We Are, At Every Moment,
Less of What We Once Were

We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were

Photographic Series, 2011-2012

A series of digitally augmented analogue photographs reflecting on nature, place and oil

During a 3 month residency at the Ars Electronic FutureLab in the winter of 2011, I would often go walking into the lush parks and forests that surround the city of Linz, Austria. With picturesque views of the nearby hills of Pöstlingberg and beyond, these walks also provided commanding views of the city below.

Most weekends, I would bring an old Hasselblad 500 series film camera with a set of Zeiss lenses and photograph what I observed while walking. After processing and scanning, the photographs sat idle on my hard drive while I was working on the Fifty Sisters Series.

Jon McCormack,

Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were [Philips 66]" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012

After completing Fifty Sisters, I began experimenting with augmenting these images with the logos of oil companies that had often been on my mind during these walks. The idea of a chance encounter with one of these iconic logos while walking in "nature" seemed like a strange, but interesting juxtaposition.

Jon McCormack,

Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were [Amaco]" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012

The unwelcome presence of these oil company logos in the landscape evokes notions of simulacra and dream. They are presented in a state of decay: abandoned, dismantled or falling apart, as if in some kind of post-apocalyptic world where their visual and corporate power no longer has any meaning or relevance.

Jon McCormack,
Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012
Jon McCormack,
Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012
Jon McCormack,
Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012
Jon McCormack,
Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012
Jon McCormack,
Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012
Jon McCormack,
Jon McCormack, "We Are, At Every Moment, Less of What We Once Were" (digital print, 45cm x45cm), 2012

"Everyone should feel at home in landscape." — from my notes at the time of taking these photographs.

Production Credits

Photography, 3D Modelling

Supported by

Produced at

Jon McCormack

Future Lab Artist-in-Residence Program

Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria

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