French Photographer; John Batho, born 1939, created a set of photographs named ‘Present & Absent’, 1998.
Batho has photographed people in front of a condensed window, resulting in a ghostly like figure. The humans become very disturbing as the water vapour on the window makes them un-interpretable; making them a trace of the human species rather than a human.
These works are hugely inspirational to me, as they epitomize a ghost; the spirit of a person, yet remain abstract. I love how the people appear faded yet so visible; the works are made so simply, yet the context has been completely changed. Inspired by this work, I want to create a more tactile piece like this; possibly using a sheer material.
Thoughts
The way John Bathos has utilized an object (windows) that we often take for granted and forget the privilege of us being able to shield ourselves from the elements, and turning them into something he takes photos through. His use of an inanimate object to create a beautiful piece of work is really inspiring for me. For my next shoot, I hope to utilize something like he has.