Where once the likes of encyclopaedias, research libraries and image archives provided a treasure trove of information which could be delved into and discovered at whim, today’s modern age has introduced a novel means of uncovering data, and all that it requires is a computer device and a WiFi connection. Over and above a simple means of finding source imagery, Google image search has spawned a mystical poetry all of its own, and falling into it, somewhat like Alice into the rabbithole, can be incredibly addictive.
For this new installment of her column, entitled You & Me, photographer Polly Brown expands on ideas surrounding processed, composite and translated meanings. Entering her own images into Google’s vacant box to see what similar results they might uncover in the worldwide web, Brown layers screengrabs, pdfs, jpgs and docs to create strange meta-collages which read like a conversation. Through Brown’s highly individual prism, Google the search engine is transformed into Google the collaborator – a new, extremely intelligent counterpart, which injects an element of detachment into our emotional relationships.
