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.
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