Jeff Wall. Insomnia, 1994

Jeff Wall born September 29, 1946 is an artist best known for his large-scale backlit cibachrome photographs and art history writing. He took this photograph in 1994 of a man in the kitchen under a table, the kitchen is set up in a way to tell a story and to give meaning to why the man is under the table. The man in the image looks anxious and troubled; the way the image was organized gives clues to why the man is in this position.

"The set for this work is an exact replica of the kitchen in Wall’s studio. The man seemingly suffering from a nightmarish episode of insomnia is an actor. The claustrophobic atmosphere is emphasized by the awkward positioning of the furniture – tables and chairs are placed at angles that defeat their function, and appear to block the fridge and cooker from opening. The door and cupboard, half ajar, could be read as metaphors for the mind, in its struggle to find an escape into sleep." (Tate Online.)

word count: 171

reference:

Tate webpage (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/jeffwall/infocus/section3/img5.shtm)

Photography as contemporary art, chapter 2/ Once upon a time. Charlotte Cotton.

Moments in history

“Moments in history” shows how photography can be used to capture life events and photograph the endless moment. As photography is used in many different ways for different purposes, it is a valuable thing to use photography as a time machine, which can take you back to memories. Moments in history such as the war, buildings, places, and important life events could be taken to be remembered later on in the centuries. Photographs are on of the most important things why we have history, which can be remembered and known. The chapter of the book looks at how photography can be used not to please the viewer and show them eye-pleasing images but to capture images from the history which are real, natural and also educational which teaches the viewer the history.

These set of three images was taken by Sophie Ristelhueber, Iraq, 2001.

“Sophie Ristelhueber has described her experiences in Iraq in 2000 and 2001 as ‘a striking shortcut of thousands of years: from the oldest civilizations who had lain on this land to those of the first Gulf War, while the American F-16s were flying over our heads on surveillance missions...” (Sophie Ristelhueber. Photography as contemporary art, chapter 6).  This is how Ristelhueber expressed her experience from her work.

Word count: 214

Reference: Sophie Ristelhueber. Photography as contemporary art, chapter 6

Muazzez 1998 by Céline van Balen

Celine van Balen was born in Amsterdam in 1965,

In 1998 photographed a group of young Moroccan and Turkish girls wearing headscarves, Van Balen took these photographs to show the viewer the individual personalities each person has by taking portraits of the girls how they were without changing anything about them for the photograph. The photographs put across the intercultural aspects ‘Her series of close-ups of eight youths in Berlin reminds us that the contemporary city is a melting pot of various cultures.’

Celine Van Balen’s work might have also showed how women are important and how they should be treated equally by showing the individual girls as pure, clean and innocent.                                                                                                   

The image above of the Moroccan girl is captured on a close up with her headscarf showing her facial expression, which reflects her identity and culture. ‘With this in mind, the work of Celine Van Balen and her Muazzez Series she explores and utilizes the deadpan aesthetic experimenting with its potential to express identity from a more anthropological stance. By doing this Van Balen explores the beginning of the formation of identity in terms of physical appearance, which is what we (the viewer) notice first about a person.’ (Contemporary Themes II – Photography As Contemporary Art, Amy Youngs)

Word count: 200

Reference:

Contemporary Themes II – Photography As Contemporary Art, Amy Youngs. (http://amyyoungs.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/contemporary-themes-ii-photography-as-contemporary-art/)

Intimate life

The chapter of “Intimate life” from “The photography as contemporary art” talks about how narratives of domestic and intimate life have been represented in contemporary art photography. Photography is used to show intimate and day to day lives in this field of photography. Taking pictures of personal lives shows how different relationships are, I believe it also makes people aware of different types of relationships for example same sex relationship which is not really seen as normal by everyone. Pictures are usually taken to infinite the moment of family life, social achievements and moments people want to hold onto for example wedding ceremonies or birthday party. 

Larry Sultan

Argument at the kitchen table, 1986

“Sultan’s pictures from home project draws together posed and casual images of his parents with family photographs and film footage to create an eloquent portrayal of familial bonds. The project includes delicate observations of the interaction between the two parents.” ( photography as contemporary art, intimate life)

This photograph by Larry Sultan is taken in the kitchen of a couple having an argument, which is a clear example of intimate live being revealed.  

Word count: 188

Reference: Photography as contemporary art, intimate life, pg.137

Man Ray, The Marquise Casati, 1922

Man Ray born august 27, 1890, was known in the art world for his avant-garde photography which refers to people or works that are experimental or innovative. ‘For Man Ray, who worked before the development of ''fast film'' and motor-drive cameras, there was no question of snapping pictures of models cavorting at hot spots or on the beach. The film was too slow; the model had to stand still.’ (The New York Times, Illuminating Man Ray as a fashion photographer). The use of the film being too slow helped Man Ray to get the amazing “The Marquise Casati (1992)” image.

Man Ray accidently came out with this great piece of photograph, he had taken photographs on a film and after he had developed his negatives he had realised that the images were blurred and he was not happy wit it, after the marquise asked to see the images she noticed this photographed, ‘she was enchanted with this one- said I had portrayed her soul, and ordered dozens of prints’ (Man Ray photographs, pg.209).

Word count: 173

Reference:

The new york times, Illuminating Man Ray as a fashion photographer. By WOODY HOCHSWENDER, Published: September 14, 1990. (http://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/14/arts/illuminating-man-ray-as-fashion-photographer.html)