Implied Geometries (For Denise/Mrs. Ratbag) by Chipka
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
Description
There are times when impressions I receive are directly associated with someone else’s perceptions. I am happy to say that such times are rather frequent in my life.
Because of various circumstances in Chicago—particularly in the moving business—I’ve been unable to visit Corey on a regular basis. Things will improve: we’ll be able to hang out as we once did, and we’ll have the photographs to show for it. Because I’ve found myself stranded in more mundane circumstances, I’ve written a lot, but I’ve experienced very few occasions in which random city-sights inspire me to examine them with a different set of eyes. Though I’ve had occasion to do so many times in the past, I’ve had few chances during the past two months. Last weekend, however, that changed—albeit briefly. It was a welcome occurrence.
It’s no secret that Denise (Mrs. Ratbag) has a keen eye for geometrical intricacy. It’s no secret that she’s a great photographer/visual artist, and so it comes as no surprise that I’d attempt to feel things differently with my eyes. Such a thing happened last Saturday, as Corey and I sat—for long, conversational moments—in Millennium Park. We’d spent a few hours at the Art Institute, meandering through the sculpture garden there, and after making our way north, we sat, people-watching. As we sat, I snapped pictures; I was intrigued by my particular location, and the way various planes of reality seemed to interact. I noticed lines in the sidewalk, the criss-cross grid pattern of speaker supports like some skeletal canopy over green, green grass. I noticed the verticals of distant skyscrapers, and the way in which so many lines of sight didn’t exactly line up. I imagined planes, much like tectonic plates, all negotiating with one another in order to achieve comfortable positions. The lines in the sidewalk didn’t really line up with the lines of the skeletal canopy…the skeletal canopy lines didn’t exactly mesh with my direct line-of sight…the skyscrapers, all vertical and all distant, didn’t quite achieve a uniform texture. And as I considered this jumble, I began to sense the presence of a kind of super-geometrical form: a tesseract, maybe—or something equally complex and multi-dimensional.
I immediately thought of Denise and her keen sense of geometric proportion. I wondered if she’d actually see that tesseract shape and manage to capture it. I wondered how such a shape would look, after it’s been “ratbagged” to bring out its various hidden qualities.
I wondered if she’d find an interesting way to photograph the bench I would have photographed, if I wasn’t so busy sitting on it, watching people.
I took many pictures of random people walking through my field of vision, and as each picture went into my camera’s digital storage, I wondered if some super-geometrical form might emerge if I’d layered each of the pictures and tweaked them into something abstract. I didn’t do that, though I might; but in thinking, I found one particular picture—full of implied super-geometrical shapes, and I quite like them. As Denise captures so many geometries, concrete and implied, I felt it only fitting to dedicate this piece to her! That, and her work is always amazing, and so it’s only natural that it would have an effect on me; a positive one at that.
Comments (17)
jocko500
do change the feel of the land around you. Remind me of sci-fi stuff too
MrsRatbag
Oh Chip, thanks so much for the dedication and sweet words! I know this place, I've been under those supports myself a time or two...and you're right, there are so many planes of angles in this capture, it's full of emotional texture. The ley-lines of the sidewalks, the supports, and the skyscrapers hint of an alternate world, and I'm keenly intrigued by the cubistic shapes around the closest structure--after visiting the Explore Music Project recently this building style resonates strongly with me, and the satiny texture is a big bonus. Yes, I would happily Ratbag this scene into a completely lush and alien world :) Thank you!!
kgb224
Wonderful capture my friend.
helanker
A really fine dedication for Denise. I like it and your thoughts about it to. I wonder why they put that there.
njb2000
Great looking gig spot!
durleybeachbum
A superb image, and a fascinating narrative. So those are speaker supports! I'm SO GLAD I shall never be there to hear them in use..
MrsLubner
I like the casual mix of people, shapes and colors. There is a good focus of interest in this.
Meisiekind
Wonderful mix of interesting subjects here Chip! And yes, I agree 100% on Denise's abilities! Wonderfully seen and captured!
flavia49
amazing image and dedi!!
sandra46
wonderful image, superb composition! i love urban settings and glass & steel complexities! and also the guy walking in the foreground, who gives a touch of motion and levity to the bulk of the building
beachzz
I remember this place as well, all those lines and curves and angles; I didn't know what to look at. This is also a wonderful dedi for Denise; she does see things with an eye that's all hers.
danapommet
This is a treasure full of geometrical shapes with the speaker supports pulling our eyes into the shapes behind them. Denise will love this well caught capture. Dana
lick.a.witch
Odd how so many different shapes can actually fit and enhance one another as these so obviously do! Great composition. ^=^
KatesFriend
Lots of things to consider here. The photo really brings home the quandary (I hope that word means what I think it means) you describe. I would say that part of the perceived imperfections in the overlapping geometry is that our eyes always distort reality anyways. All lenses, including cameras, do this. Thus geometry at a distance could be considered in a separate world to geometry at our feet. And going back to the photo there are really three worlds layered on top of each other; foreground, middle ground and background. There, I hope that is at least as clear as mud. As for seeing a tesseract, WOW! All I've got are the lyrics from "Search For The Lost Chord": 'And to hear the sun, what a thing to believe, but it is all around if we could but perceive'. But I'll leave you with the words of a wise man who said, "Geometry is in the cracks".
minos_6
For a reason I find it difficult to account for, this picture reminds me of parts of my home city. There are certain parts of London where new build has taken place which takes no account of its surroundings. Brand new glass and metal architecture stands next to regal stone buildings dating back centuries. They clash, and make it difficult for the eye to find anywhere comfortable to rest. The unusual aspect of what you captured here is that all of the build appears relatively modern, and yet there's no peace between the different elements aesthetically. I very much like the fact that you deliberately failed to centre any of those elements, which highlights the incongruity. I also often enjoy the things in pictures I can't see, and found myself wondering where the large shadow in the foreground originates, and how the structure casting that shadow fits into the overall geometry of your capture. This really is a complex and fascinating piece, which is more than the sum of its parts. Thanks Chip!
auntietk
Well first off before I forget to mention it, the composition of your shot is great. I love the guy walking down the sidewalk ... he's in just the right spot. There's so much interest in this shot! Really well done. As far as Denise is concerned, I can absolutely see how you thought of her, looking at this! I have that experience (thinking of Denise) every time I drive past one of our new Swift stops. (One of these days I'll have to get out and shoot one!) It's amazing to me how I carry certain people here around with me. I'll see something and think of one of my fellow Renderosians ... they way they see things, the way they would shoot something ... it's great! Being here has really expanded my awareness and enhanced my life experience. AND thank you for the look at Chicago! Do you know it's been almost a year? Amazing.
lucindawind
excellent dedi !