The Repurpose of Life

iPhonography After buying an iPhone in 2010, Bowman says the quality of imagery stunned him. Over the past two years, he’s created a series of 13 ̋ × 26 ̋ digital giclee prints of straight still shots that he says are better than what he printed 40 years ago, using film, a darkroom, and silver-based photo paper. What’s more, the recent explosion of high-quality photo manipulation apps has enabled Bowman to reinvent himself yet again. He can begin with a single iPhone photo, pipe it to one app, then another and another, over and over again, often producing something entirely unexpected and abstract. Sometimes this can happen in less than 30 minutes, he says. “[It] reflects my fascination with shapes, color, and textures, which perhaps traces back to my years as an architect in terms of design and organization,” Bowman explains. “But also it reflects my current interest in abstract painting and abstract organization as well as my desire to cross media boundaries.” Gary Singh lives and writes in San Jose, California. Contact him at [email protected]. Figure 3. Rope Rose. Bowman