New series in the works, colorized portraiture.

Color Me Man.

Hand coloring of photographs first developed out of a desire for realism and aesthetic choices. Pigments are applied, in thin gentle layers, and used to build the depth of reality in the image.

Presently today we acknowledge that an image on paper is nothing more that a representation or icon of what we define as reality. Reality itself is intangible no matter the form.

The images I will be working on will be black and white 4x5 portraits of homosexual men that will be digitally colorized. Notions of vitality and virility are referenced from the digital techniques predecessor, and bring attention to the men featured with in the image. Be the viewer aware of their sexuality or not, the colorized images have a worn, softness to them. The aesthetics of the images (models and color combined) will bring a sense of vulnerability to the concept of masculinity.

Sapien Aurum: April 15, 2011

The show was a complete success! Thanks to everyone who came out to see the work, and to those who supported me from a far. Below is the documentation of the show, as well as a link to an article published on the Review.

Article on Review: Digging for Gold: CJ Schrat

Sapien Aurum

Sapien Aurum, my senior thesis show will be happening soon along with many other photo senior shows. A sketch of what is to come for my show can be seen below, numbers indicate an image that is duplicated merely for demonstrative purposes only and will not be repeated in final display.

Sapien Aurum

Recent Works By CJ Schrat

Friday April 15th, 6:00pm - 9:00pm.

Trap Gallery

525 Gillis Street 64106

Kansas City Mo

Sapien Aurum

Experimentation is key to the development of any society. Investigation of uncharted territory is often the most interesting. Alchemists attempt to find meaning in life through philosophical discourse as well as physical experimentation. We should not forget that the transmutation of metals into gold also has a spiritual aspect; gold being a sacred metal, 'perfect', freed from impurities, the alchemical operation must seek to imitate the perfection of nature which is, in the final instance, its absolution and its liberty. The gestation of metals in the bowels of the earth obeys the same temporal rhythms as those which bind man to his carnal and fallen condition; to hasten the growth of metals by the operation of alchemy is tantamount to absolving them from the laws of time. What myths do we as man create? What legends do we inherit and gather? Rather than question the truth of what the image is or is not, I have began to create my own alchemy of an image. As someone intrigued by the history of invention and non-convention my practice has been to say 'what if'? This image making process itself deals with the material nature that has always been present in photography. An amalgamation of the analogue and digital, I shoot with a 4x5 camera to achieve a negative that can be contact printed on a sheet of 4x5 film. The black and white transparency that is produced is then gold leafed to suggest the value of the content of the image, what ever it may be, and then scanned into the computer. Once it exists as a digital print, the image changes drastically, from a two dimensional golden object, into a world that becomes immersive for the viewer, demanding attention and requiring you to look beyond the surface. The content of the images is a detailed human form, the face hidden as if aware of the viewers gaze. With the appliqué of gold, the image is suddenly flattened, yet expanded. The texture of the gold interacts with the image, causing a deterioration of the human form into a golden environment. The images are presented in a circular format referencing ideas of scientific investigation, as well as art history."

Lately.

I've been dealing with the materiality of film, gold and experimentation for a few months now, and I been trying to push what I had been doing. Rather than gold leaf black and white images I have expanded my tests to e-6 color film, varying from 4x5, 120, 8mm. The content of these images is currently film that has been deemed unusable or of no practical worth, mine as well as others. These appropriated slides are gold leafed and differ in a way that makes the effect unique to the image, different exposures have different effects.

Mariko Mori, possible insight for display methods for 'Sapien Aurum.'

Patrick Clancy and I were discussing my issues with not knowing how to display my images and he brought up artist Mariko Mori. Mori's series entitled Miracle. Typically Mori has used newly developing technologies in the production of 8 diachronic images on glass. The work aims to awaken people’s deeper consciousness, making them aware of different realities by asking them to think about being in a present that coincides with the past and the future

Since the images are mounted to glass causing the viewer to look at themselves while viewing the images. This is definitely something I want my viewers to have to relate to, and while I am not dealing with the same issues as Mori, I believe I have several new ideas for methods of display.

Hollow Existence

The above images are rough test shots from a side project I have right now that coincides with several of my ideas presented for the series 'Sapien Aurum.' For me this project has to do with the creation of a pop-science fiction myth, a society of people engineered, no longer capable of the ability to experience illness, suffering, pain, sorrow. Chemicals exist with in the water system to help aid in the populous' 'well being' as well as keep them numb. What would these people look like? If the experiences that are essential to human development are denied what, if anything, can these people be expected to amount to with such a hollow existence?

Sapien Aurum

rough sketch for senior thesis:

Artist Statement:

Experimentation is key to the development of any society. Curious investigation has always been something that humankind has depended on for our own advancement as a species. The knowledge that can come out of what could be considered frivolous escapades is often the most interesting. Alchemists attempting to find the meaning of life through philosophical discourse as well as physical experimentation. What myths do we as man create? What legends do we inherit and gather? These questions could easily be considered worthless, but we are based upon lore. As someone intrigued by the history of invention and non-convention my practice has been to say 'what if'? This liberal practice resonates in my current work. What are these glowing forms inside this golden orb? Why do they feel familiar? What about this is my own, and what about this have I been told?