Sandy Skoglund.

            Sandy Skoglund is a photographer famous for her elaborate photographs and attention to color. Arguably, her most memorable piece might be “Radioactive Cats,” which features a couple clad in gray, sitting in a gray room, decorated with gray furniture. The room would appear to be a very dull interior, if not overrun with dozens of lime green cats. There are cats on the table, the refrigerator, the radiator, and the floor. The couple does not react to the cats, quite unbelievable for their numbers and alien color.

“Radioactive Cats.”

            Ms. Skoglund has used this eye-catching technique to both humorous and commentative effect. She usually sculpts these repetitive, yet often distinct creatures, and places them in interactive situations with humans. She created “Revenge of the Goldfish,” where goldfish swim in a family’s room that has suddenly taken on the dual role of a human dwelling and an aquarium. She uses visual puns, such as in “Walking on Eggshells.”

“Revenge of the Goldfish.”

She has created several socio-political commentaries. “The Cold War,” depicts a cowering man and “yellow,” ceramic dog in a yellow room, cornered by legions of ruby-red militia and missiles. With “Hangers,” she raises the issue of abortion by placing coat hangers, rubber gloves, and children’s toys in the same room.

I enjoy Sandy Skoglund’s work. I like the idea of playing with color to emphasize an object or situation. I think she has a lot of stick-to-itiveness to be crafting these photos using the same visual format since she began in the 1970s, yet refreshing the images and subject matter every time. I like that fact that she creates these repetitive animals, and works with a very obsessive process. Even the most chaotic-looking photos have a set semblance of order.

I think Sandy Skoglund’s work has influenced me considerably. I like constructing colorful objects, and using color and color theory to my advantage. A lot can be said with monochromatic or dichromatic color schemes. Obsessive patterns and arrangements lend a detailed polish to scenic images. It is also refreshing to create fantastical photographs that would not be seen in day-to-day life. Photography can be realistic and documentary, but it is also exciting to use the camera as a canvas, to draw or paint ideas (without drawing or painting in the traditional sense of the media). She inspired a series of musical instrument photographs I made, with the musicians playing instruments the same color as their clothes and the rooms they were in.

"Laws of Interior Design."

In Ms. Skoglund’s “True Fiction Two” series, she explores different people’s interactions with cars, using a slightly wider color palette and a more realistic setting, yet still retaining her audiences “Can this actually exist?” belief. I would like to explore this mix of reality and created scenery in my work. Her pieces are like sculptures, but rather than present them as documented performance art, she presents them as still photographs. It seems very theatrical to me, like Atget. I like bold colors, patterns, and scenic details; so naturally, I am drawn to her images. However, I wish she had more images of her process. Each photo seems painstaking to produce, but it would be interesting to also see how she created these scenes. I like the final product, but since it takes that much orchestration, I would like to see the rehearsals and the behind the scenes moments, too.

Songs:

Brush, Brush, Brush - of Montreal (YouTube)

Wildcat - Ratatat

Fisher of Man - M. Ward