On the wall of my room there are two prints of a painting of a tiger slowly descending into an arctic lake, hanging next to one another.
They
originated
from
the
painting
‘Siberian
Tiger’
by
wildlife
artist
Leonard
Pearman.
Made
in
the
1970-‐80s,
they
are
probably
from
the
same
factory
or
source;
the
card
upon
which
they
are
printed
matches
in
thickness
and
the
prints
are
the
same
size.
They
were
likely
framed
in
different
places
as
the
patterns
on
their
gold
frames
differ.
The
thickness
of
the
frames
is
similar
but
the
left
has
a
deeper
rebate
that
crops
the
image
slightly,
making
it
appear
smaller.
The
right
hand
image
is
more
faded,
its
colours
muted,
presumably
from
greater
exposure
to
sunlight;
giving
an
appearance
of
a
light
mist.
They
hang
about
a
foot
apart
with
a
disparity
in
height,
and
with
conflicting
opinions
of
what
is
straight
and
what
is
level.
The
surface
of
each
print
varies
in
the
formations
of
water
damage,
scratches
and
abrasions,
mostly
white
in
appearance,
in
places
matching
the
snow
in
the
image
sitting
on
top
of
it
like
ice
on
a
window;
or
more
literally,
physically
cutting
into
its
material
(they
are
both
unglazed).
When
observed,
the
eye
flickers
between
the
two,
incapable
of
perceiving
the
qualities
of
one
without
contrasting
it
to
the
other.
Their
relation
to
that
which
they
are
not
becomes
what
defines
them.
The
properties
of
their
surroundings
become
inseparable
from
their
own
properties.
Energy
is
converted
to
photons
through
the
movement
of
electrons;
light
exudes.
A
conflict
of
characteristics
between
particle
and
wave
meets
the
surface
of
the
image.
Energy
is
absorbed
or
reflected,
amplitude
and
frequency
altered;
the
tiger
emerges.
The
walls
between
the
external
and
internal
are
permeable,
matter
crosses
the
threshold
and
the
image
diffuses
into
its
environment.
Its
fur
mists
the
border
between
its
body
and
surroundings,
magnolia
wall
paint
starts
to
seep
in.
The
image
isn’t
bound
to
a
single
location
or
physical
form;
multiple
listings
on
eBay
show
the
tiger
in
different
backgrounds,
contexts
and
frames.
As
I
research,
algorithms
adapt,
the
image
duplicated
throughout
my
newsfeed,
trying
to
bring
me
more
and
similar;
showing
high
resolution
simulations
hanging
in
artificial
rooms,
offering
a
range
of
materials
and
finishes.
The
image
infests
and
spreads
from
physical
space
into
cyber
space,
its
information
as
liquid,
flowing
through
networks
of
pipes
and
cables,
in
walls
and
under
ground,
existing
as
the
movement
and
change
of
material,
energy
and
frequency.
The
tiger’s
foot
disturbs
the
surface
of
the
water
as
it
passes
through
the
picture
plane.
Ripples
spread;
matter
shifts
fluidly
between
liquid,
solid,
gas
and
organic
body.
Water
occupies
all
aspects
of
the
image,
within
all
of
its
physical
and
depicted
material.
Embedded
within
it
by
means
of
water
damage
or
watermark.
The
image
flows
into
liquid,
and
liquid
into
liquid
crystal,
an
oscillation
between
forms,
in
a
constant
state
of
becoming.
With
the
application
of
electrical
stimulus
the
liquid
crystals
temporarily
settle
into
the
grid
of
a
pixel
map,
providing
a
pathway
for
photons
to
travel
between
two
polarising
filters.
Light
emitted
from
the
display
is
distorted
and
focused,
it
hits
the
retina
and
is
converted
to
electrical
energy
and
chemical
information;
transmitted
by
the
optical
nerve
to
the
visual
cortex.
The
pattern
of
the
pixel
map
becomes
replicated
in
the
flow
of
energy
and
chemical
change
within
networks
of
neurones.
The
distance
between
us
reduces,
separate
bodies
lose
separation.