About Us

Camera Records in Time was formed in the summer of 2009 out of a desire to create an environment where photographers can habitually come together to support one another artistically and receive feedback about their work.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Israel - Scarred Land: By Beth A. Gilbert

Beth A. Gilbert's photographs are primarily landscape based, dealing with the environment and the ways in which human beings affect it. One major influence reflected in the subject matter of her photographs is her interest and background in political science. Her images have also been inspired by the work of Jem Southam, whose photographs capture a balance of the natural landscape and the intervention of man within it, following the cycles of decay and renewal, documenting the changes over days, months and years.

Trench Entrance, Ramat Rachel, Jerusalem, Israel 2010  Beth A. Gilbert © 2012
Since the focus of Beth's imagery relies heavily on society and civilization’s impact upon the environment, she is sensitive to her process being as non-invasive as possible- staying true to the unaltered landscape. She has a desire for her photographs to be ‘pure’, as in true to the original medium. Beth's employment of a traditional tool of landscape photography, the 4x5 camera, and using minimal alterations to compliment her ideology fits in well with her artistic expression and vision. In 2010, she decided to take her ventures in photography further, and extended her vision to Israel. 

Barbed Wire Thicket, Dead Sea, Israel 2010  Beth A. Gilbert © 2012
Debris, IDF Firing Zone, Gamla, Israel 2010  Beth A. Gilbert © 2012
The photographs in this series entitled Scarred Land, which were all produced in Israel, deal with war, the damage it inflicts upon the terrain, and the natural recovery over time. The battle sites and military training zones depicted have not memorialized or preserved by human beings in any way, and are now naturally recovering from the inflicted trauma as well as being reclaimed by the earth.  
 

Destroyed Syrian Structure, Golan Heights, Israel, 2010  Beth A. Gilbert © 2012

Beth has chosen to focus on war zones to show the viewer that this is how we, as human beings, treat each other and the planet that we inhabit. We view ourselves as a species better than the rest because we have a level of consciousness that allows for individuality and creativity. These attributes, among many others, enable us to create/invent ever growing ways in which to better our lives.

A Different Viewpoint, Golan Heights, Israel 2010  Beth A. Gilbert © 2012
In Beth’s opinion, it is due to this consciousness that we should know better than to wage wars against one another based on land, power, ideology, or even religion. Through our technology and the methods in which we implement it to harm each other, we are in turn destroying our planet. Eventually, we will be the means to our own end.

Fire Ravaged Valley, Gamla, Israel 2010  Beth A. Gilbert © 2012

3 comments:

  1. I never noticed the rock hanging in the barbed wire! It goes against what we think of natural, but I guess that's the nature of that landscape.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i want to write more, but i'm a little burnt... i've had a spurt of crit. BUT!
    Debris, yes! Syrian thing after- ohhhhh YES!!!!! love it.
    will write more later.

    ReplyDelete

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