 The term "teletopological puzzle" has been used in relation to today's visual experience within various analytical writings. The "teletopological puzzle", first coined by Paul Virilio, is an expression for all objects of visual culture combined - television, cinema, photography, the internet and all other singular forms - not as a totality but as a "constantly shifting constellation of fragments." Through my work I am addressing the individual's relationship with these language systems and examining the effects on the human psyche. The intake of visual information has evolved into a series of glances meant to be understood quickly and usually only attended to for a short period of time. New technology is being applied to a never-ending line of communication devices that are meant to ease the human's responsibilities in the 21st century and allow for communication "on the go". Information has been simplified to symbols and the design of most visual systems are being adjusted to adhere to the interface structure of the internet. Although this ongoing development in technology allows us to use our time somewhat more effectively, I am interested in how it alters our identity as individuals and our perception of the world around us. My work explores the viewing process from the moment we see an image, whether it be on a wall or a screen, to the moment it enters our consciousness and becomes amalgamated with memories of actual events and those internalized through the media. A lot of the time I focus on the idea of the "televisual medium", a term derived from my own research and interests. By using the term televisual medium or media, I am referring to the technologically based systems we interactive with visually such as TV, the internet, automated billboards, bank machines, electronic video games, portable email devices, etc. My work, consisting of two-dimensional pieces and manipulated video, examines how we interact with this range of media but more importantly the impact it can have on memory and identity. I believe television is the base structure for the current state of visual culture. Today's televisual experience is complex due to the increasing amounts of information directed towards us. In order to examine these attentive moments of viewing within my current work, I have reduced visual information down to its simplest forms, exploring the aesthetic quality of media forms which are normally analyzed for their content and subject matter. I am fascinated with the formal nature of these device - the lines, shapes, colours, angles of movement - and the role that each of these elements play. The series of large digital prints combine blown up forms of human body parts, taken from daily self-help TV shows such as Oprah and Dr. Phil, combined with abstract images from nature superimposed on top in the form of symbols and icons normally used on websites. The images, each 24" x 33" reference abstract painting in an odd way. These pieces draw attention to how technology can be used as a tool for escape. The series called "Mental Note: It's Not You" consist of a collection of drawings made from watching TV, working on the internet, observing mechanical components of technological objects, and handwritten notes from several self-help sources. Each piece is small and intimate (5" x 7") and mounted onto a plastic surface. When displayed as a whole, these drawings create a visual representation of a mental landscape. The drawings reveal aspects of the psychological survival individuals partake in as they search to find meaning and a sense of direction within reality. In other words, an attempt to create order within the teletopological puzzle. The video shown alongside the two-dimensional work is a hypnotic piece that consists of a close-up of water with moments in which television static attempts to break through the pattern of rippling water. This piece attempts to suck the viewer into the animated image and challenges the viewer's attention span, yet provides moments of distraction that question the technical make-up of the piece. I will continue to explore our relationship with technology and the desire to locate and connect with ourselves amidst this ever-expanding digital world. My work will focus on the psychological dominance of visual culture and different types of survival mechanisms. Some questions I continue to think about are: What types of effects does this glance-type mode of viewing have on one's attention span, the way we communicate with other human beings, and on our basic threshold level of visual information? How will the advancement in technological communication affect how we communicate and identify with each other? How long will the notion of "personal" exist in a society where cultural and individual identity can succumb to the powerful control of new technology? As an artist with an analytical mind, will I survive without needing an "upgrade"? October, 2003
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