Deutshce Börse Photography Prize 2010 at the Photographer Gallery

So the photography prize at the photography gallery

the nominee are as follows

Anna Fox(b. 1961, uk)Was nominated for her exhibition Cockroach Diary & other stories at Ffotogallery, Cardiff (28 july-10 October 2009), initiated by impression gallery Bradford

Zoe Leanard(b. 1961, USA) was nominated for her retrospective exhibition Zoe Leonard: Photographs, at the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich(1 April-5 July 2009), initiated by Fotomuseum Winterthur

Sophie Ristelhueber(b. 1949, France) who is nominated for her retrospective work Sophie Ristelhueber at the Jeu de Paume, Paris (20 January - 22 March 2009)

Donovan Wylie(b. 1971 UK) who is nominated for his exhibition MAZE 2007/8 at Belfast Exposed (27 March - 1May 09)

So First Anna Fox

According to the brochure accompanying the exhibition.

"Fox is considered part of the wave of British colour documentary photographers that emerged in the 1980's"

And after watching Anna's video interview at the photographers gallery my initial response was, oh not here we go again in typical art intellectual form, what the hell is this. I fail to see the narrative, and in term of studium the only thing i would suggest was going through the artist mind was her next fix, but in all seriousness the bizarre imagery for one example "Gifts from the Cat". That features a dead bird on a carpet and forces me to question what direction modern art is taking, is a pickled cow not enough? With regards to punctum, my only feeling towards Anna Fox work was annoyance, especially with the realisation that she may win this prize.

In stark contrast Zoe Leanard. The brochure describes Zoe as recording urban landscape. I enjoyed viewing her work very much, in term of puntum the images speak of the spirit of the photographer catching moments that are overlooked by many. I would also submit that this ideal is interchangeable with the studium. The use of traditional printing techniques in true William Eggelston stylie creates vivid colours that translates the mundane in to something magical, and inspires me to try dye transfer.

Sophie Ristelhueber's work deals with the impact of human conflict on architecture and landscape and of all the images that I viewed on my visit to the gallery I would have to say that it was one of Sophie's pieces (because of dust breeding) that had me transfixed, the use of aluminum gave a ghost effect that haunted this viewer about the travesty of war, and that the point or studium of this picture is to highlight how fickle war is and the fact no matter who wins wars everyone loses. The puntum for me was the depth of the destruction so simply captured.

Donovan Wylie's work is concerned with post-conflict Northern Ireland and the deconstruction of MAZE prison after the conflict. I enjoyed his work the point (punctum was clear) the detached style of the picture reminded me of a catalogue although i am not sure why at this point. The images show a sterile/uniform place designed to break down the spirits of the men that where imprisoned there, but some how failing. Even in it's destruction it remains sterile and this was the artist (point) studium.

I have voted for Zoe Leanard but don't mind who wins just as long as Anna Fox doesn't

DreadiKnight

semiotics

Semiology, or semiotics, is the idea of a science of signs and originates from comments in Ferndinand de Saussure's general theory of Linguistics(1916) but was not developed further until after the second war Saussure stated:

" it is... possible to conceive of a science which studies the role of signs as part of social life. it would form part of social psychology, and hence of general psychology. We shall call it semiology (from the greek semeion 'sign') it would investigate the nature of signs and the laws governing them. Since it does not yet exist, one cannot say for certain that it will exist. But it has a right to exist, a place ready in advance. Linguistics is only a branch of this general science. the laws which semiology will discover will be laws applicable in linguistics, and linguistics will thus be assigned to a clearly defined place in the field of human knowledge". (Saussure 1983, 15-16; Saussure 1974, 16)

Apart from Saussure other key academics working in in this field where Umberto Eco(b 1932) Jacques Lacan (1901-1981) however Semiotics only became a major approach in Art and photography Studies in the late 1960's, due in part to the work of Roland Barthes(1915-1980) with the translation of his popular collection of essays entitled Mythologies(Barthes 1957) Barthes observations of different cultural phenomena made him propose that everyday culture can be analysed in terms of language of communication both visual and verbal. Barthes integrally associated myths or culturally specific discourses.

In terms of photography Barthes takes the image away from the Artist and makes it the property of the viewer. For the record I have another 2 years to understand why this highly subjective viewpoint is relevant. I was told recently by an art intellectual friend that I should embrace semiotics and any other type of psychoanalysis in order to A complete this course and B to ascertain the level and success that I strive for. And even though I understand this viewpoint, I find it bemusing that a person with seminally no photography skill has made rules, don't get me wrong i like Barthes writing. But struggle to see the point. Why critique for critique sake. I freely admit it is important to understand the concept of semiotics, i just do not know if it will change the puntum of the pictures I take.

after all to quote cs lewis

Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.

for the record please do not misunderstand my viewpoint I recognize the importance of semiotics especially with regards to advertising and the strategies that are used in order to market consumer items to us. The use of the signifier or message portrayed by the image, and the signified the implication behind that image. To give an example please see image below.

soco ad

The advert above is a Southern Comfort the caption reads Southern Comfort between friends

making the (signifier) in this image the group of friend obviously enjoying each other company sharing laughter and stories over a glass or two of Southern Comfort , what is interesting to note is that in the image no single individual in the ad is holding a glass, however the bottle of Southern Comfort in the foreground of the advert send a message the (signifier) in that if you drink southern comfort you will have great friends and great time..

DreadiKnight

Biography William Eggleston

the red ceiling (1973)

William Eggleston was born in Memphis Tennessee on July 27, 1939. He lived in his home town Sumner, Mississippi with his father an engineer and his mother who was the daughter of a prominent local judge. it's is a safe assumption to say that William was a creative from an early age although an introvert, his hobbies included playing the piano, working with electronics as well as being drawn to visual media, buying postcards and cutting out pictures from magazines. Eggleston also developed an interest in audio technology.

Eggleston was sent to the Webb boarding school at the age of 15. in an interview Egglesston recounted few fond memories to the reporter stating "it had a kind spartan routine to build character ".

While Eggleston experience with formal education was not good attending Vanderbilt university for a year , Delta State college for semester (term), and the University of Mississippi (ole miss) for approximately five years , but not achieving an formal qualification. It was however during this time at university that Eggleston interest in photography began, a university friend gave eggleston his first camera a Leica.

Most of Eggelston's early works where inspired by the work of Swiss-born photographer Robert frank and the book by French photographer Henri Catier-Bresson's entitled decisive Moment. Eggelston recalls in another interview that Henri's book was "the first serious book i found".

Eggelston first began experimenting with , in 1965 and 1966's by the late sixties color transparency becoming his dominant medium . to this point Eggelston development as a photographer seems to of happen in isolation to other artist

In 1969 Eggestion had his first encounter "with the artistic community was a meeting with John Szarkowski of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Szarkowski stating in an interview " the meeting with the young Eggelston, was totally out of the blue". And after reviewing Eggelston's work Szarkowski prevailed upon the photography committee of MoMA to buy one of Eggelston's pieces.

By 1973 through to 1974 Eggelston was teaching at Harvard. it was during this time he discovered dye- transfer printing. It is safe to say that the process of dye transfer resulted in Eggleston most striking and famous work. A good example of this is the 1973 piece entitled The Red Ceiling. Eggelston commented on his work stating "The Red Ceiling is so powerful , that in fact I've never seen it reproduced on the page to my satisfaction. When you look at the dye it is like red blood that's wet on the the wall.......A little red is usually enough , but to work with an entire red surface was a challenge "

At his second year at Harvard Eggleston prepared his first portfolio titled, entitled 14 pictures(1974) it consisted of fourteen dye -transfer prints. these pieces where featured in a 1976 MoMA, Eggelston created a guide to accompany this. The MoMA show is regarded as a watershed moment in the history of photography. It marked the acceptance of colour photography by one of the highest validating institutions.

During the period of his 1976 exhibition, Eggelston was introduced to the Andy Warhol circle the influence of such artist helped eggleston to develop the idea of the "Democratic Camera". Eggelston also experiment with moving image during the seventies producing a roughly edited piece entitled Stranded in Canton writer Richard Woodward liken it to a "demented home movie"

Eggleston's work is recognizable by it's subject matter, the use of ordinary things Eggleston unique ability to find beauty and vivid color in the most mundane of things.

I find Eggleston an inspirational character for 3 main reasons. The first is despite have no formal qualifications he was able to make a success and show his art to the world, the second is this vision that unique ability to see what others do not and third for bringing colour photography to the world. I am like so many others a fan

Hot Ghetto Mess

So first the disclaimer, I know this blog site is for my Photography course in order for me to demonstrate my verbal and written communication skills, but i could not resist writing about this one, and in my defense I am definitely communicating and i was taking pictures.

To say it in colloquial terms I have lived in the ends all my life (East London), I'm not a tourist, nor a shrinking violet. Those that know me well would describe me as several variations of nuts. I have been a club photographer for a conservatively estimated 7 years, Damb it I could say I am the, archetype urban club photographer of my generation, but on Saturday gone I had an experience that traumatised even me.

Last Saturday /Sunday was not especially different from any other weekend in the life of this creative, I was taking pictures. The single thing that differed was that I broke two cardinal rules, the rules in question are Don't take pictures in the REX, and don't ever go back to the REX. I ask how do you describe the REX to someone who has not been there, the magnitude of the response I had to this 3 hour time slot. Well within the Black community there is the term, Ghetto which refers to embarrassing ,uncouth , uneducated behavior that make you cringe when you see it, I truely feel that this mode of behavior transcends communities, races and religions . And the REX is GHETTO. Now at this point you might be asking yourself what is the REX? To answer that question the REX is a nightclub, A ghetto nightclub, a extremely ghetto nightclub. Only the lure of money convince me to break my rules after all, I'm a student now.

I was very careful to bring just the minimum of everything i needed. Especially when i was informed the event was called breasts, yes breasts you read right. Now I had an idea of how ghetto this event would be, but the stark reality of it was a completely different monster.

The first thing that I found perplexing was the amount of photographers that where in the club taking picture against walls of the club, and even more perplexing where the poses adopted by the women that I would not attempt to do in the most provocative of erotica shots and little kim would be proud of .

THEN THE WOMEN OMG THE WOMEN, now as person who is advocate of natural hair I find weave and wigs distasteful and bad weave deplorable, but if the bad weave was the end of it, it would of been a tolerable evening but, it wasn't can you imagine a person like me who shoots art nude photography and enjoys that medium being appalled by the amount of naked flesh on show. If I wanted to see that much silicon I would of bought it in B&Q. This combine with the hard back course nature of the women in this event made me what to run away,the men in the venue did not worry me. I was careful to not step on on anyone shoes and watch my P's & Q's. but the women OMG the women, the women where scary, i have no more words to describe it please just look at the pictures and you tell me if this is a hot ghetto mess

Melanie Manchot: Celebration (Cyprus Street)

Melanie Manchot: Celebration (Cyprus Street)

Whitechapel Gallery

Outset Project Gallery(Gallery 5)

Despite the title of Melanie Manchot's exhibition. I could not get past a start feeling of despair in the images displayed. The punctum of the images was revealed for me in the subjects eyes, the distant glances and wary stares of the participants tell the story of the struggle of East End Life transcending all ages, ethnicities and religions. To find a point of which we can truly celebrate is to acknowledge that we all struggle together

In terms of studium I can only estimate that Melanie was trying to highlight the evolution of East London's status from working class to middle/ upper class. the use of Cyprus St one of the most affluent roads in the area would suggest that East London is on the up and that is to celebrated. In addition to this the use of extra character such as the pearly king and queen would suggest Melanie wanted to use the street party as a sign of community cohesion long lost and the power of that. I can only speculate,under that notion one could infer that the artist wanted to showcase community strength reinforced by East London's multiculturalism. However to a certain extent I feel the subjects in the images have be objectified like prostitutes in Amsterdam red light district. Another opportunity for art intellectuals to wax lyrical while drinking champagne before going back to their middle to upperclass lives. Again maybe I'm just a cynic , which is my prerogative, but maybe melanie should stick to the feminist perspective and leave community cohesion alone

The accompanying video installation had what I will describe as a LSD quality about it the slow tempo of the footage that takes you slowly ambling down Cyprus St, gives a surreal feel that creates another world. I do question if that world will ever exist again, and the cynic in me asks if it down the road from Sesame St, but i digress.

The lighting on the portrait images are as I already stated are stark, dark and even broody, the sun does shines in East London, I know I have seen it and there for me, lies the rub. On my travels of late to several london galleries I have began to notice the type of images favored by organisation such as the Art Council and National Portrait Gallery to name a few. Now is it that bright happy pictures are to closely associated with fashion and advertising and to be a real artist you have to be dark and depressed or was it me who missed the point. Either way I did not find the the celebration very celebratory.