Memory Bone Myth V, National Show

The Rourke Art Museum is located in Moorehead Minnesota http://www.therourke.org/, Every spring they feature a photography show entitled "Memory Bone and Myth", the call for entries is announced in December for the spring show opening to the public on May-11 running through June-1. Each year a single juror is brought in to judge the show, for the 2014 show Maggie Taylor presided. Olivia Parker was the judge for the previous year's show in 2013. http://www.therourke.org/of-memory-bone--myth.html

I am proud to say this is my second year in the show. What I think is important here is about having empathy for the juror's work, this is not possible for shows where committee juries the work. Below are my four entries, the first one "The Sand Spits A Verse" was the work that was accepted. To better understand what I was doing please read my artist statement located beneath the photographs. All comments welcome.

Artist Statement

The instant the shutter closes the image enters the slipstream of time, drifting

forever into the past.

It is true that I did not take these photographs; I found them in a second hand shop.

Yes I am a working photographer with drive upon drive filled to the limit with my own work, but it is the mystery and joy of the found photograph that is my addiction.

My decisions to use found photographs is to show that images that have a past can feel absolutely present. Photographers are now a species of editors, we all recycle, clip and cut, remix and upload. We can make images do anything. My presentation here is scanned from the original photograph but otherwise manipulation free with only the addition of a caption. Captions are another way to read a photograph, the desire for clarification is universal. Captions add information and meaning and are common in the world of print media but seldom exist on found photographs. The caption acts as a way to situate the viewer’s perspective within the image by questioning the relationship of words to image. The intentionally open-ended wording I have used for the caption is meant only as a starting point for the viewer to engage with the photograph. “The Sand Spits A Verse” becomes a catalyst for the viewer’s memory to recall its own narrative Thereby the photograph becomes present and personal.

Diederik Tamson

2014