Sun

Every time I tell people that I am a conceptual artist by training, they often ask me what conceptual art is. Having minored in Contemporary Art in college, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to a unique side of human expression that not only utilizes various mediums, but also examines hot button issues in an inter-disciplinary approach that encompasses my social science background. 

This photography piece, titled “Sun,” is a prime example of conceptual art, as well as how conceptual art can be combined with Sociology to further expand the discourse. 

I created this work in 2018 when my friend Evan and I decided to do a weekly art assignment challenge to keep us on our toes. The first week’s open-ended assignment was “Sun.” The only rule was that we were not allowed to portray the title in direct ways, such as taking a head-on photo of the sun. After all, conceptual art is all about discussing the nuances of intended topics, instead of merely depicting them. Buckle up -- this is the type of critique session that actually goes on in college art classes: 

In the first photo, the figure is facing down in bed, appearing to be asleep. There is a tuna sandwich and a pickle next to him — they are the formal elements of this image. Overall, this image is extremely odd, because “sleep,” in American culture, is often associated with either the time of morning or night. Among those two options, the morning seems most likely, due to the bright lighting in the room. Morning and night are dictated by sunlight, and our behavior changes depending on the position of the sun, which determines time. Tuna sandwiches and pickles are often considered lunch, not breakfast, which causes a different conflict with the idea of sleeping and the idea of morning. In other words, the appearance of lunch food indicates that the time is around noon, when the sun is in the middle of the sky at its brightest. These cultural symbols and social implications are the informal elements. 

In the second photo, the figure is awake, however, not dressed. The fact that he is only in his underwear also hints at either morning or night. The lighting suggests that the scenario had likely taken place in the morning. Eggs are seen as breakfast food, and nothing besides food. It is odd to see intact eggs to be away from the kitchen and in bed. However, the idea of breakfast is consistent with the figure’s half-nakedness at hinting the photo was taken in the morning when the sun was just rising. 

Looking at these images side by side, the viewers are forced to question the authenticity of one of them. The first image is darker in exposure, but the tuna sandwich suggests it is already noon and the lighting should be brighter. The figure being asleep seems to be consistent with the darker lighting if the photo was indeed taken in the morning. The second photo was exposed brighter, which is likely taken later than the first photo, but the figure’s half-nakedness and the presence of breakfast food strongly contradict such notion by suggesting that the scenario had taken place in the early morning. 

In the end, whichever image the viewers consider to be authentic, all the elements, formal and informal, hint at a crucial fact that our culture and our behavior revolve around time. Time is also indicated by the lighting of the sky. And the lighting of the sky is determined by not just the positioning of the sun, but also the very existence of the sun itself. 

That is a brief overview of the thought process behind a conceptual artwork.