Photo by the artist herself, Dita Kubin.

“I don’t know much about Art, but I know what I like.” This phrase, repeated countless times in one form or another, was actually coined over a century ago. My version would be “I don’t know much about photography, but I know what I like” which, I must admit, applied to me at least until a few years ago. That is until I met the most talented of photographers who, with time, changed my view and understanding of the art form, and allowed me to appreciate and admire her creative process and the stunning visual results.

The artist in question is Dita Kubin, a Montreal-based artist who, in the course of the last couple of years, has received much attention for her photographic work. In particular, a series of black and white portraits entitled “Recollections” has garnered numerous international awards and much critical acclaim. The full title of the project, “Memory Streams and the Reconstructed Portrait”, provides insight into her artistic intentions as well as revealing her interest in the nature of memory and its relationship to space-time. Having been lucky enough to observe how some of these works were created, the importance of multi-dimensionality (the three spatial dimensions as well as that of time) to the conception of the project became clear. This is not obvious for a medium often seen as clearly two-dimensional.

The models, always solitary, were chosen amongst friends, acquaintances and strangers. Once a basic concept for a photographic work was formulated, many shots were taken over a short period of time using traditional black and white film. In some instances, several sessions were involved, generating numerous series of images which were then all scanned and the next creative step initiated. Through careful overlapping of the individual shots in a process of controlled improvisation, the captured span of time is fused into a single visual moment, just as a memory often consists of a sole mental image constructed from the many collected by the observer’s mind over a period of time. The final product of this painstaking procedure is a coherent visual work which in no manner betrays it’s composite nature. The portraits truly capture the uneven nature of visual memory, contrasting sharp details, be it an eye or hand, with less defined, blurred areas. Strong foreshortening often adds a sense of proximity. Unlike photographs which capture “an instant in time”, Dita’s work encapsulates the period during which the mind gathers and processes a stream of images which, after mental editing, congeal into a concise memory which often emphasizes one particular facet of the subject, something existing beyond the temporal realm. The results are truly beautiful.

Photo by Dita Kubin.

More recently, Dita has added colour to her portrait work in a continuation of this project which has led, in turn, to a new creative endeavour. These newer photographs center on the theme of self-image and the letting go of the myriad of ways in which we deal with both negative and positive feelings as to how others perceive us. Admittedly a difficult act, Dita challenged herself by exploring nude self-portraits, confronting herself as a person stripped of the protective layers we, or more precisely women, use to alter or conceal who they are physically. In her own words, “What is this avoidance in women to look at themselves as they are? What would happen if I confronted this woman body that I am, and how would this confrontation unfold?” Indeed, this confrontation mediated by her camera has resulted in another stunning series of images – sensual and provocative, yet honest in its very personal examination of the struggle of a woman confronting her physical self in a world where this truth is often obscured by emotions, modified by dress and skewed by social conventions, all distorting the true image. Not limited to self-portraits or nudes, this recent endeavour will explore the issues of physical self-image in other individuals as well, underlining how different this confrontation can be from woman to woman. The results are sure to be striking.

Whether you are a well-versed connoisseur of the photographic medium or someone like myself who simply enjoys images, I encourage you to visit Dita’s website (www.phudge.ca). She is a consummate artist who stubbornly adheres to her artistic vision, constantly questioning the nature of the world around her and our perception of it. Through her lens, we can often see not only an image but an exploration of how we observe and process the river of visual information which confronts us constantly. Thanks to her, the phrase which opened this text no longer applies to my relationship to photography, at least not the first half of it. As far the second goes, “like” is much too weak a word to describe my sentiments towards Dita Kubin’s creations and her integrity as an artist.

Written by,
Stephen H. Kawai