The subtle art of ambiguity and its double edged sword.
I thought of the series finale of The Sopranos in regards to ambiguity and how the series ended. (don’t worry I won’t spoil it too much for the next generation to watch). It’s brilliant ambiguous ending threw its viewers into a frenzy of proposed interpretations. We each took the ending we imagined and claimed it as our own. The reason this ending resonated so much with me was in regards to my own style of photographing abstract portraiture. I have always and continue to try and create images that ignite multiple interpretations, and that ambiguity can be found in most of my work. The subjective nature of art begets meaning, I just focus on trying to ignite ambiguity & mystery so the viewer can actively use their ideas or judgements to find meaning.
Ambiguity though, is somewhat a double edged sword. In my personal life, being ambiguous with my thoughts and decisions can come off to some people as vague or lacking conviction. Identifying this, has helped me practice awareness around it in my life.
It is still part of me and my divergent mind, and the type of artist that I am, but I now try to not always live in ambiguity, and continue to work on funneling that into my art.