Friday, September 26, 2008

Wish You Were Here


"Perceived Philly"
5" x 1.32", 250 DPI, digital photo of Philadelphia as seen from the Adventure Aquarium

When I moved here, I really disliked it. Such a change from Boston, MA. Gone were the days when I could walk the streets safely at any time of day or night. But there ARE good things to be found in Philly.

Jeff Kilburn

(This entry has been revised.)

12 comments:

aRae said...

Hi Jeff,
nice to see your artwork and read your description, it showed a great strength of character in your perservience to stay in an area with so many negatives, and you have kept positive where others would have not.
They say the measure of our success will not be determined by how we act during the great times in our life but rather by how we think and respond to the challenges of our most difficult moments. I admire your ability to
persevere.

Amanda

norcrossl said...

I was a little confused at first about what you were trying to convey through your image until I read your description. It is interesting how it progresses from the bottom of the piece, where it looks calm and somewhat inviting, to the top, which has an eerie glow. Very nice!

tovias8 said...

From simply an aesthetic standpoint I think its really great that your piece simultaneously conveys an earthy feeling from the colors in the background while also expressing the energy of the city. Nice work!

Christy Hahn said...

Jeff,

Your image is very scientific to me. The colors remind me of an EKG result or CATSCAN of the brain, and the background is reminiscent of a reading from a polygraph machine. I like that you chose to feature your image in a long, narrow composition. It feels like the wide-angle intro to a post-apocalyptic movie!

Sam said...

This makes me think of a movie poster. I really like it. Its almost like "end of the world" imagery. There's a lot to look at and this piece conjures up a lot of emotions.

ChambersoftheSea said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amy said...

Jeff, this image reminds me of something terrible is coming over Philly! It looks like one of those disaster movie posters! I know what you mean about moving somewhere new,I lived in NYC my whole life until I moved to Philly about 18 years ago and I have grown to love it here you will too!

Christy Hahn said...

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your lovely comments on "Sanctuary". Believe it or not, I photoshoped myself into the image later and was happy with it. I wouldn't usually include myself in a piece, but it worked in this one.

ChambersoftheSea said...

That's a very interesting image. You know, the moments that I most appreciate Philadelphia are those times when I pull back for a long shot. Like, when I'm driving home on 76, and the boat houses are all lit up, and in my rearview mirror it looks so...magnificent.

Bryan said...

Apocalyptic. There is a very real tragedy to living in a neighborhood where you cannot walk 'safely' at night. There are some good things to be said of city life, however, for me, those things do not hold a candle to the comforts of suburban and rural life. It is unfortunate when the term callous encapsulates the mindset of a place.

~ Bryan

Art Ed Guy said...

Hello Jeff, Your elongated, horizontal composition - adds an effective compliment to your version of the city's skyline....stretching across the picture frame in a near cat-eye rendition but without the curvature. The city for many newcomers can seem daunting. I see it all the time in the new arrivals we bring to UArts from all over the country and even moreso in our international students. Your choice of manipulating the color adds a foreboding feeling to your composition where the city seems to be under siege from a large storm. You feelings of discomfort and not feeling safe in your neighborhood are evident in your piece. I do hope you'll hang in there long enough to get to know the city better and hopefully, like it has for me, will begin to grow on you and you'll see the good things through the not-so-good. All big cities tend to have their fair share of both good and bad - it is nearly impossible to enjoy the good without enduring some of the bad. Cheers, Michael

favorite things said...

I do identify with adjusting to this city. I was excited to move here but it is tough to get used to not being able to take a walk late at night. This is a beautiful artwork. It captures the magnificence of this city with it's dark undertones.