Isolation is a theme that can relate to all humans at some point in their life. With the advancement of technology, complete isolation has become more difficult to achieve. Isolation usually has negative connotations, but individuals can benefit from being alone, at least temporarily. The effects of solitude vary depending on the circumstances of the situation. Nonetheless, such isolation will have many effects on a human-being’s existence, both psychologically and emotionally. Many artists explore the complexity of this theme through different mediums and various perspectives. The artists I have researched explore isolation as it relates to human life from many different points of view. Some choose to view isolation as an internal disconnect from self, while others focus on the external forces that encourage isolation. In any case, being isolated from others forces an interaction between humans and their surroundings and produces emotion and psychological change over time.
Isolation 1, 2010.
Naomi Elena is a photographer and dancer from Brooklyn, New York who explores various aspects of isolation. Elena pursued contemporary dance as a young woman before beginning her exploration of photography. The human form and motion as a form of expression are essential parts of her work. How individuals relate and interact with their surroundings is also apparent in her series of photographs. Elena states that, “Through the body and space I articulate emotional states by capturing the expression, postures and gestures to create visual experience that evokes that emotional or psychological state. The nuanced ephemeral moments of the personal and existential.” (Elena, Statement. 2012).
Elena uses photography as a means to explore various themes, including isolation. She finds interest in the uncertainty and transformation at the conflation of boundaries between performance/dance and photography. She also explores the relationship between freedom and limitation, as well as the relationship between Self and “Other” (Elena, Interview. 2012).
The Isolation series that I analyzed for this assignment was inspired by “isolation and the solitude, sequestration, and desolation that accompany it.” In her own work, Elena explores psychological states and emotions that accompany them. An image of emptiness best describes the emotions experienced through isolation. Elena states, “I imagine the stripped down, naked, vulnerable, claustrophobic confines of a personal space.” She asks herself a simple question: How is what is felt seen? (Elena, Statement. 2012).
After contemplating this question, Elena was inspired to translate these ideas in the form of photography. Having a background in contemporary dance, she was inspired to, as she describes it, “create images in which an unadorned figure curves and bends relating to the space around her and within her” in a charged yet barren space (Local Artists, 2012).
After contacting Elena about her work and its relationship to the theme of isolation, she provided the following statement:
“The feeling of isolation was an early inspiration of my work. The series of the nude in the vacant apartment was directly inspired by it, albeit on the subway. I think it is important to note that the images are not about isolation as it exists between people per se, but as the individual experiences societal atomization as an isolation from self. It is this reflexive relationship to self and relationship to the unseen other that I "perform" in my work. The internal dialogue as friction; as movement; as a psychosomatic experience. The architecture, topography, and form in my work are the confides that bound the figure and ask the viewer to consider the societal structures that encourage this disjunction” (Elena, Interview. 2012).
The particular photograph that I chose to analyze shows a nude woman lying on the hardwood floor of an empty room. The figure’s position enables her to hide her face from the camera. Her knees are held closely to her chest, symbolizing an attempt to protect or hide from something or someone. The lack of clothing on the figure makes her seem vulnerable, yet her position shows that she is trying to fight it. The empty room expresses her feelings of isolation. The stark white walls also add to a lack of existence or implication of human life. By resting on the floor, the young female does not want to be in view of those who are outside the room’s window. This illustration shows the sadness, vulnerability, and emptiness that can be
experienced from solitude.
Sand Slash, 2007.
Similar to Elena, Ryan McGinley also features nude models is his photography to depict the loneliness of being separated from other human life. McGinley is a well-known and award winning American photographer from New York. He began creating art with a camera in 1998, and continues to produce beautiful photographs to to this day. McGinley had a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2003, being one of the youngest artists the museum has ever featured. During this year, he was also named Photographer of the Year by American Photo Magazine (Innovative Artist: McGinley, n.d.).
When describing his work, McGinley states the following:
“My photographs are about removal: bringing people to nondescript locations, to places that aren't recognizable, removing their clothes, capturing them with a very limited style palette. I try to think about how timelessness, isolation, and style interact” (Innovative Artist: McGinley, 2012.)
Although there is little information about this particular image from McGinley’s series titled Wandering Comma, it clearly depicts the theme of isolation. Most of McGinley’s work illustrates isolation as a freedom from societal structures, although the image I have chosen reveals a solemn mood. The figure in Sand Dash is tiny compared to his bleak surroundings. A sense of loneliness is represented by the dull, empty, and neutral surroundings. The figure almost blends into the environment. The small scale of the figure forces the viewer to examine the photograph closely and question why the figure is stranded. The nude male seems to be
helpless and vulnerable, far from civilization and any other form of life. The simplicity of the photography and its large amount of negative space add interest to the image.
Untitled No. 33, 2010.
While McGinley’s work is known for its timelessness, Jen Davis photographs specific moments in time in an attempt to document the emotional journey of her life. Davis is a photographer from Brooklyn who has been photographing herself for the past nine years. These self-portraits deal with issues regarding beauty, body image, and identity. Through Davis’s work, the theme of relationships emerges. These relationships include her relationship with a camera, and relationships that she hopes to have in the future. Davis investigates the physical and psychological aspects of relationships, both real and fake. Davis has earned her MFA in 2008 from Yale University (Artist: Jen Davis, 2012).
Davis’s work reflects her isolation from others as a result of her insecurities about her body image. Her photographs show herself performing ordinary tasks, only alone in the privacy of her own home. Her body of work focuses on her own isolation and her interactions with her surroundings. Untitled No. 33 particularly addresses this theme.
In this particular photograph, Davis is seated alone at a table with two chairs. The arrangement of furniture emphasizes the lack of a companion sitting across the table from her. The empty chair and the snowy atmosphere beyond the window imply a sense of loneliness and isolation. Some viewers may believe Davis’s isolation is a result of inclement weather, when in fact it is a result of her own choices. Davis seems to be deep in thought, peering out the window imagining her life in different circumstances.
Another body of Davis’s work titled Webcam, comments on relationships that do not actually exist. This series documents a fictional, web-based relationship between ta female character and an artist. Over a period of time, this fictional relationship evolves from friends to lovers, mimicking the progression of a real-life relationship. In this story, the female character never physically interacts with the artist (Artist: Jen Davis, 2012). According to Davis,
“The photographs fixate on the false sense of intimacy created in the virtual world that attempts to mask feelings of loneliness and isolation” (Davis, 2012).
The Future of Socializing, 2010.
Cristin Norine also explores how the advancement of technology has enabled human isolation in today’s society. Norine is a performance artist, known for her participation in the Public Isolation Project that consisted of her work and the work of Joshua Jay Elliot. Norine’s piece is titled The Future of Socializing, which is “an analog analogy of the contemporary experience of living in the Internet age.” This performance piece required that Norine spend thirty days living within the confines of an art gallery. The only barrier between Norine and the outside work is two pieces of glass that function as the gallery’s walls. The only interactions she can have with other people are through technology. The purpose of the work is to force viewers to reflect on how technology has influenced their way of life and how they interact with the world around them (Public Isolation Project, 2012).
Technology in today’s culture, particularly social media and smartphones, enable individuals to communicate much faster, easier, and more frequently. While there are benefits to these new advances in technology, do we as humans realize the negative effects it has our livelihood? This performance piece allows Norine to experience the physical and emotional aspects of being physically isolated from others.
Norine’s partner, Elliot, is viewing their experiment as a way to reflect on how the Internet age allows for 24/7 accessibility with little to no privacy. All of Norine’s actions, with the exception of using the restroom, is visible to the outside world. Even Norine’s actions via technology, such as emails, are projected on a large screen for the public to see. Elliot states that the project is intended to show the public how people can see what is going on in our lives without physical interaction (Public Isolation Project, 2012).
Whether or not you personally believe this project is a form of art, the Public Isolation Project is being noticed. Whether it be through public discussion, or through pedestrians passing by the gallery windows on their way to work, people are talking. During this process, Norine began receiving emails from strangers, and CNN took part in the project by conducting a live Skype interview. This project also attracted skeptics. For example, Robert Goldman, a professor of sociology at Lewis and Clark College believes that living in view of others is not being isolated. “If I am texting with you, am I not being social? It is communicating; it is simply a new kind of communication,” declared Goldman. Some other critics wonder if Norine could have managed being isolated within cement walls, rather than glass. Although this was considered, the project was intended to raise awareness among the public (Seigneur, 2010).
Norine describes her thoughts through the following statement:
"It interrupts luncheons. You see it, where we do that, we stop and answer text messages rather than just enjoy who we are with. Or people have to a get a photo of the luncheon and then post it on Facebook. It's like we need a Web presence to prove our existence" (Norine, 2010).
From this quotation, I believe this project makes a bold statement about the culture we live in and our disregard for privacy. More and more employers are using sources such as Facebook to learn about applicants and judge them before actually interacting with them. Maybe it is a culture’s obsession with attention, or maybe we simply fail to consider the negative effects of publicizing our every thought and movement.
Phone Call, 2008.
Much like Davis and Norine, Aaron Hobson has also explored the relationship between technology and human isolation. In Hobson’s work, he illustrates how technology can reverse isolation, rather than enable it. Hobson is an artist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who grew up in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhood. Later in his life, Hobson moved to a rural area, and today resides in one of the loneliest parts of the country. Hobson explores his "thoughts and feelings” through photography. He describes his work as “making disturbing montages that have a cinematic touch to them.” New to the art scene, Hobson has had his first shows in Pittsburgh and New York. Hobson has created a series of photographs depicting some of the most remote places documented by Google Street View (Patalong, 2011).
In an interview with Spiegel Online, Hobson talks about his inspiration and work. Through Google technology, this photographer has turned his gaze outward at the world and the isolation of people and locations. Hobson claims that he is,
“Trying to share remote locations of splendor and beauty, places of isolation where life is difficult and slower being so far removed from large societies” (Patalong, 2011).
Phone Call belongs to a his most recent series titled Cinemescapes, which he began in 2007. Living in a remote location, Hobson began to focus on the earlier years of his life in which he struggled with drugs and many other troubles. Hobson began to photograph himself in isolated and emotional narratives in an effort to release negative memories and the feelings that accompanied them (Hobson, Interview. 2012).
Hobson’s photography has been very successful, due to Internet access, which is a large focus and inspiration in his work. While he has become famous through this technology, his website is struggling to run due to so much traffic. Over time, Hobson states that his work has evolved from “the world viewing me in images, to me viewing the world.” Hobson believes his success lies in the process of creating his work rather than the final products. His plans for the future include visiting isolated villages and posting photographs to share with the world (Patalong, 2011).
Phone Call conveys a sense of isolation through its subject matter, as well as its formal qualities. The elongated landscape format of the photograph emphasizes the empty environment, free of traces of human life. The vivid colors reveal a realistic scene, enabling the viewers to personally relate to the work. The figure that is enclosed by the phone booth is unrecognizable. Perhaps, Hobson intends for the man to be hiding his identity. A sense of fearfulness surrounds the figure, implying that he may be stranded in an unfamiliar territory. As humans, most of us can remember a time when we have felt this panic of being stranded. Whether it be as a small child in the grocery store, or as an adult lost in a foreign location, our instincts instruct us to call for help. Both tightly enclosed spaces, as well as large unfamiliar territories can cause a feeling of isolation and panic.
To summarize his work, Hobson provided me with the following statement:
“My work is full of human isolation. I live in the largest park in the United States, the Adirondacks. Yosemite, Yellowstone and the grand canyon could fit inside our park. My images have a narrative that reflects my turbulent past and youth, but the scenery reflects my current life of isolation where I live. Not that is has to, but my images have a aura of fear around the isolation. Sometimes isolation can be peaceful, tranquil and wanted…other times it can be worrisome and dangerous for both the mind and body. I think Human isolation doesn't have to be visible either. Meaning, a person can feel isolated even if they live in a bustling metropolis and can photograph their world in such a way that their photos can be read that way” (Hobson, Interview. 2012).
Ash Covered Snow Pyramids, Snowfield Near Knife Creek Glacier, Copyright 2010.
Gary Freeburg has also experienced the feeling of being stranded, but, in contrast to Hobson, he describes it as being the most satisfying experience of his life. Freeburg has been creating beautiful photographs for forty years through isolating himself in stunning locations throughout Alaska. Freeburg earned his BFA and MA in drawing and photography from Minnesota State University. He also earned his MFA in photography from the University of Iowa. Freeburg has worked with famous photographers, such as Ansel Adams in 1975, and his work reflects a very similar style. Gary Freeburg worked in Alaska where he curated over one hundred exhibitions and directed an art program. The campus art gallery at the University of Alaska now bears his name as a result of his work’s impact. Freeburg is currently living in Harrisonburg, Virginia working as the Director of the Sawhill Gallery at James Madison University (Robancho-Andresen, 2011).
After meeting with Freeburg, he shared his experiences of being isolated and how he grew as an artist from spending time with nature. He describes his photographs as revealing a sense of vacancy and silence. Although at times the wind and rain had made noise around him, a sense of peacefulness and quietness could be found in the remote area. The effects of isolation impacted Freeburg almost immediately during his exploration of Alaska. Freeburg shared that he had to get used to surviving alone. He learned to intensely observe his surroundings and adapt to them. Once he adapted, he became a part of his surroundings. Being in this desolate environment, he lost focus on himself, and gained an even greater appreciation for nature (Freeburg, 2012).
Freeburg’s photography is simply breathtaking. As the title implies, this particular photograph resembles ash covered snow pyramids. The lack of human existence in this piece adds to its simplicity and elegance. The simplicity of the scene is further emphasized by the use of black and white, rather than color. This photograph symbolizes the beauty in nature that often requires an isolation from civilization to be seen and appreciated. This photograph is powerful enough that the viewer may feel lost in nature and overwhelmed by its beauty. I believe that Freeburg’s work symbolizes how our culture lives in a world of distractions, while leaving the beauty of nature that surrounds us unnoticed.
United Isolation, 2007.
While Freeburg’s work depicts the personal experience of isolation and an interaction with the environment, Amy Guidry uses unidentified subjects to convey a similar scenario in a very different style. Guidry is an American artist from Lafayette, Louisiana. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree for Visual Arts from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1998, Guidry has been featured in many galleries across the country. One of the galleries that displayed her work was the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. Guidry always knew she wanted to be artist, and even as a young child, she created visual stories through drawings as a means of communication (Amy Guidry, 2006).
Guidry’s painting style can be described as Surreal, Modern, and Contemporary. Her work has also been featured on MTV’s The Real World, Season 20: Hollywood. This work of art, as shown above, is titled United Isolation. This painting, as well as many others, shows a great attention to detail and impeccable craftsmanship. Her compositions are thought provoking, and realistic in nature. Guidry describes her inspiration in the following statement:
“My work stems from two loves- Psychology and Art. With Surrealism being the grand marriage of the two, I was naturally drawn to every aspect behind the movement...Themes I explore involve the human psyche- who we are and how we interact with each other, including our relationship with other animals and the natural world” (Guidry, 2006).
In United Isolation, the viewer’s eyes are immediately led to the figure resting in the small boat in the foreground. His expression can be described as depression, or possibly deep in thought. In contrast to this emotion, the ocean surrounding him appear calm. The clouds overhead reflect a storm approaching, further emphasizing the figure’s mood. In the distance, there are multiple figures in boats, alone. The figures seem unaware of the others surrounding them, possibly due to being lost in thought. While the figures are alone in the sense that they are not interacting with one another, they are still in the presence of other individuals. Guidry could possibly be making a statement about the difference between feeling isolated and physically being isolated from human contact.
Isolation, 2008.
Although Guidry’s work conveys the negative emotions associated with isolation, many humans find a sense of hope in being alone. An example of an individual who sees solitude in a positive light is Jason Brockert, an American artist from Holliston, Massachusetts. Throughout his childhood, Brockert spent most of his time by himself exploring the woods behind his home. Occasionally, he would be accompanied by his dog. Brockert witnessed the transformation of his home town for a rural, isolated area to a heavily populated suburb. This transformation is the inspiration for many of his oil paintings. Brockert graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1994 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Today, Brockert works as both a painter and a faculty member at RISD. His work has been featured in many galleries, particularly in New England, including the CoSo Gallery in Boston (Faculty: Jason Brockert, 2012).
Brockert’s oil painting titled Isolation is a simple two-dimensional image of a small turquoise silhouette of what appears to be a man surrounded by empty space. His surroundings consist of light shades of blues and green, accompanied by hints of light pinks and oranges. The various blues and greens create a soothing atmosphere. Due to the lack of detail or features on the silhouette and its small size, it is difficult for a viewer to personally connect to this piece. Nonetheless, an emotion can be drawn from the painting. The lack of detail of the figure shows that he does not want to be identified, further emphasizing his isolation from the world. The feeling that can be acquired from this work is a sense of loneliness and silence, yet in a way that is not necessarily depressing. The soothing colors and lack of strong contrast give off a sense of hope and peace.
Brockert’s statement further explains his work and inspiration:
“Objects and spaces of everyday life are ordinary and overlooked, yet, in many ways, possess an iconic status in the daily scheme. My interest lies in distilling these elements until only their most essential form remains. One car becomes an icon for every car and one parking lot will portray any parking lot. A car form becomes a character and those characters populate the canvases. Do we identify with those characters, inevitably trapped in the grid? Can we rise above it? In this atmosphere we are exposed to possibilities of vastness and feelings of isolation. Inevitability buffered with a sense of hope carries the echo of our culture through the multiple layers of paint...Like your eyes adjusting in a dark room, if you give time to the paintings and the language they speak you will start to see your own meanings reflected within” (Brockert, Interview. 2012).
Man/Partition, 2008.
A much darker perspective on isolation is apparent in the work of Andrew Cranston. Cranston studied fine art at Gray’s School of Art and Polytechnic in Manchester. In 1996, Cranston completed his MA in painting at the Royal College of Art. In 2000, he became a full time lecturer at Gray’s School of Art. Cranston has shown his work in both solo exhibitions and group exhibitions. Cranston not only paints, but also creates album artwork and directs videos. According to his personal statement, Cranston’s work references environments and architectural spaces in literary works (Lack, 2009). Cranston states:
“I paint at the same time and without conflict, from both observation and imagination, and believe that the best art has an element of both. My work affirms a belief in painting as a real kind of fiction” (Cranston, 2008).
Similar to Francis Bacon, Cranston imprisons both the viewer and the subject in what he describes as a “hellish nothing”. The theme of claustrophobia, which relates to human isolation, is recurring in many of his works. Using fiction as inspiration, Cranston ensures his subjects are “forever suspended in an impenetrable isolation” (Lack, 2009).
In many of Cranston’s works, including Man/Partition, the rooms he illustrates are formed into what seems to be stage sets. In many of his paintings, a dark and dense environment surrounds the subject matter, trapping whatever is within. According to an article published in The Guardian,
“As a viewer of these solitary scenes, the experience is intensely unsettling. There seems to be no recourse. In the few paintings where Cranston has painted a door, it opens on to an impassable grey expanse; there is little indication of another world outside the murky confines” (2009).
Man/Partition portrays the negative emotions and ideas that are associated with human isolation. Through the sad rendering of a figure that resembles a small boy in nighttime attire, a sense of fear is revealed. Perhaps the young boy is dreaming, but what if this entrapment is a reality? The figure himself rests his head again a blank white wall. This wall symbolizes a nothingness, and possibly even a lack of hope. This hopelessness is further emphasized by its fragile structure. The wall seems as if it can barely hold up the boy or protect him from the darkness. The pitch black empty space seems to be creeping in around the boy, emphasizing a claustrophobia, shared by the artist himself. This painting could possibly represent Cranston as a young boy. The setting, whether real or fake, is unsettling to the viewer.
Human Isolation is a very complex theme in art. Isolation deals with human psychology, producing both positive and negative emotions and mentalities that cannot be controlled or prevented. Through analyzing the work of Elena, McGinley, Davis, Norine, Hobson, Freeburg, Guidry, Brockert, and Cranston, the true definition of human isolation is questioned. The photographic work of Elena, McGinley, and Davis present three contrasting perspectives. What causes isolation is questioned by artists such as Norine and Hobson, and through their work, it is implied that technology both enables and prevents isolation. Even with the absence of technology, isolation can be achieved by choice. The interaction between natural environments and human life is addressed by the work of Freeburg and Guidry. What is most definite about the theme of human isolation is that emotional and psychological effects cannot be avoided when we as humans remove ourselves from the world in which we have adapted and forever known.
Works Cited
About. (n.d.). Public Isolation Project. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://publicisolationproject.com/about/
Amy Guidry. (2006). BeinArt International Surreal Art Collective. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://beinart.org/artists/amy-guidry/gallery/paintings/
Artist: Jen Davis. (n.d.). Undercover. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://micaundercover.com/undercover/?page_id=5
Brockert, J. (2012, April 17). Email Interview.
Cranston, A. (2008). Andrew Cranston. Gray's School of Art. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www2.rgu.ac.uk/subj/ats/research/staff/cranston.html
Elena, N. (n.d.). Statement. Naomi Elena. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from http://www.naomielena.com/statement
Elena, N. (2012, April 17). Email Interview.
Faculty: Jason Brockert. (2012). RISD. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from
http://www.risd.edu/Illustration/Jason_Brockert/
Freeburg, G. (2012, April 19). Personal Interview.
Hobson, A. (2012, April 17). Email Interview.
Innovative Artist Ryan McGinley's Wandering Comma. (n.d.). Eyes In Magazine. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www.eyesin.com/photography/2011/innovative-artist-ryan-mcginley’s-wandering-comma/
Lack, J. (2009, April 15). Artist of the Week 37: Andrew Cranston. The Guardian. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/apr/15/artist-andrew-cranston
Local Artists. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://local-artists.org/node/97291
Patalong, F. (2011, November 24). 'Places of Isolation': Artist Explores Street View's Loneliest Lanes. Spiegel Online International. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,799587,00.html
Robancho-Andresen, V. (2011, March 10). Gary Freeburg. UA Journey. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www.alaska.edu/uajourney/notable-people/soldotna/gary-l.-freeburg/
Seigneur, C. (2010, November 19). The Public Isolation Project leaves Portland Woman Isolated,
Except for Social Media. Oregon Live. Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2010/11/the_public_isolation_project_l.html
