Imaginary Photos, Open Shutter Horse Show

Photography

 

 
Michael Wesely: Open Shutter
Sarah Hermanson Meister
(The Museum of Modern Art 2004)
bought from Thrift Books
via Abebook.com

Michael Wesely takes long exposure photographs of spaces as they are used and change over time. The one I saw in person was his three year – yes, three YEAR – photo of the MOMA renovation. It was seriously amazing.

“Buildings that are demolished or constructed over the course of Wesely’s long exposures often appear ghostlike, evoking simultaneously a vanishing and emerging presence.” Exhibittion, Michael Wesely: Open Shutter at The Museum of Modern Art October 20, 2004–June 27, 2005

Can you imagine horse-world versions of this technique?

Imagine a hunter show. The arena and jumps would be solid while the horses would create a blurry figure eight around the jumps.

Or an ASB show. Solid walls and center ring. A blurry circle of ghostly horses.

Or a dressage test. The arena and letters would stand out while the horse would be a vague suggestion around the pattern.

Or a riding lesson. The ring fence would be solid, the horses a circular blur around the outside, and the instructor a semi-blur centered in the middle of the image.

Or a barn aisle. The aisle and stalls would be solid, the opening and closing doors and the moving people and horses would be ghosts down the middle.

Would someone get on this please?

I would like to thank, once again, The Errant Moon. This time for indirectly being responsible for me getting my paws on this book, finally. I’ve wanted it for a while, but it was out of print and the used prices were insane.

In the post Doodles and Delights, they recommended the work of Jason Shulman, who creates a “a growing series of durational photographs … Capturing a film in its entirety—setting the exposure rate to the film’s duration.” Hotel: ‘Bad Science’ in conversation with Jason Shulman

This made me think of Wesely. I recommended the book in the comments. On a whim, I took another look at Abebooks. Lo and behold, several places had copies at normal prices. Sold!

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott