It’s not that I’m Obsessed with you

Part I

‘I do not know which of us has written this text.’ – Jorge Luis Borges

1995: Over the course of several months, from a convenient vantage point I witness a pimply young guy with spiky hair and a black overcoat, stalking behind a fountain; watching and waiting outside the cafe I work at. Invariably he is an ex-boyfriend, consumed with abjection and obsessive behaviour.

2006: I keep crossing paths with an obsessive compulsive man. I met him at a fast food restaurant. He intelligent and interesting to talk with. After a short conversation he bids me farewell, leaves, then promptly returns three or more times. He twitches while repositioning his chair.

Part II

‘The thing that matters is not what they show me but what they hide from me
and, above all, what they do not suspect is in them.’ – Robert Bresson

It is no secret that a large portion of art’s overriding narratives have become historicized, a by-product of the structural politics which played a large role in the late modern era conceptual works of the 1960’s and 70’s. The modernist abstraction of representation from the historical discourse that came first has served more as a refresher than death knell however, enabling a new generation as the radical commentary of the 60’s and 70’s was gradually institutionalized.

Re-personalizing photography as a critical voice operating regardless of boundaries, whether in galleries or fashion magazines, is in no small part due to the influence of theories like that summarized in Roland Barthes 1968 essay ‘Death Of The Author’. Barthes theory comprehensively questioned the importance of the artist, emphasizing the experience of the viewer as primary. Never less than a complex subject, photography is refreshed in such light and freed to access the full range of obsessive undercurrents that ultimately sustain inspiration, providing glimpses of reality – however distorted it may be.

It’s Not That I’m Obsessed With You represents the 16 graduating students of Unitec’s 2006 Bachelor of Design Photography pathway. Showcasing a wide range of styles and influences, the intrusive and obsessive nature of photography is explored, no doubt unveiling several potentially important new artistic voices.

Matt Blomeley