After researching a lot about Rinko Kawauhi’s previous work and photo series I wanted to do my own photo shoot using her images as inspiration. The main aim of the shoot was to capture things with little significance and to portray them in a unique way that shows their pure beauty.
This shoot was done on the 7th of March at Queens Valley Reservoir. I used a Canon camera to capture the images. The shoot was inspired by the many images by Rinko Kawauchi. Her images contain a spiritual feeling to them and this is what I wanted to create in my own edits. The shoot was just a simple experimental shoot because I wanted to see what different abstract images I could capture in an environment I’ve seen many times. When searching for more particular objects and scenes you become more aware of the environment and you take in much more. I am very happy with the images I managed to collect.
EDITS
When editing the images, I knew I wanted them to be simple and pure. I aimed to keep the natural colours and not manipulate the originals too much. I simply made the images brighter and turned up the vibrancy of the images so that the colour’s were stronger which in turn made the image more appealing.
Many leading surrealists were brought over to New York in 1930 due to the political instability. Surrealism was a massive influence for the abstract expressionism movement. It’s biggest influence was the focus on the mining of the subconscious, this encouraged artists to focus on symbols and shapes. Focusing on the struggle between self-expression and the chaos of the subconscious. Most Abstract Expressionism artists matured in the 1930s. They were influenced by the era’s leftist politics, and came to value an art grounded in personal experience. Many artists took inspiration from the posture of outspoken avant-gardists. These artists matured when america was going through a economic crisis and felt culturally isolated. Abstract Expressionists were seen as the first authentically American avant-garde.
Willem de Kooning Excavation (1950)
Post-Painterly Abstraction- Early 1950s- Mid 1970s
This was the reaction to Abstract Expressionism. This labeled a number of artists who used techniques such as color field painting, hard-edge abstraction and the Washington color school. Critic Clement Greenberg believed that, during the early 1950s, Abstract Expressionism had become a weak school, and, in the hands of less talented painters. But he also believed that many artists were advancing in some of Abstract Expressionism’s more fruitful directions – principally those allied to color field painting – and these were yielding to a range of new tendencies that he described as “post-painterly.” Greenberg characterized post-painterly abstraction as linear in design, bright in color, lacking in detail and incident, and open in composition. It reflected the artists’ desire to leave behind the grandiose drama and spirituality of Abstract Expressionism.
Sam Francis Blue Balls VII (1962)
American Color Field painting
The term color field painting is applied to the work of abstract painters working in the 1950s and 1960s characterized by large areas of a more or less flat single color. From the 1960s a more purely abstract form of color field painting emerged in the work of Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Alma Thomas, Sam Gilliam and others. It was different from previous work such as the abstract expressionism movement as it eliminated any spiritual, emotional. religious aspects to the work and the highly personal and painterly or gestural application associated with it.
The Disposable Camera Project was done by Colour Box Studio based in Merlbourne. The Colour Box Studio is a pop up art space and online creative hub. The director, Amie Batalibasi, decided to do a project using a disposable camera. There were nine participants who took part in the project. They get asked to fill a disposable camera with images over a period of 24 hours. The project had been going on for 3 years. Each of the participants have their unique style and perceptions. What they view as a good image all varies. The project achieved a vast difference in style of images and subject. A book was created containing all the images called “The Disposable Camera Project.”
The disposable camera project draws in on the idea of freedom of expression because it allows people to expressive themselves and show their own unique outlook of the world thorough photography. A disposable camera allows people who may not be use to using a camera to be able to very simply capture a scene or a scenario they find beautiful or interesting. It gives them an easy way of expressing themselves.
Colour Box Studio Disposable Camera Project First Edition 2013 installation view. Photo by Shari Trimble.hotos by Colour Box Studio Disposable Camera Project Participants: Cara Thompson, Charlotte Wardell, Nicole Kennedy, Vanessa Lee, Suyin Lim, Emma Numan, Gareth Kaluza, Modesta Gentile and Rahima Miriam.
When researching more about photographers who use disposable cameras, I came across an article on the internet about a guy called Matt Blodgett. He is an American Photographer and full time construction worker. The article I came across was an interview including Matt Blodgett and the process he goes through when taking his images. He is 31 years old and grew up on the Canadian border in the Thousand Islands of upstate, New York. He recently moved to southern Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts where he was originally born. When Blodgett was asked about why he uses disposable cameras a lot he explains how they allow him to have fun with photography. He believes that some photographers take photography to seriously, which in some cases is very true. Blodgett doesn’t see him self as a photographer but when it comes to disposable cameras the implicitness of it allows any one to do it. What he aims to share with his photos is a “rolling diary of imagery that I live with and love.” He doesn’t think before he shoots, he simply takes what he views as beautiful. Here are some of Matt Blodgett’s images below.
His images are mainly of nature because this is what he views as beauty. He is similar to the photographers I have researched so far because the images that he collects are from day to day and they contain this spiritual atmosphere. I plan on collecting images in a similar process to this as a point in my project. They don’t need to have a deeper meaning, just a simple object or scene will do.
I’ve given myself the task of collecting images in the same style and process as the one done within the disposable camera project. I bought a simple disposable camera from boots and kept the camera with me throughout a couple of days. Whenever I saw something interesting that I wanted to capture I made sure I got it. However I was looking close at detail rather then just the whole scene.
Following on from your first task of Rule Breaking your next task is write your own manifesto with a set of rules that you follow creatively in making a new set of photographic images, experimental film-making or video art.
A manifesto is a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party, government or an artistic movement.
In etymology (the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history), the word manifesto is derived from the Italian word manifesto, itself derived from the Latin manifestum, meaning clear or conspicuous.
Political manifestos from Britains three main parties, Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in the last election in 2017.
Here a few examples of manifestos made by Jersey politicians
Futurism Manifesto written by the Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti was published in the French newspaper Le Figaro in 20 February 1909. In the manifesto Marinetti expresses an artistic philosophy, Futurism, that was a rejection of the past, and a celebration of speed, machinery, violence, youth and industry.
MANIFESTO OF FUTURISM
We intend to sing the love of danger, the habit of energy and fearlessness.
Courage, audacity, and revolt will be essential elements of our poetry.
Up to now literature has exalted a pensive immobility, ecstasy, and sleep. We intend to exalt aggressive action, a feverish insomnia, the racer’s stride, the mortal leap, the punch and the slap.
We affirm that the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A racing car whose hood is adorned with great pipes, like serpents of explosive breath—a roaring car that seems to ride on grapeshot is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace.
We want to hymn the man at the wheel, who hurls the lance of his spirit across the Earth, along the circle of its orbit.
The poet must spend himself with ardor, splendor, and generosity, to swell the enthusiastic fervor of the primordial elements.
Except in struggle, there is no more beauty. No work without an aggressive character can be a masterpiece. Poetry must be conceived as a violent attack on unknown forces, to reduce and prostrate them before man.
We stand on the last promontory of the centuries!… Why should we look back, when what we want is to break down the mysterious doors of the Impossible? Time and Space died yesterday. We already live in the absolute, because we have created eternal, omnipresent speed.
We will glorify war—the world’s only hygiene—militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman.
We will destroy the museums, libraries, academies of every kind, will fight moralism, feminism, every opportunistic or utilitarian cowardice.
We will sing of great crowds excited by work, by pleasure, and by riot; we will sing of the multicolored, polyphonic tides of revolution in the modern capitals; we will sing of the vibrant nightly fervor of arsenals and shipyards blazing with violent electric moons; greedy railway stations that devour smoke-plumed serpents; factories hung on clouds by the crooked lines of their smoke; bridges that stride the rivers like giant gymnasts, flashing in the sun with a glitter of knives; adventurous steamers that sniff the horizon; deep-chested locomotives whose wheels paw the tracks like the hooves of enormous steel horses bridled by tubing; and the sleek flight of planes whose propellers chatter in the wind like banners and seem to cheer like an enthusiastic crowd.
In 1924 French Poet, Andre Breton published a Surrealist Manifesto which sets out specific terms on which to be creative and make art as a reaction against another art movement, Dadaism.
POEM
A burst of laughter
of sapphire in the island of Ceylon
The most beautiful straws
HAVE A FADED COLOR
UNDER THE LOCKS
on an isolated farm
FROM DAY TO DAY
the pleasant
grows worse
coffee
preaches for its saint
THE DAILY ARTISAN OF YOUR BEAUTY
MADAM,
a pair
of silk stockings
is not
A leap into space
A STAG
Love above all
Everything could be worked out so well
PARIS IS A BIG VILLAGE
Watch out for
the fire that covers
THE PRAYER
of fair weather
Know that
The ultraviolet rays
have finished their task
short and sweet
THE FIRST WHITE PAPER
OF CHANCE
Red will be
The wandering singer
WHERE IS HE?
in memory
in his house
AT THE SUITORS’ BALL
I do
as I dance
What people did, what they’re going to do
An example of a poem published as part of Breton’s Surrealist manifesto.
Tasks 1. Research and read at least one political manifesto and one manifesto from an artistic group or movement. Describe differences and similarities used in their use of language, metaphor and vision – 1 blog posts.
2. Analysis: from your chosen artistic manifesto, choose at least two key art works for further analysis that have been made as response to the rules/ aims/ objectives of the manifesto. Describe techniques used, interpret meaning/metaphor, evaluate aesthetic quality – 1-2 blog posts.
3. Planning: Write a manifesto with a set of rules (5-10) that provide a framework for your new shoots and overall project. Describe in detail how you are planning on developing your work and ideas in the next two weeks. Think about what you want to achieve, what you want to communicate, how your ideas relate to the themes of FREEDOM and/or LIMITATIONS – 1 blog post.
4. Record: Produce at least one shoot by Mon 12 March.
5. Experiment: Edit a selection of 5 images with annotation – 1 blog post.
6. Evaluate: Choose your best image and evaluate with reference to your manifesto and contextual references – 1 blog post.
7. Present: Print best image and prepare a 1 min presentation Wed 14 March in class around the table.
Extension: Write a new set of rules and repeat the above process.
Help & Support:
See link to manifesto in Wikipedia which has a hyperlinks to many manifestos, both political and artistic.
How to write a manifesto? Read more here
A manifesto is a statement where you can share your…
– Intentions (what you intend to do)
– Opinions (what you believe, your stance on a particular topic)
– Vision (the type of world that you dream about and wish to create)
Political parties makes a manifesto that sets out their political values and views on issues such as education, health, jobs, housing, environment, the economy etc and pledge a set of policies on what they would do if they got elected.
As there will be an election in Jersey during the exam preparation and the fact that you are all eligible to vote it makes sense to explore what manifestos exist in local politics. Unlike the UK, Jersey doesn’t have a political system with large parties, such as Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats and so on.
The parliamentary body responsible for adopting legislation and scrutinising the Council of Ministers is the Assembly of the States of Jersey. Forty-Nine elected members, 8 island-wide Senators, 29 Deputies and 12 Constables representing each parish sit in the assembly. There are also five non-elected, non-voting members appointed by the Crown (the Bailiff, the Lieutenant Governor, the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General and the Solicitor General). Decisions in the States are taken by majority vote of the elected members present and voting.
Find out more here on the official Government website: gov.je
In Jersey there is only one small political party Reform Jersey (3 members). Some politicians, such as Senator Philip Ozouf,Senator Lyndon Farnham publish a manifesto in advance of an election so that the public can learn about their political views. Hustings in each Parish will be taken place during the month of April leading up to the election day 9 May 2018.
Artistic Manifestos
Here is a a list of art movements that you may use as contextual research. Many of them produced various manifestos
Here are a list of artists/ photographers that may inspire you associated with the above art movements and isms:
Vito Acconci, John Baldessari, Yves Klein, Bas Jan Ader, Erwin Wurm, Chris Arnatt, Richard Long, Hamish Fulton, Joseph Beuys, Chris Burden, Francis Alÿs, , Sophie Calle , Nikki S Lee, Claude Cahun, Dennis Oppenheim, Bruce Nauman, Allan Kaprow, Mark Wallinger, Gillian Wearing, Marcel Duchamp and the Readymade, Andy Warhol’s film work, Steve McQueen, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Marina Abramovic, PipilottiRist, Luis Bunuel/ Salvatore Dali: , Le ChienAndalou, Dziga Vertov: The Man with a Movie Camera
