My triptych features a notable interplay between abstraction and realism, highlighted through the distortion of familiar objects. I aimed to create this effect to emphasize movement and emotion, which I believe is successful due to the blurred and fragmented appearances of the swings and figures. My success criteria involved drawing inspiration from contemporary photographers who explore themes of memory and identity, and I think I was successful in capturing a sense of nostalgia and fleeting moments.

My original theme revolved around the concept of childhood and the passage of time. I believe I was able to encapsulate this idea through the use of swings—a symbol of play and innocence—that also evoke a sense of longing. Although the swings are ordinary, the distortion creates an almost dreamlike quality, emphasizing how memories can fade and become less clear over time. From this work, I hope viewers can reflect on their own childhood experiences and the emotions tied to those memories.

If I had more time, I would have liked to experiment with more variations of distortion and abstraction in other sets. I think next time I would want to be more deliberate in how my images interact with each other and deepen the connection between the themes of memory and identity.

Connection to Artist:

My triptych explores memory and childhood through distortion and abstraction, drawing strong inspiration from Jeff DuPonte’s photography. Like DuPonte, I used reflections and warped surfaces to turn ordinary subjects—swings—into emotional, dreamlike images.

Technique & Influence:

DuPonte’s work blends qualities of pictorialism and straight photography. His use of soft focus, distortion, and mood aligns with pictorialist ideas—where emotion and atmosphere matter more than clarity. At the same time, his images often capture unplanned, urban moments, a key trait of street photography.

Inspired by this, I used reflection, motion blur, and monochrome tones to create a painterly feel while still referencing real-life scenes. This helped me express how memories, like street scenes, are often fleeting and unclear.

Reflection:

Looking at DuPonte’s work helped me think more critically about how to use texture, shape, and light to tell a story. If I had more time, I would push the abstraction further and experiment with more deliberate compositions that enhance the theme of fading memories.