b2210mottel: MID TERM PROJECT BLOG

Week 1 :
Original Format of Proposal, Images in Vertical Rows, no editing of photography, text proposal

Week 2:

Modified Proposal and Subject, in this iteration, Coca-Cola is transformed to Broca-Brola, photoshop used to transform photography of trucks from coca-cola to broca -brola,

Week 3:
Proposal reverts back to Coca-Cola format, forgoing transformation. Photos are arrayed left to right, in film like sequence.

Week 4:
Continued effort in current direction, additional photoshop composite images are created,

Week 5 : Mock of POV perspective out of windshield is created with cardboard, color inkjet print of photos with plastic shower curtain heat gun melted on top.

Attempt to print transparencies; 11 images left to right on 8x11 transparency

1 image per 8x11 transparency

Week 6: Unsatisfied with mock attempts, and poor print quality from transparency. Final project incorporates 4x6 prints arrayed on 3 fixed screens. Automotive panel glass is used as screen with front light to illuminate photos which are attached from behind the glass. (ed- these photographs are not professionally shot, will update blog with pro shots when available).

Proposal # 6 B2210

• Project Title : POINT OF VIEW via FIXED SCREEN IMAGE:

The Coca-Cola Truck in New York City

• Abstract: This photographic installation highlights the Coca-Cola corporation’s visibility in New York City by focusing the viewer on POV photography of Coca-Cola delivery trucks, shot by the artist as he is driving a delivery van in New York City. The Coca-Cola truck is a destructive force to New York City; populating the streets, blocking traffic by double parking, causing congestion, all while distributing an unhealthy product. As the artist makes deliveries by himself, he sees these Coca-Cola trucks as an overwhelming obstacle that needs to be documented.

• Intro your project idea:

This photographic installation highlights Coca-Cola’s visibility in New York City by amplifying the viewer's awareness of Coca-Cola with POV photography of the corporation's delivery trucks, shot by the artist while driving and making deliveries in his own van in New York City. The documentation of the Coca-Cola truck is important as a public record of a malfeasant company, that clogs the streets and disrupts the artist’s own delivery business. Often the artist is delayed by the Coca-Cola truck blocking traffic. The Coca-Cola truck is so omnipresent in New York City, that for most, it goes unnoticed. The ubiquity and ease of access to Coca-Cola does not happen by chance. It is a deliberate and methodical “campaign” to maximize profit at the expense of the public. The classic economic adage ‘demand creates supply’ is false. ‘Supply creates demand.’ The scale of Coca-Cola in New York City is rarely thought of, its effects are multiplicitous. The proposed photographic installation will document my point of view as a delivery driver in New York City. When I encounter Coca-Cola trucks, I will take as many photographs as I can. These encounters will be by chance and unplanned, so the photographs will be shot without deliberate composition and focus. The photos will then be transferred digitally to the computer, edited in photoshop to create a sequence that captures the movement of the photographer driving while simultaneously taking the photos during his delivery route. The photos are then printed as 4x6inch prints. A series of 5 encounters will be documented by connecting multiple photographs to form the composition. The middle screen will have 3 arrays of 5 photos each with all photos shot in the direction they are viewed. The left and right screens documents 15 shots each taken from the driver’s POV when he was looking and shooting from side to side. They will be arranged in sequential shot order from left to right, akin to a film strip. The photographs will be placed on automotive windshield glass to relate to the original POV of how the photographs were shot. The photographs were shot over 8 weeks. Each set of photographs will be taken in a Tuesday/Friday delivery cycle in which the artist usually encountered the Coca-Cola truck.

• Background:

This work affirms my inclination to use art to propose an alternative to the political, cultural, economic or social status quo. The harm caused by Coca-Cola affects all communities. Coca-Cola is a bad actor; from health concerns, to traffic, pollution, poor labor practices. For example, Coca Cola has destroyed the groundwater supply in India near its Coca-Cola plant, destabilizing farming communities.

This project also challenges the Pop Art depiction of Andy Warhol’s iconic ‘Coca-Cola’ image. His glamorization of that product enabled Coca-Cola to become ‘hip’ and gain cultural traction.

“All the cokes are the same and all the cokes are good.” -Andy Warhol

Warhol was not critiquing Coca-Cola, but adding a layer of value to an image that was already dominant in global culture. His concretization of Coca-Cola acted as an additional advertisement for the product. This project also draws upon John Cage’s use of ‘chance operations’ since I never know when I will see the next Coca-Cola truck while driving, and when I do that is my cue to photograph. The influence of Cage is based on his appreciation of natural, unplanned organization. Warhol staged events, copied/appropriated images and was dealing with hierarchical organization; and the idea of the artist as tastemaker. These photographs will capture ephemeral moments and reflect the density of New York City and how these trucks hover over the landscape, taking up valuable space in the city-scap. The photos are shot only when the Coca-Cola trucks appear.

Rick Klotz is an artist who has transformed the logo of ‘Tide Detergent’ into ‘Freshjive’ for a t-shirt line. His art uses appropriation to show that he is not interested in making any political statement, or challenging corporate norms. In his own words ‘it's bullshit’ He is following Warhol’s non-critique and is part of the status quo. This is a cop-out that I do not support and his work is in opposition to my own.

This project is also influenced by the ‘political pop’ photographer, Chinese artist Wang Guangyi. Guangyi takes iconic political images of Communist China and adds western pop cultural corporate logos. His work is about juxtaposition in society, while the ‘political pop’ of the Coca-Cola trucks suggests a rejection [of what?] and highlights the dominance of Coca-Cola. Guangyi challenges the status quo in his work, in a way similar to Cage, and in opposition to Warhol and Klotz.

• Work plan:

Photographs of Coca-Cola trucks will be captured from the point of view of the van driver (me) when driving around New York City. I am in the van, driving, focusing on getting to the next delivery point, and often have to make deviations in the route based on a Coca-Cola truck blocking my path. This is my moment to shoot. Photographs will be shot in rapid succession, both from fixed position (while stopped) and while driving (to document movement). These photographs imported to Photoshop where the photos from each encounter will be sequenced into a composite image and then printed. The reference for the composite image is a like a film strip, where one can see images frame by frame and the photographer’s POV by viewing the group of shots as one image. The size of resulting composited photographs will be made of 4x6inch prints. Photographs are installed on automotive windshield glass with front lighting.

• Significance of your project; what do you want to accomplish?

I would like to use this project as part of an argument for a city wide initiative that calls for the banning of Coca-Cola in New York City.