Barney de Krijger The traveling Eye "THE TRAVELING EYE" 1995 - a Sisyphus Project and how it all began -2008 The main issue of this biography of a work of art, is the exploration of diverse analogue photographic processes, the peripheral equipment, including errors, control of chemicals, lighting conditions, failure of capture, and other external influences. It should be seen as a pseudo-scientific, time-consuming research project. Around 1991 I read Albert Camus ‘the Myth of Sisyphus’ The only thing that the absurd man can do is to entirely exhaust the possibilities of existence and himself BIOGRAPHY OF A WORK OF ART In 1996 I was researching and experimenting with IR role film, which I got from a friend as a present with the remark: ‘Here is some film material for you. I am sure you can use it and do something with it.’ And then it all started!
THE JOY OF A SISYPHUS WORK OF ART By ignoring the prime time of the digital image explosion, I started digging into the rich historical photographic medium, re-inventing the wheel and getting back to the roots. Confronted with all kind of technical problems but determined to reach my goal, I managed to construct a camera: folding a bellow, added a large handmade German lens to cover the negative size of 30.5 x 48 centimeters, and construct a transport mechanism for the 30 meters of IR role film. After making a lot of arrangements and measurements to ensure everything runs smooth, The camera has no viewfinder, which means that the frame of the captured environment can only be roughly calculated, simply pointing the lens in the right direction. The whole process of this journey – taking photographs, developing the film, printing, the acceptation of imperfection and the coincidence is essential for the final work of art. The films are nowadays hard to get and mostly out of date, it forms a handicap as well as a challenge, to explore new, unconventional ways and solutions. THE JOY OF A SISYPHUS WORK OF ART
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