Ralph Borland

I really enjoyed the work of Ralph Borland. He had some brilliant work which I can connect with. There are a few projects I particularl admire. 'Pattern' is a work in which he tracks a pattern which turns up all over the world, he documents this through photography. I really like this project as I am interested in the idea of taking one phenomena and tracking it to see what it reveals about what surrounds it. Ralph is also interested in the idea of creating an obsessive compendium of one foral category, like the photosgraphs by Bernd and Hilla Becher.



Another project Ralph is participating in is a Proposal for Clinton St. It is a site which is going to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the demolising of this block of apartments. His idea for the project is to create a ghost channel (for something that is no longer there) it is a radio station which plays the sound of rain. On the website there are full details of the proposal and of the story behind it. I do like the concept of looking to recover stories and histories from the past in which still have bearing on our present.

Another concept I found interesting is called 'Sideshow'. This is where Ralph basically created a space where artists could come together and make work and have discussions and become a community.

SmSage
A surveilence camera is placed above a parking lot and people can send messages to it and the camera creates its own 'poetry' out of the messages it receives and recites them to the public.



RALPH BORLAND