Finnish photographer Henrik Malmström (born in the year 1983) currently lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His work is often the result of the interaction with his immediate surroundings. In 2010 he self-published his first book of photographs.
In the same year he moved to Hamburg, Germany, where he developed and completed his two projects “A Minor Wrongdoing” and “Life is One Live it Well” by 2014. He is the co-founder and curator of the Müllkellergalerie, an art gallery located in a garbage room in Hamburg, Germany. In 2015 he co-founded the online platform ‘Vaciarte’, this that deals with arts and politics in city of Buenos Aires.
The book I want to focus on is, Henrik Malmström’s A Minor Wrongdoing, it records night-time street life in an area of Hamburg known for its criminality. The photos are taken with very high ISO making them appear grainy and low quality – almost like they were taken with a surveillance camera. The area is infamous for its gentrification ( it is the process of renovating and improving a district so that it conforms to middle-class taste, most of the time forcing residents of the lower class area to evict the district). Many areas of St. Helier are undergoing gentrification so I think it will be very interesting to look into this topic and document the changes that happen.
Malmström chose to photograph a spot from his window. He was able to document and record from the safety of his home; in a sense it was like spying on the subjects. The neighbourhood of St. Georg in Hamburg is where Malmström chose to photograph his subjects; this area has recently undergone strict laws that were put in place top ban the street-based prostitution. His subjects tend to be women and their interactions with their clients; hence the name, ‘a minor wrongdoing’.
For my first shoot, I want to pick a visible spot on the street and photograph the bypassers in the night. I intend to use high ISO and a tripod to achieve successful photographs working in the style of Henrik Malmström. Much like Malmström, I will take the photos from my windows and the safety of my home.
Here are two of my outcomes that are a response to my initial ideas looking at surveillance in terms of breaking the rule of manipulation. I have created these images by combining images of CCTV cameras from my first photo shoot of the ‘political landscape’ project and images of surveillance footage which I have found. This is inspired by my research on photographer Alice Wielinga as she uses a combination of her images and other visual material which she has sourced. The idea behind this was to Photoshop the surveillance images into the lens screen of the CCTV cameras, in order to signify the kind of activity that is picked up by the CCTV cameras, and the effects of this. I find that this makes for a very unusual looking image as the CCTV camera is displaying an image rather that producing an image itself.
Here are the two original images from my photo shoot, I believe that these images are very minimalist and in a way fairly abstract, this means to me that if I was to break the rule of manipulation using these photographs then I would need to produce something that has a significant point of focus and interest, which in this case is the image being projected by the CCTV camera in the images.
Finally here are the two pieces of sourced visual material that I used to help me break the rule of manipulation. I chose these two pieces of security footage in particular as they display criminal activity, one a robbery and the other a gas station arson.
This signifies the positive aspect of surveillance in which it can help to prevent or capture criminal activity, however I also plan to look at the negative and corrupt aspects of surveillance throughout this project.
After my last shoot, I thought it would be interesting to continue the similar theme yet explore how bunkers are used in modern day. In the previous photo shoot, i explored the contrast between the soldiers in action in WW2 and the bunkers as they are presented today. This gave a timeline of about 70 years of history which is effective in displaying how the world changes and how we learn from these political issues.
In the previous shoot i used some bunkers as the main significance and focal point and for this shoot i intend to do the same. However the story that will be portrayed in this shoot is how these historically significant pieces of architecture are being vandalized by graffiti. I will still use a photo manipulation method by turning some of my photos into graffiti and impose them onto the bunker. An artist which has further developed my ideas and stemmed my thinking into creating this shoot is Banksy.
Banksy
Banksy is an anonymous England based graffiti artist, political activist and film director of unverified identity. His satirical street art combine dark humor with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. Banksy displays his art on publicly visible surfaces such as walls and self built physical prop pieces. His works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world. Banksy’s work grew out of the Birstol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians.
Banksy’s name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. In a 2003 interview with Simon Hattenstone of The Guardian, Banksy is described as “white, 28, scruffy casual – jeans, T-shirt, a silver tooth, silver chain and silver earring. He began as an artist at the age of 14, was expelled from school, and served time in prison for petty crime. According to Hattenstone, “anonymity is vital to him because graffiti is illegal”.
Analysis
Banksy’s work portrays strong messages to a wide range of different people. He is not only seen as an artist but as a political spokesman against capitalism, war, theism, totalitarianism and fascism. This piece of artwork clearly resembles his strong views on war and that the innocent younger generation are suffering even though they are not inflicting the war. This piece of work is hard hitting and makes the viewer think about other parts of the world that are suffering. I think Banksy intends to bring a realization to people to make them think how lucky they are and that they could help make a difference to those unfortunate individuals across the sea. Although this is not photography, the artistic approach includes political ideas which i will take inspiration from to portray in my work.
Photoshoot Plan
Concept– To photograph a variety of portrait pictures that can be turned into graffiti and placed onto a series of bunkers images that I have also taken. In addition, try and create a political message similar to Banksy and Alice Wielinga’s work and use a manipulation method for the final outcome.
Genre/Artist – Inspired by Alice Wielinga’s North Korea work that has been manipulated and further inspiration from Banksy’s graffiti work with political engagement.
Location – The main locations will be coastal areas where the majority of the bunkers are located. The portrait shots i intend to capture will be scattered across a variety of locations. In addition to using Bunkers, i will try and explore other areas to create other political messages.
Lighting – I will use natural lighting at different times of the day to create a realistic mood similar to the photographed work that Banksy creates.
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.
Political Manifestos – in Jersey
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 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. During an election in Jersey hustings in each Parish are arranged in the month leading up to the election day, giving the public an opportunity to ask prospective candidates questions and listen to their policies.
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
Week 7: 15 – 22 Oct Write a Manifesto Complete the following blog posts
RESEARCH > PLANNING > RECORDING
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.
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 posts.
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 theme of Political Landscapes – 1 blog post.
Record: Choose one rule and produce at least one shoot by Mon 22 Oct.
Experiment: Edit a selection of 5 images with annotation – 1 blog post.
Evaluate: Choose your best image and evaluate with reference to your manifesto and contextual references – 1 blog post.
Present:Print best image and prepare a 1 min presentation Wed 24 Oct
Photo Assignment 4:Make a photographic response to your Manifesto
Extension: Make a photographic response to What to photograph?
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.
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
