RYAN BELNAP

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Ryan Belnap

The transformation of object to subject is central to Ryan Belnap's work. Creating pinhole cameras from everyday products, such as Brasso, he offers a record of the impact of commercialism on contemporary life. As the title of the photograph indicates, All from Brasso, the product records it surroundings and its participation in the marketing of consumer society. Long exposure times capture the swirling activity, lights, and color that mark the aisles of products. Here, the camera is what it "sees." Most recently, by wearing the camera, the artist literally has extended objecthood to himself. In Camera Man, he placed pinhole cameras in a vintage suit and in the romantic accoutrements of a nineteenth century dandy, including a pocket watch, fountain pen, and cigarette case. Thus attired, Belnap's role as the photographer is subverted by his costumed performance, yet the resulting images document all that was subjected to his gaze.