When it comes to the topic of Synergy, most people will point their fingers to the times of Greek mythology. Synergy can be defined as a combined power of a group of things when they are working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately. This is used in day to day life circumstances, for example, lifting a heaving piece of furniture. One person would sincerely struggle to lift the object whereas multiple people lifting the object would significantly become lighter. This is a very simple example of Synergy. Margaret Marsh stated that “the conceptual strength and meaning in the work of an artist is shown through complexity and layering of meaning.” Two artist who strive to depict the topic of Synergy are; Shayne Higson and Bill Viola. These two artist are extremely dedicated to producing art that expresses strong meaning. Through digital manipulation, Shayne Higson’s work is primarily photographic, although she often augments her images using hand-drawn elements. Her practice frequently engages with topical or historical issues as a form of social commentary and has always responded to her geographic context. Higson was not interested in photography at school, but concentrated on …show more content…
The series is based on the story of a young Scottish girl, Barbara Thompson, who was the sole survivor of a shipwreck in the Torres Strait in 1844. She lived on the island of Muralag for five years before being rescued. While living in the Torres Strait herself, Higson imagined being in the same situation and took photographs that resonate with the girl’s account of being adrift in a ‘strange land’. The heavily printed photographs capture dream-like images of the tropical environment and are inscribed with fragments of text taken from Barbara Thompson’s story as well as indigenous myths about the island’s
Mate-ship is a concept that can be drawn back to colonial times, It is particularly used to symbolise the bond between men and often used frequently in times of adversity and hardship. Mate-ship is reflected throughout Nick Enright’s ‘Property Of The Clan’, Peter Weir’s ‘Galipoli’ and the image chosen by me’ shown through the characteristics of courage and empathy which shape our individuals lives as Australians today. Many characters experience different aspects of mate-ship for the duration of property of the clan. Mate-ship takes all forms and is affected by the circumstances of many different situations.
Johnson, Brooks. Photography Speaks: 150 Photographers on their Art.” New York: Aperture Foundation Inc., 2004. Print.
Curtis’s work represents the ideological construction of foreign cultures in the 'way of seeing' that is suitable for the audience of the photograph and the photographer. This illustrates the highly political motives of photograph, carrying multiple meanings in order to craft certain imaginations of the subject (Berger, 1972). As a result of the power that the photographer has on its subjects, certain messages and ‘way of seeing’ are depicted through photographs. For instance, expected gender roles are played out in photographs of the Indian subjects, portraying the expectation of Curtis and his audience of the masculine and feminine behaviour by the subjects conforming to such gender standards (Jackson, 1992). Indian men are captured in what Jackson (1992) describes as ‘active poses’, such as fishing or dancing, juxtaposed with the ‘passive poses’ of female subjects, photographed in more decorative postured of waiting and watching. Though it can be argued that the manipulation and selection of images by Curtis as an artist’s ‘creative manipulation’ of their work, Curtis’ photography was used as a scientific measure, and hence should be devoid of such influences (Jackson,
Many have condemned realist art for “sacrificing beauty for exactitude and obviating conceptual integrity if favour of in-your-face reality”. They argue that the glorification of ordinary, banal subjects may in fact be a pathetic attempt to ignore the drab realities of contemporary life by attempting to ‘spice up’ commonplace objects. Perhaps they think that modern technology and flashy photographical equipment defeats the purpose of original realist art, and provides a far more accurate reproduction of contemporary life. I however, beg to differ. For the realist artist, the vast world is their subject and their aim is to present this world through their art in what they see as their honest representation of it. To label realism as obsolete is to call these artists’ sincere opinions obsolete. People often fail to remember that the world is constantly changing and the ‘ordinary’ doesn’t always remain so. The writer J.P. Stern remarked once that realism is “the creative acknowledgment of the data of social life at a recognisable moment in history”. True, photography and digital technology may produce a more accurate reproduction of real life but representation-wise, a genuine hand-made artwork may in fact offer a far more meaningful result- not merely due to the allowance for modification and
John Mahtesian's photography offers a visual poetry of the human condition. It is a direct expression of his warmth, depth of spirit, and humanity. A true gentleman, extremely humble and unfailingly polite, he achieves an invisibility that is the success of his art. His patience and commitment to his vision allow him to capture moments others could not. If his subjects are aware of his presence, his gentle nature so enchants them that they are unguarded and their essence is revealed. So compelling are his images that we are truly convinced his insights are our own. They make us rejoice in the world around us, and in the nature of human existence.
For some, a picture is just a beautiful work of art, but for Lewis Hine photography was a way to communicate a message to the world. When Hine was taught the photographic process, it was still being established. This being said, photojournalism was also just evolving as a method to visually communicate information. In an effort to better his photography skills, Hine began to photograph the immigrants of Ellis Island. He was very adamant about social reform and reflected this in his work. Lewis Hine’s captivating photos inspired social change in America for the less fortunate.
Winogrand discovered photography at a point in time when unconventional photos were just beginning to emerge. Although it was thought that photojournalism had offered the most opportunity, this new and unconventional direction of photography was preferred. Artists were now able to shoot what they desired not what they were told to shoot. This revolutionary form of photography was based on emotion and intuition as opposed to precision and description. Exploring real life became more of the focus, instead of calculated or planned out pictures. In the early fifties, Winogrand attempted to become a freelance photographer, but the money he was making was not sufficient enough to support his new wife and children. He was forced to spend most of his time working for magazines such as Colliers, Redbook, and Sports Illustrated. At this time Winogrand’s photo’s had no distinction from any other photojournalist, but he always felt different and waited for the chance to prove it. He once said, “ The best stories were those that had no story line…on entertainers…or athletic contests, where the photographer could forget narrative and concentrate on movement, flesh, gesture, display, and human faces”(Szarkowski, p17).
The fundamental characteristic of magical realism is its duality, which enables the reader to experience both the character’s past and the present. In the novel, Monkey Beach, Eden Robinson uses this literary device to address the the trauma and mistreatment of the Haisla community in Canada by unveiling the intimate memories of the protagonist, Lisamarie, and the resulting consequences of this oppression. Monkey Beach illustrates how abuse in the past leads to another form of self-medication in the future - a neverending, vicious cycle for the members of the Haisla community. Many characters in Monkey Beach are scarred from childhood sexual abuse and family neglect, and resort to drug and alcohol abuse as a coping mechanism. These appalling memories are an account of the impact of colonization on the Haisla territory which continues to haunt the Aboriginal community throughout generations.
This work follows in that of the purveyors of documentary photography. Like Richards, Jacob Riss went into the city slums a century earlier armed with a camera. In New York, Riss saw a glut of people, mostly immigrants, jammed packed together and feebly existing in filth. Riss, who was primarily a writer, found that his words were not communicating the ailments of society to the public as he wished. Then, the primitive flash was invented. Riss saw this as way to communicate the troubles he saw in the dark areas where the grossly impoverished lived. The outcome of Riss’ efforts was a startlingly powerful book of his images and text appropriately titled How the Other Half Lives. Though the photographic equipment has change through this time span, the aim of the photographers is the same: to educate the rest of the world of those that are forgotten or ignored, and in that way, bring about change.
Nasht’s depiction of Frank Hurley’s journey into Antarctica raises the importance of discovering new ideas and values which shape his journey as an “odyssey”, a classical allusion to Homer’s epic poem, His journey of discovery challenges many assumptions and questions Hurley’s society had sought represented by epic film music and indirect interviews to portray the feeling of excitement and adventure, portraying an assumption that discovery can lead to new experiences and new worlds. Nasht’s juxtaposition of Hurley’s dramatic archival footage to the modern recreation of the journey evokes a sense of excitement and a change in beliefs, where previously people didn’t know what adventure felt like. Images of large and grand icebergs signify a new sense of discovery in an uncharted world which becomes important to those on the ship, Endurance knowing that they are risking their lives to experience the nature of the world that no one has even sought and being the first to answer the challengers of discovering and exploring new worlds and experiences. The clever synthesis from shifts of Elephant Island to Hurley’s daughters provokes a sense of discovering something personal, as “the places he explored left a mark on him and his photography”, where Hurley’s daughters rediscover their father’s experiences. The daughters are overwhelmed by the desolation of the ice and space, which becomes significant for them, as they relive the memories and the experience of their father when he journeyed to
Monkey Beach is a coming-of-age story framed by the search for Lisamarie Hill’s younger brother, Jimmy, who has disappeared during a fishing trip near the coast of Prince Rupert. While the family waits for news, the protagonist, Lisamarie, is sinking into memories of her childhood and adolescence that are interwoven with the present. Thereby, she reveals her life in the Haisla community of Kitamaat in British Columbia, trying to define her own identity within the context of traditional Haisla and modern Euro-Canadian culture.
From a young age, Richard Avedon was exposed to fashion. But little did the small boy sitting in his father’s 5th Avenue womens’ clothing store know, that he would later become the worlds’ biggest fashion photographer. He was born in New York City in 1923 to Jacob Avedon a Russian immigrant who worked his way up in the city to finally own his own clothing store. Avedon’s mother, Anna, was a musical and artsy woman who was his artistic muse. His sister, Louise, was also an inspiration to him. As a child, he constantly took pictures of his beautiful sister, his first model. His interest in photography began after joining a photography club at his local Young Men's Hebrew Association. After graduating high school in 1941, Richard attended Columbia University to study philosophy and poetry, but after just one year, he dropped out to enlist in the military marines. In the marines,he was a photographer in World War Two, taking pictures for identification cards.
Photojournalism plays a critical role in the way we capture and understand the reality of a particular moment in time. As a way of documenting history, the ability to create meaning through images contributes to a transparent media through exacting the truth of a moment. By capturing the surreal world and presenting it in a narrative that is relatable to its audience, allows the image to create a fair and accurate representation of reality.
Works of Sophie Calle has appeared in several media across the US and Europe (Yve-Alain Bois, 1). Her works have been described to leverage on the use of constraints which is reminiscent of the French literary cult Oulipo of which she was a member. Sphie’s works are are a reflection of her personal life, where she tries to create a link between her intimate moments and her art (www.egs.edu). Sophie employs a unique and unconventional form of photography that has made her standout in the art circles. Her natural tendency to be contentious has made her works what they are. From mode of execution to exhibition Sophie marks a different role for her kind of work.
they are one person combined together. A special bond is shared and a sense of