From the Archives

My life has slowed in its tracks, following the 7.1 earthquake we had last weekend and the hundreds of aftershocks since.  The university break has been extended for two weeks, and I've been spending more time twiddling my thumbs than usual.

Unlike other photographers who have been out with their cameras, I've been quite content to stay at home. Without any new photos, I'll share some self portraits from last year:

(Victoria Park, atop the Port Hills overlooking Christchurch)

From the Archives

This is part of a small body of work I produced last year at art school.  I exhibited 10 captioned photographs on kodak metallic paper (captions on watercolour paper put through photocopier).  This was complemented by a presentation of 80 mounted slides, which was programmed to show every 15 minutes (which was often left running overnight when I forgot to turn off the slide projector and computer controlling it).

I asked the people posing for these photographs to complete a short quiz that would identify their personality type.  This idea came from the flurry of quizzes and tests that appeared on Facebook, which were dubious in quality.  The results were surprisingly accurate, though I rewrote them to be a little more fitting, and to balance the positive and less positive aspects of the sitter's personalities.

I was quite proud of the lighting, these were taken in a studio with white walls.  It took hours.

INTERROGATION

Andy J. Tan

Intrigued by the way a person's appearance in a 

photograph can reflect their character, the artist has 

asked his subjects to complete 20-question quizzes to 

determine their personality type.  By doing this, the 

artist hopes viewers will draw their own conclusions 

regarding the results of the interrogation, deciding 

whether the subjects' character is reflected in their 

outward appearance.

Idealist

Idealists put time and energy into developing 

personal values that they use as a guide through life.  

They may seek fulfillment by helping others to 

improve themselves and often want to make the 

world a better place.  Idealists only share their inner 

values with people they respect.

They are typically easy-going and flexible, but if 

their values are challenged they may refuse to compromise.

From the Archives

Architecture is one of those subjects that I enjoy, but don't understand.  I often take photos of the inside and outside of buildings, and I like them, but it's difficult for me to figure out why I like the pictures.  Buildings have lines and shapes that make them interesting, with symmetrical and asymmetrical aspects that change with our differing perspective, depending on where we're standing.  Buildings can be appreciated in reality and in pictures, but often in pictures we isolate certain elements of interest, and we can eliminate the context that is the surrounding area.

HSBC Building (under construction), Christchurch

2008

From the Archives

From a short project at art school

Erskine & Commerce buildings, University of Canterbury

2009