Check out Hollis Bennett's AMERICAN WEEKEND (and all the rest).
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
More Mugshots
For those of you interested: this link brings you to yet more mugshots. Check out the ages of
each person pictured.
Stumbled upon this weird little website today. I just thought it was interesting. I wish there was actual information about who this artist may be or how they made these images. Some are pretty good, some not so much, but it's an interesting way to execute this idea.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Assignment Due 11:59 PM, September 25th (Part I)
Here is a list of photographers (linked to their imagery). Some use particular aesthetic and formal devices to express just that: aesthetics and form. Some use these devices to at once give the viewer the "expected" aesthetic experience ("wow, that's beautiful") AND as a vehicle for a specific concept. Other aesthetic/formal devices appear to deny formalism (which, as we all know, doesn't deny formalism at all but simply places beauty and ugly lower on the viewer's hierarchy of concern), embracing, hence, a largely conceptual result. And, of course: etcetera.
Part I of your assignment is as follows: 1) Choose two photographers; 2) Describe the general formal aspects of each body of work; 3) Identify how these observed devices are a vehicle for the artist's concept (specifically relate concept back to form); 4) Identify what things exist within the frame (i.e., people, place, thing) of each body of work; 5) Identify how these things serve as a vehicle for the artist's concept; 6) Explicate the artist's conceptual concerns and how successful you believe said artist's are at expressing their concepts.
Please format as follows (yes, you must use numbers):
1) First artist's name (linked to work). You may only choose work to which I have linked.
2) Answer to #2 above.
3) Answer to #3 above.
4) Answer to #4 above.
5) Answer to #5 above.
6) Answer to #6 above.
Repeat 1 - 6 (second artist).
Please post your answers by 11:59 PM, Sunday, September 25th. Punctual posts will appear below this post. LATE POSTS WILL APPEAR ATOP. DON'T BE LATE.
Part II will be revealed Monday, September 26th.
Part 1
1) Jim Goldstein: Rich & Poor
2) This series show the rich and the poor of the society. Most of the photographs convey the poor society and only 1/3 of the photographs show the rich. The photographs look unnatural and staged.
3) The photographs show the difference in the rich and poor. Each photograph showed the relationship between the subject (people) and the space (the room).
4) The texture of the walls of the rooms, the surroundings, the clothes the people are wearing, the writings on the artwork, and the expressions on people's faces all went back to his title of the series "Rich & Poor".
5) There are more photographs of the poor society than the rich and that conveys to the poverty problems in this world. Also, in each photograph, the usage of the details, such as the wall texture, the furniture, the clothes, and the expressions, helped to convey the artist's concept of Rich and Poor.
6) The Artist was very straight forward about the series. There were no objects to confuse the meaning of the photograph and make us think more about the photograph and the artist's concept. The usage of the letter format writing to the individuals in the photograph helped as well to convey what the artist was thinking while the artist took the photographs and made the photograph very personal.
1) Phillip Toledano: Phonesex
2) This series show the people who are involved in the business of phonesex industry. There are photographs of the callers and the receivers. Also along with the photographs, there are little stories of each individual photographed.
3) The photographs are lit up in a way that the individuals are spotlighted and the surroundings are dark. The individuals are aware of being photographed but seems very natural about how they position their bodies. the color contrast of the photographs are little bit to the harsh side and there are a lot of dark shades of colors.
4) Everything about the photographs relate back to the name of the series. How the individuals are shown through the photograph, the colors, the space they are in, and their little story on the side of their photograph really helps to convey what the artist want us to feel through the photographs.
5) Through the usage of the lighting, the colors, the placement of the individuals, and their story on the side, helped me to believe what you see is not everything. The callers are left to fantasize how the phonesex operator looks like and how they are. But in reality, most of the time, that is not how it is.
6) This series made me think about what the artist said about the phonesex industry and how it leaves people to fantasize for themselves. It also made me realize that what we want to believe and the truth is different. And I think that is what the artist is trying to get through to the viewers
Adrianna had trouble posting...
1. Cornelia Hediger
2. This work is a series of photographs which depicts a central character, a woman with brown hair, in different locations and positions within the frame. Usually, each image has multiple versions of herself, sometimes with sections of her body in different sizes. The image is cut up into squares in a grid like display. The light is quite diffused with a little bit of shadow. Most of the colors are pastel.3. The concept of a doppelganger, or a different version of yourself, is visually represented by the multiple versions of the model within the frame. Even the frame itself has multiple sections or ‘chucks’ which seem to represent a divide. You could say this physical divide is representation of an emotional divide. Perhaps the different versions of herself literally is implies the symbolic differences of emotion or character that my even be hidden to the individual.
4. In some of the photos, the model is looking at herself inquisitively. Sometimes the model is looking at the viewer. In some cases, one version of herself is seen behind a door, or sitting on the bed as she puts a finger over her mouth to silence us. In most cases, the model is interacting with herself. The imagery at times seems sexual: baby dolls, nude bodies, a fish to imply a phallus.
5. These elements imply a sense of curiosity about herself and seem to be describing the process of discover of the hidden parts of her identity. Some of the images seem hostile at times, she is holding a fire arm and stalking her ‘naïve’ self. This is representative of a sense of mistrust of oneself. Her curiosity and discovery of sexual self is apparent through the props mention in # 4.
6. The artist seems to be concerned about creating a sense of shock and quirk within this body. I would say that she is successful in this regard. Through the use of odd props, unusual perspective in some cases, and uneasy bodily positions and expressions of the face, she is able to achieve this.
1. Unknown Artist- Criminal Mug Shots
2.This work is a series of photographs of a group of people ( presumably middle to upper class) both man and female. In the majority of the photos, there is a photo of the person facing the camera, and another showing the person's profile. The photos have an antique grayish or sepia toned quality to them. The light is soft and diffused, but it also has shadows. Above each portrait are tiny white letters appearing of their height and weight.
3. If this work is meant to be conceptual, I would say that the concept is the idea that anyone can be a criminal whether they appear to be or not. Because of the fact that they appear to be regular family portraits, yet have been presented as criminals , tells me this. As mentioned above, the straight on and profile view is slightly reminiscent of mugshots. Perhaps this artist is saying that the people are so serious looking that they might as well be mugshots.
4. In the images, there are men and women who appear to be in a natural and relaxed stance. Their expressions are varying, but they all seem authentic and genuine. In once case, there is a man who is to the right of the frame with closed eye and a "squished" face expression. Some of the images appear to be portraits of friends together: maybe standing in a group, or sitting down beside eachother.
5. The elements mentioned above seem to be creating a concept or sense of authenticity. Perhaps all of the images are taken during a modern time and meant to be fabricating old fashioned portraits. If that is the case, this artist is extremely successful in that regard.
6. The overall concept is lost to me because I'm not sure what time period that these were taken in and if the letters are to signify that these are real crinimals. Maybe its just a joke about their seriousness or a statement about how criminals can appear to be regular citizens. My confusion about this leaves me answerless as to if this body of work is successful or not.
Artist Assignment; part 1
1. Portraits of Australian Criminals, photographer unknown
2. This is a collection of images of Australian criminals from the 1920's. Each photograph contains two separate images, to display profile or specific details. These photographs were taken with a large format 8x10 camera, and glass plate negatives. Due to the nature of photography in the 1920's and the lack of sensitivity in the speeds of the film, each picture is a long exposure. There is white writing on most of the images that contain specific information about each of the criminals (name, etc).
3. As these pictures function as documentation for a police department in Sydney, all of the elements are used to provide as much information as possible. Clothing of the time is depicted, as well as profile shots and important details relevant to their crimes. The negative processing is not as much of an aesthetic choice, as it was one of few options at the time. Many of the images appear to be taken outdoors (maybe in a courtyard), which I assume is because of a need for direct light.
4. In each image, we have a portrait of an individual. Some of the portraits contain a detailed image of a piece of clothing or a profile, as to give detail that is relevant to a certain crime. There is writing on each of the photographs that contain information about the individual that has been arrested. These pictures were taken with an 8x10 camera and glass negatives, which impart certain physical characteristics.
5. These features provide the viewer with all of the information that was necessary at the time, such as who the criminal was, what crime they committed, who they committed the crime with..
6. The artist's conceptual goal was to provide specific information about a certain group of people, with enough detail to be used in a court of law. This goal was achieved for the period of photography in which these photographs were taken. By today's standards, the antiquated equipment which was employed and the older lenses create a slightly obscured if not stylistic depiction, which would not be appropriate for our contemporary justice systems.
1. Francesca Woodman
2. These photographs were taken with a medium format camera and black and white 120 film. Natural lighting was employed in each of these photographs, as well as natural elements of decay. The photographers body is present in each of the pictures, while her face is almost always obscured. The positioning of her body is usually curved to mimmick or enhance the natural forms that she is interacting with.
3. The use of black and white film is appropriate for these images, as her figure is reduced to a range of whites and greys, that interact with the faded grays of the background and make her figure integrated into its environment. Her figure, interacting within these environments, naturally replicates the shapes and patterns.
4. In each frame, we see Francesca's body, some elements of natural decay, a strong understanding and usage of natural and ambient lighting, the use of found items in association with her own figure, and the form of her own body as an imitation of nature.
5. The use of the square frame, which is conducive to center-framing, allows her to display a subject (usually herself), centrally in each image. As mentioned before, the black and white negative integrates her figure into the background by giving it the same tonal range and color palette as the elements around her. The use of her body as a tool to replicate these natural forms, as well as her use and eye for natural lighting, gives the viewer the impression that she feels a part of nature.
6. The artist seems to represent herself not as an individual, but as an anonymous part of everything. A decaying, yet ever-changing being, with the beauty of youth yet the awareness of the fleeting nature of the natural world. Her use of decaying and abandoned homes and belongings, as well as older clothing, lead the viewer to this understanding.
2. This is a collection of images of Australian criminals from the 1920's. Each photograph contains two separate images, to display profile or specific details. These photographs were taken with a large format 8x10 camera, and glass plate negatives. Due to the nature of photography in the 1920's and the lack of sensitivity in the speeds of the film, each picture is a long exposure. There is white writing on most of the images that contain specific information about each of the criminals (name, etc).
3. As these pictures function as documentation for a police department in Sydney, all of the elements are used to provide as much information as possible. Clothing of the time is depicted, as well as profile shots and important details relevant to their crimes. The negative processing is not as much of an aesthetic choice, as it was one of few options at the time. Many of the images appear to be taken outdoors (maybe in a courtyard), which I assume is because of a need for direct light.
4. In each image, we have a portrait of an individual. Some of the portraits contain a detailed image of a piece of clothing or a profile, as to give detail that is relevant to a certain crime. There is writing on each of the photographs that contain information about the individual that has been arrested. These pictures were taken with an 8x10 camera and glass negatives, which impart certain physical characteristics.
5. These features provide the viewer with all of the information that was necessary at the time, such as who the criminal was, what crime they committed, who they committed the crime with..
6. The artist's conceptual goal was to provide specific information about a certain group of people, with enough detail to be used in a court of law. This goal was achieved for the period of photography in which these photographs were taken. By today's standards, the antiquated equipment which was employed and the older lenses create a slightly obscured if not stylistic depiction, which would not be appropriate for our contemporary justice systems.
1. Francesca Woodman
2. These photographs were taken with a medium format camera and black and white 120 film. Natural lighting was employed in each of these photographs, as well as natural elements of decay. The photographers body is present in each of the pictures, while her face is almost always obscured. The positioning of her body is usually curved to mimmick or enhance the natural forms that she is interacting with.
3. The use of black and white film is appropriate for these images, as her figure is reduced to a range of whites and greys, that interact with the faded grays of the background and make her figure integrated into its environment. Her figure, interacting within these environments, naturally replicates the shapes and patterns.
4. In each frame, we see Francesca's body, some elements of natural decay, a strong understanding and usage of natural and ambient lighting, the use of found items in association with her own figure, and the form of her own body as an imitation of nature.
5. The use of the square frame, which is conducive to center-framing, allows her to display a subject (usually herself), centrally in each image. As mentioned before, the black and white negative integrates her figure into the background by giving it the same tonal range and color palette as the elements around her. The use of her body as a tool to replicate these natural forms, as well as her use and eye for natural lighting, gives the viewer the impression that she feels a part of nature.
6. The artist seems to represent herself not as an individual, but as an anonymous part of everything. A decaying, yet ever-changing being, with the beauty of youth yet the awareness of the fleeting nature of the natural world. Her use of decaying and abandoned homes and belongings, as well as older clothing, lead the viewer to this understanding.
Artist Assignment, Part 1.
1. Gillian Wearing
2. These images are of people on the street wearing their own clothes, holding signs that they wrote. The subjects do not appear posed at all, but look as though the photographer just happened upon them on the street and they paused to be photographed.
3. The simple stances and the everyday clothing of the subjects both add to the personal feel of the photographs. The concept seems to be to extract the subjects' thoughts and secrets completely honestly, and I think that the candid appearance of the subjects lends to that concept.
4. Each photograph consists of one or more models, their sign, and a street or building in the background.
5. I feel as though the choice to photograph the subjects on the street, unposed and candid, strengthens the connection that I as a viewer feel with these strangers. The first images really strikes me, because the man appears to me to be an upper-middle class business man, but his sign says "I'm desperate". I would never guess that this man felt desperate if I passed him on the street. The series is like giving the viewer a taste of what it would be like to be a mind-reader, because we see these people in their natural state but know exactly what they're thinking.
6. The artist seemed to be concerned with capturing purely the subject, and nothing else. There are no crowds, no fancy costumes or props, no dramatic makeup, nothing that would suggest that the subject is not completely showing their normal self during the moment that the photograph was taken. I think that this concept was expressed very well. I really like the title of the series, "Signs that say what you want them to say, and not signs that say what someone else wants you to say". I feel like I spend a lot of time crafting my conversations and comments to please, if not pacify, my audience. But if I could make a sign that says what I want it to, I would be able to get a lot off my chest that I would never actually say out loud. So, this series now makes me think of the Post Secret project: Post Secret.
1. Francesca Woodman
2. These images are of the artist, I presume, since the series is titled "Self Portraits". There is sometimes another subject. The objects in the photographs range from bare walls to mirrors to the ground. The objects and locations appear to be found, or typical.
3. The artist arranges herself in front of, around, or, in the case of the peeling wallpaper, behind, the objects in the image. She uses her body to interact with her surroundings in a very compositionally-friendly way. I find the images to be aesthetically pleasing and interesting to view. I think her concept is the idea of using her body as an object in the image as opposed to the human subject, so like a shape or form, just like the things with which she's holding or surrounding herself. It is obvious in most of the images that she is a human and not actually part of the background, but I don't think that's an issue or unintentional.
4. The images consist of the artist, a space, and usually some type of prop or unique background.
5. The objects in the image serve as a counterpart to the mundane nature of her body, as a human. She is neither glorified nor ignored, but simply exists beautifully within the space.
6. If I have at least somewhat correctly interpreted this artist's concept, I think this series is a success because I am thinking about the relationship between the artist and her surroundings. Although actually, I am not concerned with whether I have fully understood her intent because the series is captivating to me, even without an explanation, which is something I usually want to have available to me.
Artist Assignment: Part 1
1.) Hiroshi Sugimoto
2.) Hiroshi Sugimoto has a very straight forward formal process in his work. He shoots the same subject matter in the same way.
3.) These simple shots of known spaces help us give the illusion of being there. They're subtle differences and choice of using black and white, don't allow us to read too far into what is in the space we are in however just the feeling of being there.
4.)In this series the place is the theater and the subject is the theater, he lets the space glorify itself.
5.)In using deadpan photography as his aesthetic to photograph these theaters he allows us to not concentrate on the photos themselves but on the space and how it will make the viewer react.
6.)I went and looked at Hiroshi's actual site and found his statement for the series "theater." Apparently his original idea for the project was to capture an entire movie in one photograph. He set-up a large-format camera in the back of movie theater and captures the entire film in one single image. After reading his statement I believe that it fits very well with the series, however it does not really come close to what I got out of the series before I read it.
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1.) Phillip Toledano
2.) Phillip uses a tableaux aesthetic in his photographs. All the photos are carefully lit, staged, planned, and timed. He uses subjects of all different types, and the same goes for his sets. He also worked with color on this series.
3.)On the second photo of Phillip's series he talks about a woman who has a degree in Cultural Anthropology, in the photograph he uses some of the elements in the background to give the viewer that hint (books on the bookshelf next to her bed)
4.)Some of the things in each photograph are; a subject, a setting, props, expressions, and actions.
5.)Each of these elements help the viewer see more clearly into his concept which is to evaluate the different people that use these kinds of phone services, as well as examining what these people have been through. For example, the subject that was the witness to three total suicides during her phone calls, Phillip dressed her in all black.
6.)Phillip set forth on this series to explore the world of phone sex deeper, he wants to find out what it takes for the operator to satisfy the caller. However he also studied how the operator feels about the entire situation. I really thing that having the text guide you through the photos helped out the series immensely.
Joel Sternfeld - Bettina von Zwehl
1) Joel Sternfeld - On This Site
2) These photographs have a somewhat predictable formal quality to them. Presented in a rather straight forward, documentary style, with a general use of some basic compositional elements.
3) Joel Sternfeld presents these locations in an arguably mundane manner. There are no people present in these photographs, yet they are about events that have happened to certain people throughout time. With a combination of the lack of people and the quaint way in which they were photographed, the places themselves are at first perceived as peaceful, sometimes uninteresting places. This allows his concept, in this case providing historical information about the particular area, to really pack a punch when a viewer reads the context of each place photographed.
4) Existing within each frame are specific locations within the United States. These places are shot in an "academic" landscape style.
5) I think this aesthetic approach works by initially drawing in a viewer, then forcing the viewer to question what makes each of these locations worthy of being photographed and exhibited in a gallery, etc., then providing the viewer with important information pertaining to each location. In Sternfeld's particular case, a lot of the information provided counteracts the beautiful photographs he has taken, possibly forcing the viewer to question their own understanding of beauty.
6) At this point, I believe Joel Sternfeld to be very successful in this project. I experienced, in my opinion, what he possibly wanted each viewer to experience. That is to be initially drawn to some aspect of these photographs, be it aesthetic beauty, mysteriousness, maybe even ugliness, and then provided certain historical information which in turn makes the viewer, in this case myself, have a moment of enlightenment.
1) Bettina von Zwehl - Atemwege 2009-2010
2) The formal aspects of these images is rather basic. Each work is a diptych of two traditionally posed portraits of children on a brown background.
3) In this particular case, the formulated portraits are important for creating a quite environment, almost forcing the viewer to become listener, waiting for the sounds of inhaling and exhaling.
4) In each frame, there exists a very basic portrait of a child, wearing a neutral colored tank top of some sort, which blends in with the background. All the children depicted are looking into the camera with a straight, focused face.
5) These elements create a neutral environment forcing the viewer's eyes to become very comfortable very quickly. Personally, my eyes after becoming accustomed to the stagnant imagery, began to focus in on the smallest of details revealing any clues depicting inhalation or exhalation.
6) I am not entirely sure as to what the artist was aiming to communicate in this particular series. She was very successful in creating a very unique relationship between viewer and photograph though. The viewer is essentially watching a photograph breathe, and possibly listening for it as well. This challenge between viewer and photograph is something that I have never witnessed before, and is very successful.
Artist Assignment: Part I
1. Hiroshi Sugimoto
2. "Theaters" is composed of images of the interior of a movie theatre auditorium, taken from the back of the auditorium. In these shots, the screen is centered in the image, and acts as the brightest element and the light source of the shot.
3. Sugimoto describes the concept of the project "Theaters" to be an attempt to capture an entire film in a single shot. By placing the camera at the back of the auditorium, Sugimoto makes the photograph's composition similar to what a viewer might see if she were watching a movie in the theatre herself.
4. Centered in the frame of each shot is the screen of the movie theatre. Above it, part of the ceiling is often visible, sometimes including elaborate wainscoting and other decorative architectural elements. Beneath, we can occasionally see seats that observers might occupy, or, in several images, a stage-like platform.
5. The objects placed in the frame are the objects that one might find in a regular movie theatre, allowing the viewer to place himself in the position of an audience member. The aberrant element of this scene is therefore the screen, which, rather than showing an image from a film, is brightly-lit, almost a white canvas on the image.
6. The way Sugimoto describes the concept, it is an exercise in capturing an extended period of time in a single image, but in an unconventional way. He effectively removes any distractions from the viewer by using a deadpan interpretation of the movie theatre, and allows the image to be as it would appear to the human eye. Nevertheless, the lighting of the images is striking- a chiaroscuro and poetic image taken without any needless elaboration.
1. Mugshots from Sydney, Australia (photographer unknown)
2. Each image contains two to three photographs of the same individual, standing in a decrepit but sparse environment, with writing that appears to be an addition to the photograph after development, appearing to state various information- possibly the name, height and weight of the individual, and appearing to show the date.
3. The images are mugshots, taken out of the archives of the Sydney police. Their intention, as a result, was to bear effigies of the individuals who had committed crimes. The images are unusual for mugshots, however, in that they appear to be more appropriately described as portraits than effigies. However, all of the formal elements of the images point to the original purpose of these shots- that is, as documentary images of suspected criminals.
4. Again, some of these images contain chairs, curtains, or various other unremarkable backgrounds. Each images contains a human subject, or several, often from different positions, such as a profile or three-quarter shot. Each image also contains text, detailing various information about the suspected criminal.
5. The objects in the screen besides the human subject indicate nothing other than a standard mugshot format, however, the human subjects are portrayed artistically, in unusual poses and with unusual expressions for a person being brought in to the police station. In several images, the subjects are looking down- hardly the most efficient position by which to identify a criminal, and in one specifically, the subject, a man, has his back to the camera.
6. One cannot help but speculate as to the nature of the photographer when viewing these images, given that the people portrayed in them responded so expressively to his camera. It is possible that the rarity of having one's photo taken in the 1920's provoked these unusual reactions, but it seems more likely still that there was a certain charisma or an ability to elicit honest reactions from others that the photographer possessed. Regardless of the formal qualities of the images- or perhaps, in conjunction with these qualities, the images are portraits of a segment of that society of the time that does not seem entirely unnerved by their situation.
2. "Theaters" is composed of images of the interior of a movie theatre auditorium, taken from the back of the auditorium. In these shots, the screen is centered in the image, and acts as the brightest element and the light source of the shot.
3. Sugimoto describes the concept of the project "Theaters" to be an attempt to capture an entire film in a single shot. By placing the camera at the back of the auditorium, Sugimoto makes the photograph's composition similar to what a viewer might see if she were watching a movie in the theatre herself.
4. Centered in the frame of each shot is the screen of the movie theatre. Above it, part of the ceiling is often visible, sometimes including elaborate wainscoting and other decorative architectural elements. Beneath, we can occasionally see seats that observers might occupy, or, in several images, a stage-like platform.
5. The objects placed in the frame are the objects that one might find in a regular movie theatre, allowing the viewer to place himself in the position of an audience member. The aberrant element of this scene is therefore the screen, which, rather than showing an image from a film, is brightly-lit, almost a white canvas on the image.
6. The way Sugimoto describes the concept, it is an exercise in capturing an extended period of time in a single image, but in an unconventional way. He effectively removes any distractions from the viewer by using a deadpan interpretation of the movie theatre, and allows the image to be as it would appear to the human eye. Nevertheless, the lighting of the images is striking- a chiaroscuro and poetic image taken without any needless elaboration.
1. Mugshots from Sydney, Australia (photographer unknown)
2. Each image contains two to three photographs of the same individual, standing in a decrepit but sparse environment, with writing that appears to be an addition to the photograph after development, appearing to state various information- possibly the name, height and weight of the individual, and appearing to show the date.
3. The images are mugshots, taken out of the archives of the Sydney police. Their intention, as a result, was to bear effigies of the individuals who had committed crimes. The images are unusual for mugshots, however, in that they appear to be more appropriately described as portraits than effigies. However, all of the formal elements of the images point to the original purpose of these shots- that is, as documentary images of suspected criminals.
4. Again, some of these images contain chairs, curtains, or various other unremarkable backgrounds. Each images contains a human subject, or several, often from different positions, such as a profile or three-quarter shot. Each image also contains text, detailing various information about the suspected criminal.
5. The objects in the screen besides the human subject indicate nothing other than a standard mugshot format, however, the human subjects are portrayed artistically, in unusual poses and with unusual expressions for a person being brought in to the police station. In several images, the subjects are looking down- hardly the most efficient position by which to identify a criminal, and in one specifically, the subject, a man, has his back to the camera.
6. One cannot help but speculate as to the nature of the photographer when viewing these images, given that the people portrayed in them responded so expressively to his camera. It is possible that the rarity of having one's photo taken in the 1920's provoked these unusual reactions, but it seems more likely still that there was a certain charisma or an ability to elicit honest reactions from others that the photographer possessed. Regardless of the formal qualities of the images- or perhaps, in conjunction with these qualities, the images are portraits of a segment of that society of the time that does not seem entirely unnerved by their situation.
Artist Assignment-Sam Norwood
1)Francesca Woodman
2)This series is composed of black and white images of Francesca Woodman in different styles and situations. The portraits range from full body shots to close ups and just parts of the body.
3)These somewhat abstracted images seem to reflect a concentration on the form of the body, emphasized by the position of the body, and its relationship to props and surroundings. Some images seem to voice a relationship to time by the use of long exposure, prints of the body next to the figure, and the use of mirrors.
4) Some of the things existing in the image are plain clothing and fabrics. But there is also nudity, for some parts of the body or the whole. There are mirrors and furniture that sort of direct the concept. As to the situations they vary in their locations from the outdoors in fields and grasslands to the beach, and inside a home.
5) The objects in the images sort of mirror the figure in a few different ways. One way is that the objects themselves bear a resemblance to the persons shape. There is a sort of imprint quality that is determined by the surroundings, either in the ground , paint on the floor, or the general shape of objects mimicked by the body. This concept seems to bear a confrontation to the self and in some ways escaping that engagement. This feeling is portrayed in half body shots, long exposure, only showing parts of the figure, and the awkward positions the model takes on. The use of framing around the subject also points in this direction. Seeing the self in a certain way and being stuck in that frame of mind. Many of the images the model is stuck in the wall, in furniture, or on a mirror.
6) I feel like there are many concepts that were explored in this body of work. The one that stands out to me the most is confronting and exploring the self. Woodman did an adequate job portraying this by utilizing many styles and settings.
1) David Knight
2) This body of work is a series of color portraits taken from behind what looks like glass covered in dirt and old spider webs. On the other side of the glass are single subjects lit by a harsh light overhead.
3) This sort of scenario gives the feeling that the subjects are wondering through the night either in hiding or in searching. The lack of information is vital to the concept in that it gives a constant through the images, creates the same feeling through them, and also hides from the viewer the subject’s clear purpose.
4) Apart from the barrier in between the audience and the subject, we are left with the character of the person to observe; their expression, wardrobe, and position. The images are set in sort of sequencing focusing on an individual for about five of six frames. Most of the subjects confront the viewer in at least one of the frames. In the other ones they are looking around turned in different positions.
5) It is not obvious whether or not these images were shot in the studio or on location. Although, even with limited information the viewer is left with a sense of place. Many of the subjects look vulnerable, and their dress emphasizes this. For example, one girl is wearing a jacket and has her head down, and in some of the other images of her she is in a night dress and is more exposed, her body position is more confined. The sense in most of the images of being lost and exposed.
6) The artist does a good job demonstrating a disconnection both with the viewer and the subject in their location. This series I feel works better than “Disconnected” where there is no clear barrier of the filter in front of the viewer.
1)Francesca Woodman
2)This series is composed of black and white images of Francesca Woodman in different styles and situations. The portraits range from full body shots to close ups and just parts of the body.
3)These somewhat abstracted images seem to reflect a concentration on the form of the body, emphasized by the position of the body, and its relationship to props and surroundings. Some images seem to voice a relationship to time by the use of long exposure, prints of the body next to the figure, and the use of mirrors.
4) Some of the things existing in the image are plain clothing and fabrics. But there is also nudity, for some parts of the body or the whole. There are mirrors and furniture that sort of direct the concept. As to the situations they vary in their locations from the outdoors in fields and grasslands to the beach, and inside a home.
5) The objects in the images sort of mirror the figure in a few different ways. One way is that the objects themselves bear a resemblance to the persons shape. There is a sort of imprint quality that is determined by the surroundings, either in the ground , paint on the floor, or the general shape of objects mimicked by the body. This concept seems to bear a confrontation to the self and in some ways escaping that engagement. This feeling is portrayed in half body shots, long exposure, only showing parts of the figure, and the awkward positions the model takes on. The use of framing around the subject also points in this direction. Seeing the self in a certain way and being stuck in that frame of mind. Many of the images the model is stuck in the wall, in furniture, or on a mirror.
6) I feel like there are many concepts that were explored in this body of work. The one that stands out to me the most is confronting and exploring the self. Woodman did an adequate job portraying this by utilizing many styles and settings.
1) David Knight
2) This body of work is a series of color portraits taken from behind what looks like glass covered in dirt and old spider webs. On the other side of the glass are single subjects lit by a harsh light overhead.
3) This sort of scenario gives the feeling that the subjects are wondering through the night either in hiding or in searching. The lack of information is vital to the concept in that it gives a constant through the images, creates the same feeling through them, and also hides from the viewer the subject’s clear purpose.
4) Apart from the barrier in between the audience and the subject, we are left with the character of the person to observe; their expression, wardrobe, and position. The images are set in sort of sequencing focusing on an individual for about five of six frames. Most of the subjects confront the viewer in at least one of the frames. In the other ones they are looking around turned in different positions.
5) It is not obvious whether or not these images were shot in the studio or on location. Although, even with limited information the viewer is left with a sense of place. Many of the subjects look vulnerable, and their dress emphasizes this. For example, one girl is wearing a jacket and has her head down, and in some of the other images of her she is in a night dress and is more exposed, her body position is more confined. The sense in most of the images of being lost and exposed.
6) The artist does a good job demonstrating a disconnection both with the viewer and the subject in their location. This series I feel works better than “Disconnected” where there is no clear barrier of the filter in front of the viewer.
Artists Post
1) Cornelia Hediger
2) These images are very formally structured, which is what combines them and makes them into a series. The grid aspect for the images adds an interesting element, and there is a strong use of color as a compositional element.
3) Using the grid adds to the concept by creating a structure in the image; one that adds a sense of disconnect and unease to the image as a whole. Things don't match up perfectly from square to square, which contributes to the tone of the work. The colors contribute in the same way in that they are used to create a mood and an atmosphere for the image.
4) These images feature people in domestic settings. People on couches, in kitchens, bedrooms, baththubs, etc. The props and furniture all subscribe to the same visual aesthetic.
5) The visual unity is clearly very important to the overall concept of these images. The props and sets are designed to create a mood of home-y comfort and, yet, unease. The portrayal of the concept relies heavily on the set design the colors in the image.
6) While I've been talking about the artists portrayal of a concept, I'm not 100 percent sure what the concept is. My own interpretation would lead me to say that she is tackling ideas of identity and self, individually and as part of a family. She seems to be doing well with it, she has thought of creative ways to express her confusions and disconnected emotions. I think it's a very impressive endeavor.
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2) These are black and white portraits of affluent and impoverished people. The lighting seems to be natural and each individual or family is photographed in their personal environment.
3) These things add to the environment and concept by creating a personal interaction between the viewer and the subject. The addition of the text underneath the images adds to this.
4) Each image simply consists of the subject in their own living space
5) This type of approach really emphasis the importance of the personality of the subject. The images become more than just part of a series, but a representation of an individual. These images speak for themselves, by themselves. They can function without the others, though all of them together makes them stronger.
6) I think he was very successful at conveying his concept. It seems this work is about illustrating the differences between the rich and the poor, and he does that well .
Hali Weber--Assignment Part 1
1) Cornelia Hediger
2) The photographs are each a compostion of 6 seperate photographs pieced together in a grid format, 2x3. They are not aligned seamlessly, which draws attention to the distorted proportions and changes in the set. Each photograph has a very even bright light that leaves room for little shadow but much detail. They also appear some what flat, the colors are not saturated.
3) The piecing together of the images lends to the effect of pieceing together a story or a memory. Each photograph has the exact same model represented twice with two different personalities. These visual aspects lead me to believe that the artist was telling a story of what had happened and what she imagined happening. Sorta like those moments where you see the scene unfold before your eyes but in your mind you are picturing something different. Conceptually I think the distorted proportions also lend to this feel of a pieced together thought.
4) Almost all of the photographs exist in some sort or living space or a space that would lead to a living space, ie; bathrom, bedroom, den, stair way, hallway, etc. Each photograph has two people represented who are interacting with some sort of small object, hat, book, scissors, coffee cup etc. At the ame time the two personalities seem to be interacting or responding to the other and this can be noted by the body language.
5) If the concept behind the two bodies of work is about a memory or moment being retold in two different persepctives form the same person then the interactions with the sets really lend to that. Each set being chosen to represnt a living space helps to give off the effect of a memory from a child or adolescent, some one who really only has distorted memories of home. Having two people in the images or the representation of two people by using the same modle makes the veiwer preceive the images in two different ways; what happened and what was imagined happening or two different versions of a memory. The interactions between the two people appear like the person is fighting with their self, one person is generaly hiding or submissing to the other.
6) If I am interpretting Hedigar's concept correctly (there was no artist statement on the webiste), and her concept has to deal with split memories then I beleive her approach was successful. I think the piecing together of 6 images really lends to this idea, kind of like zoning in and out of a memory the proportions appear some what off. Using the same model to represnt both personalities also was a really wise choice to get across this cocept. After reading an interview with her I agree even more so that her athestics really helped to enhance her concept. Here is the interview .
1) Jim Goldstein
2) Each image is a black and white representaion of an individual in their spaces. All of the images are surrounded by lots of white space where the subject of the photo wrote something to the photograhpher. They all appear to be lit by some side light, whether it be natural light or from a flash it is hard to tell.
3) Relating these forms back to concept the grittyness of the black and white print help to really represnt the detail. The images appear very honest and geninue in a way that black and photography seems older and more authentic. These images were meant to just represnt the people and their living situations and I think using the light available was a good desicion, it helps the realness of the image in that nothing was created or faked. Having the poor and the rich represented in the same exact way really says something about how even the rich or poor when it comes to emotions such as happiness and love.
4) Each image has person and that person's living space. Each image also has a brief note that the subjects wrote after seeing the pictures.
5) By chosing to only show that person in their space where they most likely feel the most comfortable the artist is chosing to show a more honest side of these people since they are somewhere they dont feel like they need to hide. The writing are just as significant as the images and in some cases the writings were more intersting. I found myself more intersted in reading what the person actually wrote then in the typed up versions.
6) In documenting the rich and the poor I think these images were successful. I agree with using the same techniques for both groups because it really does bring them to the same level and makes the veiwer think. When I first looked at the images I assumed they were all of poor people but going back through them and really seeing and reading what they people wrote I started to understand the concept behind the images better and I really liked the way the artist did it. Clearly things aren't always what they seem.
2) The photographs are each a compostion of 6 seperate photographs pieced together in a grid format, 2x3. They are not aligned seamlessly, which draws attention to the distorted proportions and changes in the set. Each photograph has a very even bright light that leaves room for little shadow but much detail. They also appear some what flat, the colors are not saturated.
3) The piecing together of the images lends to the effect of pieceing together a story or a memory. Each photograph has the exact same model represented twice with two different personalities. These visual aspects lead me to believe that the artist was telling a story of what had happened and what she imagined happening. Sorta like those moments where you see the scene unfold before your eyes but in your mind you are picturing something different. Conceptually I think the distorted proportions also lend to this feel of a pieced together thought.
4) Almost all of the photographs exist in some sort or living space or a space that would lead to a living space, ie; bathrom, bedroom, den, stair way, hallway, etc. Each photograph has two people represented who are interacting with some sort of small object, hat, book, scissors, coffee cup etc. At the ame time the two personalities seem to be interacting or responding to the other and this can be noted by the body language.
5) If the concept behind the two bodies of work is about a memory or moment being retold in two different persepctives form the same person then the interactions with the sets really lend to that. Each set being chosen to represnt a living space helps to give off the effect of a memory from a child or adolescent, some one who really only has distorted memories of home. Having two people in the images or the representation of two people by using the same modle makes the veiwer preceive the images in two different ways; what happened and what was imagined happening or two different versions of a memory. The interactions between the two people appear like the person is fighting with their self, one person is generaly hiding or submissing to the other.
6) If I am interpretting Hedigar's concept correctly (there was no artist statement on the webiste), and her concept has to deal with split memories then I beleive her approach was successful. I think the piecing together of 6 images really lends to this idea, kind of like zoning in and out of a memory the proportions appear some what off. Using the same model to represnt both personalities also was a really wise choice to get across this cocept. After reading an interview with her I agree even more so that her athestics really helped to enhance her concept. Here is the interview .
1) Jim Goldstein
2) Each image is a black and white representaion of an individual in their spaces. All of the images are surrounded by lots of white space where the subject of the photo wrote something to the photograhpher. They all appear to be lit by some side light, whether it be natural light or from a flash it is hard to tell.
3) Relating these forms back to concept the grittyness of the black and white print help to really represnt the detail. The images appear very honest and geninue in a way that black and photography seems older and more authentic. These images were meant to just represnt the people and their living situations and I think using the light available was a good desicion, it helps the realness of the image in that nothing was created or faked. Having the poor and the rich represented in the same exact way really says something about how even the rich or poor when it comes to emotions such as happiness and love.
4) Each image has person and that person's living space. Each image also has a brief note that the subjects wrote after seeing the pictures.
5) By chosing to only show that person in their space where they most likely feel the most comfortable the artist is chosing to show a more honest side of these people since they are somewhere they dont feel like they need to hide. The writing are just as significant as the images and in some cases the writings were more intersting. I found myself more intersted in reading what the person actually wrote then in the typed up versions.
6) In documenting the rich and the poor I think these images were successful. I agree with using the same techniques for both groups because it really does bring them to the same level and makes the veiwer think. When I first looked at the images I assumed they were all of poor people but going back through them and really seeing and reading what they people wrote I started to understand the concept behind the images better and I really liked the way the artist did it. Clearly things aren't always what they seem.
Artist Assignment: Part 1 - Augusta Pittman
1) Hiroshi Sugimoto
2) This series comprises of black and white photographs of movie theaters located both inside and outside. From image to image, the movie screens are illuminated and centered within the frame. It seems like the camera is the same distance away from the screen in each image (no variation in composition).
3) These deadpan, black and white images, to me, communicate one thing, objective observation. Sugimoto is quite matter-of-fact with the presentation of each theater; what you see is what you get. His consistency in distance, cropping, framing, and even tonality eventually turned me onto his underlying conceptual ideas. The presence of these controls also made it easier to fully engage with the unique spaces he photographed. Sugimoto’s stylistics led me to interpret this series as being an observational study of humans and our interests.
4) Theaters, glowing screens, and empty chairs are the main “things” existing within these frames. Many of the indoor theaters are beautiful, ornate in design and decoration. They remind me of opera houses you might find in France or Russia in the 1900s. Compared to their counterparts, the outdoor theaters are quite underwhelming (in design that is). The outdoor photographs show towering screens above what I believe to be land designated for cars. Each image is completely devoid of people (or cars). From the information given, I can’t get a great sense of location (I know most if not all have to be in America), but the theaters do lead me to imagine the events, the people, and the entertainment that transpire within and around them.
5) I think Sugimoto observes human’s likes and dislikes through the means of movie theaters. We like pretty “packages” rather than boring, seemingly ugly ones. We strive for grandeur, hence the over-the-top outdoor movie screens. By removing people from the images, I think Sugimoto is trying to show just how sick and twisted our obsession with opulence truly is. Without the influence of human emotion (lack of facial expressions and body language), viewers are faced with examining his work like we might a detailed illustration of the stomach found in a doctor’s office; objective and informative, but terrifying and disgusting.
6) I did some digging on Hiroshi Sugimoto. I found this quote that directly related to how he began this “Theaters” project:
"One night I had an idea while I was at the movies: to photograph the film itself. I tried to imagine photographing an entire feature film with my camera. I could already picture the projection screen making itself visible as a white rectangle. In my imagination, this would appear as a glowing, white rectangle; it would come forward from the projection surface and illuminate the entire theater. This idea struck me as being very interesting, mysterious, and even religious."
I find it extremely interesting that Sugimoto wanted to encapsulate moving film stills into one, solitary photograph. To know that it was only this aesthetic drive that produced this series is comforting for some reason. Not all artwork has to be derived from an extremely personal or emotional place. Good photography can express great things, but can be based purely on interest in light or a simple quirk of an idea. Not everything has to be serious or deep. Of course I, like so many others, interpret “Theaters” on a deep level, but as an artist, it’s reassuring to know that this man created impressionable work with such a simple concept in mind. So yes, I do believe Hiroshi Sugimoto is successful in expressing his concept.
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1) Mugshots from Sydney, Australia c. 1910 – 1930 (Photographer Unknown)
2) These black and white photographs capture Australians who have been sentenced to some amount of jail time. The compositions vary from close up to full body portraits. Often the photographer presents these people in a diptych. The people are mostly positioned to one side of the frame, sometimes so severely that an arm or an elbow has been cut off from view.
3) The multiple poses of these people are surely necessary to complete police records (like they are today). But I do believe that the photographer here took artistic license. His (I seriously doubt it’s a woman given the time and situation) use of diptychs allows viewers to study both the close-up expressions and the body language of these inmates. Playing with skewing one person to the left or right is visually dynamic, which, in my opinion, creates a sort of rhythmic movement from frame to frame that you would not expect to see in mugshots. From the use of these formal elements, I deduce that the photographer attempted to portray what society deem as “morally corrupt” in a new light.
4) Each image contains a single person or a group of people. The people range from burley men to petite women. Above the heads of each person is their name scribbled in white. Beside several of the names is the date and a concession of numbers meaning what I’m not sure. The facial expressions and body language are just as variant. Some men glare into the camera with vengeance in their eyes, others seem complacent and surprisingly some look nonchalant, even cracking a smile for the photographer. Similarly, some women are giggling, smiling, and gossiping, giving me the impression that they are disconnected from reality (if I were to go to prison, I don’t think I would be smiling about it). Of course some of the women photographed wear forlorn and agonized expressions, nervously awaiting their impending doom. The sets are definitely odd given the situation. The scenes and props (i.e. chairs) are simple so that the person is the main focus.
5) The photographer’s decision to capture these people in such an up-close and personal way allows my imagination to run rapid. I can totally envision the back-stories of each person simply by the way they engage with the camera both with their face and their body. I think the photographer is trying to understand a particular human condition. What might force a person to turn to crime? What is underneath their hard exteriors? Is this treatment always fair? From his time with these people, I have a feeling that the photographer soften, perhaps pitying the plight of some. I just feel like by allowing these criminals to exist in an environment other than a plain, white wall or a jail-cell, the photographer is trying to remind viewers that these are people, capable of feeling. The fact that there are any props (i.e. chairs) is strangely wonderful. Its like the photographer is giving these people a choice, whether to sit or stand. Perhaps the person’s preference to sit or stand helps humanize them somehow. Maybe the photographer is going as far as trying to connect with his subjects.
6) I couldn’t find any information about the photographer, obviously since he is unknown, so the interpretations I make of his work are only speculation. I did, however, find information about some of the people he photographed. I found one quote from Nevillie McQuade, a transvestite arrested with his friend Lewis Stanley Keith in June 1942. In reference to being photographed, McQuade said; "We were bundled out of the police cell, and snapped immediately. My friend and I had no chance to fix our hair or arrange our make-up. We were half asleep and my turban was on the wrong side."
So from reading more about the people in the photographs, I can tell that whoever photographed them was more impersonal with his approach. Perhaps he wasn’t looking to connect with them or understand them. Perhaps he was just doing his job. But whatever his goal, he captured a moment, a moment that explores how much certain facial expressions or body positions reveal about a person.
2) This series comprises of black and white photographs of movie theaters located both inside and outside. From image to image, the movie screens are illuminated and centered within the frame. It seems like the camera is the same distance away from the screen in each image (no variation in composition).
3) These deadpan, black and white images, to me, communicate one thing, objective observation. Sugimoto is quite matter-of-fact with the presentation of each theater; what you see is what you get. His consistency in distance, cropping, framing, and even tonality eventually turned me onto his underlying conceptual ideas. The presence of these controls also made it easier to fully engage with the unique spaces he photographed. Sugimoto’s stylistics led me to interpret this series as being an observational study of humans and our interests.
4) Theaters, glowing screens, and empty chairs are the main “things” existing within these frames. Many of the indoor theaters are beautiful, ornate in design and decoration. They remind me of opera houses you might find in France or Russia in the 1900s. Compared to their counterparts, the outdoor theaters are quite underwhelming (in design that is). The outdoor photographs show towering screens above what I believe to be land designated for cars. Each image is completely devoid of people (or cars). From the information given, I can’t get a great sense of location (I know most if not all have to be in America), but the theaters do lead me to imagine the events, the people, and the entertainment that transpire within and around them.
5) I think Sugimoto observes human’s likes and dislikes through the means of movie theaters. We like pretty “packages” rather than boring, seemingly ugly ones. We strive for grandeur, hence the over-the-top outdoor movie screens. By removing people from the images, I think Sugimoto is trying to show just how sick and twisted our obsession with opulence truly is. Without the influence of human emotion (lack of facial expressions and body language), viewers are faced with examining his work like we might a detailed illustration of the stomach found in a doctor’s office; objective and informative, but terrifying and disgusting.
6) I did some digging on Hiroshi Sugimoto. I found this quote that directly related to how he began this “Theaters” project:
"One night I had an idea while I was at the movies: to photograph the film itself. I tried to imagine photographing an entire feature film with my camera. I could already picture the projection screen making itself visible as a white rectangle. In my imagination, this would appear as a glowing, white rectangle; it would come forward from the projection surface and illuminate the entire theater. This idea struck me as being very interesting, mysterious, and even religious."
I find it extremely interesting that Sugimoto wanted to encapsulate moving film stills into one, solitary photograph. To know that it was only this aesthetic drive that produced this series is comforting for some reason. Not all artwork has to be derived from an extremely personal or emotional place. Good photography can express great things, but can be based purely on interest in light or a simple quirk of an idea. Not everything has to be serious or deep. Of course I, like so many others, interpret “Theaters” on a deep level, but as an artist, it’s reassuring to know that this man created impressionable work with such a simple concept in mind. So yes, I do believe Hiroshi Sugimoto is successful in expressing his concept.
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1) Mugshots from Sydney, Australia c. 1910 – 1930 (Photographer Unknown)
2) These black and white photographs capture Australians who have been sentenced to some amount of jail time. The compositions vary from close up to full body portraits. Often the photographer presents these people in a diptych. The people are mostly positioned to one side of the frame, sometimes so severely that an arm or an elbow has been cut off from view.
3) The multiple poses of these people are surely necessary to complete police records (like they are today). But I do believe that the photographer here took artistic license. His (I seriously doubt it’s a woman given the time and situation) use of diptychs allows viewers to study both the close-up expressions and the body language of these inmates. Playing with skewing one person to the left or right is visually dynamic, which, in my opinion, creates a sort of rhythmic movement from frame to frame that you would not expect to see in mugshots. From the use of these formal elements, I deduce that the photographer attempted to portray what society deem as “morally corrupt” in a new light.
4) Each image contains a single person or a group of people. The people range from burley men to petite women. Above the heads of each person is their name scribbled in white. Beside several of the names is the date and a concession of numbers meaning what I’m not sure. The facial expressions and body language are just as variant. Some men glare into the camera with vengeance in their eyes, others seem complacent and surprisingly some look nonchalant, even cracking a smile for the photographer. Similarly, some women are giggling, smiling, and gossiping, giving me the impression that they are disconnected from reality (if I were to go to prison, I don’t think I would be smiling about it). Of course some of the women photographed wear forlorn and agonized expressions, nervously awaiting their impending doom. The sets are definitely odd given the situation. The scenes and props (i.e. chairs) are simple so that the person is the main focus.
5) The photographer’s decision to capture these people in such an up-close and personal way allows my imagination to run rapid. I can totally envision the back-stories of each person simply by the way they engage with the camera both with their face and their body. I think the photographer is trying to understand a particular human condition. What might force a person to turn to crime? What is underneath their hard exteriors? Is this treatment always fair? From his time with these people, I have a feeling that the photographer soften, perhaps pitying the plight of some. I just feel like by allowing these criminals to exist in an environment other than a plain, white wall or a jail-cell, the photographer is trying to remind viewers that these are people, capable of feeling. The fact that there are any props (i.e. chairs) is strangely wonderful. Its like the photographer is giving these people a choice, whether to sit or stand. Perhaps the person’s preference to sit or stand helps humanize them somehow. Maybe the photographer is going as far as trying to connect with his subjects.
6) I couldn’t find any information about the photographer, obviously since he is unknown, so the interpretations I make of his work are only speculation. I did, however, find information about some of the people he photographed. I found one quote from Nevillie McQuade, a transvestite arrested with his friend Lewis Stanley Keith in June 1942. In reference to being photographed, McQuade said; "We were bundled out of the police cell, and snapped immediately. My friend and I had no chance to fix our hair or arrange our make-up. We were half asleep and my turban was on the wrong side."
So from reading more about the people in the photographs, I can tell that whoever photographed them was more impersonal with his approach. Perhaps he wasn’t looking to connect with them or understand them. Perhaps he was just doing his job. But whatever his goal, he captured a moment, a moment that explores how much certain facial expressions or body positions reveal about a person.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Jim Goldberg & Joel Sternfeld
1) Jim Goldberg - Rich and Poor (Artist Name is incorrect on the link as Jim Goldstein)
2)Formally, the works are real simple documentation of rich and poor people that Goldberg wanted to show to others. By juxtaposing Rich people in their environment and poor people in their surroundings, Goldberg has given a strong voice to the class divide that exists in modern America
3) The photographs by themselves have a strong conceptual bond as we are shuffling back and forth from rich people to poor people and we can see that the artist is drawing attention to their condition. However, what makes the concept very powerful is the handwritten notes that accompany the photographs. The captions reveals a little bit about the psyche of the individual and here we see that sometimes the words and the surroundings don't coincide with each other. Within just a few sentences, we get a strong emotional content in many of the photographs that make them stronger at capturing the human condition than just the photographs alone
4) Jim Goldberg focusses mainly on people and their surroundings. However, in each piece of art, the photograph takes less prominence as there is more space for written text. This brings, at the very least, an equal focus to the text and the photograph to the viewer.
5) The photograph and the text combined end up clearly articulating Goldberg's idea of juxtaposing, not just visually, but also the thoughts of the two different sets of people that exist in our society.
6) If Goldberg started out with an idea of empathetically recording the rich and poor people in the US and also giving a voice to their thoughts, I believe that the series is very successful at addressing this concept. Even though they are aesthetically strong, I believe that the artist's main concern is finding the "voice" of these people that he photographs and I think that the words added to the photograph definitely add more strength to the series
Further Research:
http://www.magnumphotos.com/c.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.BookDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R151ZH9
http://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/30/books/a-touch-of-two-classes.html
http://ilikethisart.net/?p=4518
2) Sternfeld presents his images in this series as a strictly documentary recording of places. Interestingly, Sterfeld chose to portray his documentary work in color format than the traditional B/W format for journalistic work. Throughout the series, there are no people in any of the photographs.
3) Given the fact that all the places chosen by Sternfeld are places where there has been loss of life, it is interesting to note that there are no people present in any of the photographs. Also, the choice of color photography works well in this series. With the use of color and choosing almost a "everyday/commonplace" vantage point for most of his photographs, Sternfeld succeeds in creating a sense of complacency in the viewer. When the viewer reads more about the photograph and the bloodshed associated with it, it creates a stronger resonance to the images
4) People are conspicuously absent from every photograph in the series. The location of the camera is conscious so as to not romanticize the images, but present them as our everyday surroundings as they exist
5) The artist uses the photographs of the places/landscapes where tragedy has occurred a long time ago, but where there is no trace of the bloodshed or the lives lost. Some of the locations in this series are all to familiar to any viewer (Mt. Rushmore, Metro Bus Shelter). Showing these everyday locations helps the artist's concept that even though there is tragedy and bloodshed amongst us, there is no "gravestone" or "remembrances" for many of these in our daily life.
6) Sternfeld is pursuing the concept that killing and bloodshed happens amongst us all the time. However, we are more influenced by the media and how it chooses to portray it. By photographing everyday places without any fanfare, Sternfeld attempts to show the commonness of bloodshed in everyday life. In addition, the use of terse text to describe these photographs makes the crimes even starker and help strengthen the viewpoint of the artist. I believe that Sternfeld is very successful at getting his point across through this series of work.
Further Research:
http://documentaryworks.org/punctum/onthissite.htm
Assignment- Part I - Mel Kobran
- Phillip Toledano's PHONESEX.
- The photos are all portraits of individuals in a comfortable space, most likely their home. The full body shots are well light in a way that assures the viewer that the shots were staged, but perhaps the expressions on the subject’s faces were not.
- Showing (in most cases) the full body of the subject gives the viewer a clear idea of who they are looking at. This information allows the viewer to make their own judgments and assumptions about what they imagined a phone sex operator to look like, and whether or not what is presented in front of them fits or doesn’t fit that idea.
- The frame consists of one subject, and a few identifying elements in their environment that allude their home life.
- The fact that the personal elements were included force the viewer to consider the subject as a real person, and not just a voice on the phone. Likewise, it’s apparent that Toledano took a lot of time with the subject before he got the perfect shot since all of their expressions are individualized, and for the most part relaxed.
- The concept of portraits of phone sex operators in their home spaces is really interesting to me. It was definitely essential to take the photos in their own homes to get an idea of the “behind the scenes” of the industry. What’s even more compelling though is the text associated with each picture. Without the text, the photos would lose meaning and likewise the text without pictures would lack the personal element that seeing the subjects faces in their homes provides.
- David Knight’s Disconnected.
- The formal aspects of this series are a combination of crisp harsh light, on a single subject behind a fog of dust and an aged appearance.
- These formal elements create a barrier that literally disconnects the viewer from the subject of the photo, I feel like this fog is very similar to the static Lauren was talking about in class. These people are removed from everything else in their environment. They are completely isolated since there is no reference given as to where they are and this makes them seem even more disconnected from any specific time or place, and especially from the viewer.
- The content of each shot is one individual in an unidentifiable place. They appear disoriented and uncomfortable. The light comes from one corner of the frame, and seems to be a point of tension within the shot. The rest of the shot balance with the hazy filter, which looks like a mix of dust, scratches, lens flair and cobwebs.
- This concept is fairly straight forward with the series’ idea of disconnected. The formal elements within the series literally disconnect the subject from their environment, and likewise the viewer from the information within the frame.
- The artist’s concept of disconnection is very apparent in the work. The work is uncomplicated but still has a certain impact, and it works well not only as the personification of a theme, but as beautiful work that functions as an aesthetically pleasing artwork.
Steve McCurry
For some reason I just got around to looking at the rest of this guys work (he did that one super famous National Geographic cover of the Afghan girl) and his stuff is really good! And so I thought I'd share.
This is a quick overview of some of his work, presented with some interesting facts.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Alec Soth & Philip Toledano
1. Alec Soth's Niagra
2. The images included in this series all have a unifying aesthetic. For me, they all show examples of have deep, rich, smooth color. Each images color connects it to the next image. Where the color doesn't one of the letters creates a break in the pattern to show a definite switch in tones. Some images contain places where people can connect. While others contain actual people connecting (touching) or a hint at it.
3. These devices create a distinct connection for the series. It's obvious that they are meant to be placed together once you've spent enough time with the images. At first glance they seem jumbled and slapped together. These attributes are what hold them together.
4. Many of the images include motels, people alone, people together, niagra falls, and letters.
5. When showing two people together its attempting to show an honest attempt at a connection between them . They would meet in hotels to attempt these connections. It feels as though he's relating relationships to the actual falls themselves, rough, smooth, and beautiful. The letters, while heartbreaking at points, are also full of beautiful words. The emotion is there in them, just as it's there in the images.
6. I feel like this series was extremely successful. When I really take the time to look at it I can feel how these people are connected or being disconnected. Each image shows an example of this. I do think that Alec is taking an observational approach to the concept. There is no judgment through his lens. He's really thinking about what is going on and accepting that it's what happens in life. People leave but you'll always have these places that mean something.
1. Philip Toledano's Phone Sex
2.This work contains portraits of people who are phone sex operators. They seem to be in their own homes, a place where this activity takes place perhaps. The artist has brought in professional lighting which gives the images an observational feel.
2. The images included in this series all have a unifying aesthetic. For me, they all show examples of have deep, rich, smooth color. Each images color connects it to the next image. Where the color doesn't one of the letters creates a break in the pattern to show a definite switch in tones. Some images contain places where people can connect. While others contain actual people connecting (touching) or a hint at it.
3. These devices create a distinct connection for the series. It's obvious that they are meant to be placed together once you've spent enough time with the images. At first glance they seem jumbled and slapped together. These attributes are what hold them together.
4. Many of the images include motels, people alone, people together, niagra falls, and letters.
5. When showing two people together its attempting to show an honest attempt at a connection between them . They would meet in hotels to attempt these connections. It feels as though he's relating relationships to the actual falls themselves, rough, smooth, and beautiful. The letters, while heartbreaking at points, are also full of beautiful words. The emotion is there in them, just as it's there in the images.
6. I feel like this series was extremely successful. When I really take the time to look at it I can feel how these people are connected or being disconnected. Each image shows an example of this. I do think that Alec is taking an observational approach to the concept. There is no judgment through his lens. He's really thinking about what is going on and accepting that it's what happens in life. People leave but you'll always have these places that mean something.
1. Philip Toledano's Phone Sex
2.This work contains portraits of people who are phone sex operators. They seem to be in their own homes, a place where this activity takes place perhaps. The artist has brought in professional lighting which gives the images an observational feel.
3. The images do portray the artist's concept. He wanted to explore this fantasy world that phone sex operators create for their callers. The images are paired with part of the conversation that he had with these people. Their words is what really drives his concept home. The images themselves are well composed and interesting but the words paired with them are what really engages the viewer into this series.
4. Inside of the frame for each image is the person behind the voice. They are shown sitting down in their, assumed to be, home. They're in living rooms and bedrooms posing differently. The light has a pretty consistant quality throughout the images, although at times its a little brighter than in other images.
5. The lighting is a good tool for the concept. It gives the people within the images shadows and highlights making them feel a little mysterious. Which is what a phone sex operator would be to their callers. They might know what they look like but they don't actually know them. Having the subjects in their home seems almost natural for this. That's where they do their work, its just shooting people in their work environment. This happens to make the images more personal and relatable.
6. Overall I think that Mr. Toledano is successful in executing his ideas. His other series also have a very straight forward approach to the subjects. His use of words in most of his work is what makes the series for me. Especially this one.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Interesting..
Reynolds Gallery has a large exhibit up that includes work from some of the grad students, as well as some very established artists. Sally Mann has a series of three images up that I had never seen before- I assume that they are part of her new series. She's mounted the actual glass plates, which are beautifully rich with detail. I recommend taking a look!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
John Gossage - "The 32" Ruler, Map of Babylon"
I just received John Gossage's book, The 32" Ruler, Map of Babylon, in the mail last week. I have been waiting a while to get this for whatever reason, and finally decided to commit to it. John Gossage (b. 1946) is a fairly renowned photographer from Washington, D.C., most famous for his work entitled The Pond, which was first published in 1985. These arguably mundane photographs of a small, now nonexistent pond in southern Maryland, gained national and international attention as portraying in some way modern man's lack distance from nature. This may be true, but the photographs, which were on exhibition last Fall at the Smithsonian American Art Musuem, were more influential to me from a photographer's standpoint. What I mean by this is I was more influenced by the way in which he photographed these things rather than what it is he was photographing. This still holds true today, as I have been flipping through his recent work.
Here is an image from The Pond:
I have been highly influenced by his recent work in The 32" Ruler, for many reasons. The neighborhood, Kalorama, in which he took these photographs, is near where I lived in Adams Morgan last year. I even ran into John Gossage at Mixtec, a mexican restaurant on 18th street, but was too intimidated to say anything. In retrospect, this was a poor decision. Continuing, I enjoy the work in this series for it's "honesty", in the way that they are very mundane moments that when pieced together create a powerful, thought provoking story.
Here are a few images from The 32" Ruler.
This publication contains two of his recent series, these next images are from the second series of work entitled, Map of Babylon. He describes these images as simply aesthetic and without meaning. I enjoy these photographs, I'm going to make the assumption that you have to already be an extremely renowned and successful artist to release a series of work based on the fact that they are aesthetically pleasing.
Sorry for the long post, I've been pretty excited about his work since I've received this book.
Here is a link to an article about him in the City Paper.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Expanding on what we talked about in class.
I "like" The New Yorker on Facebook and they posted a link to this today. I thought I'd share.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
@ Lauren and Other Things
For some reason google accounts is being(a bitch) resistant to me making comments.I have to make new posts instead. So I wanted to make a response to Lauren's post:
Ah yes it was me who mentioned that about Humor. Thanks for sharing the link with us. I enjoyed listening to that essay. "I have said that dogs are like people with more hair. I've said other stupid things. They don't ask for model releases and they are usually quite friendly." Someone in the comments mentioned 'whimsy' as a decription for his work- spot on.
Some other things:
click the video on that page. Some really beautiful shots...just gorgeous: http://www.booooooom.com/2011/09/02/surf-erie-by-monster-rally-music-video-by-tyler-coray/
and this I thought was interesting: http://www.booooooom.com/2011/09/13/shlohmo-just-us-music-video-by-arthur-chance/
Ah yes it was me who mentioned that about Humor. Thanks for sharing the link with us. I enjoyed listening to that essay. "I have said that dogs are like people with more hair. I've said other stupid things. They don't ask for model releases and they are usually quite friendly." Someone in the comments mentioned 'whimsy' as a decription for his work- spot on.
Some other things:
click the video on that page. Some really beautiful shots...just gorgeous: http://www.booooooom.com/2011/09/02/surf-erie-by-monster-rally-music-video-by-tyler-coray/
and this I thought was interesting: http://www.booooooom.com/2011/09/13/shlohmo-just-us-music-video-by-arthur-chance/
Relationships
"I write to myself, for myself. I would recall the pains I've suffered over my short lifetime, but they are too many and yet too few. I find myself in an arrested state. Afraid of the life ahead, but too indignant to just lay down and die. I do, however, worry about my place in the world. I fear being forgotten; by my friends and family. But mainly, by you. Just like they tell you when someone dies, you must eventually move on. Moving on should be an inevitable part of grieving. But I'm still stuck here grieving, even after all this time. Not over anyone's death. Not over a lover lost. But the loss of myself. I cannot blame anyone directly for this. I tried to not take responsibility for this. I wanted nothing more than to blame away and to get validation from you that this was in fact not my fault. But I refuse to tie myself down to the notion that I, myself, am solely to blame. You are not perfect. You were not perfect. And as much as I wanted to believe, and still do to some extent believe, that you were for me. I am not perfect either, and I never will be. But my jagged edges and frayed ends fit so perfectly with yours. We were two ratty puzzle pieces in some weird, fucked up puzzle. But you trimmed your edges. I'm still left here with my smudges and bent corners. But I kept the memory of who you used to be to me so protected within my cynical little heart that I almost wonder if you ever existed. I do think that one day, after time has passed and we've both trimmed our edges and let them fray again, that we might find what we used to have in one another. I know that this won't be for a long time. And for all I know, it will never come. But until that day, I will keep those shards of you with me. I write to you, for you."
Victoria & I found this on craig's list and thought we'd share. The words are beautiful.
Victoria & I found this on craig's list and thought we'd share. The words are beautiful.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
something to ponder
"Read, every day, something no one else is reading.
Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.
Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do.
It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity."
Think, every day, something no one else is thinking.
Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do.
It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity."
- Christopher Morley
Humor!
I can't remember who mentioned possibly focusing on creating a more lighthearted and humorous body of work this semester, but I recommended a look at Elliott Erwitt. There's something very humble and honest about all of his photography, especially in his less serious moments. Kate and I went to a fantastic show of his at the ICP this summer that was his selected personal best. It was interesting to see the variation in someone's life work, especially when then date range was between 1953-2001.
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/personal-best
:)
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/personal-best
:)
Soth and Relle
When I first started scrolling through Alec Soth's Broken Manual, I was slightly confused as to how the images related. But after about the 7 or 8 image I started to understand that work was conceptually based and that the images were linked by what they represented. I interpreted the images as a documentation of a broken down, dilapidated town that Soth found a great interest in. Aesthetically the images very from black and white to color and the sizes of the images very as well. Very different Frank Relle's collection Nightscapes. His work is all aesthetically similar. Same erie ghost like affect, all taken at night probably with long exposures. Each image is composed and set up the same way with the same subject matter. Does that take away from it conceptually? I don't think so but I think it takes the viewer longer to develop a theory, first they get past all the obvious things about the images then they move on to something deeper. As opposed to the Broken Manual collection where aesthetics aren't apparent you are forced to group the images conceptually first.
In my opinion both of the tactics work towards the artist purpose and in that aspect they can both be successful. Chose which method best suits your purpose. However I think that with more aesthetically pleasing images some times the viewer might not think deeper about why they are presented in that manner or what more they could represent, the concept is forgotten.
Soth and Relle
Making a comparison between Soth's 'Broken Manual" and any of Relle's series is extremely difficult. They diverge in several different ways: process, medium, subject matter, and depth. Soth's body of work is fascinating to me, conceptually. Each image is not a repetition of a process and subject matter like Relle's seems to be, he is very specific and intentional in incorporating imagery that compliments that surrounding it. This, I think is really important in creating a body of work; not necessarily duplicating, but gathering, and allowing for conversation. Soth's work deals with a voluntary transplantation of human life. He studies all aspects of his subject's life and allows for the spirit of their estrangement to present itself in small details throughout the series. Representing a societal disconnect is not superficially portrayed through abandoned and worn down spaces like Relle.
Technically speaking, Relle's is more defined and meticulous and seems to be more process oriented. I imagine that what he does is very meditative and serves as an intimate method of creation, rather than an intimate study. I'm really not a fan of his aesthetic, the HDR look and gaudy angles are very sensationalist. One thing I find interesting between their works is that Relle's seems to be distanced and disconnected from his subject matter, while Soth's serves to represent those same ideas with a feeling of closeness.
Technically speaking, Relle's is more defined and meticulous and seems to be more process oriented. I imagine that what he does is very meditative and serves as an intimate method of creation, rather than an intimate study. I'm really not a fan of his aesthetic, the HDR look and gaudy angles are very sensationalist. One thing I find interesting between their works is that Relle's seems to be distanced and disconnected from his subject matter, while Soth's serves to represent those same ideas with a feeling of closeness.
Soth V Relle
I would say Alec Soth’s approach aesthetically is very different than Frank Relle’s. Soth seems to want to create a feeling of authenticity in his images, whereas Relle is concerned with creating fantasy. For the most part, both are concerned with ordinary things that perhaps wouldn’t be looked at twice: a car parked outside of a dilapidated building, a lonely tugboat on the water, a tower of video tapes staked up. Soth’s body of work is far less unified than Soth’s, the images range anywhere from an image of a slug to a disco ball hanging in the middle of the woods. I would say that flipping through Soth’s was a bit of a surprise because you didn’t know what you were going to see next and where that was going to take you conceptually or visually, whereas Relle’s was far more cohesive and predictable. The moods created in both bodies of work are a divergent: Soth is concerned with portraying the desolate grit of this anonymous environment and seems to take a more natural or pessimistic approach. He utilizes lighting that is bleak and low, and uses negative space to create a sense of isolation and pensiveness. On the other hand, Relle seems to relish in the apparent liveliness of these buildings, broken and all, and strives for a more fantastical and optimistic approach. The garish color usage and worm’s eye view of the camera are Relle’s tools. At times, his work even appeared to be so fictional as to be tiny dioramas that only mimic reality. I would say that Relle is really able to personify these structures, despite the fact that there is no human there. In Soth’s work, the mood was at times so lonely that you almost forgot there are people to connect with within the image.
To reiterate:
Soth’s effectiveness lies with his ability to catch people off guard. There is a line of landscapes that the viewers scroll through, which is juxtaposed with an image of a book with its contents cut out. On the other hand, I would say that his unexpectedness is a double edged sword. Perhaps you look at his Broken Manual and get lost in translation. You can either call his images “frustratingly confusing and chopped up”, or “mysterious and varied”.
Relle’s effectiveness is his ability to create whimsical and inviting environments out of what might otherwise be called shitty and dangerous looking places. However, the same things that make this happen (i.e. over the top color saturation, odd perspective, etc.), is what one might consider cheesy or tacky. Also, there are so many photos with similar perspective and cropping that I feel as if I was seeing the same images repeated. Again take you pick: “unified; strong sense of a body of work” or “repetitive and predictable”
To reiterate:
Soth’s effectiveness lies with his ability to catch people off guard. There is a line of landscapes that the viewers scroll through, which is juxtaposed with an image of a book with its contents cut out. On the other hand, I would say that his unexpectedness is a double edged sword. Perhaps you look at his Broken Manual and get lost in translation. You can either call his images “frustratingly confusing and chopped up”, or “mysterious and varied”.
Relle’s effectiveness is his ability to create whimsical and inviting environments out of what might otherwise be called shitty and dangerous looking places. However, the same things that make this happen (i.e. over the top color saturation, odd perspective, etc.), is what one might consider cheesy or tacky. Also, there are so many photos with similar perspective and cropping that I feel as if I was seeing the same images repeated. Again take you pick: “unified; strong sense of a body of work” or “repetitive and predictable”
Alec Soth & Frank Relle
I think the concept behind Alec Soth's "Broken Manual" is interesting, but not very original. It's fun to take pictures of abandoned, dirty items that were obviously significant once upon a time, although that significance has long since been lost. But I feel like it's been done many times before. However, he does it well - the images are very attractive, I really like his style of lighting and focus. The subject matter is engaging, capturing my attention and drawing me into the image. Although the photographs are strong, they clearly benefit from being part of a series, because one lonely object is not as fascinating as a thousand lonely objects. I think Alex Soth's images are about each individual image and its objects, and the stories they hold.
Frank Relle's New Orleans work is very nice but I feel like the series is extremely redundant. Or maybe I'm just not interested in pictures of houses at night. I think he has done a really good job of lighting the houses, whether he lights them himself or uses street lights, it's very sharp and powerful. I think that Frank Relle's images are more about the look of the houses all together.
Frank Relle's New Orleans work is very nice but I feel like the series is extremely redundant. Or maybe I'm just not interested in pictures of houses at night. I think he has done a really good job of lighting the houses, whether he lights them himself or uses street lights, it's very sharp and powerful. I think that Frank Relle's images are more about the look of the houses all together.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Alex Soth Vs Frank Relle
Aesthetically Speaking, Frank Relle’s Series New Orleans Nightscapes has a very obvious repetitive theme. They are all shot at night with mostly a wide angle lens, they also are all long exposures allowing the homes to be light specifically with available ambient light.
Conceptually each photograph in Relle’s series can be broken down to tell a specific story about who, what, where and when. However most of the stories can be potrayed somewhat similarly in the series. All in all I still like the how his series is connected so simply and yet not boring to look at.
Alec Soth’s Series Broken Manual is more aesthetically complicated. As opposed to Relle’s subject matter, Alec explores a wide variety landscapes, portraits, and straightforward documentation. He works with very natural colors that are as true to life and possible, this technique is contrary to to Relle’s in the fact that Relle’s long exposures capture images that are naked to the human eye.
Conceptually Soth’s series can tell a lot more stories inside each photo. Each one is a different subject matter however still works with the series.
Diego
Alec Soth and Frank Relle
Admittedly, there is a beauty to the "Nightscapes" series of Frank Relle, although I don't know that there is enough intrigue to bring me through the series of forty-four images without struggling to remain interested. Relle's "Nightscapes" cultivate a distinct aesthetic and, to state the obvious, portray a very specific subject matter.
I look at Relle's work, and I'm not sure where to go.
With Alec Soth, I'm not sure where to start.
There is a medieval book known as the "Voynich Manuscript," written in an indecipherable language and containing puzzling diagrams of non-existent plant life, and what appear to be astronomical charts. It's the subject of some controversy whether or not this book is a legitimate artifact containing any real language or message- though it is doubtless centuries old. And for centuries, it has drawn the fascination of historical scholars and linguists, hoping to delve to the essence of the book's meaning.
To me, the "Broken Manual" is something like this book- indecipherable, yet oddly intriguing. Separately, it contains some images that are striking in themselves, and some that are unremarkable, but together the photographs create a slough of questions, and perhaps the feeling that we are looking at a sequence or narrative that is not meant to be understood.
The contrast between the two works is stark- Relle's images have a beauty at times, but they do not ensnare the viewer in the way that the "Broken Manual" series does. Diversity of subject matter creates this effect, but I'm also inclined to believe that there is an element of allowing the viewer to ponder and unveil links for herself that goes a long way towards creating a dynamic series.
I look at Relle's work, and I'm not sure where to go.
With Alec Soth, I'm not sure where to start.
There is a medieval book known as the "Voynich Manuscript," written in an indecipherable language and containing puzzling diagrams of non-existent plant life, and what appear to be astronomical charts. It's the subject of some controversy whether or not this book is a legitimate artifact containing any real language or message- though it is doubtless centuries old. And for centuries, it has drawn the fascination of historical scholars and linguists, hoping to delve to the essence of the book's meaning.
To me, the "Broken Manual" is something like this book- indecipherable, yet oddly intriguing. Separately, it contains some images that are striking in themselves, and some that are unremarkable, but together the photographs create a slough of questions, and perhaps the feeling that we are looking at a sequence or narrative that is not meant to be understood.
The contrast between the two works is stark- Relle's images have a beauty at times, but they do not ensnare the viewer in the way that the "Broken Manual" series does. Diversity of subject matter creates this effect, but I'm also inclined to believe that there is an element of allowing the viewer to ponder and unveil links for herself that goes a long way towards creating a dynamic series.
Pink and Blue Project - JeongMee Yoon
This is not exactly addiction, but it definitely falls under "obsession". Here's what the artist has to say about his work:
"My current work, The Pink and Blue Projects are the topic of my thesis. This project explores the trends in cultural preferences and the differences in the tastes of children (and their parents) from diverse cultures, ethnic groups as well as gender socialization and identity. The work also raises other issues, such as the relationship between gender and consumerism, urbanization, the globalization of consumerism and the new capitalism"
The portfolio is located here: http://www.jeongmeeyoon.com/aw_pinkblue.htm
How do I relate to Soth & Relle?
• Relle's portfolio is pretty straightforward in what they want the viewer to engage with (photos of homes in disrepair or homes that are crumbling in NOLA). Having said that, Relle does a really good job at capturing the remnants of the homes, the leftovers from the inhabitants, the remains of society. He uses a perspective that leads into his subject matter and his choice of the time (end of day, beginning of night) is also fitting for the portfolio. Aesthetics and strong emotional subject matter holds the portfolio together
• On the other hand, it is much harder to engage with Soth's work. By not specifying the subject or location, we are left to interpret the portfolio on our own terms. We have to bring our thoughts and biases into his work and try to engage with it on our own terms. This makes it hard for us to "get it" and move on. Without a closure, we want to come back to it and "read more" about the photographs. Soth doesn't get pinned down to one aesthetic approach and uses his concept to hold the portfolio together
• In my photography, I have been making a conscious move away from a focus on aesthetically pleasing images to conceptually strong images. My website, www.ravisattuluri.com has four portfolios that document this journey (Inanimate - Aesthetics to Memories - Concept). I feel that I have just begun looking at photography in a conceptual manner.
• I started off by taking images that were visually pleasing and satisfied the norms for a "good looking photograph". I think that by keeping a focus on aesthetic, if I develop more on the conceptual side, I would get closer in my work to Frank Relle's work
• However, I think that it is much more liberating to be not held down to any one "belief" when pursuing art. Therefore, I think that it would be a good experience for me to try to understand how to approach an artwork as an exploration of a concept without being wedded to any "rules"
• In the end, the choice is to make artwork that wows people or artwork that makes people more contemplative. In the first one, the viewer is spellbound for a minute and walks on. The second one engages with the viewer and starts a dialogue where the viewer can keep coming back to the artwork. I would like to move to a stage where I can create artwork that can communicate with viewers and make them want to come back for a dialogue with it
• On the other hand, it is much harder to engage with Soth's work. By not specifying the subject or location, we are left to interpret the portfolio on our own terms. We have to bring our thoughts and biases into his work and try to engage with it on our own terms. This makes it hard for us to "get it" and move on. Without a closure, we want to come back to it and "read more" about the photographs. Soth doesn't get pinned down to one aesthetic approach and uses his concept to hold the portfolio together
• In my photography, I have been making a conscious move away from a focus on aesthetically pleasing images to conceptually strong images. My website, www.ravisattuluri.com has four portfolios that document this journey (Inanimate - Aesthetics to Memories - Concept). I feel that I have just begun looking at photography in a conceptual manner.
• I started off by taking images that were visually pleasing and satisfied the norms for a "good looking photograph". I think that by keeping a focus on aesthetic, if I develop more on the conceptual side, I would get closer in my work to Frank Relle's work
• However, I think that it is much more liberating to be not held down to any one "belief" when pursuing art. Therefore, I think that it would be a good experience for me to try to understand how to approach an artwork as an exploration of a concept without being wedded to any "rules"
• In the end, the choice is to make artwork that wows people or artwork that makes people more contemplative. In the first one, the viewer is spellbound for a minute and walks on. The second one engages with the viewer and starts a dialogue where the viewer can keep coming back to the artwork. I would like to move to a stage where I can create artwork that can communicate with viewers and make them want to come back for a dialogue with it
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