Contextual Study Wed 23 Nov:
Conversations on Photography

Methods > Practice

This task is about providing a critical perspective on an artist’s work or specific image by reading other people’s point of view which will inform your own understanding, as well as offering different interpretations.

First, let’s read the Introduction by David Campany’s new book: So present, so invisible and discuss in class.

Secondly, select one of the interviews from the book where he is talking with world-class artists about their various creative phases and their rapport with the medium of photography. These conversations go beyond the simple interview to reveal complex relations between art and photography, photography and the world, word and image.

Broomberg & Chanarin
Daniel Blaufuks
Robert Cumming
LaToya Ruby Frazier
Lewis Baltz
John Stezaker
Paul Graham
Rut Blees Luxemburg
Jeff Wall
Susan Meiselas
William Klein
Stephen Shore

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You can find the interviews here. M:\Departments\Photography\Students\ISLANDNESS\Contextual Studies\So present, so invisible

• Read interview, make notes and identify 3 quotes (that are thought-provoking, revealing or contentious_
• Select one image from the photographer and analyse in depth following this method: TECHNICAL, VISUAL, CONTEXTUAL, CONCEPTUAL – focus on the last two aspects of analysis to achieve highest marks
• Incorporate the 3 quotes above into your analysis and interpretation of the image and artist’s work (this is essential to provide a critical perspective)
• Make sure you comment on the quotes, either for or against, (do YOU agree or disagree with what the artist is saying) in developing a critique and informed argument.
• Ensure you explain why agree / disagree with the comment!
• EXTENSION: Research a second source of information about the artist or his/her work (interview, review, article, text in a book etc), identity quotes and incorporate in your writing.

DEADLINE: This is essentially a piece of Independent Study (homework) that you need to complete outside of lessons. Post must be published on blog by Wed 30 Nov.

Contextual Study WED 6 Jan:
Photography Decoded

Issues > Theory

This task is about adopting critical thinking about photography by applying theory into your learning and understanding of analysing an artist’s work or specific image.

Read Introduction here:

Select one of the questions listed below from the book Photography Decoded authored by curator and writer Susan Bright and curator, writer and photo-historian Hedy van Erp.

Is it Real?

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What do I remember?

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How can you tell a story?

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Can lying be OK?

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What goes where?

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Why is it famous?

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What makes it problematic?

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Who do you think you are?

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Stealing or borrowing?

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Public or Private?

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Follow these instructions:

• Read text in detail, make notes and identify 3 quotes
• Select one image from examples mentioned in text and apply your own interpretation of the photograph by applying the theory and critical thinking from what you have just learned from reading the text.
• Incorporate the 3 quotes above into your interpretation of the image and make sure you comment on the quotes, either for or against, in developing a critique and informed argument.
  EXTENSION: Read a second text from above and apply theory and critical thinking into your writing.

DEADLINE: This is essentially a piece of Independent Study (homework) that you need to complete outside of lessons. Post must be published on blog by Wed 13 Jan.

For further reading and study go to this blog post here on Photography and Truth:

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TRUTH