Rocky McCorkle

Bio

Rocky McCorkle, born in 1978 in Columbus, Ohio, currently lives and works in San Francisco, California. He studied photography at The Ohio State University in Columbus (2001-2005) and earned his MFA at the San Francisco Art Institute (2005-2007).

McCorkle's ongoing series of large-format (8x10) photomontages narrates the internal discourse of an elderly woman in today's pervasively influential world. Through a sequence of stills, You And Me On A Sunny Day explores the impact that film and fictional media has on her way of life.

In 2007, he was a winner in PDN's Pix Digital Imaging Contest 13 and Photographer's Forum College Contest. McCorkle, a member of Nikon's Emerging Artist Hall of Fame, has been exhibited at Yerba Buena Center For The Arts, Carnegie Museum Kentucky, and Irvine Contemporary in Washington, D.C.

Statement

My work explores the phenomenon of how film and fictional mediums are progressing and influencing our world. For example, the “video Ipod”, a product perceived as a modern-day idea, is the novel invention of H.G. Wells from When The Sleeper Wakes, 1899.

For the last year, I have been constructing a “silent film” narrating the internal discourse of an elderly woman in today's pervasively influential world. In the story, we first see our recurring character (Gilda) watching a film. The movie, Sunset Boulevard, is one of Gilda's favorite films and, at the same time, holds an emotive connection to deep-seated memories.

(Excerpt from the written introduction, accompanying the photographs)

“To Gilda's recollection, on February 11, showers and sultry weather held back the marathoners all day. Jack's red carpet to the race was accidental; he had just been helping a teammate train, never imagined racing himself. Jack, a war veteran, was handicapped when his shoes split to pieces miles from the finish line. Still, E.J. managed to win his first and only marathon.”

Through a sequence of stills, “You And Me On A Sunny Day” explores the impact that film and fictional media has on her way of life. What once was fiction to Gilda in 1950 may not be such a giant leap today?