OUTLANDISH MATERIALS
By Katelyn Emery
This first piece was taken because of its combination of being an outlandish material, and how the environment around it influences the overall feel. It is difficult to get the full idea, however there were fields for acres surrounding this object as it stood still by itself. It appears that at one time, someone chose to create a garden and to build a seating area. As you can see, this has now become an abandoned and dried up object lost in a field in the countryside.
In addition to this being an outlandish material, the environment surrounding it is a notable mention. The fact that this is an abandoned structure and the multitude of possible stories accompanying it, it begins to create an uneasy feeling. However, the dark, gloomy, and foggy sky above create an additional element of unwelcome and haunted feelings. Perhaps if this image was taken on a day where it was bright and sunny out, there would be a different vibe protruding off of this object.
An interesting factor to consider about outlandish materials is their stories. Because they are generally materials that are in an area where they do not belong, I often enjoy trying to discover or guess at their history. Perhaps long ago there was a house near this garden structure, and a lady set this up as her reading area. Perhaps a farmer's wife wanted somewhere to go while he was farming around it. Maybe this was utilized as a photography or video prop and was never taken down.
Machine in the Garden
In 2017, the world has become so reliant on routines and structure, that when something is out of place an aura of uneasiness comes about. The environment has a significant impact on emotions, thoughts, and feelings and therefore demonstrates a power of altering the message that is being told by the environment.
This being said, outlandish materials have also become the subject in many famous pieces. For example, Salvador Dali's pieces often include objects such as melting clocks in a desert, mountains made out of body parts, or giant pieces of food floating on the sea. Dali aimed to create "a mystical and material sociality through two-dimensional art. Out of this diverse mix of influences and Dalí’s own inner spiritual quest, he developed an aesthetic founded on what he called ‘nuclear mysticism.’" (Smith, 2016). Although Dali created these pieces based off of his mind and how he viewed the world, it may have opened up the audiences' mind to being more in tune with atypical objects in the environment around them. His fascination with outlandish materials could have introduced a new way of admiring the odd and mysterious aspects of life.
Perhaps this crazy phenomenon receives this feedback because although the audience is hesitant and uneasy about it, they are also intrigued because of this same reason. Outlandish materials provide the audience with an opportunity to explore a part of their minds while analyzing the possible stories behind these materials. Through a Haunted Landscapes course, I have been given the opportunity to look at materials through a different lens while being encouraged to explore situations such as the vast array of outlandish materials.
Trash Disposal
It is important to mention that outlandish materials do not have to be an elaborate structure in the most unusual location. The material being shown in this image is a piece of trash discarded on the side of the road. Similar to the previous image, there is a story behind it, however the story can be completely different. With the other image demonstrating abandonment in an eerie type way, this image takes a different path and demonstrates one of the many flaws in our society. Both images highlight outlandish materials, however both images have significantly different messages and stories. Examining an object "to see if it might yield narratives or express identities; to see, in short, if it is possible to salvage from it, unlike commodity culture, 'true stories'" (Stallbrass, n.d.) can reveal important information about the past, present, or both.
The idea of outlandish trash has become an increasingly common visual in society. We live in a world where people value convenience over properly disposing of their waste, and therefore these materials end up in places where they are not meant to be, categorizing them as outlandish materials.
Home Away from Home
Now that we have looked at an outlandish structure and object, it is beneficial to discuss outlandish places. While exploring this past summer, I came across an unusually located building structure that appeared to be some type of housing. The small island that I was on was all forest and was only visited if you found a boat to take you to it. There are no roads, stores, or any sign of human civilization. Because of this, it was surprising to see a place for someone to live. I do not know if there was currently someone living there, however this raised many questions.
Like the others, this outlandish finding was accompanied by many questions about its history. Perhaps someone lived in the building 100 years ago while living off of the land, maybe this too was built for a movie set and then never demolished. Or, there is a possibility that someone currently lives there and takes a private boat back and forth when they need to get groceries.