Alex Webb

These images are from Alex Webb’s Haiti collection and ones I am using for inspiration. I am using these as inspiration as I feel his images have different concepts behind them when relating to the theory I am studying. When looking at the first image we can see a wall, however there are two openings in it which could suggest that Alex has taken this image in a way that challenges the theory of isolation as the sense of isolation isn’t there. In addition, the second and third images do relate to the theme of isolation. The second images relates to the theme of isolation as the high walls and gates create a sense of isolation and entrapment which is a clear indication that it links to the theory. Furthermore, the third image also has connotations of isolation as the two in the corner look trapped possibly indicating that they are inclosed in that area. These three images I can easily respond to by photographing areas that challenge the theory but also link to the theory.  I will focus on areas round St Helier which have built up walls but specifically gated areas and run down areas. I will mainly use natural lighting as it is clear that Alex has only used natural lighting too.

Bruce Davidson

These are images I thought where strong images out of Bruces collection and are the ones I am wanting to replicate. I felt these were some of the strongest images from his collection as I thought they clearly relate to the theory in great detail. I will use artificial light from my camera and also a torch as a source of light as within Bruces images there isn’t any natural light as they are underground in the subway. Furthermore, there isn’t a subway or unground tube in jersey so I have chose the location of a bunker in St Ouen’s which is open to the public. This location has a lot of graffiti and is dark  which will work well when I add artificial lighting when taking the images as it will create the same affect and style as in Bruces images.  I have also chosen this location because the location in Bruces images look very run down and old and I think that my location when responding to his work will have the same affect.

Bruce Davidson

Bruce Davidson was born September 5, 1933 in America. He has been a member of the Magnum Photos agency since 1958. His photographs, notably those taken in New York, have been widely exhibited and published. He is known for photographing communities usually hostile to outsiders. Bruce was interested in photography from an early age and at age 10, his mother built him a darkroom in their basement.

Davidson went on to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology and Yale University, where one of his teachers was artist Josef Albers. For his college theory, Davidson created a photo essay that was published in Life magazine in 1955, documenting football players behind the scenes of the game. After graduating, he was drafted into the army and was stationed near Paris, France. It was there that he met his lifelong mentor, Henri Cartier-Bresson. He took inspiration from Henri, and went on to reevaluate the genre of photojournalism with his singular style and methods. He is best known for his photo-essays documenting subversive and counter culture groups. 

Once Bruce left the military service in 1957, Davidson worked as a freelance photographer for Life magazine and a year later joined Magnum photos. Unlike other photographers before him, Davidson embedded himself in the world of his subjects for extended periods, the results of which formed a series of powerful photo-essays. One of the earliest examples of this dedication was when he joined the circus in 1958 in order to become fully immersed in the environment.

USA. New York City. 1980. Subway.

USA. New York City. 1959. Brooklyn Gang.

Alex Webb

Born in San Francisco, Webb was raised in New England, Webb first became interested in photography as a high school student and in 1972 attended the Apeiron Workshops in New York where he met Magnum photographers Bruce Davidson and Charles Harbutt. Alex Webb is best known for his vibrant and complex color work within his images.

He went on to study history and literature at Harvard where he graduated in 1974, but also studied photography at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts. By 1974 he was working as a photojournalist and in 1976 he became an associate member of Magnum Photos. During this time he documented small-town life in the South American . He also did some work in the Caribbean and Mexico , which led him, in 1978, to begin working in color, which he has continued to do. Webb now lives and works in Brooklyn with his wife, Rebecca Norris Webb, who is also a photographer, and they have collaborated on a number of photo books.

Webb’s work has been exhibited around the world, including at the Walker Art Center, the Museum of photographic arts and many more. His work is also seen in numerous collections. He has received commissions from the High Museum of Art as well as the Banesto Foundation in Spain.

Future of St Helier

Then write your own evaluation / experience of  being part of  the newspaper and hoarding installation etc.

Hoarding Installation

The unveiling of the Future of St Helier Hoarding at the International Finance Centre on the Esplanade in St Helier took place on Thursday 13 Dec 2018.

First published as a 52 page newspaper supplement in September by the Jersey Evening Post the work produced by A-Level Photography students at Hautlieu School have been transformed into a 34m outdoor installation as part of Masterplan Community Arts and Education Project

We were challenged with responding to specific areas, streets and neighbourhoods divided up along the urban vingtaines of St Helier and to explore through research, archives and photography the built-environment, urban living, diverse communities, town planning, land use and re-generation projects.

We thank all sponsors and collaborators for making this a successful contribution to the island’s cultural records and historic archives Jersey Development Company, Camerons Ltd, MJP Architects, Archisle, Lewis Bush, Photo-Archive Societe-Jersiaise, Kevin Pilley, States of Jersey and Connétable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft

Earlier today we unveiled the Masterplan Future of St Helier hoarding display at the International Finance Centre. Lots of local media interest from Jersey Evening Post, ITV Channel TV and BBC Jersey who broadcasted live on radio talking to photography students at Hautlieu School, Constable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft and sponsors Jersey Development Company, Camerons Ltd, MJP Architects about the future of the island and its capital. An excellent example of how a community arts and education project can generate a debate that affects all those who either live, work or visit St Helier.

If you are interested in our views of young people tune into BBC Radio here (listen from 3:18:30 onwards or watch the six o’clock news tonight on ITV.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06rlpdw

If you missed the news last night at ITV Channel TV you can catch up here with Hautlieu students talking (15m.12s) about their images on display at the Masterplan Future of St Helier hoarding on the International Finance Centre.

See link here

The outdoor installation on the hoarding around the construction site is a great way to engage the public in art and debates concerning the future of the island’s capital but, what we need in Jersey is a new contemporary art space that will provide a new venue to showcase art produced in the island, but equally also bring international art to Jersey for the public enjoyment of its residents and visitors alike.

The recent Culture, Arts and Heritage Strategic Review, commissioned by the Government of Jersey makes 20 new recommendations that will revitalise the island’s cultural infrastructure and achieve a wide range of social and economic objectives from tourism, to health and well being to external relations, to planning and environmental developments – in the hope that in partnership with Government it will enrich and enhance Jersey’s quality of life.

Let’s hope those in power who can make real changes to St Helier’s build environment will include such a new art space in the revised Masterplan of the Waterfront. All we need is political will and re-prioritising public funding for the arts. States of Jersey

Future of St Helier Newspaper

The outcome of students work was first published on Tuesday 18 September 2018 as a 52 page newspaper supplement, Future of St Helier that was printed in 14,000 copies and inserted into a daily edition of the Jersey Evening Post and distributed island wide.

Here is a video browser of our Future of St Helier supplement printed and distributed in today’s edition of the Jersey Evening Post. Hautlieu photography students were challenged with responding to specific areas, streets and neighbourhoods divided up along the urban vingtaines of St Helier and to explore through research, archives and photography the built-environment, urban living, diverse communities, town planning, land use and re-generation projects. Each student designed a page spread which was then split in half producing a fragmented image reflecting on the nature of experience and diversity of St Helier.

Here is a video browser of our Future of St Helier supplement printed and distributed in today’s edition of the Jersey Evening Post. Hautlieu photography students were challenged with responding to specific areas, streets and neighbourhoods divided up along the urban vingtaines of St Helier and to explore through research, archives and photography the built-environment, urban living, diverse communities, town planning, land use and re-generation projects. Each student designed a page spread which was then split in half producing a fragmented image reflecting on the nature of experience and diversity of St Helier. Make sure to get your copy before the shops close!Thanks to everyone involved in the creative process Archisle Lewis Bush, Jamie Cole, Simon Crowcroft, Kevin Pilley – States of Jersey and our sponsors Jersey Development Company and Camerons Limited.

Posted by Martin Toft on Tuesday, 18 September 2018

Questions used for inspiration

How does people control, interact and construct the environment in which they live?

Questions I have created using the questions above as inspiration that could be used for my personal study.

• Compare How Alex Webb and Josef Koudelka’s photography represent the concept of isolation?
• How do people react, control and effect the environment by creating man made structures that cause a sense of isolation.

Bibliography

Online

https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/society-arts-culture/bruce-davidson-subway/

Bruce Davidson Subway. New York City, USA. 1980.

“I wanted to transform the subway from its dark, degrading, and impersonal reality into images that open up our experience again to the colour, sensuality, and vitality of the individual souls that ride it each day.” (Magnum, Subway 1980)

For my political landscape project I am planning to focus on the juxtaposition of walls and how they have been misunderstood and used in a way that creates a sense of isolation and entrapment.

Throughout my project I looked at the theory “When Walls Talk”. By using this theory, it has given me the opportunity to look at different artists with different ideas however, with the same concept behind their images. Their were multiple artists that were used throughout this theory although, there were two that stood out the most.

I felt these two photographers reflected this theory the best and I also thought that they inspired me the most due to their different styles that I felt allowed them to standout over the other photographers. The different themes of photo journalism and documentary photography I thought were the main themes within the two photographers styles due to the subjects within the photographs.

Bruce Davidson and his ‘Subway’ photographs corporate human life within the dull underground graffiti which allowed these images to produce a powerful story and concept and a strong meaning with a concept relating to when walls talk. Bruce’s work is in colour which allows for the different layers of graffiti to stand out which also creates a sense of depth throughout his images.

Alex Webb and his photographs from Haiti are documentary photograph and conveys the idea of isolation and intimidation however some of his images also contrasted against each other as they were also breaking the rule of isolation as it shows subjects challenging the theory. His images are in colour which allows for the use of vibrant colours in these run down areas which reduces the sense of isolation. 

There was an artist that also stood out however he conveyed the theory in a different way. Josef Koudelka’s use of a panoramic camera allows himself to create photographs that mimic the monumental quality of a barrier that links to the theme of isolation and the theory that I am studying. His images are all in black and white which creates strong and empowering shadows which creates a strong contrast throughout his images.

After multiple different ideas and discussions, I came to conclusion I would focus my project on the idea behind walls and the messages behind them. I used the theory “When walls talk” by Thomas McMullan as inspiration.  I was able to use this theory to inspire this specific project by focusing on the meaning behind walls and how they can create a sense of inclosure and isolation. I intend to capture different areas where these aspects stand out and I want to make aware of how these subjects can also create a sense of intimidation due to these man made structures. In relation to my photo book, I want to create a book that broadens the viewers awareness of the ever-everchanging and isolating environment within Jersey.

Throughout the theory there were multiple artists used however, there were a few that stood out massively and caught my eye over any of the others. Bruce Davidson and his ‘Subway’ photographs really stood out due to the fact he corporates human life within the dull underground graffiti which allowed these images to produce a powerful story and concept. Davidson was a strong source of inspiration as he included two aspects that I wanted to use throughout my project in the sense of the meaning behind the walls and also how society reacts to it and I feel that he has completed this strongly throughout his project. Furthermore, I thought that the artist Alex Webb and his photographs from Haiti was another strong source of inspiration as his documentary photographs conveyed the idea of isolation and intimidation however some of his images also contrasted against each other as they were also breaking the rule as some of the images showed holes within the walls which allowed the subjects to pass through them. I felt that this aspect created a strong however important contrast within the idea of isolation as his images show the subjects challenging the theory.

Photographs can most certainly lie as people interpret  them differently due to the fact that a photograph can tell multiple stories within the single image. Whether the photographer has been manipulated when the photograph was original taken or on photoshop it can have a massive impact on how people look at the image, it can sometimes produce a bias approach. Furthermore, The photographers use of different angles can further change how the photograph is seen as it can change and sometimes remove important parts of the image which changes the story behind the image and how the viewer sees the image. Photographs can be used as a reliable source however can also be used as an unreliable source due to the point about viewers interpreting it differently due to the different angles and alterations made to the image. Furthermore, the photographer will have his own opinion on how he views the image had how he wants the viewer to see it. A photograph can be used as a certain delivery of facts due to how the photographer wants the viewers to interpret an image and whether he claims the photograph is truthful or not. The truth would be shown through different ways depending on the photographers agenda. This photograph above is a good example of how a photograph can lie due the fact this image was either a real life image or a tableau photograph. This could fully determine the images truth behind the image. For example Jeff Wall is able to capture an asian man being racial abused by a man walking alongside him whilst his girlfriend is unaware. Jeff Wall could say he witnessed this however, if the photograph had been set up it could create a different story. In addition, we are unaware for the reason that the white man is abusing the man walking alongside him as we are only able to view this scene from the one photograph which makes the view think more into the truth behind the image.