Depth of Field – Archie Moore
If I could be you and you could be me for just one hour,
If we could find a way to get inside each other's mind,
If you could see me through your eyes instead of your ego,
I believe you'd be surprised to see you'd been blind.
Joe South, 1969.
The photographic term Depth of Field technically refers to when the diaphragm of a camera lens is shut down and reduces the light let in but to allow as many objects within the frame over the longest distance to be in focus. Paradoxically the less light on the subject the more objects within the frame environment are brought into sharp focus and in a clear relation to each other. With the diaphragm wide open and light flooding in only one subject dominantly is in focus against a blurred background – ego is central and nothing-else matters. Culturally what we see is reflections of ourselves and not really the other who remain a stereotyped blur.
For better or worse how we see things is a culturally engrained vision, and can we create an awareness of this and can we escape it. When asked what was at the heart of Depth of Field Archie Moore paused for a moment before thoughtfully replying; 'most probably I'd just like people to stand in the other's [my] shoes for a moment'. The show follows on from most of his previous brutally and painfully blunt but honest statements; sketches on paper of a painful break-up, a stretched naked self-portrait and the displaced Aboriginal man removed from the colonial landscape image [A light-box projection called '/E', Q.U.T. Art Museum in 2005]. In 2000 his blackboard size-sign of the word BOONG suggested and attempted a reclaiming of what was and is a racist derogatory insult in the way that African-Americans have, in some context, moved the word 'nigger', from a negative to a positive - Australia is not America of course [yet]. Usually such bare lonely personal statements are seen as unpleasant and shunned, hardly reviewed and certainly never sold or acquired.
Once upon a time the term artist denoted a painter, a sculptor, or a print-maker or craft person. Archie Moore works with just about every type of material and optical device in making his expression. Seemingly just found everyday untilitarian objects, whether by design or not, they have a industrial like emotionally cold feel. This show works at a more complex level on racist stereotypes and asks can they be ever be harmless humour: where is the line crossed? Challenges begin with physical effort, physical perceptions, personal perceptions, and social norms. By clever contrivance within the art playing on the line of sight in the mounting the viewer is forced into a cross between the Ministry of Silly Walks, and a form of coercive behavior. Through forcing the viewer into uncomfortable, vulnerable and just plain ridiculous body positions Archie is attempting to show how to some extent, we can all be complicit in continued racial, sexist and other stereotyping. The actions although physically awkward, they really point to the strong psychological discomfort felt by the 'other' within a still largely white Australia. These discriminations still exist, and are starkly visible to the other in Australian society. It doesn't take the events on Palm Island to experience this; because I didn't look 'white Australian enough' security attempted to turn me away from an opening I was invited to [from an institution I'd worked with for over ten years]. Moore softens the blow maybe too much by turning each expression into a light joke so that it's at the opposite end of scale in intensity that is generated in say Jane Elliott's Blue Eyes – Brown Eyes workshops. Though each work is an optical and cultural trick or tease and interesting as an exercise it is tinged with a thin edge of sarcasm, and even anger.
I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you,
Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you.
Bob Dylan, Positively Fourth Street, 1965.
Djon Mundine OAM - Independant Art Curator