Photographer Generates Psychedelic Abstractions by Distorting Subjects
On a day that seemed random in 1997, Bill Armstrong turned the focus ring on his camera to infinity and took a photograph. By that time, he had been a photographer for over 20 years, creating found collages made up of torn posters that he’d collected from the streets. This new image, however, was different from anything he had previously made—it was blurry, hazy, an almost painterly abstraction of its subject. At that moment, he chose to forsake the photographic norms he once adhered to.
“I had been adhering to the principles of straight photography for years: no cropping, no manipulation, only capturing things as they are,” Armstrong shares with My Modern Met. “Changing that image through defocusing no longer aligned with my definition of a straight photograph.”
It didn’t take long for Armstrong to redirect his photographic approach toward blurred collages, which he has been crafting for over 25 years as part of his Infinity series. With their entrancing shapes and vibrant colors, these compositions evoke abstract heat maps, displaying faint outlines of figures in movement. Armstrong also leans toward Buddhist and mandala-like imagery throughout his work, remixing these motifs through his distinctive blurred perspective.
“Over time, I’ve realized that blurriness possesses a richness and a diversity of meaning and associations far exceeding my expectations,” the photographer articulates. “The significance of blurring in photographic images lies in exploring emotion and psychology rather than objective reality. It’s both straightforward and profound.”
That dual intent is wonderfully exemplified in Armstrong’s first comprehensive monograph, All a Blur, released in October by Axiomatic Editions. Featuring 300 vibrant color photographs selected from the Infinity series, the book highlights the sensitivity and restraint Armstrong applies during his creative endeavor. In these visuals, there is nothing superfluous, nor the usual distractions of high-definition specifics. It appears wise to adopt a new viewpoint, one rooted not in reality but in perception, to fully appreciate the photographs in the book.
For Armstrong, that’s precisely the aim. Each page illustrates how, for decades, he has transformed everything from Renaissance artworks to Buddhist mandalas into luminous abstractions, all to cultivate ambiguity. Why, his monograph appears to question, should an artist be burdened with clarity, with overexplaining a subject to the extent that it becomes trivial? Even beneath all the blur, it’s evident that precision isn’t necessary to extract meaning from a photograph.
“I hope that viewers may find their own interpretations in the work,” he states. “The journey of the Infinity series examines universal themes of existence: aspirations and dreams; achievements and setbacks; trauma and healing; aging and mortality; and the pursuit of spiritual grace.”
All a Blur is presently available for purchase through Bookshop. To learn more about the photographer, please visit Bill Armstrong’s website.
For over 25 years, Bill Armstrong has created mesmerizing, technicolor photographs that blur its subjects—sometimes beyond recognition.
Bill Armstrong: Website | Instagram
Armstrong’s photographic approach is examined throughout his first comprehensive monograph, All a Blur, which is currently available for purchase.
Axiomatic Editions: Website | Instagram
Quotes have been edited for clarity. My Modern Met granted permission to feature photographs by Bill Armstrong.
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