ON THE AVOIDANCE OF LABELS

Formally, I am trained in the areas of Sociology, International Relations, Fine Arts, Research and Education. But in saying this, a man obtains a degree in medicine and becomes a doctor, he obtains a degree in science and becomes a scientist, a lawyer studies law, or a carpenter learns of the working with timber. But here there is a danger that he replaces what he is, with what he has obtained; a danger that he replaces his essence, with his identity-labels. I have obtained some things, and lost some things, but neither of these reflect what I am, or the work I create. I both precede these obtainments, and persist beyond them. They have come and gone, but here, I still am.

But the work does have its guides, those being various inductive sociological, aesthetic and political methodology transmitted through photographic and literary medium. A kind of Inductive Aesthetic Ethnography. This means, I seek to immerse myself in places but first empty myself of preconceptions, assumptions or judgements. I look for controversies in the spaces of certain subjects and learn of their construction through direct experience in which truths unfold from within those spaces. My findings are expressed through the photographic and textual mediums. A seed, grows into a tree. If one seeks to understand a tree, they should sink their feet into the mud, and rest their face in the sun for three thousand years. Those subjects I am presently most interested in, are of Metaphysics, Fine Art, Nature, Philosophical Psychology, Modern People and ancient and pre-historical theories. So here then, are methods and subjects but even these things are still too heavy and carry with them errors; or rather anchors that drag us down.

With many varied approaches and interests, how can I say I am this or that? Surely, it would be better to express self as something not anchored to labels or subjects, methods, formal educations or careers, but to see that one is alway surrounded by motions, that are constantly changing, emerging, transforming, growing, shifting, flowing and moving through life-forms. I receive impressions from things, from knowledge, from experiences and senses. I [like us all] seem to be more accurately described, not as a label, but as a meeting point or centre of gravity of many [r]evolving impressions.

CV.