Coursework  project  2  Photograph  as  an  object  brief  

The   Photographers’   Gallery   is   currently   under   going   a  refurbishment   and   is   due   to   open   to   the   public   in  February  2012.  As  part  of  the  launch,  the  gallery  will  host  an  exhibiEon  Etled  The  Photograph  as  an  Object.  As  a  medium,  photography  has  tradiEonally  been  used  to  document  and  capture   ‘decisive’  moments   in  Eme.    The  aim  of   the  The  Photograph  as   an  Object   is   to   showcase  photographs   that   explore   the   physical   qualiEes   of   the  printed   photograph,   thus   blurring   the   disEncEons  between  photography  and  art.  Photographers  are  invited  to  submit  3  entries  and  a  panel  of   judges  will   select   the  most   experimental   and  original  imagery  for  the  exhibiEon.  

Nadia,  Embroidery  on  print  Barnaba,  Embroidery  on  print  

Louise  B,  Embroidery  on  print    

The  embroidered  secrets  of  Maurizio  Anzeri    

Louise  B,  Embroidery  on  print    Anzeri  is  a  contemporary  arEst  from  Loano,  Italy  who  works  in  london.  He   makes   his   portraits   by   sewing   directly   into   found   vintage  photographs.  The  embroidered  paSerns  create  elaborate  disguises  but  they  also  create  a  psychological  aura  as  if  the  disguises  are  the  arEsts  way  of  showing  the  persons  thoughts  or  feelings.  The  Etle  of  the  series  is  Embroidered   secrets  which   implies   that   there   is   something  hidden  which  makes  the  viewer  think  about  what  the  story  may  be  behind  the  photograph.    I   parEcularly   like   that   the   embroidery   brings   colour   to   the  photographs.  The  paSerns  and  shapes  formed  by  the  coloured  thread  are  all  very  uniform  and  create  geometric  shapes  oTen  radiaEng  from  the  eyes  of  the  subject.  I  believe  this  is  because  Anzeri   is  giving  great  importance  to  the  eye  and  wants  the  viewer  to  focus  on  what  may  be  going  on  in  the  persons  head.    

IniEal  set  of  photographs  

EvaluaEon  of  iniEal  set  of  photographs  My  intenEon  when  taking  this  set  of  photographs  was  to  have  photographs  which  look  like   they  were   taken   years   ago   like   the   ones   Anzeri   uses   in   his   work   as   one   of  my  starEng   point   of   this   project.   Having   studied   and   admired   Maurizio   Anzeri’s   ‘The  embroidered  secrets  of  Maurizio  Anzeri’s  series,  I  wanted  my  photographs  to  include  some  elements   found   in  Anzeri’s  work,   such   as   similar   subject  maSer,   and   also   the  evocaEve  mood  created  by  a   combinaEon  of   composiEon  and  contrast.   I  wanted   to  make   sure   that   the   theme   of   age   came   across   strongly   in   these   photographs.   To  enhance  this  I  edited  them  into  black  and  white  and  sepia,  and  decided  to  use  a  higher  contrast  so  that  the  images  contain  a  good  proporEon  of  monochrome  and  sepia    but  keeping  a  range  of  mid-­‐tones.    

These   photographs  worked   as   the   photograph   look   like   they  were   taken   years   ago.  The  problem  with  these  photographs  is  that  the  focal  point  is  not  on  the  face  but  in  a  different  place.  This  is  a  problem  for  the  photographs  on  there  own  but  when  I  do  the  developments  it  will  be  covered  so  then  the  photograph  will  be  clear  and  un  blurred  and   the   sewing   will   draw   aSenEon   but   cover   the   photograph   so   aTer   the  developments  it  will  work.    

Developmental  set  

Developmental  evaluaEon  

I   believe   that   these   developments   have   improved  the   photographs.   As   I   did   more   I   learnt   more   of  what   I   had   to   do   so   then   they   improved.   The  sEtching  over  the  photographs  gives  them  more  of  a   sense   of   mystery   and   brings   more   interest   like  Anzeri’s  work.   If   I   had  more  Eme   I  would   improve  these  by  doing  more  of  them  and  experimenEng  on  different  areas  of  the  photograph.  I  prefer  the  later  versions   rather   than   the   older   ones     which   look  childish  and  messy.  

BasEenne’s  Eye   Profile,  1974  

Ralf  Gibson  Ralph  Gibson   is  a  contemporary  arEst   from  Los  Angeles,  USA.  The  main   issue   highlighted   in   these   photographs   is   that  the   idenEty   of   the   subject   is   hidden   which   raises   the  viewers   curiosity.   The   uncluSered   imagery   and   simple  composiEon  highlights  the  importance  of  the  subject  also  the   strong   contrast   emphasizes   the  main   subject   in   the  photograph.  In   BasEenne,s   eye’   I   believe   that   Gibson   wanted   to  convey  a  sense  of  solemnity  and  maybe  depression.  This  is  because  the  subjects  eye  is  facing  down  and  the  black  background  behind  enhances  a  somber  mood.    

EvaluaEon  of  2nd  set  of  photographs  

My   intenEon   of   this   set   was   to   make   it   look  similar   to   Ralph   Gibson’s   work.   I   think   this   set  worked  well  as  these  photos    have  a  contrast  in  black  and  white   like   in  Ralph  Gibson's  work.   If   I  had   more   Eme   I   would   do   another   set   to  improve  it  a  make  the  contrast  stronger  and  the  photographs  more   in  the  style  of  Ralph  Gibson.  Also   to   improve   it   I  would   change  poses  of   the  subject   to   make   each   one   more   interesEng  instead  of  slight  changes  in  each  photograph.  

Old  photo  of  small  boy  with  buSons-­‐  Garry  Gay  

Garry  Gay  I   believe   that  Garry  Gay   is   a   contemporary   photographer.   This  work   shows  the  photograph  in  an  unusual  way  and  gives  it  a  new  perspecEve.  The  bright  buSons   placed   on   top   of   the   photograph   could   resemble   those   found   on  children's  clothing  which  gives  a  link  to  the  subject  maSer  of  the  photo.  I  like  this   technique   as   it   makes   a   standard   old   portrait   which   is   usually   just  interesEng   into  a  bright  happy  photograph  which  could  represent  the  childs  happy  playful  nature.  The  buSons  on  top  of  the  photograph  have  also  created  a   frame   effect   due   to   their   careful   placement.   This   has   the   effect   of  emphasizing   the   importance   of   the   subject   and   it   draws   the   viewers   eye  toward  it.    This  technique  will  inspire  me  to  do  similar  developments  to  my  photographs  as  it  should  give  my  Ralf  Gibson  pieces  a  more  pleasing  mood  to  them.  It  will  also  give  my  photographs  more  colour  and  textural  feel  to  them.  

Developmental  set  of  photographs  

EvaluaEon  of  developmental  photographs  

I   don’t   think   that   these   developments   were   very  successful  as  the  photo  prints  were  not  at  a  good  quality  which  made   the  developments  hard   to  work  with.   They  did  work   in   the  a  way   that   subject   in   the  photograph   is  framed  which   highlights   the   importance   of   it.     This   did  not  work   in   the   sense   that   they   look   like   some  one  has  passed  on  so  it  looks  like  funeral  pictures.  These  do  look  similar  to  Gay’s  work  which   is  what   I  wanted  to  develop  these  photographs.  Over  all  I  dislike  these  developments  as   the   ralph  Gibson   style   photographs   are   too  dark   and  so   the   buSons   did   not   compensate   the   colour   loss   as  much  as  I  wished  it  to.  

Final  outcomes  

EvaluaEon  I  think  that  the  iniEal  photos  were  effecEve  and  of  good  quality  apart  from  the  focus  being   in   the  wrong  area  but  aTer   the  developments   the   focus  was   in   the   right  area  which  improved  effecEveness.  I   do   not   think   that   I   pushed   my   creaEve   boundary   far   enough   for   my   ideas   and  experiments   if   I   had   spent   more   Eme   and   had   more   interest   and   put   more   effort  towards  it  I  think  that  it  would  had  worked  a  lot  beSer.    I  think  that  my  choice  of  Photographer  and  arEst  were  effecEve  as  they  influenced  my  work  and  made  me  think  more  on  which  I  wish  to  achieve.  To  make  it  beSer  I  could  had  sewn  on  to  the  Ralph  Gibson  style  photographs  and  then  placed  buSons  on  top  to  create  a  boarder  around  it  thus  using  three  arEsts  in  one  piece.  This  project  did  work  but  not  as  well  as  I  would  had  wished  it  to.  I  would  had  liked  the  final  outcomes  to  have  more  effect  on  the  audience  but  the  ones  I  have  used  are  the  best  ones  and  so  sEll  have  a  good  effect  of  happiness  and  memories    that  I  wanted  to  create.  So  all  in  all  the  photographs  I  have  as  final  outcomes  are  effecEve  and  so  I  am  pleased  overall.  If  I  had  more  Eme  I  would  like  to  look  at  more  arEsts  who  sew  on  to  photographs  and  maybe  a  few  who  do  other  things  like  burn  photographs  and  other  effects.  This  would  give  my  photographs  a  sense  of  sadness  as  the  viewer  may  think  of  their  photographs  being  destroyed.