VACMA: The Circle Remains - Adam Clarke

The Circle Remains project explored the ephemeral interactions between human presence and the natural environment. The work aimed to create a dialogue between transience and permanence through physical gestures, digital augmentation, and photographic capture. 

Using the award, I developed a series of environmental artworks, including large-scale traced circles with a gymnastics ribbon, augmented reality experiments, and photographic compositions. The funding covered the purchase of materials, travel to various sites across Orkney, and the costs of producing high-quality photographic prints and augmented reality elements.

During this project, I learned about advanced photographic print techniques and refined my skills in using high-resolution AI removal tools in Photoshop. This experience has inspired me to explore larger-format landscape photography and consider investing in higher-resolution digital cameras.

The rapid advancement of AI tools, such as those now available on smartphones, has disrupted traditional ideas of authenticity and challenged preconceived notions about photography’s role in truth-telling. The project sparked meaningful discussions about the intersection of AI and photography, particularly how AI’s capabilities relate to artistic authenticity. 

While some audience members found the AI component fascinating, misconceptions about AI’s role in art-making were evident. These discussions paralleled photography’s historical tension between realism and manipulation, reinforcing my belief that photography is, and always has been, a tool for crafting images rather than capturing objective truths.

I held an exhibition at The Loft Gallery in the Hope, where the public responded with curiosity and interest. Visitors appreciated the thoughtful nature of the work and engaged with its themes. While the exhibition did not result in sales, it provided valuable insights into audience reception and helped me gauge the contemplative impact of the pieces.

The award provided the time and resources needed to realise this project.  It enabled me to focus on producing and refining my work and experiment with techniques and ideas that would not have been possible otherwise.