Logan Willis - Weekly Artist Post #15

Peter Kollanyi

1) Peter Kollanyi is a photographer based out of Tallinn and London. He studied photography at Balint Gyorgy Academy of Journalism in Budapest. This particular collection of photos was called "Toxic Sludge Spill". Technically, Peter uses many different depths of field depending on the items/objects being photographed. For example, there's a much more shallow depth of field in the indoor photos as opposed to the outdoor photos. Most of these photos look as if they are either underexposed or another light source or even a natural light source is being used and interjected into the frame.

2) Thematically, these photos that I have selected would be more documentary photographs but there is something about the toxic sludge and it's dark, deep red color almost similar to that of blood. I think that the similarity between the sludge staining and splattering tends to make me think of a blood. This could be a theme in the works as if the toxic sludge was a very "bloody" and horrific thing that happened in this area and how it not only took over the town but the plants and also everywhere including the insides of homes. There are also no people in these photographs but you still get a sense that people were just here and now have to deal with the wreckage and chaos of this toxic sludge that now covers everything.

3) I was really drawn to these photos because of the deep, dark red in the toxic sludge as well as the way Peter really captured the splattering and spilling of this sludge throughout this location. I am really drawn in closer to these photos when the blues of the sky or white of the snow contrast brightly with the orange-ish, red color of the sludge. I also enjoy that Peter not only photographed outside where it had covered doors and plants but also the inside view of where it had covered people's items and clothing and in a more splattered way. I really enjoyed the documentation that Peter took time and risk into going to this location to find out and capture more of exactly what happened with this toxic sludge spill.