Jason
Abma
Art
Hauntology suggests that our perception of the future is only conceivable by acting in retrospect to the past. My work presents a hypothetical future in which reality and virtual reality haunt each other in one simultaneous space. This future holds no strong grasp in reality, nor virtuality. Although focusing within this digital realm, the binary relationship of past and present is consequently blurred in my work as well.
My work starts digitally, as I create fabricated, virtual scenes. Moving forward, I combine this digital imagery with traditional practices such as painting, copper plate etching, or collagraph. Process is important in establishing the timeless, historical authority of my work. These techniques bring the digital images into a relatable context with regards to reality. The human touch creates memory about space, blurring reality and time.
My work portrays future real estate, in a world where space is limited. In this future, the only way to store your valuables is by uploading these tangible objects into the digital realm. For example, the houseplant is a recurring motif in my work, used as the stand in for the figure in these digitized spaces, and acting as the value of life transcending into digital storage. Similarly, aged television sets appear in juxtaposition to the houseplant, opening a dialogue between the visceral body of the plant, and the haunting presence of history and technology. This relationship legitimizes the character of the houseplant as the hopeless figure in a fabricated world.
Bibliography: Fisher, Mark. Ghosts of my Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology and Lost Futures. United Kingdom: John Hunt Publishing, 2014. Google Play Books.