Terry Frishman

Artist's Statement

 Through pareidolia, Greek for “false images” like a face in the moon, this ongoing project of upcycling found imagery reveals an alternate way of seeing the overlooked and quotidian. My photographs of inanimate subjects trigger a second deeper look at streets and trees, our artificial and natural worlds, with an intellectual and emotional back-and-forth between image and materials. Imaginative possibilities disrupt expectations. New potential meaning helps viewers notice, then question, what they see and believe. Fantastical figures, otherworldly landscapes and hidden-in-plain-sight stories accidentally appear out of textures, patterns and objects with a mostly neutral color palette. Random melting snow drips of tar or street paint and rain-moistened asphalt inspire meaningful interpretations.

My subjects are often ephemeral. In moments, they can change or disappear by a shift of light, a gust of wind or a person's foot. Given our divisive times of differing truths, realities and opportunities, my work intentionally captures and celebrates what exists around us as close to the original as possible. Therefore abstract photos of unaltered subjects are minimally-processed to make visible what we may have chosen not to notice before. Quality archival master printing techniques help make the ordinary more extraordinary, eliciting greater respect and worthiness for the often walked past or stepped upon. Three clues further amplify this intention: ‘Title’ suggests a way of seeing or feeling the imagery; ‘Source’ indicates location; ‘Elements’ identify important materials within the image. By opening our eyes and minds to seeing differently, we can suspend prejudgement and shift habitual perspectives.