Evaluation

PHVP 3412 Final Major Project Evaluation

The brief was to respond to an external brief/stimulus, in my own case to find a competition that applies to my own style of work and create [a series of] work to enter in. To find which competition would be best for myself it was not only necessary to look into the briefs (what they were asking for, certain categories available etc.), but to research the selected finalists/winners of these competitions to see what is successful and what kind of work the judges are looking for.

My own approach to photography is art-based. My work tends not to follow narrative (non-fictional); rather it’s expressive or conceptual. So I needed to aim for a competition that is more open to art-based photographic outlet. I had narrowed down two competitions that seemed closer to my style: Aperture Portfolio Prize and IdeasTap Photographic Award. Upon researching the selected finalists/winners of these competitions I had made my decision to choose to follow the IdeasTap brief, down to finding that much of the selected work from Aperture tended to follow a documentative series – albeit artistically-done, but it was further away from my own style.

Now I had discovered which brief I was to follow, the conceptual category in the IdeasTap Photographic Award. My beginning idea grew from wanting to follow some sort of story, but keeping the aesthetic artistic and abstract – strong composition and cut off forms, less visual context. I had researched the likes of Adele Watts who studies the interior spaces of homes, and the relationships that co-exist within them – how traces of human existence can be found. An idea then stemmed from this to travel back to previous homes I had lived in to study the space within them, to see how they had changed over the years, if at all. My troubles here were contacting and maintaining trust with the current home-owners, and when I had come to complete my first testing shoot the images that were produced seemed to lack something. Potentially, had more been produced it could have worked well as a series, but what had stopped me was gaining permission to enter the other homes. I had to change my aim.

My new approach was to concentrate on the objects within the home space, but it was this idea that finally led me to work with still life imagery. So my next step was going back to research. I wasn't throwing away the whole idea, I wanted to concentrate on the aspect of objects - mundane/household - their use and relationship between another. My research led me to several areas of inspiration for myself, in both modern and traditional senses. Sarah Palmers series The Village Of Reason had definitely kicked it off, her photographs of seemingly juxtaposed [random] objects are wild and seemingly inconsequential – that may trigger elements of mental pattern and thought. It is from this I found the effectiveness of juxtaposition with objects. Linus Lohoff was another photographer I had drawn inspiration from. His Constructed_Picture(s) are bold and creative, the mere use of colour in these images brought me to use colour within my own work, bringing life to the photographs. To fully understand still life imagery, however, I had to look back to where it had first began, in painting. It was the understanding of the significance of symbolism that lead me to deepening the meaning behind my work, but reversed to what it typically stood for. My own approach to artistic photography tends to avoid creating for a specified declarative reason; for I believe that within art, greatness equates with multivalence.

There is a strange irony to the images. The photographs stick to a fairly minimal aesthetic, bold/static backdrops with one object of interest But the meaning behind it? Not so simple. Its a play on the typical still life symbolism, somewhat mocking the deep symbolism and to those who look for it, or those who believe it's entirely necessary in a piece of art to be worth interpreting. The juxtaposition of objects is to confuse/change their use - therefore, potentially, their meaning. Visually, some images become either what it is trying to be or something entirely different. For example, the cut avocado mimics the shape of a flame. Whilst the grape sitting on top of the candle stick becomes nothing, just shape.

 Uninterpretable shape. It means nothing besides the new shape it's become. In other images, I have used colour reversal to almost mock the object. A dying banana, now black, with a bright yellow backdrop to highlight its death. Again, the irony here is the use of symbolism. It is far from traditional still life, but the use of symbolism here is slightly humorous. 

I do believe that I have successfully filled the brief, given that competitions as such are purposely open for artistic play and creativity for the artistic/photographer. What I would suggest to myself next time, however, is to make sure the idea I hope to follow is accessible in the time frame I have left/been given. I had relied on permission I had not yet received and that is what left me with less time further on in the project. So, for future reference to myself I ought to given myself more time, especially when site permission is needed, formal or informal.

What I have gained from this project is a worthwhile tool for all future projects. Although the theory behind my work remains to my style, I feel I am able to talk more thoroughly about my approach and the reasons behind what I do. Thorough research and theoretical research behind a projects’ themes is what has helped increased my ability to talk about my work. For future projects, I plan to stick to my own approach to artistic photography – I still believe a shoot now, think later thought process is key to artistic outlet, but the lesson I have learnt is that theoretical backings/research are essential when it comes to declaring an idea. It is important to observe another’s’ findings and theories, to compare with your own and yet another’s. So, for future work I plan to research artistic theory much earlier in the game.

Interpretation

Brief notes on my interpretation/reasoning behind the work.

Even for myself, at first glance, forgetting why I am photographing the work, the images appear to be marginally void of rationale, the meaning is not that open. Void is the word. But that's the irony. My inspiration was drawn from several main areas/artists:

• Sarah Palmer: wild, elements of juxtaposition, juxtaposition that may trigger elements of mental thought/pattern, seemingly inconsequential
• Linus Lohoff: Bold imagery, creative, humorous - out of the mundane. 
• Traditional still life painting: use of mundane (although objects of luxury/meaning), for symbolic meaning. 

There is a strange irony to the images. The photographs stick to a fairly minimal aesthetic, bold/static backdrops with one object of interest.  But the meaning behind it? Not so simple. Its a play on the typical still life symbolism, somewhat mocking the deep symbolism and to those who look for it, or those who believe it's entirely necessary in a piece of art to be worth interpreting. The juxtaposition of objects is to confuse/change their use - therefore, potentially, their meaning. Visually, some images become either what it is trying to be or something entirely different. For example, the cut avocado mimics the shape of a flame. Whilst the grape sitting on top of the candle stick becomes nothing, just shape. Uninterpretable shape. It means nothing besides the new shape it's become. In other images, I have used colour reversal to almost mock the object. A dying banana, now black, with a bright yellow backdrop to highlight its death. Again, the irony here is the use of symbolism. It is far from traditional still life, but the use of symbolism here is slightly humorous. 

Stuart Morgan

Upon reading over the writings of Stuart Morgan, [my interpretation of] his texts appeal to my understanding of art/art photography. 

Homage to the Half-Truth
Lecture given at Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, 1991, at the symposium "Writing About Art"

He states that criticism over art, offers interpretation. More importantly however, "its function is didactic". The very notion of learning through anthers problem-solving/approach is something many can agree on. The aim, he states, is to sample models/ways of thinking. To approach art, intuition, sympathy and imagination is necessary to understand the possible interpretations. 

"I know nothing in art criticism that equals the impact created by William Empson's analysis of a single Shakespeare sonnet in his first book Seven Types of Ambiguity, where he returns to the same poem time after time, producing interpretation after interpretation like a conjuror pulling rabbits out of a hat. This unrelenting display was based on the assumption that, at least as Empson saw it, greatness can be equated with multivalence, so the more things a poem means, the greater that poem is."

The possible number of interpretations for a piece of art, be literary or visual, is potentially limitless. Perhaps, as Empson stated, it means for a greater work of art. The artists reasons for its creation may not necessarily be why it is so appealing to the masses, but it is appreciated all the while. 

Stuart Morgan goes on to say that criticism must be rhetorical, "... because thinking is not writing; it must be reflexive". What you write may differ to what you think, therefore criticism is indirect and conventionalised. It is this that banes many artists, for it is not the paragraphs they create for, rather the freshness of new eyes and minds on their work to look for themselves. 

Edits

A continuation with the use of colour reversal. A dying avocado is darkening, now black rather than dark green/green, against the green backdrop. I kept to the continual minimal theme and use of the candle-stick "plinth.

Below, these work well, as the split avocado mimics a flame, given its shape and internal layers on show. 

The composition of these images (below) intrigued myself. How, I'm not quite sure. Likely the shape the subject takes in mirroring itself. The objects make no sense together - a cotton reel and avocado, but  in my own opinion this adds a 'certain something' to its unusualness. The unusual pairing, the unusual shape, the unusual set-up - it's all irrational but potentially as a visual piece, it may work. In my opinion it certainly draws my own eye.

These photographs take on the same form as previously experimented, with use of reflection. However, as 'pretty' as they may be these specific experiments hold little meaning, lacking depth. 

The mass amount of empty space and minimalism makes an interesting image. The avocado seed lays central, and the mass green space signifies its green future ahead, with space to grow. 

 

 

Another continued experiment with slicing objects for illusion. The dried vines of the grapes give extra detail to composition, leading to another fairly abstractive image when it comes to looking at the shapes within the composition. 

Much like the minimal image with the avocado seed - but the grape is withering, the background red (blood/death) and empty, implying the nothingness it will have ahead of it - death. 

Contact sheet

Edits

A continuation with the use of dying objects, but I wanted to bring in colour. My peers were drawn to the boldness of the previous images photographed on blue perspex, and I drew the inspiration from some of Linus Lohoff's work, bold colour makes a much more impactive image, especially when working with minimalist compositions. 

Here I wanted to contrast the colour, orange with green, the blue mould I thought may link them together. Not so much, looking at the result. The blue is too pale in comparison to the bold green and orange, rather than bringing it all together it more so alienates the colours further. Moving on!

The yellow compliments the soft tone of the bronze, it feels almost sleepy. The green of the branch is soft also, but adds in a subtle contrast. The theme of object misuse continues.

I very much like the composition of the below image. Minimal visual with an unusual subject. 

The below images were an attempt to re-make/bring back the visuals of the previous illusion (on blue perspex). On an aesthetic level, the images are becoming abstract. Void of rational meaning, seemingly making no or little sense, but are geometric and definitely interesting to look at. 

Again I rotated the images to experiment. What resulted is that we are shown an image that makes even less sense, no apparently gravity just shape, colour and composition. Unusual colours, not what we are used to seeing day-to-day. 

It is this image that sticks out the most to myself and my peers, within this shoot. For the simple reason of the reversed colouring between the banana and the background. Simple but effective. The banana is limp, black in death, it feels as if the background is almost making fun of the banana, showing off its bold colour.