Sending Messages Through Conceptual Photography
Humans and nature coexist. But in recent years, the earth’s environment is not doing well. Human nature is greedy to make nature a victim. Earth, which was once beautiful, is now starting to be disturbed. Garbage that accumulates around us to deforestation causes an imbalance of nature.
Starting from this idea about environmental issues, Gery Cahayanta Perangin Angin, Department of Communications at UII, student class 2017, did a final project entitled “Living Creatures and the Environment in Conceptual Photography.” His work uses multiple exposure or double exposure photo techniques. The man who is usually called Gery invites people who see his work to realize the importance of protecting nature through his eleven photographs.
Gery said that the idea of this project originated from a sense of human concern for the environment that is not getting better. It took approximately five months to complete this work, from the end of 2020 to April 2021.
“I often play in nature and often see damaged natural conditions. I am also often faced with problems related to nature. Then I studied conceptual photography and came up with ideas,” said Gery via Zoom, Wednesday (04/08/2021), in the discussion on the Work of Living Humankind and the Environment.
Seeing the increasing number of covid-19 patients, Gery chose to conduct a digital photo exhibition. Gery thought about the impact that would be had if he showed an exhibition offline. It uses websites and apps ARTSTEPS to display his work so that everyone can enjoy it. Gery also uses Zoom as a medium for discussion about his work.
In a discussion via Zoom that lasted for approximately two hours, a practitioner named Achmad Oddy Widyantoro also commented on Gery’s work. Achmad Oddy Widyantoro, commonly called Mas Oddy, is a practitioner who already has experience in photography. He was appointed as the examiner for Gery’s final project. He argues that messages and forms of criticism from photos must be conveyed to the public as a form of communication.
In his observations, Gery’s work conveys his concerns about environmental damage such as deforestation, deformation, plastic waste, and extreme weather changes. According to him, the effort, execution, and visualization of the 11 photos presented by Gery have been able to convey a message to the audience.
“This work attempts to express dissatisfaction with the environment by using photography as a means of conveying messages. Many are dissatisfied with the current state of nature but just keep quiet. Here Gery has taken action through these photos. In terms of effort, execution, and visuals, it’s good,” he said.
Oddy added that Gery’s work is a type of conceptual expression photography because it conveys the reality or objectivity of the photographer. This work is presented in various ways, for example, with unique objects such as snack wrappers depicting garbage and various other depictions. This phenomenon was used as an experience and a source of ideas for Gery’s work.
