(The following is an artist statement for a recent series for my darkroom class.)
That Friend of Yours That None of Your Other Friends Really Know About
Mark Sanchez
As a kid, I had my quirks, my superstitions, my stigmas, my glitches, my hiccups, whatever you want to call them. Many kids had their own, but these were mine. They were largely what set me apart from everyone else. Because I was aware of this from an early age, these mannerisms have been surfacing on a regular basis for as long as I can remember. Some have died out, some have recently started, some I have forgotten, and others have been with me my entire life. But one thing has always remained a constant: they’re comforting. Even the most painful ones, such as my “twitch”, are reassuring in that they are unique to me, and me alone.
My basic intention for That Friend of Yours That None of Your Other Friends Really Know About, aside from being a personal catalogue and celebration of my mannerisms throughout my life, is that it is an exploration of my childhood and adolescent development until now. This is the first attempt I have made at a project like this, and I have thought carefully about the characteristics the series should have. Having the entire series shot in black and white is my way of representing my nostalgia for and vague recollection of these memories. Shooting with a low ISO, developing for high contrast, and printing on large paper (at least 11x17, so that the images become gritty) also help to achieve this effect. My face is hidden in every shot, where I am the direct subject, because I am not the same person now, doing this project, as I was when my mannerisms developed. I want them to be associated with me, but I also wanted to make the series easily applicable to the viewer.
Many of my quirks are rarely seen by other people and only I know when to expect them or why they occur, hence the title of the series. That Friend of Yours That None of Your Other Friends Really Know About is not about making a statement or a comment on anything, it’s not really supposed to say anything. I wanted this project to be strictly for me.
My basic intention for That Friend of Yours That None of Your Other Friends Really Know About, aside from being a personal catalogue and celebration of my mannerisms throughout my life, is that it is an exploration of my childhood and adolescent development until now. This is the first attempt I have made at a project like this, and I have thought carefully about the characteristics the series should have. Having the entire series shot in black and white is my way of representing my nostalgia for and vague recollection of these memories. Shooting with a low ISO, developing for high contrast, and printing on large paper (at least 11x17, so that the images become gritty) also help to achieve this effect. My face is hidden in every shot, where I am the direct subject, because I am not the same person now, doing this project, as I was when my mannerisms developed. I want them to be associated with me, but I also wanted to make the series easily applicable to the viewer.
Many of my quirks are rarely seen by other people and only I know when to expect them or why they occur, hence the title of the series. That Friend of Yours That None of Your Other Friends Really Know About is not about making a statement or a comment on anything, it’s not really supposed to say anything. I wanted this project to be strictly for me.
This is a question you do not have to answer me, but what does it mean for you to make art that is only for you? I mean What does making art for yourself mean. I would like to hear your answer though.
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