David Crawford: Stop Motion Studies

David Crawford, SMS-13, from Stop Motion Studies, 2005. Exhibited at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Canada, as part of Year Zero One's TRANSMEDIA:29:59 in 2005.

© David Crawford. © Photo Michael Alstad

The Stop Motion Studies series extends my longstanding interest in narrative through the examination of the subway as a stage upon which social dynamics and individual behavior are increasingly mediated by digital technology. As one of the most vibrant and egalitarian networks in our cities, subways bring people from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds into close contact with one another. This process plays a significant role in shaping both the character of a city as well as our individual identities.

It is said that 90% of human communication is nonverbal. In these photographs, the subjects' body language becomes the basic syntax for a series of animations exploring movement, gesture and algorithmic montage. Many sequences document a person's reaction to being photographed by a stranger. Some smile, others snarl, still others perform. Some pretend not to notice. Underneath all these reactions are assumptions and unknowns unique to each situation.