wall work musings

wall piece #3 detail 2007, pencil on wall

one of the issues i am having to deal with in working on the wall surrounds documentation. the last three pieces i have done on the wall have been in pencil, using a thin line. the work is discreet and subtle. standing at one end of the wall (it's at least 8 metres long, if not more) i am unable to see the work at the other end of the wall. the work becomes experiential. but it also raises a big question, how do i document the work. photos i have taken illustrate the problem. if the work is hard for the eye to see, how difficult will it be for a camera?

the above photo is of the most recent wall work. i've found that i need to take photos of details and sections. even then, with the position of the corridor i'm working in, taking a decent photo is tricky. i need to think about a couple of things, firstly the lighting, and secondly, it might be good for me to talk to someone who knows a bit more about photography. i'm not happy with the photos i'm taking at the moment.

the other reason documentation is important is because the work is temporary and site specific. a photograph will be the only means by which some people get to see the artwork. it will also end up being the only record i have of the work, so it's improtant to work some of this stuff out now.