Patrick Rochon Analysis 'Imagination - What can you see?'

This light painting 'Snake Warrior Transforming' is part of Rochon's 'Imagination- what can you see?' series, created for his own use, he didn't plan to create anything in particular but instead seeing what each outcome reminded him of. It’s a spontaneous burst, the exposure time varies between five and twenty seconds. I think it can link quite well with modern art because of the light almost becoming sculpturesque as well as looking like watered down paint with a cloudy effect  similar to some effects created by paint. You can tell the work is rather modern because of the technology involved, for example Rochon's light tools and effects used to capture the right amount of time and the accurate amount of light used. Rather than being history the work it left to open interpretation for the audience, Rochon analysed his own work after the process to see what he could see instead of following a plan. Elements such as tone in the various shades can be seen creating a similar look to the Mora photograph but creating a different affect because of people not being involved, the line and shape takes no particular form, it can be depicted as whatever it can be. The 3D effect creating with the colour creates an almost silky texture to look at.

Each painting in the series was created by the same process, shot in the dark with a red light in one stroke. I see similarity in a sense all of Rochon's work creates the idea of it being night time rather than the day, here is no different, and rather than space as it is, a more supernatural outcome is created from the red used. The scale is realistic in a sense of how Rochon drew it, which works well because it creates a more of a realistic effect, the light was all real and in front of him but cannot stay that way all over the sculpture at once so the camera captures what was real and keeps it that way rather than enlarge or minimise the creation. It can work as a 'painting' or a photograph, because it photographs the painting, showing more than one talent in Rochon. The composition works well considering it wasn't well planned, instead the series could be considered more of a personal desire or experiment, obviously Rochon would aim for his drawing to take up the majority of space in the photograph and be the main focus of it rather than lots of empty black space, the composition balances well with the red and black because of the boldness of the 2 colours when they are put together.

Meaning of the picture again interpreted, I see the colour red as being very powerful, symbolising love, although I decided to see what I could make out from this picture first, when I looked at Rochon's title of what he saw it as it was the same - a snake transforming, which could show red as suitable for ferocity and power, which also works for most of the series, e.g a dragon tail in fire (below) that was also created. I think Rochon chose to work with limited colour/resources because it would be less accurate and precise which in the case of imagination would be better and lets it be linked with more than one idea. Once the title is known, it is harder to imagine something else, so the title being hidden is probably best when first glancing at these photographs so the theme imagination is used on the audience at its fullest. Again I found the work on Rochon's official website, this lead me to seeing how he felt about the work personally and gave me accurate information on his aims with it. There is no answer to what the work really is and no moral meaning, although I would class the photograph as more portrait like than a landscape of scenery, I see the snake straight away and it seems Rochon was intentional in creating this even though he wasn't. It seems out of the human world, no people can be seen naturally, although if I look more closely I can figure out a sort of surreal mermaid shape, maybe in pain and struggling judging by the positioning of her body, red again could show pain or even gore to the shapes created.

I haven't seen pieces like this in Rochon's work before, and although I like the random and imagination idea I prefer most of his other works because they looks more colourful and complex and are based on a plan, and involved people and create a more theatresque effect and more emotion is evoked through their rather unnatural appearance. There is a sense of touch in this photograph though, I imagine it as sheet like and soft, the title definitely affects the way you see the picture, it will overthrow you're own interpretation of what the figure/shape could be. The narrative of this picture alone doesn't really have much to say but the series on a whole, Rochon has mainly interpreted them as animals real and mythical doing rather unusual things such an transforming or the 'flying rooster' painting for example, it brings a sort of fairy-like and humorous side of the paintings to it. Snake was the first thing that sprung to my mind, and because of the title my idea of the work remained the same.