After Life

2

Secrets.

Secrets?

Secrets!

I repeated the word over and over again in my mind, trying to get a grasp on my initial feeling of the subject.  If I was going to do well on this assignment, I had to understand not only the word, but what it could mean. What it could represent. What it could create, and therefore, what I could create with it through extension.

 I clutched a pen in my hand, ready to write down any and all thoughts that came to mind that may help me find a subject within this broad umbrella of choices held under this one word.

Secrets.

There were so many possibilities for that one simple word. Everything held secrets. People, books, documents, paintings, photographs, nature, the world. There were secrets all around us, and it was up to us to even realize they were there. And now, it was currently up to me to find something that epitomized the word for me, and be able to translate that onto film.  

There was a steady white noise of muttering and chatter amongst the class as they absorbed the topic, and began to consider its meanings. To someone other than an art student, it would seem a simple, fairly direct word. A quick check online or in a dictionary would give you a relatively basic definition. But to someone who was expected to break it down into its most vulnerable forms, and create something from that, it was daunting.

“Now that you have your topic,” professor Murray spoke up again. “I encourage you to think long and hard about what it is you may want as your subject matter. I want a single subject. Not a variety of mix matched things thrown together. If you choose a location, such as the building for example, try and keep it fairly focused. I don’t want pictures of every room. Focus on exactly what part of it connects it to the topic. These images are your visual representation to what you will be putting into writing for me in your project statement. Your words need to be clearly linked, and the images need to be easily related back to what I read.”

The muttering around the room continued, students discussing their options along with the examples given by the professor. It wasn’t just finding a good subject, and creating a pretty image. It was telling a story, and making the viewer believe as you did. That the subject holds secrets none of us will ever truly understand. This needed to be easily conveyed. Which was something that was anything but easy to do.

“Alright, those of you who wish to leave are free to go. Those of you wanting to stay and discuss the topic amongst yourselves or with me, you are more than free to do so. As I said, I will stay until the end of the hour. Use this time well. The initial thoughts and concepts you come up with today are generally the most pure, direct forms. Not yet diluted and twisted with outside opinion and interpretation. Write everything down. It helps you to be able to come back to it later when stuck. Good luck.”

With a nod of finality, professor Murray took a seat behind the small wooden desk in the corner, while the room began to buzz. Some students left, gathering their books and bags quickly, making their retreat. The majority, however, stayed, looking to exchange ideas and use this time as a sounding board.