dylanjblake

Bradley University Photography Senior Thesis Exhibition

03May11

Over the weekend I partook in my first group exhibition as me and my classmates held our senior thesis exhibition. I can say that this show was the product of many hours of hard work by all of us. At times the work involved in this show caused stress and frustration since early I had difficulty settling on what exactly my work was going to be about. In getting to this point, I went through nearly half a dozen ideas before finally finding a focus that I liked.

Artist Statement

I am seldom uneasy being alone since I desire the feeling of solitude. The true dilemma can stem from finding a space where I can be alone. I have found my solitude in going on walks in the downtown areas of Peoria, IL and my hometown, Waukegan, IL. In the past, I like most people, would envision a scene evoking this feeling, perhaps a peaceful beach or forest. However, reaching such settings is not nearly as accessible as the urban landscape. I have found solitude in an environment where buildings tower above, cars sprint by, and the occasional pedestrian moves along to their next destination.

My work shows the solitude I am accustomed to while traversing the urban environment. In this series, I have tried to capture various individuals at a moment when they are alone amongst the vast city landscape. Simultaneously, I use selective focus to lead the viewer’s eye to the subject, using the city as a backdrop for their solitude. We all are at times intimated by our environment, but the friend we make with that environment will only make life itself less intimidating, less an enemy to our soul, and more an old friend of solitude in our midst.