Programming Thanatos; Visual Exhibition, Part I.

PT ' Images Part 1 - Christopher Orchard - Research Statement for Peer Review of Creative Works.1. Research Background. - Field; The images within the exhibition make a contribution to the increasing body of knowledge of the work of mourning, in particular Robert Jay Liftons' social theory of 'symbolic immortality' and Jaques Derridas' 'gift of death'. - Context; The artist in this exhibition is exhibiting acts of false-hood within remembrance: dealing with the nature of the mortal self as a mutable existence. Interested in programming his own immortal self the artist uses the act of photography as an extension of self, a memento mori, a reminder that we all will inevitably die. - Research Question; Can the artist through a process of deliberate misrepresentation of self and subject create objects of memento mori in order outlive the true body individual. Can these objects that attest to false-hood deliver meaningful insight into the truth of the individual, and how much do we truly 'know' the artist.2. Research Contribution.The artist documented the Gothic subculture of regional Australia through a photographic eye depicting the individuals as marginalised, representational, fractured and ultimately fictitious versions of their real selves in order to create misleading memories, and misleading photographic-truths.In this way the artist directed and worked towards a deliberate re-programming of the knowledge of the individuals. Choosing what parts of the sitters to be remembered and which to be forgotten. The photographer in this instance exercises great power over the subject they are choosing to show.3. Research Evidence.This work made a significant contribution to the understanding of the role of Gothic and Heavy-metal subculture within regional Australia due to its meshing of genre and its diversity of ethnic and musical backgrounds. By choosing to show, or hide as each case permits certain truths about the individuals a fabricatedis presented, showing that to some degree the artist and creative individual has some control over at least a single element of creative immortality.Images from this exhibition were collected by the School of Visual and Performing Arts and can be found hung in the corridors of the schools facilities.