What inspires you to include parts of the female anatomy as a backdrop for most of your work?
I didn't originally set out to show the female body - I was looking for a way to show , in art, that there could be two realities at the same time. This thought came from my studying and teaching of psychology of consciousness, mysticism, shamanism etc. I thought of placing a toy skier on a woman's breast so that initially the photo would look like a landscape - and then the viewer would realize that it was a woman. This "flip" in perception is the point of the work. The use of the body was only a device to make that happen.
Do you have a gender preference for your work?
I would use the male body more – but it is difficult to make it look like a landscape – as the hair on the body gives away that it is a body. I have some shots of men and I hope to do more.
What artistic steps do you take to find the right form for a particular piece?
I never know, when using a new model, which parts of her body will be good for my work. So – I have a number of figurines ready for various shots – and then I use whatever works. I want the resulting image to stand alone as an image – even without the awareness of its being a body.
It should look aesthetically pleasing. The object should blend with the body to make a coherent landscape. It is similar to zen miniature landscaping – bonsai trees etc. – where the miniature world resembles the larger world.What other types of series do you work with?
My newest work involves the use of two models at the same time. Originally, I had thought that this would simply give me more depth in the landscape. I discovered, however, that it gives me something that I didn't have before – the opportunity to design the landscape – to create hills and valleys in different combinations. I have seven of these new images and hope to do a lot more in the future.
What types of response are you trying to evoke from the viewer?
The main response I want from the viewer is for them to be aware of the fact that their mind shifted from one perception to another. This shift is the point of the work – to remind people that it is possible to see things differently – that we have a choice in our perceptions. Some people laugh, others admire, but everyone seems to enjoy the work.
What other artists have influenced your work?
I am more influenced by psychology than by other artists. ( I have a Ph.D. in psychology) My major influences are gestalt perceptual psychology, mysticism and such things as the holographic model of the universe ... but I am also influenced by the artistic style of Jjapanese art. My news work includes a number of oriental images.
The most fun in showing the work is when the viewer initially sees it as landscape and suddenly discovers the body in the photo. I have been happy to see that there has been a change in the way people respond. Years ago, when I began, parents would pull small children away, to prevent them from seeing the nude body. Now parents tend to pull children into the booth and help them discover the body in the photo! Times have changed!
For more information on Teger, visit www.bodyscapes.com
