Stirring art for a stormy Thursday: French artist Sophie Calle's Voir la Mer is a film and a series of snapshots capturing the reactions of fifteen people seeing the ocean for the first time. On her decision to photograph only her participants' backs: "If I had stood in front of them it would not be the sea that they would see for the first time, but the camera instead. I felt that the back held a lot of emotion anyway, and it was stronger being behind them and watching the sea, like them."
I love this. I grew up by the ocean, and I still get intense emotions whenever I go visit.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! While I totally agree with her reasoning on not taking a picture from the front, I selfishly kind of wish I could see their faces :)
ReplyDeletehow interesting. she is right. through each back, i can feel the emotion inside. very strong. i love this very much. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletetruly amazing.
ReplyDeleteTara, there's a film where you do!
ReplyDeleteI love this. Thank you.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBoXQKcubLI
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. It's weird how a back shot can portray emotion, but it does.
ReplyDeleteI definitely miss living near a body of water. We have a lake in Vegas, but it's kind of yucky.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful idea, the sea is so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is so powerful. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteI love this, I get emotional when I am by the sea, and I grew up by it...very strong.
ReplyDeleteWow. I have no words! Truly beautiful
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I've been lucky enough to grow up beside the seaside but have many people travelling that haven't. A Canadian friend, Madi, springs to mind. The first time she went to the beach was in Cape Town, South Africa. The first time she swam in the sea was in the Indian Ocean, Zanzibar. What an introduction!
ReplyDeletevery powerful. this is a great piece. thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLiving by the sea, I cannot imagine what it's like to see it for the first time (especially as an older person). I would probably never be able to leave.
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