Evan Baden

Photography is the Message: Evan Baden the Messenger

A response to Baden's work

I am inspired by Baden's work yet leaving room for criticism. His use of the available media is fascinating, and his understanding of the technological world is definitely present in his work.

Here is the link to his works.

                                                                  Photo in Illuminati by Evan Baden

In his project Illuminati, one of his earliest works, is the most fascinating project to me because of his use of lighted and dark spaces. A juxtaposition that contributes to his message about the social and isolating aspects of the media.

Another element that I appreciate is the fact that in Illuminati, he does not categorize the use of media as a positive or negative aspect of our society, or at least the viewer can create his or her own opinions about the subject.

His work reminds me pretty much of the idea of the "Anti-social" observed by McLuhan in his work "The medium is the massage." In the picture above specifically there is a sense of physical isolation but a virtual social interaction with a somewhat metaphysical world that can be shared with other individuals or with oneself. Although I would disagree with the idea that media cannot produce a social "physical" space where people interact with other people in the non-virtual world (to avoid saying the 'real' world), I would recognize that Evan Baden does a wonderful job presenting an "anti-social" element of a medium that is some times considered as globally social.

(I know I focused on one of his projects, I am still thinking over what to make of his later projects, Technically Intimate, and Under the Influence. But I think that will require more research from my part).