” ‘Ask me for a true image of human existence,” wrote the Roman Seneca, “and I’ll show you the the sack of a great city.’ The myth of Troy is the story of the destruction of a city and its people. Around that core, poets have woven their magical tales for more than 3,000 years. The core of the plot- the seizure of a queen and the expedition to win her back is an old theme. So what does the tale of Troy tell us about myth itself? It shows that myth draws on everything, sometimes over hundreds of generations. But at its heart, as with Homer’s tale of Troy, is a realistic view of life, of love and hatred, cruelty and heroism: the unchanging facts of the human condition.
This is an insight missed by the recent Hollywood Troy epic; which had Paris and Helen run off together into the sunset. The point of great myths is that we all know how they will end, and in the great Greek myths, there are no happy endings.”
Michael Wood (Historian and Writer)
Theme:
Using the Trojan war and some of its central characters. I aim to recreate this great myth through a personal tragedy that befell me. Unlike the great myths; there will be a happy ending! The tenuous link is Achilles. Achilles the great warrior and my Achilles tendon. Alas our shared weak spots! Such a small area…. and yet a direct hit, could cause such tragedy.
Order of Photographs:
The chronology of the photographs does not follow the timeline of events, regarding my Achilles tendon rupture.
Photos 1-8: Trojan theme.
The picture of Paris Hilton (photo 1) is the background for all photographs(1 to 8). It appears either in its entirety, segments or for a small time.
Photos 9-15: Rehabilatation and Glory
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Photo 1: ‘Paris’
This picture was a composite of three pictures. The white background with a blue motif was chosen by fanciful whim. The picture of Paris Hilton was selected to symbolise Paris. In photoshop the picture was selected using the colour range; the silhouette was smoothed and placed on the white background. Its probably the most impt picture as its a ‘red herring’ at first glance but also a ‘poke in the eye’ clue. The bow and arrow again were selected from another background and placed beside Paris Hilton. Apollo the God of Archery looks down on his favoured protagonist.
Photo 2: ‘River Styx’
Thetis, mother of Achilles dipped him into the River Styx. Only his ankle was not submerged which made him vulnerable in this area. This is a composite of a lake and an inverted foot. The picture fades to superimpose the foot on the bow and arrow. Enough clues have been dropped!
Photo 3: ‘Achilles’
Achilles appears with his mother Thetis. This represents Achilles in his majesty. He has just picked up the deadly, skipping rope before his engagement with Paris.
Photo 4: ‘The fall’
The demise of Achilles. The rupture was not painful. It felt as if (common) someone had kicked my calf very hard. I did hear the tendon snap! as I slowly fell to the floor. A freak accident?
Photo 5: ‘The walls of Troy’
My usual footwear. The walls of Troy could not be breached because they had been built by Poseidon.
Photo 6: ‘Trojan Horse’
Beware of Orthapaedic Doctors bearing gifts! From a comfortable bi-ped…to and ungainly uni-ped.
Photo 7: ‘Xmas sock’
Achilles is fatally wounded and hovers at the gates of Hades. The orthopaedic sock was a blessed first at Christmas.
Photo 8: ’The Pyre’
The weapons and armour of Achilles are ritually laid out; including the arrow of denouement.
Photo 9: ‘Mount Olympus’
Thr repository of healing minus MRSA.
Photo 10: ‘Inner sanctum of Doctor Zeus’
Photo 11: ‘Gifts from the Gods’
Use then wisely!
Photo 12: ‘Muybridge’
Can wheelchairs gallop?
Photo 13: ‘Muybridge2′
The capture of motion ( November 5th) Sarcophogus removal.
Photo 14: “This way young man”. Physiotherapy.
Photo 15: Tossed in a corner. The myth is laid to rest?
Sound: A soundtrack was chosen from the film ‘Zoolander’. Due to the date for submission being missed, I chose a WAV. file which contained the word ‘Tragedy’, a sound file that fitted the timeline( even if iterated) and had some comedic value. After a few listens the track was appropiate as it (in my opinion) deviates the listener from a perception of comedy to thinking…maybe something tragic actually happened here. Good!
Flash Movie: Trojan.swf
Fifteen pictures were chosen as an allegory of the Trojan war. Each picture was placed on its own layer, adjusted and giving a motion tween. They follow consecutively on the time line and the movie loops. A sound track was also put on a layer and iterated three times ( One minute in total ).
When the movie is played on Flash player 8:
Note: On the VIEW menu, choose (100% and Full screen)
Only on these settings will the movie be properly seen. The standard opening format hides much of the movie content. In Quicktime or .avi form, the movie is also cropped and loses its message. Both formats were uploaded unsuccessfully to the blog!
Photography and Photoshop:
Some of the pictures or photographs produced were manipulated in Photoshop. All the Final sequence were manipulated in Flash.
Photo 1: A composite of three pictures. The figures have been selected and smoothed using the colour range command.
Photo 2: A composite of two pictures.
Photo 3 to 15: Taken with a Nikon D40. Most photos taken in the Auto mode. However many discarded photos were taken with manual changes to aperture and shutter speeds. These photos were of almost no visual quality.
In Photo 13, I used a motion blur and doctored it with the paint brush. However I could not use the ruler to measure and distort images. This left only a motion blur to convey movement. In my opinion it looks like blurred images than a motion blur.
A photo I did not use which shows ‘depth of field’ is ‘massage’. This captures the foreground vey well. It should have been included in the final fifteen for variety, but a deadline was imminent.
Overview:
It was always my intention to continue the ATR theme. The story of Achilles was my inspiration and would parallel my own injury. The most important composition is the first. It is meant to startle and arouse interest. If it alludes to Paris from Greek legend and his weakness; plus my attendant achilles problem: ‘fine and dandy’! If the viewer connotates a rich lightweight socialite and celebrity adoration: ‘fine’1
Some of the themes recreated include work covered in class ( Battleship Potemkin(4) and Muybridge(13)). Others symbolise Greek themes (Trojan horse(6) and Mount Olympus(9))
“Thine own weakness will be exposed. You just have to wait.”
Photoshop, Flash 8 and Cameras for a start!
Rather the inevitable tragedy of the best Greek myths. I have included a rehabilitation of the fallen, but chastened warrior. As photo 15 demonstrates; my boot has been discarded. I am now four months in to my year long recovery. My limp is less pronounced. I can walk down stairs again and my calf is slowly regaining power.
The ‘gold test’ for ATR victims is the single heel raise. I can do an inch for five seconds. Two months ahead of recovery schedule. Still a work in progress!
