Allyson Monson’s vintage New York ticket imagery takes on new depth on clear acrylic. Blazing Editions printed the images on the second surface, left transparent borders that reveal the wall behind, and recessed the aluminum inset mounts so the hardware stays hidden.

Colored Reflective Images: Bodyscapes & Portraits

This project started as a homework assignment for the online class From Concept to Presentation.  I started with one mirror.  Utilizing complementary colors, I explored the combinations of orange and blue, red and green, and yellow and purple.  I tried one color, and I tried off-color combinations.  Ultimately, the complementary combinations were the best, and I gravitated to orange and blue, my two favorite colors.

 I wanted to create an image that stood out from old concepts. I first was more concerned about bodyscape.  In the past, a bodyscape was a naked body in black and white with the edge of the form lit with harsh white light.  I wanted to add color and show multiple facets of the body in one image, thus the mirror.  All these images are created in a camera utilizing colored strobes and mirrors.  I also wanted to develop a sense of confusion as a photograph invokes you to question what is happening.

I started with nude models.  They created significant confusion.  Then I wanted more structure and form and moved to dancers, creating striking shapes. One mirror was fascinating, even though something was missing.  I added a second mirror; the confusion was terrific.  As we are in a society always wanting more, I added a third mirror, and the illusion was mind-blowing.

Ultimately, what you see is what I and the camera saw - confusion, beauty, form, color, and multiple facets of a person or body.

While working on the bodyscape, I would also take some time and photograph portraits of the models and dancers.  These were revealing as you can see two different sides of a person.  The images lead to a movie poster and an album cover.

I hope you enjoy this fascinating world I created.