has been digitally placed behind a defiant-looking deer, hiding. The image uses colour and strong tonal contrast to create a mood of fear and foreboding as with Chambers’ other images, as well the effective use of space. As aforementioned, surrealistic elements are key in this image, with the relationship between the girl and the deer being dreamlike and unreal; however, this is where the piece draws its meaning and where the audience is drawn into Chambers’ fabricated world. The girl is hiding, scared, behind the protective deer from an oncoming character who appears to be threatening the two. She is abdicating care for the animal, putting herself first and out of harm’s way, as is seen on a daily basis in social-political and environmental conflict. In his artist statement, Tom Chambers has written, “the tension [between animals and people] has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth” (Chambers, 2009). In this scenario, a photograph is more powerful than a painting or a drawing, because it adds weight and credibility to the reality being portrayed. The connection between art and technology is accentuated in photography, because a photograph has the power to alter the perception of the audience. This is compellingly articulated in all Chambers’ works, with the assistance of technology. Superfluous use of visual language is created via technology and incorporates surrealist devices that engage the viewer and draw an emotional response, due to the perceived realism of the images.

Commended photographer and international artist, Tom Chambers, manipulates technology to enhance his visual artwork. The use of photomontage allows him to explore, create and emotively engage his audience in an artistic form that transcends reality. He uses heightened visual language to capture a mood that draws the viewer into his world and allows them to see through the dreamlike, surrealistic lens he uses to transcend the physical world. The two consequences of his technological use assist in delivering meaning and eliciting an emotional response from the audience, allowing the message of the works to become apparent. Chambers has constructed a series of works that focus on bringing to light his environmental and socio-political concern for ecology. It is a zoological cry for help that remains unaided by human beings, so determined to make change that the natural world is forgotten. In the surrealist reality Chambers creates, a parallel is drawn between the fragile world of animals and the temporal world using technology. Photography and digital media are becoming prevalent mediums in art because they create a world easily accessed by the audience and can evoke a strong emotional reaction. Unlike traditional mediums, like painting or drawing, the nature of photography is in capturing what is tangible, and surrealistic photography therefore can have more power when transcending reality. In his series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers relies on surrealism and technology to visually enhance his works, stimulate his audience and deliver a message of socio-political and environmental importance.

(+ pictures and bibliography)

an hour and a half into the test (back up)

Since the inception of technology, it had become inextricably linked to art because it produces a wide range of avenues for artists to explore, and to transcend their own reality. For this reason, photography and digitally manipulated images have become prevalent in contemporary art; there is a sense of realism in photography that cannot be captured through other media, and digital programs offer artists to alter the visual language and subjects in the photographs. One artist who manipulates digital media to enrich his work is Tom Chambers, who uses the photographic technique of photomontage, compiling layers of photographs, to create his images. In his acclaimed 2009 series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers successfully makes a statement about the fragility of the zoomorphic network, continually weakened by the human race that refuses to help. The technology used permits Chambers to enhance the visual language of his work and create greater meaning that engages his audience. Additionally, by using digital manipulation and photomontage, Chambers is allowed to distort reality and incorporate animals in surreal contexts and transcend reality. These two effects of technology help to elicit a response from the viewer and reinforce the intended meaning of the pieces in Entropic Kingdom. Chambers exploits the relationship between technology and art by using photomontage to enhance his work and allow the audience greater insight into their socio-political and environmental context.

In Entropic Kingdom, Chambers strongly employs several elements of visual language that are enriched via technology, including his use of space, desaturated contrasting colours and balance, to appeal to his audience. His work, Saccharine Perch, demonstrates these elements of visual language in Chambers’ personal aesthetic. The use of photomontage in Saccharine Perch adds dimensions and layers that would not have been possible in standard photography, while creating a sense of symmetry and balance. With a precise distinction between the fore-, middle- and background in this image, the viewer is given a greater sense of perspective; one example of this is seen in the dissimilarity between the birds in the fore- and background. Without this strong sense of space, the birds shown in the distance could be confused with the small, frightened birds in the foreground, instead of appearing large and foreboding. Space is also important when considering the contrasting colours and strong tonal contrast that Chambers has employed. The cake and birds featured in the foreground strongly contrast with the dress worn by the girl in the middle ground, but are harmonious with the purplish, yellow clouds and grass in the background. The colours are somewhat murky and desaturated, contributing to the intense feeling of foreboding that is cast by the image. The enhanced visual language assists in drawing the viewer into Chambers’ haunting reality by delivering a visually stunning and exaggerated world. In this respect, photography eclipses more traditional mediums by providing the viewer with a seemingly realistic image, that causes them to reassess the photograph. Technology aids Chambers in manipulating visual language to create an apprehensive mood that enhances the meaning of his series, and draws in the viewer by altering reality.
Along with visual language, his subject matter incorporated relies on technology to create meaning, and also to contribute to the surrealistic qualities of his pieces. Surrealism was an artistic movement founded in the 1920’s by author, Andre Breton, that constitutes the nature of a dream; commonly seen to be an exaggeration of the physical world or creation of unrealistic events, images or places. Tom Chambers uses surrealistic devices to draw relationships that would not naturally occur, generally between humans and animals. Chambers writes, “I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future” (Chambers, 2010), referring to his use of surrealism. This merging of reality and dreams is seen in his piece Goatherd, which features a young girl reading from a book, surrounded by goats. In a natural environment, it would be very difficult to fabricate an image like this, unless the creatures were taxidermied, however this may lead to the animals appearing stiff and lifeless. The realistic quality of the animals in the compromising situation they are in would not have been able to be captured, had it not been for Chambers’ astounding use of photomontage and technology. This creates a very surrealistic image that would have otherwise been unfeasible, and enhances the meaning of the series by fabricating the dreamlike relationships between humans and animals.

The use of visual language and the dreamlike, surrealistic atmosphere aids the viewer to draw meanings from the pieces and articulate a response. Having interviewed several people on the nature of Chambers’ pieces, there is a unanimous consensus that the foreboding mood captured in Entropic Kingdom, and the surrealistic elements of his work, help the viewer to understand them. Chambers claims that the purpose of this series is to create an “emotional connection in the viewer” by offering images of a “disturbed eco-system created by man’s self-serving interests” (Chambers, 2009). A strong emotional affiliation is created between the viewer and the image in the digitally created photograph, Camouflage. This piece is a highlight of Entropic Kingdom that almost summarises the statement Chambers is trying to make. It features a scared teenage girl who has been digitally placed behind a defiant-looking deer, hiding. The image uses colour and strong tonal contrast to create a mood of fear and foreboding as with Chambers’ other images, as well the effective use of space. As aforementioned, surrealistic elements are key in this image, with the relationship between the girl and the deer being dreamlike and unreal; however, this is where the piece draws its meaning and where the audience is drawn into Chambers’ fabricated world. The girl is hiding, scared, behind the protective deer from an oncoming character who appears to be threatening the two. She is abdicating care for the animal, putting herself first and out of harm’s way, as is seen on a daily basis in social-political and environmental conflict. In his artist statement, Tom Chambers has written, “the tension [between animals and people] has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth” (Chambers, 2009). In this scenario, a photograph is more powerful than a painting or a drawing, because it adds weight and credibility to the reality being portrayed. The connection between art and technology is accentuated in photography, because a photograph has the power to alter the perception of the audience. This is compellingly articulated in all Chambers’ works, with the assistance of technology. Superfluous use of visual language is created via technology and incorporates surrealist devices that engage the viewer and draw an emotional response, due to the perceived realism of the images.

Commended photographer and international artist, Tom Chambers, manipulates technology to enhance his visual artwork. The use of photomontage allows him to explore, create and emotively engage his audience in an artistic form that transcends reality. He uses heightened visual language to capture a mood that draws the viewer into his world and allows them to see through the dreamlike, surrealistic lens he uses to transcend the physical world. The two consequences of his technological use assist in delivering meaning and eliciting an emotional response from the audience, allowing the message of the works to become apparent. Chambers has constructed a series of works that focus on bringing to light his environmental and socio-political concern for ecology. It is a zoological cry for help that remains unaided by human beings, so determined to make change that the natural world is forgotten. In the surrealist reality Chambers creates, a parallel is drawn between the fragile world of animals and the temporal world using technology. Photography and digital media are becoming prevalent mediums in art because they create a world easily accessed by the audience and can evoke a strong emotional reaction. Unlike traditional mediums, like painting or drawing, the nature of photography is in capturing what is tangible, and surrealistic photography therefore can have more power when transcending reality. In his series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers relies on surrealism and technology to visually enhance his works, stimulate his audience and deliver a message of socio-political and environmental importance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chambers, T. (2010) Photomontage, http://www.tomchambersphoto.com/portfolio.html (7-11-10)
Chambers, T. (2009) Entropic Kingdom, http://www.tomchambersphoto.com/portfolio_entropic_kingdom.html (7-11-10)

an hour into the test (backup)

Since the inception of technology, it had become inextricably linked to art because it produces a wide range of avenues for artists to explore, and to transcend their own reality. For this reason, photography and digitally manipulated images have become prevalent in contemporary art; there is a sense of realism in photography that cannot be captured through other media, and digital programs offer artists to alter the visual language and subjects in the photographs. One artist who manipulates digital media to enrich his work is Tom Chambers, who uses the photographic technique of photomontage, compiling layers of photographs, to create his images. In his acclaimed 2009 series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers successfully makes a statement about the fragility of the zoomorphic network, continually weakened by the human race that refuses to help. The technology used permits Chambers to enhance the visual language of his work and create greater meaning that engages his audience. Additionally, by using digital manipulation and photomontage, Chambers is allowed to distort reality and incorporate animals in surreal contexts and transcend reality. These two effects of technology help to elicit a response from the viewer and reinforce the intended meaning of the pieces in Entropic Kingdom. Chambers exploits the relationship between technology and art by using photomontage to enhance his work and allow the audience greater insight into their socio-political and environmental context.

In Entropic Kingdom, Chambers strongly employs several elements of visual language that are enriched via technology, including his use of space, desaturated contrasting colours and balance. His work, Saccharine Perch, demonstrates these elements of Chambers’ personal aesthetic. The use of photomontage in Saccharine Perch adds dimensions and layers that would not have been possible in standard photography, while creating a sense of symmetry and balance. With a precise distinction between the fore-, middle- and background in this image, the viewer is given a greater sense of perspective; one example of this is seen in the dissimilarity between the birds in the fore- and background. Without this strong sense of space, the birds shown in the distance could be confused with the small, frightened birds in the foreground, instead of appearing large and foreboding. Space is also important when considering the contrasting colours that Chambers has employed. The cake and birds featured in the foreground strongly contrast with the dress worn by the girl in the middle ground, but are harmonious with the purplish, yellow clouds and grass in the background. The colours are somewhat murky and desaturated, contributing to the intense feeling of foreboding that is cast by the image. Tom Chambers cleverly uses space and muted colour to create an apprehensive mood that enhances the ominous meaning of his series, with the aid of technology.

Along with visual language, his subject matter incorporated relies on technology to create meaning, and also to contribute to the surrealistic qualities of his pieces. Surrealism was an artistic movement founded in the 1920’s by author, Andre Breton, that constitutes the nature of a dream; commonly seen to be an exaggeration of the physical world or creation of unrealistic events, images or places. Tom Chambers uses surrealistic devices to draw relationships that would not naturally occur, generally between humans and animals. Chambers writes, “I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future” (reference), referring to his use of surrealism. This merging of reality and dreams is seen in his piece Goatherd, which features a young girl reading from a book, surrounded by goats. In a natural environment, it would be very difficult to fabricate an image like this, unless the creatures were taxidermied, however this may lead to the animals appearing stiff and lifeless. The realistic quality of the animals in the compromising situation they are in would not have been able to be captured, had it not been for Chambers’ astounding use of photomontage and technology. This creates a very surrealistic image that would have otherwise been unfeasible, and enhances the meaning of the series by fabricating the dreamlike relationships between humans and animals.

The use of visual language and the dreamlike, surrealistic atmosphere aids the viewer to draw meanings from the pieces and articulate a response. Having interviewed several people on the nature of Chambers’ pieces, there is a unanimous consensus that the foreboding mood captured in Entropic Kingdom, and the surrealistic elements of his work, help the viewer to understand them. Chambers claims that the purpose of this series is to create an “emotional connection in the viewer” by offering images of a “disturbed eco-system created by man’s self-serving interests” (reference). A strong emotional affiliation is created between the viewer and the image in the digitally created photograph, Camouflage. This piece is a highlight of Entropic Kingdom that almost summarises the statement Chambers is trying to make. It features a scared teenage girl who has been digitally placed behind a defiant-looking deer, hiding. The image uses colour and strong tonal contrast to create a mood of fear and foreboding as with Chambers’ other images, as well the effective use of space. As aforementioned, surrealistic elements are key in this image, with the relationship between the girl and the deer being dreamlike and unreal; however, this is where the piece draws its meaning. The girl is hiding, scared, behind the protective deer from an oncoming character who appears to be threatening the two. She is abdicating care for the animal, putting herself first and out of harm’s way, as is seen on a daily basis in social-political and environmental conflict. In his artist statement, Tom Chambers has written, “the tension [between animals and people] has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth” (REF). This is compellingly articulated in all Chambers’ works, with the assistance of technology. Superfluous use of visual language is created via technology and incorporates surrealist devices that engage the viewer and draw an emotional response.

Commended photographer and international artist, Tom Chambers, manipulates technology to enhance his visual artwork. The use of photomontage allows him to explore, create and emotively engage his audience in an artistic form that transcends reality. He uses heightened visual language to capture a mood that draws the viewer into his world and allows them to see through the dreamlike, surrealistic lens he uses to transcend the physical world. The two consequences of his technological use assist in delivering meaning and eliciting an emotional response from the audience, allowing the message of the works to become apparent. Chambers has constructed a series of works that focus on bringing to light his environmental and socio-political concern for ecology. It is a zoological cry for help that remains unaided by human beings, so determined to make change that the natural world is forgotten. In the surrealist reality Chambers creates, a parallel is drawn between the fragile world of animals and the temporal world using technology. Photography and digital media are becoming prevalent mediums in art because they create a world easily accessed by the audience and can evoke a strong emotional reaction. Unlike traditional mediums, like painting or drawing, the nature of photography is in capturing what is tangible, and surrealistic photography therefore can have more power when transcending reality. In his series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers relies on surrealism and technology to visually enhance his works, stimulate his audience and deliver a message of socio-political and environmental importance.

half an hour into the test (backup)

Since the inception of technology, it had become inextricably linked to art because it produces a wide range of avenues for artists to explore, and to transcend their own reality. For this reason, photography and digitally manipulated images have become prevalent in contemporary art; there is a sense of realism in photography that cannot be captured through other media, and digital programs offer artists to alter the visual language and subjects in the photographs. One artist who manipulates digital media to enrich his work is Tom Chambers, who uses the photographic technique of photomontage, compiling layers of photographs, to create his images. In his acclaimed 2009 series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers successfully makes a statement about the fragility of the zoomorphic network, continually weakened by the human race that refuses to help. The technology used permits Chambers to enhance the visual language of his work and create greater meaning that engages his audience. Additionally, by using digital manipulation and photomontage, Chambers is allowed to distort reality and incorporate animals in surreal contexts and transcend reality. These two effects of technology help to elicit a response from the viewer and reinforce the intended meaning of the pieces in Entropic Kingdom. Chambers exploits the relationship between technology and art by using photomontage to enhance his work and allow the audience greater insight into their socio-political context.

In Entropic Kingdom, Chambers strongly employs several elements of visual language that are enriched via technology, including his use of space, desaturated contrasting colours and balance. His work, Saccharine Perch, demonstrates these elements of Chambers’ personal aesthetic. The use of photomontage in Saccharine Perch adds dimensions and layers that would not have been possible in standard photography, while creating a sense of symmetry and balance. With a precise distinction between the fore-, middle- and background in this image, the viewer is given a greater sense of perspective; one example of this is seen in the dissimilarity between the birds in the fore- and background. Without this strong sense of space, the birds shown in the distance could be confused with the small, frightened birds in the foreground, instead of appearing large and foreboding. Space is also important when considering the contrasting colours that Chambers has employed. The cake and birds featured in the foreground strongly contrast with the dress worn by the girl in the middle ground, but are harmonious with the purplish, yellow clouds and grass in the background. The colours are somewhat murky and desaturated, contributing to the intense feeling of foreboding that is cast by the image. Tom Chambers cleverly uses space and muted colour to create an apprehensive mood that enhances the ominous meaning of his series, with the aid of technology.

Along with visual language, his subject matter incorporated relies on technology to create meaning, and also to contribute to the surrealistic qualities of his pieces. Surrealism was an artistic movement founded in the 1920’s by author, Andre Breton, that constitutes the nature of a dream; commonly seen to be an exaggeration of the physical world or creation of unrealistic events, images or places. Tom Chambers uses surrealistic devices to draw relationships that would not naturally occur, generally between humans and animals. Chambers writes, “I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future” (reference), referring to his use of surrealism. This merging of reality and dreams is seen in his piece Goatherd, which features a young girl reading from a book, surrounded by goats. In a natural environment, it would be very difficult to fabricate an image like this, unless the creatures were taxidermied, however this may lead to the animals appearing stiff and lifeless. The realistic quality of the animals in the compromising situation they are in would not have been able to be captured, had it not been for Chambers’ astounding use of photomontage and technology. This creates a very surrealistic image that would have otherwise been unfeasible, and enhances the meaning of the series by fabricating the dreamlike relationships between humans and animals.

The use of visual language and the dreamlike, surrealistic atmosphere aids the viewer to draw meanings from the pieces and articulate a response. Having interviewed several people on the nature of Chambers’ pieces, there is a unanimous consensus that the foreboding mood captured in Entropic Kingdom, and the surrealistic elements of his work, help the viewer to understand them. Chambers claims that the purpose of this series is to create an “emotional connection in the viewer” by offering images of a “disturbed eco-system created by man’s self-serving interests” (reference). A strong emotional affiliation is created between the viewer and the image in the digitally created photograph, Camouflage. This piece is a highlight of Entropic Kingdom that almost summarises the statement Chambers is trying to make. It features a scared teenage girl who has been digitally placed behind a defiant-looking deer, hiding. The image uses colour and strong tonal contrast to create a mood of fear and foreboding as with Chambers’ other images, as well the effective use of space. As aforementioned, surrealistic elements are key in this image, with the relationship between the girl and the deer being dreamlike and unreal; however, this is where the piece draws its meaning. The girl is hiding, scared, behind the protective deer from an oncoming character who appears to be threatening the two. She is abdicating care for the animal, putting herself first and out of harm’s way, as is seen on a daily basis in social-political and environmental conflict. In his artist statement, Tom Chambers has written, “the tension [between animals and people] has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth” (REF). This is compellingly articulated in all Chambers’ works, with the assistance of technology. Superfluous use of visual language is created via technology and incorporates surrealist devices that engage the viewer and draw an emotional response.
that creates ominous moods and the employment of surrealist devices, both created via technological aid, engage the viewer and draw an emotional response.

Without technology, Tom Chambers would be a photographer with ideas worth sharing. With technology, he is given the avenue to explore, create and move people with emotive concepts in an artistic form that transcends reality. He uses heightened visual language to capture a mood that affects the viewer and enters the dreamlike lens offered by surrealism. These two consequences of technological use assist in delivering meaning and gaining emotional responses from the viewer to portray his message. That is, a zoological cry for help, unaided by the seemingly superior race of human beings, who are so bent on change; change that is not always of benefit to all species. Chambers’ Entropic Kingdom relies on technology to visually enhance and stimulate the viewer, while delivering a message encased in an environmental and socio-political purpose.

TOM CHAMBERS ESSAY DRAFT

Tom Chambers is an acclaimed photographer who uses the photographic technique of photomontage (compiling layers of images) to create images with enhanced visual language and surrealistic qualities. In his 2009 series, Entropic Kingdom, Chambers successfully makes a statement about the fragility of the zoomorphic network, continually weakened by the human race that refuses to help. The technology he uses permits Chambers to enhance the visual language of his work to create greater meaning. Also, the use of digital manipulation and photomontage allows Chambers to distort reality and incorporate animals in surreal contexts. These two effects of technology help to gauge a response from the viewer and intensify the perceived meaning of the pieces in Entropic Kingdom. The way in which Tom Chambers manipulates technology enhances his works and allows the viewer further insight into their environmental and socio-political context.

In Entropic Kingdom, Chambers strongly employs several elements of visual language that are enriched via technology, including excellent use of space, desaturated contrasting colours and balance. His work, Saccharine Perch, demonstrates these elements of Chambers’ personal aesthetic. The use of photomontage in Saccharine Perch adds dimensions and layers that would not have been possible in standard photography, and manages to keep a powerful, symmetrical piece. With a precise distinction between the fore-, middle- and background in this image, the viewer is given a greater sense of perspective; one example of this is seen in the dissimilarity between the birds in the fore- and background. Without this strong sense of space, the birds shown in the distance could be confused with the small, frightened birds in the foreground, instead of appearing large and foreboding. Space is also important when considering the contrasting colours that Chambers has employed. The cake and birds featured in the foreground strongly contrast with the dress worn by the girl in the middle ground, but are harmonious with the purplish, yellow clouds and grass in the background. The colours are somewhat murky and desaturated, contributing to the intense feeling of foreboding that is cast by the image. Tom Chambers cleverly uses space and muted colour to create an apprehensive mood that enhances the ominous meaning of his series, with the aid of technology.

Along with visual language, the subject matter incorporated in Tom Chambers’ work relies on technology to create meaning, and also to contribute to the surrealistic qualities of his pieces. Surrealism is an artistic movement founded in the 1920’s by assemblage artist, Andre Breton, that constitutes the nature of a dream; commonly seen to be an exaggerating of the physical world or creation of unrealistic events, images or places. Tom Chambers uses the dreamlike qualities encompassed in surrealism to attribute meaning, and also to draw relationships that would not naturally occur, generally between humans and animals. This could not be done without the aid of technology. In relation to his use of photomontage to create surrealism, Chambers writes, “I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future.” This merging of reality and dreams is seen in his piece Goatherd, which features a young girl reading from a book, surrounded by goats. In a natural environment, it would be very difficult to fabricate an image like this, unless the creatures were taxidermy, however this may lead to the animals appearing thus. The realistic quality of the animals in the compromising situation they are in would not have been able to be captured, had it not been for Chambers’ astounding use of photomontage and technology. This creates a very surrealistic image that would have otherwise been unfeasible, and enhances the meaning of the series by fabricating the dreamlike relationships between the humans and animals.

The use of visual language and the dreamlike, surrealistic atmosphere draw meaning from the pieces and articulate a response from the viewer. Having interviewed several people on the nature of Chambers’ pieces, it comes across as a unanimous consensus that the foreboding mood captured in Entropic Kingdom, and the surrealistic elements of his work, help the viewer to understand them. Chambers claims that the purpose of this series is to create an “emotional connection in the viewer” by offering images of a “disturbed eco-system created by man’s self-serving interests”. A strong emotional affiliation is created between the viewer and the image in the digitally created photograph, Camouflage. This piece is a highlight of Entropic Kingdom that almost summarises the statement Chambers is trying to make. It features a scared teenage girl who has been digitally placed behind a defiant-looking deer, hiding. The image uses colour and strong tonal contrast to create a mood of fear and foreboding like Chambers’ other images, as well as effective use of space. As aforementioned, surrealistic elements are key in this image, with the relationship between the girl and the deer being dreamlike and unreal; however, this is where the piece draws its meaning. The girl is hiding, scared, behind the protective deer from an oncoming who looks to be threatening the two. She is abdicating care for the animal, putting herself first and out of harm’s way, as is seen on a daily basis in social-political and environmental conflict. In his artist statement, Tom Chambers has written, “the tension [between animals and people] has escalated with man’s increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth”. This is compellingly articulated in all Chambers’ works, with the assistance of technology. Brilliant use of visual language that creates ominous moods and the employment of surrealism, both created via technological aid, engage the viewer and draw an emotional response.

Without technology, Tom Chambers would be a photographer with ideas worth sharing. With technology, he is given the avenue to explore, create and move people with emotive concepts in an artistic form that transcends reality. He uses heightened visual language to capture a mood that affects the viewer and enters the dreamlike lens offered by surrealism. These two consequences of technological use assist in delivering meaning and gaining emotional responses from the viewer to portray his message. That is, a zoological cry for help, unaided by the seemingly superior race of human beings, who are so bent on change; change that is not always of benefit to all species. Chambers’ Entropic Kingdom relies on technology to visually enhance and stimulate the viewer, while delivering a message encased in an environmental and socio-political purpose.

ANOTHER ADDITION TO MY ESSAY

I am also going to use the image Camouflage, because it encapsulates the primary meaning I believe Chambers is trying to express within his pieces. The idea that we are hiding behind the eco-system we have destroyed, sacrificing the zoomorphic to make way for more human development, despite the fact that it is us who have put them at risk.

IN MY ESSAY

i have chosen to discuss the element of surrealism in relation to Tom Chambers fabricating relationships between humans and animals.

for this purpose, i am going to use the image goatherd instead of one i have chosen, purely to make my exposition more opaque.

ESSAY INTRODUCTION

Tom Chambers, a visual artist who focuses on the photographic technique of compiling images to form a photomontage. He uses various aspects of visual language in his series Entropic Kingdom to draw a zoomorphic parallel between the fragile animal world and that of humans. The pieces also incorporate undertones of Chambers' overarching theme of adolescence and psychosocial development. Tom Chambers uses digital manipulation and photomontage to enhance his work in terms of visual language and subject matter, because it allows him to incorporate animals and create a surrealistic element that reinforces the socio-political context of his work.

TOM CHAMBER'S USE OF VISUAL LANGUAGE, ETC

THESE THINGS STAND OUT TO ME:

- generally a high saturation, strong tonal contrast and a balanced contrasting colour scheme. Some are analogous, but the generally gist is contrasting

- features human and animal subjects

- uses animals as a way to underpin human emotion and values

- photomontage (uses a composition of images to create relationships that would not appear together naturally ... ie. a girl and a deer)

- dreamlike, fairytale, surrealism (to an extent... i think this can be debatable in some works)

- anonymity (in most of this pieces that feature girls)

- making a statement about adolescence or fragility

- use of space (foreground, middleground and background)

- use of colour

- use of movement (in many of his works)

TELL ME ABOUT TOM CHAMBERS...

Tom Chambers was born and raised on a farm in the Amish country of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Tom completed a B.F.A. in 1985 from Ringling School of Art, Sarasota, Florida with an emphasis in graphic design and strong interest in photography. For many years Tom has worked as a graphic designer, including the design of packaging and magazines. Since 1998 Tom has devoted himself to photomontage for sharing the intriguing unspoken stories which reflect his view of the world and elicit feelings in the viewer.

INTERVIEW WITH THE MAN
Technology has allowed us like never before to create whole new worlds and visuals experiences. A photographer who has been actively creating his own dreamlike vision of the world is Tom Chambers. His digital photo montages have been featured in multiple galleries world wide. We decided to ask Tom a few questions about his work

You started as a graphic designer and have described yourself as more of an illustrator, but when did you get into photography and how did these previous experiences change or influence your approach? Do you think this changes your perspective on photography?

I completed a B.F.A. in 1985 from Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida with an emphasis in graphic design and strong interest in photography. Over many years I worked as a graphic designer, including the design of flat printed material, packaging, and magazines. Through work as an art director I became attuned to a wide range of photographic approaches and the ability of computer software, such as Photoshop, to enhance artistic expression through photography. Since 1998 I have devoted myself to creating photomontage, when I was not at work as a graphic designer. Without a doubt, my work as a graphic designer has enhanced my abilities for design and use of color.

Mexican art plays a role in some of your work and you have spent some time working in Mexico and have had some shows in South America. What do you think of the Mexican art scene in comparison to America?

I have benefitted from friendships with Mexican artists, including writers, photographers, and painters who have inspired me to see the world through a different lens. In addition, I have been honored to have been featured on the Mexican online site called Zone Zero www.zonezero.com, the oldest website devoted to photography. Most importantly, my work has been influenced by traditional spiritual and religious art, especially ex votos (paintings giving thanks for a miracle) and ceremonial dance masks.

What are some other influences that are important to you?

My recent Marwari series was inspired by the ancient Rajput art and the legend of the stallion Chetak. Having grown up on a Pennsylvania farm, the Entropic Kingdom series was inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s rural landscapes, characterized by subtle, but powerful emotion. The Rite of Passage series was influenced by my family life and watching my daughter’s transition from childhood to adolescence. Both my early Ex Votos series and the Dreaming in Reverse series were shaped by my connection with Mexican culture.

Do you think your work could be viewed as fitting into the genre of “magical realism”?

I clearly believe that my photomontage fits well within the genre of “magic realism”. Magic realism is a term used in art and literature referring to a situation or setting in which all seems true and believable, except for one or more elements which lend an air of improbability. In my recent Dreaming in Reverse series I employ magic realism to express the loss experienced by the indigenous Mexican people, as well as to celebrate the beauty of the Mexican culture.

It seems that now a lot of people become familiar with an artists work through the Internet via artists’ websites, blogs, etc. before ever seeing the work in a gallery or in a printed form. How do you think this affects the viewer in regards to your own work?

The internet has allowed a wide range of artists to share their work with a broad range of viewers. Like many artists I have a personal website and Facbook page where I share my photography. In addition, I have participated in a number of online galleries, including Silver Eye New Works Online Gallery, Plates to Pixels, Burn, and Zone Zero. Several blog sites have chosen to write about me and my work, including Aline Smithson’s Lenscratch and Elizabeth Avedon’s Blogspot. All of this online exposure has allowed me to share my artwork with fellow photographers and those that appreciate photography from around the globe. In turn I have been inspired by connections with fellow artists throught these online venues. However, it is my galleries that are most helpful to me in connecting my artwork with potential buyers who would enjoy having my artwork in their homes.

How do you come up with the concepts for your images?

The concepts for my images are inspired by travel, music, and literature, as well as daydreaming and musing about possibilities.

Your images are created from constructing multiple images in a computer, but apart from compositing the images together how much do you manipulate them?

The images are manipulated through Photoshop software which provides many options for combining and modifying images. Typically I adjust my images for color shift and saturation, adding color “overlays”, and adjusting contrast and intensity (light to dark).

Many of the scenarios in your photos seem to fit right into Vladimir Propp’s morphology of fairy tales. Your work specifically “Entropic Kingdom” deals, like fairy tales, with larger issues in a very fantastic manner. Do you think that “The Fantastic” is something that is missing from contemporary culture?

I intend for my photographs to encourage the viewer to use the imagination to elaborate upon a story or the fleeting moments of an emotion expressed in a photomontage. Less and less in life do we use our imaginations. Beginning in childhood, our children today spend more time in structured activities than in free play in the outdoors. The rules are written for children, rather than allowing children to create rules and experiences through imaginary play. This continues on into adolescence where young people are more connected to “screens”, rather than creating with their hands and minds. As adults, we are attracted to prescribed ways of behaving, and this conformity dulls the imagination. Art is very important for stimulating novel ways of viewing the world and innovative ways of connecting ideas.

Drawing comparisons between your work and other photographers working with photomontage such as Simen Johan, why do you choose to focus on children so frequently in your images? Johan has stated that he chooses to use children because they represent “that which we do intuitively, on instinct, not through knowledge or practice.” What is your thought behind the inclusion of children in your work?

I agree with Simen Johan. In my photographs both children and animals represent innocence and an authentic way of connecting with the world. Both are pure and fresh, as well as vulnerable to being harmed by carelessness.

What advice would you give to MFA or BFA students who are working in photography particularly those who are interested in photomontage?

Listen to your passions and what is meaningful to you. Begin to record these passions in some way whether it is through art, writing, or music. Use your camera to capture images that reflect what is of value to you. If your photography has meaning to you, then you will convey a deeper emotion that will grab the heartstrings of your viewer. At that point you have made an important connection.

more at this website

IN RESPONSE TO RESPONSES

THE OFFERING
I got two different interpretations of this image:
- that it is a statement about right and wrong, particularly in response to hardship and adolescence. This is how the theme of death comes in. I take this as a metaphor for growth.
- that it is about curiosity and interest, and the concept of offering up ones grief.

I agree with both these statements, to a degree. I think that the first one is more in line with my thoughts surrounding this image. I get the feeling that the bird is a symbol for growth, development, change and (eventually) death. The boy is taking it upon himself to be the messenger in this context and is obligated to bring the hard truth of life to this girl. Overall, it is a piece about growth, and about accepting responsibility, I feel a this point.

SACCHARINE PERCH
I got two very similar responses to this piece.
There was definitely a sense that the birds were fleeing from the storm in a flurry, a juxtaposition to the girl, who looks ready to give in to the approaching cataclysm. She's given up that need to escape, and her cake is her last offering.

BLUE FOX
I only got once response about this picture, and it largely centers around being vulnerable and giving everything up out of fear. It's about feeling out of place, and giving up on trying to be in place - if there is one.

I got fairly in depth responses from the people I sent my images to, which was helpful, but most people didn't comment even after I commented on theirs.

THE OFFERING

I cannot see this image without looking through my "bird-soul" lens that I have adopted...

SACCHARINE PERCH

I am very unsure about this image.

PATRICIA PICCININI

Patricia Piccinini, honestly, terrifies me. It's too real. It's too lifelike.

It appears to disturbing.

Some of the hybrid works are quite interesting, but very scary. The one with the mother dog-person hybrid, with the babies at the muzzle, is so scary. I'm not sure if she's looking at this from a feminist viewpoint, (like, this is what women have become), or if it's an analysis of the instinctual motherly instincts or what... I have no idea what she's getting at. I can't look at it for too long without feeling kind of nauseous.

BILL VIOLA

i loved what Viola said about people having a time frame to live in.

that's a beautiful way to look at life. like when you feel like everything's moving too fast around you; that's only one frame. just change your frame.

viola's work is beautiful, and i love how his work is orchestrated.

everything is so carefully articulated, especially because of the way he uses speed.

i think he works in a primarily psychological and sociological way.

i really like Viola.

BLUE FOX

Blue Fox is a photomontage by Tom Chambers from his series Entropic Kingdom. This series is about the fragility of the human spirit in relationship to his universal theme of adolescence and change. With this in mind, my initial feeling toward this image is the notion of being left behind, being overrun. It reminds me of when you'd play Hide and Seek with your friends as a child and, although you knew you were supposed to be hiding, it would be a shock when they'd run right past your hiding spot without a second glance.

ENTROPIC KINGDOM

I've decided to look at Tom Chambers' series, Entropic Kingdom.

Tom Chambers uses these words to enhance his series...

"The animal kingdom and mankind engage in an ongoing dance of co-existence which results in a predictable tension. This tension has escalated with man's increasing disregard for the fragility of the environment and abdication of his responsibility to care for the earth. One particular issue is global warming which has had a significant impact on all living things. Climate changes will minimally upset and perhaps ultimately destroy ecosystems. I feel strongly that the cumulative impact of negative environmental changes cannot be ignored.

Having grown up on a Pennsylvania farm, I am inspired by Andrew Wyeth's rural landscapes, characterized by subtle, but powerful emotion. I hope to strike a similar emotional connection in the viewer by illustrating a disturbed ecosytem created by man's self-serving interests. These photomontages are composed of animals, children and adults, all of whom are potential victims and at risk."

Tom Chambers

Tom Chambers' words on using the photomontage technique:

Through photomontage I present unspoken stories which illustrate fleeting moments in time and which are intended to evoke a mood in the viewer. These mythical illustrations might address the fragility of childhood or the delicate transition experienced by a child passing into adolescence and then adulthood. Others express the tension in the uncertain coexistence between man and his environment, a delicate balance too often ignored and damaged. Each photomontage is carefully constructed, using both images that have been planned and those that unexpectedly enhance the story. With digital photography I desire to move beyond documentation of the present, and rather seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future.

Tom Chambers' Website