Elizabeth Hewson
Lacuna is an autobiographical body of work exploring the flaws of human memory through the loss of childhood memories.
"The conversion of these originally analogue images to digital files made of linear code transforms a memory from an artefact to a virtual representation. The files are then corrupted intentionally with the input of information about the photograph itself; what, where, when. Suddenly, an image that had been so familiar, after being viewed time and time again, has become distorted, disorientated; struggling to hold on to its original form. The photograph has become a true representation of the constant longing to feel nostalgia; to feel any familiarity of the context within the picture."
I found the concept of this work very interesting and figred I could use the glitching of images through obstruction of coding to repeat lines, phrases and add meaningless of perhaps meaningful pieces of information within my own images.
In order to achieve this, I would duplicate the image file that I wanted to use - as not to destroy the original one, then open this in TextEdit
Once presented with the image's coding, the objective is to destroy it. This could mean to repeat lines, to delete lines or add your own.
For this example I replaced many lines of coding with passages from A Clockwork Orange.
Throughout this process, you are able to check as to how you destroy the coding will reflect on the image. I discovered that as lines are repeated (whether original code or other pieces of writing), lines are created on top of the original image. I liked the outcome of this and figured it could work very well if this was repeated throughout the coding of an image to create lines all over it. I did this for the next two images.
For the image on top of this one (the person), I only repeated a few lines of coding around the middle of the text edit box because I firgured that where the coding is in relation to the box is where the image will be affected (top ines of coding - top of image, bottom lines of coding - bottom of image). I wanted mostly the subject to be edited but slightly so that it did not completely destroy the image. With the contast between the clothing and the ligh skyline, the lines of coding being moved across worked very well because they were apparent.
For the image directly above (skyline above construction site), I repeated the coding for the image over and over for the whole of the coding. Also adding hidden lines of my own poetry. I was worried that because the bottom half of the image is so dark, no effect could be made. So, I chose the same lines of code from the top to copy and paste, inquisitive as to whether they could bring more colour to the bottom. Although discreet, this was accomplished with small flecks of orange reachng down to the bottom. This image is already very bright so to repeat coding all over it just added to the how busy the image seemed.
However, these images although fitting perfectly with the idea of repition, did not have enough substance or meaning because nothing personal was being added. To fix this issue, I made the decision to experiment whether small sentences would change the overall image at all or whether vast amounts of destruction was needed. In order to make these more meaningful, I would add contextual sentences or poems. For example, a photograph of myself with things that reflect my personality or how I view myself.
I took a photo of myself using a timer and after making the decision that I did not like this image, decided to write negative things I feel about myself using TextEdit on a copy of the image.
After writing a short paragraph of self deprecation and ealier repeating a line of coding near the top of the image, this happened:
I made the decision to, like the other photos I had glitched, repeat this small paragraph throughout all the code to create the lines across the image. However, I did wish to avoid the part of the coding that made up the space of my eyes in the image nt only because they areafeauture I like about myself but also so that the image does not completely distort and reamins an evident portrait. I continued to add lines of coding and when I realised that all this would do is move each pixel in the image along due to the spaces between the original coding, also began to delete small lines of coding or replace them with the paragraph. The end result is the image below:
What I found amusing for the final outcome below was the fact I actually liked the photo after the destruction of it. Even after one of the lines regarding my freckles and the contrast adjust and darker image making them far more visible.
