'The Vast Expanse'

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

2010-09-08T06:09:00.005+04:00

Thank you so much for your support. I am not posting anymore at this blog as for the meantime this project is at a halt, but you can see alot of my latest work on my website at http://www.altamashurooj.com

Hopefully will be starting another blog soon through my website, have been planning it but been quite swamped and lazy.

I will leave you with the final piece of The Vast Expanse Series : Quandary

http://www.altamashurooj.com

http://www.facebook.com/altamashurooj for regular updates

shoot@altamashurooj.com

Peace and love !

Love is Noise.

2008-12-04T18:32:00.002+04:00

The Final Three Images...

that hung in the gallery on December 1st. We had a great opening, huge crowd and great response. My appreciation for everyone who came, including my parents, who flew in from Karachi just for the opening.

Two days left for the exhibition, those of you who missed it MUST check it out !

Anyone reading this?

Haha. cheers everyone. I'll post some images of the gallery soon.

Tower of Souls.

2008-11-11T01:35:00.006+04:00

My visuals have changed considerably since I started off with this project and I
have settled on one wall/tower of souls.

It will still be called the Vast Expanse as a project as it is still based off the experimentation
I did, but Tower of souls has a ring to it that really fits.

So that is the basis of the images I shall be displaying in the Gallery on the first. Similar towers of figures. About 3 for certain. maybe more.

.......and teeming with souls it shall ever be.

There are alot of other photographs that I have neglected to put up on the blog, sort of on purpose as they don't work and I am constantly reminded to self edit.

So enough !

Burj Souls is where I'm headed.

Rouh Emarat.

Go back to sleep.

I know the pieces fit

2008-10-29T02:15:00.000+04:00

Progress Images....................................................................................................behind the scenes.

The time has come for me to halt experimentation and connect the strands of my project that are starting to go a bit haywire and tie them together into a cohesive entity. The way my conceptual drive has worked, I feel that my thoughts on the human condition that I am expressing through my imagery has effected me to a great extent, my project IS the human condition. Im confused, lost, powerful, mislead, angry, sad, in love.

I fear for my project's strength being marginalized, So I am going to take a few days off from my daily life ( yes that means friends and fun ) and revitalize it with new vigour.

I also have so much on my plate right now I dont know what to eat, and Ive ended up starved for the past few weeks. PechaKucha Up next ! Excited about it, and working on something to make it a little interesting for viewers ( no dozers will be in my crowd ! )

Expect more thoughts and less images. I have stopped shooting and taken some time to distance myself from my project ( just a week ) and now Im getting back in to see where I really am. We get lost again and again, and finding our way out is not the key, a fresh perspective back in is what I'm aiming for.

The Vast Expanse

2008-10-23T01:48:00.000+04:00

I acknowledge the privilege of being alive
In a human body at this moment,

Endowed with senses, memories, emotions, thoughts, And the space of mind in its wisdom aspect.

It is the prayer of my innermost being
To realize my supreme identity
In the liberated play of consciousness,
The Vast Expanse.

Now is the moment,
Here is the place of Liberation.

Witness the contents of mind,
The visions and sounds, the thoughts,
As clouds passing through the vast expanse -
The sky-like nature of mind.

The rootedness of Being is in emptiness,
clarity and awareness:

Unborn, unspoilt, stainlessly pure.

The infinite vibratory levels,
The dimensions of interconnectedness
Are without end.

There is nothing independent.
All beings and things are residents
in your awareness.

I subject my awareness to the perfection of being,
The perfection of wisdom and perfection of love,
All of these being co-present in the Vast Expanse.

I share this panorama of Being
And appreciate all I can share it with...

The seamless interweaving of consciousness
With each moment
Create perfection wherever you go
With your awareness.

That is why this teaching is admired by artists--
They sense the correctness of the response
to life as creative.

Life is infinite creative play.

Enjoyment and participation in this creative play
Is the artists profound joy.

We co-author every moment
With universal creativity.

To bare our souls is all we ask,
To give all we have to life
And the beings surrounding us.

Here the nature spirits are intense
And we appreciate them, make offerings to them--
These nature spirits who call us here--
Sealing our fate with each other, celebrating our love.

I am an intersecting kaleidoscope of Being
In a rainbow refractive wave pattern:

A corpuscle of light on the ocean...
The transparency of my body with the rocks...

Sometimes the only way to summarize my feelings
is to draw--

To collapse the frenzy in my limbs enough
To make a mark out of profound appreciation
For my existence.

Share your presence with others, no boundaries,
Completely openly lovingly.

Love is what makes us alive,
That is why we feel so alive when we love.
Service is being available to love.

Life is the combustion of love.

That we love ourselves here,
That is the true magnificence
In the mountains of being.

We are constantly drawing the line between
love and not love--
Enter into the Non-duality Zone.

All judgements dissolve in the Vast Expanse.

It's as though we are co-conspirators of consciousness--
Everyone, everywhere, everywhen,
Mixing up our openable minds.

It's as though we could gather clouds in the sky
And people into our lives.

Like an eruption of consciousness,
We discover the source of love.

Experience yourself as the Source
And appreciate every moment as perfection.

Sunrise--Sunset.
Thank you, Thank you, Creator;
Profound unstoppable connectedness of all beings,
Pattern to everything, most radical no-thing,

The Vast Expanse.

Alex Grey August 22,1994

#41

2008-10-21T07:17:00.001+04:00

For you I was a flame..... Love is a losing game.
Five story fire as you came....Love is a losing game.

.........................What I give to you is just what I'm going through
This is nothing new, no, no just another phase of finding
what I really need is what makes me bleed..............

50 points for finding out who's words those are and from where and what it means to you .

Just tell me how it tastes already.
I'm sick of cooking for you.
The chips are down.

The Butcher's Shop.

2008-10-21T06:28:00.000+04:00

you sit on a wooden table watching me sharpen my knives closely. fresh cut meat lying all around you, it's stench wafting up your nose pricking each hair follicle on the way up. You can't look me in the eye. You know I am dangerous. You want to be my friend. You know if you can't befriend me, you stand in my way, and I will bury you as my enemy.
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I apologize about that last banter at the end of the last post, I am just sick of people asking me what's in my mutton. Even worse is when people ask me why it tastes the way it does. It's mutton ! What I do with it is my business, you like it you chew it, if you don't, spit it out and I shall spew you out of my mouth you lukewarm ignoramus.

Anyway. Sorry about that rant. Help yourself to an extra serving of mutton :-

The Art Of war. I never understood the rules of engagement in any form of conflict. So I take what I can from film, literature, real life experience, and make it my own.

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.: Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Emptiness and Fullness

One of my all time favorite power figures has been fictional ( based on a real feller, but that doesnt matter ) and his name is William cutting, a.k.a Bill the Butcher from Scorcese's Gangs of New York ( not one of his best films, but worth a watch just for Daniel Day Lewis's spectacular performance as Bill ). Everytime I think of war, I am reminded of the Butcher's ways. Here's his words. He was full of 'em ! WHOOPSIE DAISIE !

........You know how I stayed alive this long? All these years? Fear. The spectacle of fearsome acts. Somebody steals from me, I cut off his hands. He offends me, I cut out his tongue. He rises against me, I cut off his head, stick it on a pike, raise it high up so all on the streets can see. That's what preserves the order of things. Fear.

Such is the human race. Often it does seem a pity that Noah and his party did not miss the boat.

- Mark Twain

Now that you've had a taste of my mutton, How do you like it?

LifeFeedsOnLifeFeedsOnLifeFeedsOnLifeFeedsOnLifeFeedsOnLifeFeedsOnLifeFeedsOnLife....

2008-10-21T06:01:00.000+04:00

This particular photograph up there reminds me so much of space exploration. The textured ground reminds me of Mars, a planet I forever feel might hold the future of the earth. carl Sagan in his wonderful book and documentary series ' cosmos ' talked about the possibility of colonization of mars as the first step ( after major babysteps we shall take on the Moon ) to the spread of mankind into the vast expanse of the universe.
I don't really wish to elaborate on my thoughts on this subject, but let me give you the some words by my guru Bill Hicks to conclude that train of thought/rant:-

I'm gonna share with you a vision that I had, cause I love you. And you feel it. You know all that money we spend on nuclear weapons and defense each year, trillions of dollars, correct? Instead -- just play with this -- if we spent that money feeding and clothing the poor of the world -- and it would pay for it many times over, not one human being excluded -- we can explore space together, both inner and outer, forever in peace.

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Ah but until then ! this is necessary. Life feeds on life feeds on life feeds on life feeds on life feeds on life....you get the drift.

Taken all I can taken all I can, we can take. taken all you can taken you can,
We can take.
Got nothing left to give to you.
Blood suckin parasitic little blood suckin parasitic little
Blood suckin parasitic little tick
Take what you want and then go.

Suck me dry.

Is this what you wanted?
Is this what you had in mind?
Is this what you wanted?
Cuz this this is what youre getting.
I hope, I hope, I hope you choke.

Maynard's words from Ticks n Leeches.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW?
I can serve you some more. Would you like some dessert? Shut the fuck up and
eat whatever you have left on your plate !

Definitely Definitely Definitely No Logic

2008-10-21T01:05:00.000+04:00

If you ever get close to a human
And human behaviour
Be ready to get confused
There's definitely definitely definitely no logic
To human behaviour
But yet so irristible
There's no map
To human behaviour
They're terribly moody
Then all of a sudden turn happy
But, oh, to get involved in the exchange
Of human emotions is ever so satisfying
There's no map
And a compass
Wouldn't help at all
Human behaviour
-Bjork

Windows to her souls.

2008-10-09T00:51:00.000+04:00

She's everything.

Some more experiments. found trippy windows. Special thanks to cima for being so damn kickass in the blanket, hazem for running around with a speedlight for me, nadia for clicking the shutter for me as I directed it all whilst smoking a ciggarette and confused the audience we collected during the shoot in Al Quoz.

My hiatus ends tommorow, will be done with the hotel shoots, so no more room service :(
Lots of jobs coming up.
Anyone have a 5D they want to sell me? Please let me know. Many images waiting to be processed and many more shoots planned ahead, so expect much more coming up !

GOOD NEWS.I've been accepted for the Pecha Kucha talks on the (remember remember) the fifth of November. So please put it onto your calenders ( if you dont have one, get one, its rather helpful, though only if you believe in time ).

I have alot of sketches/notes, I suspect the blog might see some of them soon. Im just afraid no one will be able to interpret my photoshoot planning. Only one way to find out EH?

Someone get me a ringlight for my professional world initiation please. I want a ringlight !

And a mamiya RB67 with digital back.
WHERES RAJI WHEN YOU NEED HIM !

im rambling. thats because Im exhausted.

Music and lyrics give me direction. Just wanted to divulge that secret that drives me to keep working. You may think thats crass, but different strokes for different folks ! Walid has a special one hour stroke ( more on that later )

I bid you adieu !

DuneTroubles

2008-10-08T00:40:00.000+04:00

I live with my justice
And I live with my greed in me
I live with no mercy
And I live with my frenzy feet
I live with my hatred
And I live with my jealousy
I live with the notion that I dont need anyone but me
Dont drink the water
Dont drink the water
There's blood in the water
Dont drink the water

(Excerpt: Don't drink the water, written by Dave Mathews.)

.

ExperiMental reloaded.

Many more images coming up, been busy doing commercial work to get some finances for this project and other things I need, like food and um, a camera.

I don't have a camera. Whats that got to do with photography?

More images as soon as I have time to sit down and edit, was in Kuwait before, now in Abu Dhabi.

Please note the little beetle on the bottom left and his cute tracks. the beetle sang revolution the whole time.

The human condition.
Welcome.

Fool you're blind ! Move aside for me !

Why So Senior?

2008-09-24T00:32:00.000+04:00

Hungry?

One of the advantages of being in the art world is that my work need not be spoon fed to it's audience. I expect you to put as much as you can on your plate, and chew the content on your own. If you can't swallow it, not my problem :)

I would sincerely appreciate comments, advice, critiques, hate mails, compliments, remarks, observations, reflections, opinions, reactions etc. I stay in my own head alot and some outside perspective is always welcome.

Now, because I don't need to spoonfeed you art enthusiasts, instead of going on and on trying to explain conceptual basis and visual expression, I would much rather barrage you with a bunch of images. Let it be known that I am on a hardcore experimental streak as I felt that my work might end up being a bit repetitive ( or in culinary terms 'sour' ) I have decided to take drastic steps to show you what I have up my sleeve. No titles, just images. Tell me what you like. Tell me what you don't. What would you buy? What makes sense to you? What makes you feel? What makes you want to close this window and watch south park for a while? Which images inspires you ? What do you think my work is expressing? What narratives do you see ? These are some questions. Make up your own ! Go mad ! I'm hungry ! I want your aesthetic and synthetic sense to feed me.

____________________________

ha. ha. ha. ha. ho. he. ha. ha. ho.

More updates coming soon.
Im travelling for an assistant photojob to Kuwait and Jordan and Abu Dhabi and Dubai from the 26th to the 15th, so im going to be off the radar for a bit.

If any of you want to buy my prints, do not hesitate to contact me.

Im finished !

Introduction of my body of work.

2008-09-22T02:52:00.000+04:00

I have over past 3 years developed a visual language in my photography using my shrouded figures and I am planning to comment on my current thoughts and feelings concerning various topics that seem to cloud my mind and thought utilizing that language.

As an introduction, here are a few examples of my previous work, to give you a feel of where I started, how the work has progressed so far and to give you an inkling as to which direction it's going towards.
Isolation series, Darkroom Fibre Print.
The project was born in the darkroom when I was working on a project that expressed isolation of the self and I found myself thinking that if I really want to feel lonely I should not be able to see anyone properly. I covered myself up with my blanket and thats where the project started. I took images in public spaces with myself wrapped in my blankets. And then the project grew from there and as the visuals developed so did the concept. The inspiration was simply striving to find a way to express myself and the concepts of isolated beings.

StudioShoots Experimentation for stop motion video.

I moved into color eventually and even though still revert back to black and white, I have not returned to the darkroom after my project and concept developed, as I need color in my images.

s
Eventually I started to collaborate with a dancer/performer ( Joyce Amile ) and the image above and the series below are the results of those collaborations. The initial idea was to express the emotion triggered when one is faced the with concept of an afterlife. The project further developed into an expression of the soul. We often hide ourselves in layers to protect ourselves, but our inner being is honest and always expresses itself. My photographs are a visualization of the expression of the soul.
After our collaboration ended, I was haunted by alot of the directions I chose not to take, and decided to revisit the project on my own time to see if it could lead to one more attempt at finding another destination through the same dialogue of body language and fabrics.

DarkNightSoul

Finally, after giving it much thought, I decided not to think anymore, and DO. I have started shooting again, and I have decided to taken a very different approach to my work, pulling it from the spotlight where it has recieved alot of recognition and popularity and looking at it from a very new perspective. I am proud of how far this project has come, and now it is time to see it go places where no blankets have ever gone before ! ((ha)

Expect to see alot of new enviroments. forget the crisp clarity that my studioshots got me acclaim for. This is not a revamp of a project. This is not plastic surgery. This is a change of religion. It's a leap of faith into the unknown.

Oh, and on a (possible) side note, eat, drink and be merry, for tommorow we'll die. (Dave Mathews).

Welcome !

2008-09-15T18:11:00.000+04:00

Hello everyone!

This blog is for the sole purpose of showing my progress for my senior project work in preperation for one of the most important exhibitions of my life, my last exhibition as a student. I have already started my work, as I am developing a project based on my blanket series work that I've been developing for the past three years. I shall first give you a re-cap of alot of the work I've already done, and then as I figure out how to use this blogger, I shall start updating you all with the project development as it comes along.

The purpose of this is so that I get feedback from my friends and peers. I am looking for constructive criticism so please don't hold back. Express yourself and let me know what you think ! The more comments I get, the more attention I shall give this blog. So it's up to you to help me out :)

Until I start uploading images, please take some time and check out my website : http://www.altamashurooj.com and also my deviant art account : http://altamashu.deviantart.com

Be good now,
Altamash.