Reidar's goal is to create stories that elicit an emotional attraction or repulsion. Images that appear specific to the viewer’s but for each viewer, the story differs. I prefer invented stories on imaginary stages with flashes of surrealism and conceptualism. The joy and inspiration is not in the initial idea, rather it is the process of finding the models, assembling the sets, and working through a collaborative process that generates the final image to be presented to those willing to look.
Join us in discussion with Artist/Photographer Reidar Schopp, about two very special Photography Series, Shibari (Japanese Rope Bondage) his Boxed Series and the LB Shibari Dojo.
Reidar takes inspiration from photographer William Mortensen, 1897-1965, who Ansel Adams called the Antichrist.
On Mortensen, Reidar wrote; “His imagery was the first to stop me in my tracks. I loved the dark undertones, the stories he was telling ..."
Reidar’s current series necessitated his learning of Japanese Rope Bondage including suspensions. These series entitled “Renaissance Shibari” and “Vases” are his latest avenue of exploration into surrealism.
Find below, a listing of Reidar's recent photography series:
1. Boxed, The Life We Build for Ourselves - nearly complete with about 350 images
2. Life's Entanglements - Shibari series. Includes the subseries of the Renaissance Still Lifes and the Human Vase - created about 25 images so far
3. Starting the series of "franz xaver messerschmidt character heads" this will be about 90 images
4. Organized Chaos - forming random lights into mandulas and kaleidoscopic images - About 30 images
5. Musical Instruments - applying pieces of instruments to a human body to become that instrument and have another play them - Only 2 have been created. I need musical instruments to continue creating this series.
6. 180 Degrees of Portraiture - Infrared portraits where a 1st time model is asked to bring an object that is very emotional to them, either good or bad emotions.
https://www.instagram.com/rlsfoto/