Assignment 2: Analysis Through Making

Read the chapter ‘Photography and the Art of the Past’ in Hope Kingsley, Seduced by Art: Photography Past and Present (2012) Yale University Press, to read about comparisons between historical art and practitioners using Photography to offer differing challenges or explorations of art from the past.

• Make reflective bullet pointed summaries on your reading and the comparisons that are being drawn in this chapter – add these to your learning log.
• Choose an image from Art History which you will visually respond to and reflect on your choice on your learning log (you might initially choose several before narrowing it down, and you can write about the choices and ideas you are considering).
• Developing your work from Project 1, make your own photographic image, or set of images that explores, challenges, or pays homage to the conventions and visual codes of the original image.

Reflection

Write a critical reflective summary on your deconstruction and analysis of images through this project. What have you learned about critical analysis and in what ways has this helped you to develop your ideas or understanding of theory, photographic meaning and interpretation?

 
Make reflective bullet pointed summaries on your reading and the comparisons that are being drawn in this chapter – add these to your learning log.
 

In ‘Photography and the Art of the Past’, Hope Kingsley examines the relationship between photography and art history and its influence on contemporary photography. Shee highlights the continuity and dialogue between old and new artistic practices, emphasizing the evolving relationship between photography and traditional art forms. Key points include:

Historicism and Historical Influence: She examines how contemporary photographers draw inspiration from classical paintings— the past influences the present—and this is not unique to photography—it happens in other art forms. However, some see this as reactionary. Photography’s relationship with classical art is perhaps not a balanced one, might even be a needy one, and this drives reactions in both directions. Understandably, early artists looked for artistic validation, and classical art was an obvious benchmark, but as time progressed, this became more reactionary as new forms of expression were sought.

Artistic Dialogue: By using good examples, Hope highlights connections and reinterpretations over time between artists including Roger Fenton, Simon Norfolk, Emile-Jean-Horace Vernet, Luc Delahaye, Michaelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and how their styles intersect and influence other artists.

Evolving Relationship: Hope emphasizes the evolving relationship between photography and traditional art forms, underscoring mutual influence and inspiration. As technology progresses, photographers will have more tools with which to create.

Choose an image from Art History which you will visually respond to and reflect on your choice on your learning log (you might initially choose several before narrowing it down, and you can write about the choices and ideas you are considering).

How to do a selfie
In today’s world of mass social media, where selfies (a modern take on self-portrait) are ubiquitous and attempt to communicate a unique personal brand, showing the dream life, we are inundated with images that are mostly myths sprinkled with some truths—throw enough mud, and some of it will stick. The ‘selfie’, though, is not new and began in earnest during the fifteenth century.
The picture I have chosen from Art History is a self-portrait of Albrecht Durer. To date, two pieces of art have stopped me in my tracks (I haven’t seen many up close, to be honest), Michelangelo’s statue of David and this image of Durer. He painted it when self-portraits were new, showing confidence and an attitude that says, ‘I am worthy of this painting’. His use of cultural and visual codes shows an artist at the top of his game. The composition of the painting, its frontal pose and the placement of his hand give it an almost religious icon feel, and his attention to detail – you can see a window reflected in his eye, the bristles of the fur trim and the strands of the hair coupled with the play of shadow and light, make this an impactful portrait. In semiotic and denotative terms, we see him against a black background (increasing the focus on him), with beautiful clothes, oiled hair, and facial symmetry; the use of light- coming from the left accentuates his face and hands-drawing in the eye -everything about the composition connotes wealth, Durer’s high opinion of himself (the Latin inscription translates to “I, Albrecht Dürer of Nuremberg, painted myself with indelible colours at the age of 28 years,” ) asserting his identity and legacy. 
(Perhaps, in his search for perfection, Robert Mapplethorpe should have studied and photographed this image instead of Appolo.)

This painting also accentuates the difference between photography and classical art. They are such different mediums that it’s almost futile and ludicrous to try and compare or compete. No camera image will ever reveal what Durer created about himself in this image. The craft is a different level and format (oils, brushes, canvas, talent/genius). Durer may only reveal what he wants to, but the creative freedom of painting allows him that freedom. 

Developing your work from Project 1, make your own photographic image, or set of images that explores, challenges, or pays homage to the conventions and visual codes of the original image.

It took me a while to develop an approach for this exercise. I felt a kind of futility in trying to take a portrait (such is the craft in Durer’s image), so I considered the tools at my disposal and explored a way to challenge the concept or notion that a person has to be present to reveal something about them or reveal a glimpse of one’s inner-self. Artists who have inspired me included works by Gideon Mandel (Dzhangal), Paul Seawright (Sectarian Murders), and Annie Leibovitz (Pilgrimage). In their respective works, they communicate much about people without them being in the picture. This creates a space between the image and the viewer, which has to be filled and can lead to a more interactive exchange when viewing. In my image, I blended multiple images of food packages and medication cartons that I consumed over time, hoping to create layers of meaning visually and metaphorically.  Gabriel Garcia Marquez is quoted as saying, “All human beings have three lives: public, private, and secret.” in this image, I am addressing the first two. The nature of the image means you see more if you spend time looking at the layers within. Like people in general, you have to put in the effort to get to know them.

Andy OFarrell: Ingredients

Reflection

Write a critical reflective summary on your deconstruction and analysis of images through this project. What have you learned about critical analysis and in what ways has this helped you to develop your ideas or understanding of theory, photographic meaning and interpretation?

When I started my degree in photography, one of the key questions I wanted to answer was what made a great photograph? I’ve often struggled to understand why some photographs are considered great or are referenced as often as they are, for example, ‘Dust Breeding’ by Man Ray, ‘Apollo’ by Robert Mapplethorpe, or many of the images by Andreas Gursky that have fetched millions. Analysing and deconstructing images using the tools of semiotics, recognising symbolism and metaphor and considering the different codes that combine to give an image meaning feels clunky and unwieldily in my present level of understanding and application. 

There is no doubt that deconstruction helps interpret images and uncover layers of meaning, but I also feel that employing photographic theory is a skill in its own right and has the potential to intellectually overpower an image or elevate it to a level that has more to do with academic posturing and myth-making. Whoever makes the best ‘case’, often dressed (on occasion) in obscure hyper-intellectual language, wins the day. 

But putting my prejudices aside, I do find the tools of critical analysis have helped me think about both image creation and image viewing. In viewing images, I have slowed down and tried to deconstruct the image and uncover the layers of meaning. In ‘Criticizing Photographs – An Introduction to Understanding Images’, Terry Barret highlights the multi-faceted nature of photographs when he observes, ‘Thus all photographs, even straightforward, direct and realistic-looking ones, need to be interpreted. They are not innocent, free of insinuations and devoid of prejudices, nor are they simple mirror images. They are made, taken and constructed by skilful artists and deserve to be read, explained, analyzed and deconstructed.’  The point about images not being innocent has resonated deeply as, on occasion, I have simply viewed images at ‘face value’, sometimes experiencing what Barthes described as ‘punctum’-when an image pierces on a personal and emotional level, and the tools now at my disposal helps unpack where that has come from. Everyone in the eco-system of image making, whether it be creating, viewing or critiquing, brings their own personal worldview into the mix. Lately, I have come across written pieces about images, and I simply fail to garner the same level of excitement as the author, for example, David Company’s essay about Man Ray’s image ‘Dust Breeding’ in Singular Images- Essays on Remarkable Photographs is simply beyond my understanding to even begin to empathise with his love of the image-he makes connections that show the breadth of his education which is broad and deep, but its more personal than relevant. In the same anthology of essays, Liz Jobey offers her opinion on an image by Diane Arbus titled ‘A Young Brooklyn family going for Sunday outing NYC 1966′. In the essay, she remarks, “When you look at this Brooklyn family, you can’t help wondering what will become of them. Are they victims of some tragedy waiting to happen? Will they fight, separate, divorce, marry other people?’ There is so much prejudice in these few lines that you have to feel for the family in the image of having their life picked apart. So yes, I have a new toolset to look at and interpret images, but I also have to look within before I offer an opinion. I look forward to mastering the tools.

A Young Brooklyn Family going for A Sunday Outing 1966

References
Bates, David, 2019, Photgraphy: The Key Concepts (2nd ed), London, Routledge,
Barret, Terry, 2006, Critizing Photography An Introduction to Understanding Images (5th Edition) New York, McGraw-Hill
Farago,Jason, 2020,Seeing Our Own Reflection in the Birth of the Self-PortraitHowarth, Sophie, 2005,Singular Images, Essay on Remarkable,London,Tate Images(https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/25/arts/durer-self-portrait.html accessed 01/07/2024)
Madel,Gideon, Dzhangal, https://gideonmendel.com/dzhangal/ (accessed 28/06/2024)Pilgrimage,’ Leibovitz Explores Portraits Without People (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZsDcVJCccE (accessed 29/06/2024)
Seawright, Paul Sectarian Murder https://www.paulseawright.com/sectarian