“Holding Up the Leaning Tower with a Painted Negative,” from Touring Tourism, 16” x 20” C-print, 2022
Megan Bainbridge
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“Holding Up the Leaning Tower with a Painted Negative,” is a 16" x 20" color darkroom photograph from my "Touring Tourism" series. This photo series explores my experience as a German American studying abroad throughout Europe during Summer 2022. I created it to encourage others to alter how they approach traveling. Read on to learn more about the "Touring Tourism" series and this photographic art piece.
In my "Touring Tourism" series, I explore my role as a tourist traveling from the United States to study abroad throughout Europe. I chose to photograph both recognizable attractions and lesser-known locations.
In my artist statements, I provide context to explain my thought process and experience traveling in and around Barcelona, Spain; Rome, Italy; and Prague, Czechia. I explore observed cultural differences and the habits of tourists.
The purpose of this body of work is to invite the viewer to reflect on how they travel and act as a tourist. In particular, I aim to promote the concept of ethical tourism and encourage travelers to be mindful of how their actions impact the residents of the regions that they visit. Through anecdotal narrative, I reflect on how much more enriching travel becomes when authentic connection is prioritized.
I am passionate about this topic for multiple reasons. On the academic side of things, I studied Sociology in college, obtaining a Bachelors in the subject alongside my Photography BFA. Personally, I have a dual-national lens when looking at how people from different places act. This is because I grew up navigating the difference between German cultural attitudes that my mother taught me and the societal norms of my home in the United States. In addition, I grew up in a coastal city in Southern Maine that is impacted by tourism every summer and can relate to how residents of a travel destination view tourism.
I use experimental darkroom techniques for this series, creating dual exposures by layering negatives, as well as collaging multiple 35mm negatives into the circular silhouette of the darkroom enlarger head.
With all this being said, here is the artist statement for “Holding Up the Leaning Tower with a Painted Negative":
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Although this image is of a tourist holding up her hands to support the Leaning Tower of Pisa, its intent has nothing to do with her identity–in fact, in some ways it is both a self-portrait and a portrait of many people. To drive this point, I shielded her silhouette with a painted negative.
While in Italy, my self-awareness of my role as a tourist increased and the ever-prevalent touristic behavior of my study abroad classmates persisted. The fact that the group I was traveling with sprinted off of the train during a short layover in Pisa to snap photos with the tower is a metaphor for the behavior of tourists and their relationship with photography. It is strange that taking a photo with a location is the priority of tourists, over the physical experience of a location.
I included this photo to communicate the lack of identity in tourist photos. My question is, what does it matter that we are yet another tourist posing with a location, a photo recreated uncountable times? Does it create group identity, a status symbol, or something else?
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If you felt particularly moved, inspired, or educated by this piece, consider supporting the work that I do by purchasing a print, t-shirt, sticker or magnet from the megarten.shop. My business is small, queer and woman-owned, and artist-run. Plus, all of my artwork is human-generated. You can learn more about me as an artist here.