Permutations 1: Reuss River, 6.6
The images used in this series, taken on March 19, 2006, show the Reuss River as it flows through the center of the ancient town of Lucerne, Switzerland. I photographed quickly, and in a nearly ecstatic state, finding myself suddenly and utterly captivated by shifting patterns in the water, as seen first from one position and then from five others. My ideas about how to organize them came later. I selected 30 images from each of the six positions. One of two groups of works making up Permutations 1: Reuss River consists of sheets of two to six images, sometimes of equal size but most often of different sizes, showing a variety of different possible relationships between the six different views. The juxtaposition of different views is meant to help foster an expanded awareness of the world — represented here by the river. The second group making up Permutations 1: Reuss River consists of the "Views" sheets. Each of these consists of 25 of the 30 images of one of the six views, presented in the order photographed, showing the changes in water patterns from one instant to the next. I hope that part of the effect of both groups is meditative, focusing the viewer on nature's endlessly complex and eternally varied forms, while also suggesting that, as the early Greek philosopher Heraclitus argued, change is the one constant principle underlying the universe.
Fred Camper
Chicago, Illinois
August 30, 2007.
Works from this series were shown at FLATFILEgalleries in 2007.
My work in that show was favorably reviewed by Victor Cassidy in Focus, April 2008.
Permutations 1: Reuss River, 6.6