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1. You mention on bsimple
that you discovered your own style once you left portrait and documentary
work for conceptual photography. In particular, in 1972 you created
your first and most important concept image: Confession.
Please describe what lured you towards this concept and how you
then developed it.
At this time in my life all energy was completely focused on
finding something "New" in photography. One morning as
I was sitting outside my fathers seaside house, I noticed the gardener
with a wheelbarrow next to him.. It triggered a vision of an open
field with a naked woman pushing the wheelbarrow full of broken
dolls against a gusting wind. Later that day on my way to work,
I saw a group of kids from marching band walking across the street
with their instruments. One of them was carrying the drum. It struck
me like lightening. That was the missing element I was looking for.
I had this vision - simple and clear. I made a drawing of the future
image and started to assemble the elements. It took me several weeks
to find the right location, props and models.
One early Sunday morning, on the shoulder of the road a group of
three strange looking people with a net full of dolls, a drum and
a wheelbarrow were looking for a lift. The first car stopped…
When we arrived on location I realized that the field had turned
into mud. It had been raining for a couple of days. The right spot
to shoot was across the field. I grabbed my equipment, lifted the
wheelbarrow on my back and started slowly across the field sinking
up to my knees in the mud. My models followed me. This situation
was not as glamorous as they had expected.
It was a sunny day with a clear blue sky and no wind. I arranged
all the elements in front of my camera to resemble the drawing,
but it did not look as I expected. Something was missing. Then suddenly
a lonely dark cloud emerged from the horizon.
A gust of wind picked up the hair of the woman. The man hit the
drum. The scene in front of me came alive. I made several shots.
The wind suddenly died, the cloud passed and the clear blue sky
stayed above me for the remainder of the day…
Sometimes I think
that this lucky gust of wind changed the direction of my life.
2. How was Confession first received by others?
I remember a small wet print attached to the kitchen cabinet.
I knew that I was looking at the most important work of my life.
It had all elements of a great image and I could learn from it.
Most people were puzzled by "Confession".
It was so different from the official art of the communist state.
I felt that some photographers who saw this image were somehow threatened
by the unknown style and "tried" not to notice my work.
But I did not need others opinion. I had my own...
3. You have mentioned that some of your greatest influences have
been the writing of Dostoevsky and the cinematography of Tarkovsky.
Your work also seems influenced by Dante Alighieri's 'Inferno'.
Have you read Dante? Who or what else has influenced your work?
No, I did not read Dante, but I heard many times that people
see elements of Inferno in my work. And I always encourage viewers
to interpret my work as they see it. My goal is to create an image
that "talks". |
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Awake in the Shadows
of the Dream
Creativity is expressed through multiple states of consciousness
and we open up to these states through imagery. During dreams,
we encounter a state of consciousness that is essentially
a personal experience of primal chaos manifested through the
free-association of multi-sensory imagery. Because chaos is
a form of order or structure the rational mind is incapable
of comprehending, it is not a concept that can be captured
by thought. It exists deep within us, hidden behind the framework
of what we know, and what we cling to. It reaches deep into
our awareness through dreams and in the flow of our imaginations,
and connects us to a mysterious inner world.
The only difference between waking reality and dream reality
is that in dreams we do not have the ability to doubt. Hence
dreams are actually more real, more vivid and more imaginative
than the reality we perceive through our simple five senses.
The fantastic worlds to which we are transported in Misha
Gordin's images undoubtedly evoke thoughts and feelings that
stem more from dream language than from the verbal rational
mind. Each image is a doorway that leads to shadowy passages
meandering towards somewhere, elsewhere, straying beyond the
logical, rational fabric of reality, as we know it. These
doorways and passages are all interconnected within a huge,
intricate labyrinth, a chaotic collective matrix, built on
a foundation of the most basic human pathos and longings.
Misha Gordon's images float in chaos, yet are accurately controlled
through symmetry and form. There is definite logic and intention
in the structure of the ideas though they defy rationality.
The images may be surreal yet they are always real and lucid
enough that we do not doubt what we see and feel, just as
in a dream. Often the landscapes are stark, and the isolation
absolute; miles and miles of empty space stretching beyond
the imagination, greeted by a dark, violent sky at its perimeter
or a lonely character playing out some fantasy. Whether it
was his intention or not, Misha Gordon's images bridge the
gap between dream reality and waking reality through the concretization
of metaphysics. In glorious hues of black, white and mostly
gray, the characters in his images, like somnambulists, breathe
and exist wide-awake in the "Shadows of the Dream."
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| The Symphony of
Lost Souls is the title that came to mind when I first
saw this image. As usual there is an undeniable feeling of
isolation and solitude (almost overbearing), yet there also
seems to be a distinct element of evil in this image, not
just from the ominous black, threatening sky but also suggested
by the posture of the mannequins. The bald maestro in the
draping black robe seems to be commanding the performance
of the frail, submissive angelic bard with an almost military
zeal. Perhaps the stark contrast between black and white in
the dresses, the sky, the sand, the sea is not a coincidence.
Perhaps it is a subliminal indication of an inner struggle
between good and evil, or in this case, the evil dominating
the good. The incredible thing about this photo and what really
attracted me to comment about it (in addition to the fact
that I, myself, have my own fascination with mannequins in
my images) is how two lifeless objects placed in this setting
can evoke so much feeling and thought. |
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| Agoraphobia
is the first and only word that comes to mind for this striking
image. In it, we perceive the metaphor of modern man, screaming,
crying out, and struggling hopelessly to get out of the suffocating
rat race of society. The individual is stuck in a crowd of
faceless people, perhaps during rush hour on the subway, perhaps
in a shopping center during the consumer frenzy of Christmas,
or perhaps at the office during lunch surrounded by co-workers,
no different than robots, playing out their subroutines. What
differentiates the 'individuals' from the 'crowd' is that
the 'individuals' feel compelled to journey for themselves,
within themselves, called to look beyond cultural concepts, |
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thoughts, attitudes
about self, attitudes about how to spend time, pursue life,
interact with others. They dare to look beyond the normalcy
of the world around them and either affirm concepts for their
relevance, or re-shape them. However, society seeks control
and through its status quo we become enclosed within a manmade,
artificial reality of words, ideas and thoughts, and to escape
from its stranglehold on our minds is nothing short of a monumental
task. So what are we to do? Scream in despair.
Sacha Dean Biyan |
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4. How long does it take to create one of your photos? What
is the process involved?
It depends on an image. Sometimes it takes a week, sometimes
a month. But ideas are always instant.
Some prints are technically complicated and I will have several
sessions to study and shoot components and then spend several
weeks in the darkroom to assemble the photograph from a multitude
of different negatives.
The process is always the same. It starts from an idea, then a
drawing, assembling the components, shooting and studying the
material, followed by meticulous darkroom work.
5. You do not use digital tools such as photoshop. All of your
visual manipulation is completed in the darkroom by hand. Does
this method give you more control over the final result?
All my images are assembled in a traditional darkroom under
one enlarger using a masking technique developed and perfected
over the years. This technique has it's limitations and I address
them when working on ideas. Also, before I print the original,
I make tests and adjustments for every negative to be printed.
I write the tables where I indicate the proper exposure and all
sequences of manipulations for every negative used. Next is the
stage of "dry" printing. This part is the most unforgiving
. I meticulously project one negative after another, constantly
changing precise masks until the last negative is used. It feels
like returning safely home after a long, long drive. This part
is all about discipline and has very little to do with art. Next
comes the time of "judgment" when the first print emerges
from the developer. It is a very exiting moment for me. I look
for possible mistakes as the image reveals itself and a great
feeling of relief and accomplishment when print is "flawless".
I always print editions of seven plus three artist proofs. Unfortunately
the technique I am using has no room for mistakes. It requires
complete concentration and can be very exhausting physically and
mentally.
In this respect digital manipulations are easy and forgiving.
But my method, as hard as it is, gives me better and immediate
quality control. I do print from original negatives after all.
Also, I don't feel at this time the need to change the approach
which works. I don't know for how long I will be in good physical
shape to be able to continue working this way. But then I will
always have the alternative of switching to digital manipulations.
6. Much of your work seems to reflect alienation and solitude.
Is this something you have dealt with in your life? If so, do
you feel this may have played a role in developing your artistic
"gift"?
I grew up in totalitarian state after the WWII. I was a happy
child spending most of time on a streets playing with other kids
and often fantasizing about "war games". The life around
me was quite poor, full of struggle and drama. Images from my
childhood are deeply imbedded in me. I was a difficult teenager,
very opinionated with no respect for authority. This attitude
set me apart from other teenagers and was instrumental in developing
my style. I never belonged to any organization, which was next
to impossible in a communist state.
After I arrived in the US I found myself surrounded by many people
trying to help me.
I learned a lot from my new friends. When I established myself
as an artist, I became part of the usual "art crowd'. Soon
I was ready for a change. That is when I bought 80 acres of rolling
hills in central Minnesota and moved my family to live a quiet,
simple life away from the hassles and noises of city life. I work
most of the time with very little distractions. So far this change
proved to be a good one. I have created a lot of important work
since then…
A big rock lays on the southern border of the land I live.
I like to visit him on a sunny winter days and walk around in
a circle,
absorbing his silent energy.
I like to stand on top of him with my eyes shot toward the bright
sun.
I like to fill my chest with crisp air and reach towards the sky.
I feel secluded, but not alone. It's where I belong.
The lonely owl is watching me from his nest across the ravine.
7. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Finding my own path and following it.
8. What advice would you give to up- coming photographers looking
to define their own style?
Be careful when choosing your teacher. If you have real talent
you might not need one.
9. After developing a body of work that reflects your personal
thoughts and feelings, what has your photography taught you about
yourself?
That I am a simple man trusting his intuition.
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