LandEscape Art Review | Page 115

Stefan Lesueur
Land scape
CONTEMPORARY ART REVIEW showing the people I encountered during a particular visit . Also , though I efface the surrounding area , I don ’ t color correct the people or do any other sort of manipulation . When commenting on the role of cameras , I still want to point out how cameras translate light . So , again , I ’ m revealing part of my personal experience by showing the camera images ’ inherent discrepancies . I feel that the people in the images act as a base to contemplate the space around them . For example , I intentionally title the pieces with the place name where I took the original photograph . When I tell the spectator that the image they are viewing is Yellowstone National Park , they will inevitably try to figure out what the missing part of the image looks like . So , the white space is essentially my invitation to imagine .
In terms of the role of chance , I will say that with each of my projects , I basically set up a series of parameters that I am allowed to play within . Obscura is an interesting example because of how evolved the process has become . For instance , I know going into the project that I am searching for people taking pictures , and typically it will be in high-profile locations like tourist attractions . However , much of the improvisation comes in learning how to take a picture in a way that will be visually captivating , keeping in mind that I will efface most the final image . I can ’ t necessarily stick to specific conventions in setting up the image , and what ’ s more , I have to tweak my approach based on the location . Of course , as I continue with the project , I begin to develop techniques that make the process more streamlined . However , the fascination with any project comes with the elements I haven ’ t figured out yet .
Absolutely . The real basis to what I do with my work is that I spend the majority of my time observing my own environment . I really feel a desire to absorb everything I see , hear , and feel because I want to gain the utmost experience from my surroundings . So , to me it ’ s quite natural that the environment would become a central part of my work . I often like to say that I see my work as a conversation . It is my way of translating what I experience to others , and I like the idea that once I put a work out in the world , it is really left for the audience to respond in their own way .
One particularly good example of this is the installation I created for