LESS OBVIOUS COLLABORATION
“I don’t know for sure, but I suspect “does not work well with others,” was a common theme on my childhood school reports. I’ve always been an independent thinker, not much of a rule follower, and generally the type who values time alone. I process information slowly, can be stubborn and scatterbrained, and I’m paralyzed by the possibility of conflict. You could say it’s taken longer than normal for me to learn the choreography of collaboration.”
At the same time, I feel a strong pull to connection and am drawn to intersections. Math, meh. Philosophy, slightly less meh. The intersection of math and philosophy? Now you’ve got my attention — even when I might not understand any of it. For me, these intersections represent common ground and tension resolved.
My friend Jenny is someone who, for one reason or another, accepted my inconsistency and quirk since way back in our days as college roommates. My kids joke that Jenny is my personal curator and that without her I’d be lost in a sea of too many possibilities — they are not wrong. To put it in photog-terms, she is an uber multi-dimensional creative with a gift for choosing what makes it into life’s frame and what gets cropped. As someone who is constantly overwhelmed by too much input, I aspire to unlock her code. Luckily, until I do, she’s happy enough to just filter for me.
Among the many other things on which she can speak intelligently (books, art, design, fashion…), Jenny is a music lover extraordinaire. I am not a musician and I can’t exactly describe her approach to music appreciation, but I do feel the role music plays in my everyday and I value the way music connects people and ideas. I don’t know music the way Jenny does, I don’t have the attention span to stay on top of the latest releases and I am terrible at remembering names, but I will listen to most any playlist she sends my way. It’s a win-win: I don’t have to think too much about assembling my own playlists and she doesn’t have to think too much about the long-term effects of me staying stuck in the 90’s (zig-a-zig-ahhh).
A while ago, I convinced Jenny to indulge me in an experiment: She would create a playlist of 52 songs and I would create a photograph inspired by each song. I can’t remember how far into the project I got before distraction prevailed, but it was fun … and the playlist was fantastic.
At the beginning of this year I asked for another 52 songs and again Jenny humored me. Only this time, she decided to have a little fun of her own and she raised the bar with a list of music she knew would throw me completely out of my comfort zone. It has been HARD, but it has pushed me toward the type of images I subconsciously wanted to create — pictures I may have been afraid to make.
inspired by: Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays (Unknown Mortal Orchestra)
inspired by: Beam Me Up (Django Django)
inspired by: Exploration (The Karminsky Experience Inc.)
inspired by: Deadly Valentine (Charlotte Gainsbourg, Soulwax)
It is going to take me way longer than 52 weeks to complete this series, but I’m sticking with it. Here’s what I’m learning:
The neuroscience behind music is fascinating. This is material for another blog post, but suffice it to say that music lights up many parts of the brain, including emotion and memory. Not a bad tool to have in your kit when you’re trying to make a picture that resonates.
In much the same way that music can arouse memories, I believe unfamiliar music can simulate new environments. In doing so, it can push you to see something for the first time, even when your actual surroundings haven’t changed. I’ve often found that my favorite images or my best inspiration for pictures come when I am traveling. Though I can’t travel everyday, I can find a new song and challenge myself to create a new picture inspired by that newly discovered tune.
It is indeed possible to work independently, together. Child development experts point to a phase of early childhood where children will play in parallel—they are aware of other’s presence and indeed may enjoy sharing the same space. They may be interested in what the other is doing but they are engaged in each their own activities. While I’m not suggesting we all go back to the ways of toddlers (though I could argue there’s a lot we can learn from them), I do think there’s a place for finding collaborative projects that provide a mix of together and alone work.
The whole is often greater than the sum of the parts. Letting someone else into your creative space doesn’t have to mean turning your life upside down (although, if that’s what works for you, by all means). It also doesn’t have to mean relinquishing creative license. Finding collaborative partnerships based on mutual respect can translate into opportunities to explore beyond the limits of your typical creative expression.
The next time you’re stuck in a rut or simply looking for an artistic jolt, consider partnering with another creative soul, maybe even someone who can help you tap into a different medium. Look for intersections between photography and other expressions of art. Consider the interplay of art and science. Read a book that has nothing to do with your work. Go to a museum. Dance a little (or a lot). Those intersections are rich with possibility, complexity, and depth.
And if you decide to go the music route, Jenny came through yet again and made us a short list to get the ball rolling. Your challenge can start with these five tracks. I’ll be playing along…over here.
Incapable – Edit (Róisín Murphy)
White Gloves (Khruangbin)
Bombs Away (Charlotte Gainsbourg)
What’s the Time? (Blancmange)
Fists of Fury (Kamasi Washington)
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Michelle is a New England-based photographer whose work includes fine art, dance, and portrait photography.
