Poignant Portfolio no. 29: Walter Plotnick
Surprise Inside
Too Much Fun
My photographic collages serve as a metaphor for anticipation, those moments when the unknown is being revealed. Pivotal moments when life turns a corner into new and exciting phases, a heightening of our awareness that brings us fully into the moment of discovering what's next.
The implied act of opening the boxes, releases the energy of the occupants, allowing them to take flight. The people and objects confined within, through the simple act of unfolding, are exposed revealing what was previously hidden.
Acrobats, circus performers, and divers come flying out of the opened boxes, all performing daring acts that most people would be hesitant to perform, but we find them exhilarating to observe. I try to convey excitement, and energy in images that are playful, expressive, and nostalgically bring the viewer back to the joyful moments of anticipation felt in childhood.
Abracadabra
The sense of nostalgia evoked in the graphic synthesis of these images is augmented through the use of a wash of warm sepia tones that permeate the images. There is also a visual correlation between inhabitants of the boxes and the boxes themselves. The folds of the boxes having a quality not unlike origami, is reflected in the contortionist-like bending of the human forms within.
The unusual and dissimilar combination of people and cardboard boxes is visually unified through the repetition of angles. Despite pairing such disparate elements, I bring them together harmoniously to form images with visual impact, and are frankly, fun to look at.
–Walter Plotnick
[clicking on a thumbnail will open a lightbox]
About the Artist
Walter Plotnick is a USA photo-based artist who lives and works in the Philadelphia, PA area. He received his MFA from the University of the Arts and BFA from Tyler School of Art. Mr. Plotnick is a Senior Lecturer in the Fine Arts Department at Penn State University/Abington.
From the Editor
Greetings friends,
Happy first day of summer. Today I’m pleased to share the whimsical work of Walter Plotnick. I was introduced to this series during the jury process for Photolucida’s Critical Mass in 2020 and I was delighted to see it make it into the top 50. Each year I make a list of folks that I’d like to showcase in our projects and Surprise Inside was one of those series I had noted. Coincidentally, I later received a submission from Plotnick for Poignant Portfolios and of course did not hesitate to respond with a resounding “Yes”.
I need Surprise Inside right now. Life seems intense lately and this series not only lightens the mood but is also a nod to history. If you’re a reader of our site or Diffusion, you’re familiar with our unconventional aesthetic and Surprise Inside is no exception. Plotnick’s playful and nostalgic series marries content and process without being too gimmicky. If you’d like to find out more about this work and the artist process please check out this recent Catalyst interview he did with Michael Kirchoff. Please also check out his Circus series that helps place this work in context, I believe this was the first Plotnick series I was exposed to. Thank you Walter for this huge breath of fresh air!
–Blue Mitchell