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