surrealism Archives - The Image Journey

Published February 15, 2022 by avardw

Surrealism in Belgium

surrealism, Belgium, photography

I’ve always been interested in what I think of as “surrealism in everyday life.” (My “Wish You Were Here” series has dealt with this in the past.) Two years ago, I visited Belgium for the first time. My family stayed in Walonia, the francophone southern region, in Liège. We also visited Brussels and took in the wonderful Magritte Museum.

My impression of the country was that Rene Magritte’s surrealist perspective was somehow typical of Belgium. I only spent a week there, but everyday, and literally everywhere, I saw details that screamed surrealism. As Magritte said, “Everyday objects shriek aloud.” There was so much photographic potential for juxtaposition; ambiguity, fantasy, and humour.

Rosetti Rivera writes in Belgium Express: “Belgian surrealism does not only show itself in bold and garish ways. More often than not, it hides within the subtleties of everyday life. If you don’t look hard enough, you may easily overlook those quiet expressions of delightful absurdity that could add a ton of humor and spice to your day.” She recommends paying attention to the architectural mismash, lamp posts, sidewalks, and windows.

I’m hoping to go back to Belgium and explore more of this fascinating and culturally rich country, and “be on the lookout for what has never been.”

Belgium, photography — Montagne du Bueren, Liège, Belgium, 2020 – © Avard Woolaver

surrealism, Belgium, photography — At our Air BnB, Liège, Belgium, 2020 – © Avard Woolaver

Photography Travel

Belgium photography Rene Magritte surrealism

Published February 27, 2019 by avardw

Photo series: Wish You Were Here

Kentville, Nova Scotia, 2012, Wish You Were Here, — Kentville, Nova Scotia, 2012 – © Avard Woolaver

When I was a teenage boy in the mid-Seventies, living in rural Nova Scotia, I spent hours studying the album covers created by Hipgnosis, the London-based design group. This was before I grew interested in photography, but, as LPs like Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” or “Ummagumma” played on the turntable, I scrutinized the covers, trying to penetrate the mysteries of the evocative, layered visual compositions. My “Wish You Were Here” is an ongoing photographic project that’s been in the works for several years. I aim to capture images that have a sense of the surreal yet are readily seen in everyday life. Additionally, I try to capture the sense of whimsy and humour that I liked about those album covers. The images come about through observation, rather than with Photoshop or other manipulations. For me, that’s an important aspect of the project–there’s no manipulation of the image. Reflections, juxtaposition, and scale all come into play.

More photos in the series can be seen in the book Wish You Were Here – available through Blurb Books.

Pereaux, Nova Scotia, 2015, Wish You Were Here, — Pereaux, Nova Scotia, 2015 – © Avard Woolaver

Truro, Nova Scotia, 2013, Wish You Were Here, — Truro, Nova Scotia, 2013 – © Avard Woolaver

Windsor, Nova Scotia, 2013, Wish You Were Here, — Windsor, Nova Scotia, 2013 – © Avard Woolaver

Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2012, Wish You Were Here, — Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2012 – © Avard Woolaver

Blogging Photography

Hipgnosis photography surrealism Wish You Were Here

Published March 7, 2017 by avardw

Surrealism and humour in everyday life

surrealism, humour, toronto, marching band, 1983, Toronto, — Marching Band, Toronto; 1983 © Avard Woolaver

Martin Parr‘s photographs are known for their whimsical, sardonic wit. In a recent blog post I mentioned the painter René Magritte, who consistently challenged perceptions of reality by showing ordinary objects out of their usual contexts (by, for example, putting a silk mask on an apple, or having a train emerge from a fireplace).

Parr also finds humour in everyday objects and situations. In article in The Telegraph, he noted, “Part of what I’ve done is to make the everyday look more interesting.” The photos British photographer Martin Parr takes are known for gently satirizing people and their cultures. The viewers can be left with ambiguous reactions—not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Creating humour in photos is a difficult task: if it’s too subtle, no one gets the joke; if it’s too overt, it isn’t very funny.

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Photo tip: the key to many good photographs is patience—observing the scene and waiting for something interesting to happen. Often it’s something behind the scenes that produces the witty photo.

Marching Band, Toronto; 1983 is from the series: Toronto Days

Blogging Colour Documentary Film Photography Observation Photography Social Landscape

analog Avard Woolaver film photography humour juxtaposition marching band surrealism Toronto Toronto Days

Published February 17, 2017 by avardw

Those unforgettable Hipgnosis album covers

surreal, lights, window, Hipgnosis — Wish You Were Here, Cornwallis, NS; 2013 © Avard Woolaver

Do you remember those unforgettable Hipgnosis album covers? If you are around my age, you probably spent a lot of time in your teenage years listening to LPs and studying the album covers. You would play side one, then flip over to side two, all the while contemplating the meaning of the prism on the cover. The album art was often straightforward–an attractive portrait of the singer or band. But sometimes it was surreal and enigmatic–very artsy.

When I got a camera some years later I remembered those cool Hipgnosis creations (by Storm Thorgerson) and looked for photos with similar moods and juxtapositions. A discarded door on a sidewalk, an odd reflection in a mirror, a blank sign–this lead me to produce a series titled: Wish You Were Here. Thorgerson was good at isolating odd elements in the image, much like the painter René Magritte. It was clear what you were supposed to notice, but an intended meaning was not so clear. This ambiguity can draw you in and keep you looking for a long time.

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Photo tip: Use intentional point of view (POV)–stand in a place so as to get rid of clutter in the background.

Colour Light Observation Photography Social Landscape

Avard Woolaver Hipgnosis social landscape surrealism Wish You Were Here