Our experiences and environments shape our perception of reality. Through them, we form our identities, discover a context for our lives, and learn to navigate myriad of situations. When one is disoriented from an environment, their perception must transform to re-organize reality. My work investigates how we relate to our environment when our experiences fail to inform our perceptions
I manufacture a seemingly intimate world to (control/simulate/explore) being disoriented from reality. These environments are temporary and deteriorate within hours. The resulting surrealistic yet unaltered photographs set up an expectation for familiarity that is then denied because visual elements remain obstructed or illegible. This obstruction unbalances the viewer as he or she seeks to organize a recognizable narrative. The control I retain over these manufactures landscapes results in an image where the viewer experiences a loss of their control and perception.
I am often asked, “How did you do that?” The short answer is I construct my images – better said – I invent environments to photograph. The environments are temporary that deteriorate within hours, and all “effects” are done within the lens, no digital manipulation.
Rahshia Linendoll-Sawyer received her B.F.A. at the Corcoran College of Art & Design in Washington DC, and is currently an M.F.A. candidate at George Mason University in Virginia. She works predominately is in the constructed image creating surreal fanatical worlds that signify the human experience.
