http://www.scopionetwork.com/node/1000#1

Another series that Michal Konrad created is called “Insomnia” Its this series that I am linking closely to because I love the influx of images that Michal captures. The main subject of Michal’s photography is the male form. Michal also uses the environment a lot within his work to inspire his ideas. He uses the environment to create these unique thought provoking portraits. His images have a surreal feel to them because they are his dream like visions.

According to Michal, the title Insomnia “shows the anxiety of the modern world caused by lies. The era in which we live is called energy. As far as man is concerned, it means his constant excitement.
Lots of information that constantly stimulate my brain. Ask yourself the question that is true and which is false? Where is the boundary between fiction and reality? Maybe I’m not real either? Maybe I’m not here? Maybe I just think I’m!”

Michal is questioning his existence by asking these questions. According to the internet, Insomnia means “habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep”.  Michal uses the words “constant excitement”. I believe Michal is calling this series Insomnia because of the constant excitement caused by the world, and the confusion of our everyday lives causes our brains to constantly have an influx of thoughts. This perhaps would then cause us to have a sleepless night because of the endless thoughts moving around our heads.

This concept links to my personal study because Michal is using the process of the mind, and the emotion “excitement” to influence his series.  I love the way he uses the blur of the mind to represent the movement of thoughts. I am going to choose an image from this series to critically analyse.

The image above is the photo that I’ve chosen to do a critical analysis on. Its the most interesting and thought provoking one from the series.

~ FORM ~ The image above is a black and white portrait image. It’s a self portrait taken by Michal Konrad. He’s using the environment around him to simulate ideas. He’s used the puddle of water in front of him to create a reflection of his own body form. Within the image, Michal is captured in the mid air jumping. He’s deliberately kept a slow shutter speed so that the image of him is blurred.

~ MEANING ~ The image is from a series called Insomnia. The series is about how the lies from the modern world can cause anxiety. The series is trying to represent how the excitement and confusion of the world can cause Insomnia. Michal uses the blur of the head to symbolize the influx of thoughts. Within the series Michal is also questioning his existence by asking “Maybe I’m not real either? Maybe I’m not here?” 

~ JUDGEMENT ~ I really like the image by Michal because its a very thought provoking image. Although its a simple framing and simple form, the depth of analysis and meaning that Michal thinks about makes the image into a highly sophisticated one. The technical side of the image is very good, the environment around him is in focus, and Michal is blurred, however this was deliberate. I like how Michal decided to make it a black and white image because it highlights and really captures  the tones.

~ CONTEXT ~ This image and series from Michal Konrad relates to the history and theory of photography because they are all fundamentally self portraits of Michal.  Self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century that artists can be frequently identified depicting themselves as either the main subject, or as important characters in their work. With better and cheaper mirrors, and the advent of the panel portrait, many painters, sculptors and print makers tried some form of self-portraiture.