Rosie Lee x John Ross: Monument
Monument is a collaborative project between creative studio Rosie Lee and Photographer John Ross. Worth mentioning also that John Ross has a great new website. As Mark from RL explains;
'Monument borrows a casting process previously demonstrated in a 2010 Ross series Impressions. Lowering athletes into a 15 foot square trough full of fine grade flour, the resulting marks were lit and photographed from directly overhead - creating an optical illusion which presents the convex as the concave. In this new work, the technique is employed to record, preserve and honour athletic achievement. Through countless hours of intense physical sacrifice, the athlete strips their body of the superfluous, building a super-efficient machine purposed to a specific discipline - a swimmer’s unique shoulders, a fencer’s poise, the specific twist of the relay baton pass. Identifying a link between Greek sculpture and the alabaster-like visuals produced from this particular method of casting, Monument seeks to embody creativity and the spirit of the 2012 sporting calendar. Rosie Lee's attention to the minutiae of correct pose and form - in the final images the piping of a swimsuit, the stubble on a close-shaved head is recorded - is indirect homage to the unwavering dedication of the athlete as they train to be the best in their field'.