Documentary and Fiction

I just came across David Gray’s The Dream That Days Break, a boxset compiled of four different series: Vampire, Surge, The Dream That Days Break and Thunderbolts Way. The work was shot in different countries and while it is (to me) a work of fiction, there is a documentary value to it. Vampire, which is shot in Romania, portrays the country’s poverty stricken youth without really making a point about the poverty part. Could it be called subjective documentary photography? I really like the mood that comes across, and I really like the concept of the work. The fact that Gray commissioned himself to do these series is quite fascinating to me, as I really like to work independently and the idea of planning a project like that really appeals to me.

from Vampire by David Gray

Another project I came across in my recent dive into the blogosphere is Mariken Wessels’ Queen Ann. P.S. Belly Cut Off. An intriguing title and a very interesting concept: according to Eyecurious, “This is not a photobook in the conventional sense, but rather an artist book that makes use of photography to create a character.” The many snapshots and doodles might not necessarily create a coherent story but remind the viewer of the effect these seemingly random documents can have on us. Snapshots are the documents of our lives and even if they are from people we don’t know and even when there is no apparent story, the sight of them moves us.

from Queen Ann. P.S. Belly cut off by Mariken Wessels

 

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