"Music Mosaic"
By Matt Howe
By Matt Howe
Liminal space (n.)
"a state or place characterized by being transitional or intermediate in some way."
via Dictionary.com
Finding mystery in the mundane is a curious task. Backrooms by Futureville illuminates the progression of initially-seeming nothingness into a world of the unknown. With a backbone of low-bass notes layered with steady progression and crescendo, one can imagine themselves opening portals to new realities and spaces in time. Using pinks and purples against the monotone emptiness of an eerie laundromat, I wanted to incorporate the contrast between our reality and ones unimaginable. While staying in my grandparents' apartment for my grandmother’s funeral, I found myself exploring the amenities of the building. The laundry room had this strange feeling to it, like I had been there before while I knew I certainly hadn’t. It was a place I retreated to so I didn’t have to sit around and stare at all my grandmother's things. There was an emptiness to the room that was inviting – I knew I wanted to explore it more. The shadow figures on the walls represent something – grief – trying to make its way into my new place of solace. The darkened figure (my sister) represents that emptiness as well, taking up space in an already vacant place. That alternate reality is ‘dripping’ from her fingertips, or rather the shadow projections on the wall. This portal to other dimensions omits a bright glow, which is a common theme in album covers of songs that have this ‘ambient liminal’ sound. I wanted to incorporate those colors in my photos, using flashlights, lightroom, and photoshop editing.