Photographing texts - text in Image

A recent image has brought up some questions about the content of my works and the content of the entire body of work;

No Development

 













Quite obviously this piece contains the text "No development". I am considering whether this piece should be in the project or not. 

Why deliberate? 

Firstly, the inclusion of words sets up a different form of message to the purely visual, or more precisely adds another layer of syntax to the image. The viewer is most likely drawn to the sign and reads it, dominating the initial response and colouring all subsequent responses to the visual content of the picture. "No development" will echo across the image, closing off other possible readings, readings available to those that understand the English language, that is. In this sense the words add a cultural context, the image is most likely somewhere that is English speaking. 

Secondly, "No development" could colour the subsequent meaning of other works in the project, having resonances beyond this single image into the overall body of work. In this case the obvious message of "no development" could be misread as meaning that I, the author of this work, has this viewpoint, either specifically or generally. The fact is I have no opinion to the specifics here, in keeping with my ethos of not documenting places, but investigating spatial and temporal nuance in land as a general concept applicable to all spaces. Rather I am fascinated by the processes of change, not in forming opinions as to relative merits of these changes either specifically or generally. The viewer will draw their own conclusions of specifics, according to their own political stance, and their own experiences in life. 

It is worth considering using  text in this work, in the overall context of the project, may help to subtly focus the meaning. There is a need to give viewers ways in to the project, to narrow down meanings as much as leave them open. The question is how much do I wish to do this? It is walking a tightrope, too much and the viewer shuts off, too little and there is a lack of understanding.

The process of editing these works will define the tightrope this project walks, so for now the image stays.

Later additional notes on 5th July 2013

This work is no longer part of In Flux and has subsequently formed part of another body of work, entitled Hinterlands.