Myths of Balance

Myths of Balance / 2000

Traditional Silver Prints and C-41 Prints – 12 / 18” x 14”

Kim Borst

The intention behind this body of work was primarily to pay homage to my best friend and constant companion for almost fifteen years the greatest dog in the world Griswold. During the grief and mourning I experienced after his passing I became somewhat obsessed with the Hopi Indian term “Koyaanisqatsi” which translated means “life out of balance.” Out of balance was how I was feeling without Griswold, as I knew his companionship helped ground and balance me during some very emotional experiences and changes in my life. I knew many myths existed concerned with acquiring and maintaining balance throughout the history of human existence especially in the philosophy and religion of indigenous people.

I felt compelled to visually address and contemporize the “Myths of Balance” and at the same time pay visual homage to Griswold. I needed to subtly make reference to a general theme of the importance of “the interconnectedness of living and non-living or animate and inanimate elements on, below or above this earth” proposed by various tribes of indigenous peoples. This is what I consider to be the essence of most of their “life in or out of balance” myths. I chose to use 2 self-portraits from the earlier "Urges" series as they significantly referenced my past history with Grizwold as well as the idea of balance. By intentionally using black and white and color negative photographs and then alternating the presentation of the two different processes in a yin yang dichotomy I further emphasized the essential idea of maintaining balance. To contemporize the message I used objects and subjects that speak of modern times but reflect and make reference, loosely at times, to iconic mythical subjects and at times my personal history of balance myths. For example one color photograph in the series is of a taxidermied coyote in a natural wild pose but seen through the reflected surface of a store window display. One could draw upon the reference to the myths of coyote originating in American Indian lore and legend and consider the irony of balance associated with the proposition of the natural wild pose of the dead stuffed coyote body in the confines of a store window on Main Street.

The presentation of this body of work began with a black and white print of Griswold and ended with a color print of him. Griswold taught me so much about the importance of understanding and appreciating animals and their value to the interconnectedness of everything. The two photographs act as bookends to the education he provided me regarding how to acquire, maintain, and keep balance. During the whole time I was privileged to be his companion I felt Griswold was always quietly and secretly revealing to me the meaning of life; keep it simple and balanced I am sure he was saying.