Noémie Goudal is a French artist who lives and works between Paris and London. In 2010 she graduated from the Royal College of Art and since then she has worked on many series.
In the Observatoires series, produced in 2013-2014, she shows many science fictional architectures in quiet landscapes. Her work is an encounter between realistic documentary images and dreamy illusions. Her work is inspired by images of German artists Bernd et Hilla Becher, whose interest is focused on industrial buildings and objective black and white photographs.
She has used methods that blend traditional photographic techniques with physical manipulation. What look like large, geometric structures set in barren landscapes are in fact two dimensional facades constructed from paper, which Goudal has photographed to appear ancient yet futuristic. The buildings are photographs of small scale architectural models that have been blown up, printed on paper, mounted on card and then set in the landscape. Though the images have a grainy, documentary feel to them, their content is an illusion. The paper constructions have fold lines and in some images, even the tape that holds the buildings together is visible.
Henry Mullins was a Jersey Photographer in the mid nineteenth century. He produced thousands of portraits of islanders between 1848 and 1873 at his studio, located in the Royal Square, St Helier. Mullins was part of a circle of photographic pioneers at the Royal Polytechnic institute, London where the first photographic studio in Europe was opened in 1841. The first record of his professional practice is in Edinburgh in 1843. He arrived in Guernsey in 1847 and decided to live in Jersey the following year. While a number of photographic studios opened across the town of St Helier in the 1850s and 1860s, Henry Mullins continued being a photographer for the members of Jersey Society.
Emile Guiton
Emile Guiton was born in Jersey in 1879. He was an active member of the Société Jersiaise. He was a keen amateur photographer and practiced throughout his life. He experimented with colour at the beginning of the twentieth century in “Autochromes”. His subjects include the recording of archaeological excavations and he was one of the few people in Jersey who was allowed to take photographs during the German Occupation. He also recognised the importance of collecting photographs, both as a valuable historic resource and as interesting artefacts. He donated several images to the Société Jersiaise.
Thomas Sutton
Thomas Sutton, who opened a photographic studio in Jersey in 1847, is one of the most important people in the history of world photography. He took the world’s first permanent colour photograph in 1861 and invented the single lens reflex camera in the same year. He also developed the first panoramic camera with a wide angle lens.
We visited the Société Jersiaise as an introduction into our new project on the German Occupation of Jersey. In groups we looked through photo archives by several photographers whose images had been stored in folders, each in an individual plastic file. The images were fragile and could only be removed from the plastic file if they were to be handled with gloves to ensure they don’t get damaged.
The Société Jersiaise was founded in January 1873 by a small number of well known Islanders who were interested in the study of the history, the language and the antiquities of Jersey. The photographic archives of the Société Jersiaise contains over 100,000 images dating from the mid 1840s to the present day and is the main Jersey collection of nineteenth and early twentieth century photography.
Photography arrived in Jersey on the 9th of May 1840 just nine months after it had been first introduced in the urban centers of England and France. Able to practice in the Channel Islands without concern for the restriction of the medium in the 1840s, amateur and professional photographers arrived from both sides of the English Channel. The archive has examples of work by important nineteenth century photographers such as William Collie, Charles Hugo, Thomas Sutton and Henry Mullins. The collection also has late nineteenth century studio collections of negatives by Jersey based photographers such as Ernest Baudoux, Albert Smith and Clarence Ouless. Important twentieth century photos include of over one thousand negatives by Percival Dunham (Jersey’s first photo journalist) and an archive of one thousand three hundred German Occupation images.
There are several different subjects represented in the collection as well as a diverse multitude of processes and techniques with which they were made. The archive has over 15,000 portraits of identified people and views of every bay and landscape. The collection has detailed visual representations of technical and aesthetic developments through the photographic era.
The German occupation of the Channel Islands lasted for most of the Second World War, from the 30th of June 1940 until their liberation on the 9thof May 1945. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the German armed forces during the war.
The German Occupation of Jersey began one week after the British government had demilitarized the island fearing for the safety of civilians should there be any conflict. On the 28thof June, The German air force, not knowing of the demilitarization, bomb and machine gun multiple sites on the island. The Channel Islands served no purpose to the Germans other than the propaganda value of having occupied British territory.
During that time, the Channel Islanders had to live under and obey the laws of Nazi Germany and work with their occupiers in order to survive and reduce the impact of occupation. Since they were not given guidance on how to behave by the British government, there were individuals who got close to the enemy and a few who undertook resistance activities. Most had no choice but to accept the changes and the depredations to their lives.
On arrival in the islands, the Germans imposed new laws on the resident islanders. As time went on, more laws restricting rights were posted and had to be obeyed. Some restrictions include: fishing, exporting goods and freedom of speech.
Many lost their jobs when businesses closed down and it was difficult to find work with non German employers. As the war progressed, life became harsher, especially when radios were confiscated and then when deportations took place in September 1942. Food, fuel and medicines became scarce and crime increased. The hardest times for the civilians was the winter of 1944-45 since it was very cold and many were suffering from hunger. However, most of the population was saved from starvation by the arrival of Red Cross parcels.
The Channel Islands were liberated after the German surrender. On the 8thof May at 10:00 the islanders were informed by the German authorities that the war was over. Churchill made a radio broadcast and announced that “our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today”.
I chose this as one of my final outcomes because it responds to Francesca Woodman’s photography and the theme ‘loss of identity’. I decided to join these two images side by side since together they would create a visually interesting outcome. Both images respond to ‘loss of identity’ because her facial features are hidden through movement. The rapid movement emphasises loss of identity since she appears lost and confused through motion blur. The black and white filter creates a dramatic and choatic atmosphere to the image since the shadows and highlights are exaggerated through contrast. I am printing this image in A5 because Francesca Woodman’s images exaggerate fragility by the fact that the photographs are printed on a very small scale. I want to create the same personal and intimate effect.
A4
I chose this as one of my final outcomes because it responds the photographer Isabella Madrid. Although these two images are similar the subject is in a different position. This outcome relates to ‘loss of identity’ because the subject’s facial features have been hidden by the steam on the mirror. These two images have been placed side by side to show the different hand marks on the mirror and to make the outcome more visually interesting. I think I have successfully responded to Isabella Madrid’s photography work because I have replicated her style which can be seen through this outcome: simple images that convey a sense of being lost with ones own identity. I have chosen this to be printed on A4 since I believe that it would be a reasonable size for these two images.
A3
I chose this image as one of my final outcomes because of the mysterious effect which helps to convey the theme ‘loss of identity’. This effect has been created through the black and white filter and the water drops which conceal a part of my face. In my opinion I think this image is a successful replication of one of Isabella Madrid’s photographs because of the eerie and dark atmosphere I created through contrast. I am printing this image in this size because it will have a larger impact on the viewer if printed on a larger scale. The detail of the shadows, highlights and water drops will be seen more clearly once the image is printed on A3.
STUDIO IMAGES
A4
I have chosen to print this image for my portrait project since it’s one of my most visually interesting images that I have taken. I captured this image in the studio room using the spot light and a pink colour filter to cast a pink shadow onto the subject. The subject is holding a net fabric with a tear in the middle. The tear reveals the subject’s eyes which captures the viewer’s attention since it’s the only area without texture from the fabric. I think this image shows my technical skills in photography since I have adjusted my camera settings so the image has the correct exposure and focus.
A4
I have chosen to print this image for my portrait project because in this photo you can see that I have applied the Chiaroscuro technique. To create a strong contrast between light and dark, I told my subject to wear all black in the studio room so the results of the photographs would have the subject blended into the black background. To cast light areas on the subject, I used a soft box light and placed it on the right side so it emits a soft, even light onto one side of the subject’s face. This image shows that I can apply techniques that I have learnt from photography lessons into my photography work.
To respond to Isabella Madrid’s photography work, I will take inspiration from some of her images and try to recreate them in my own style. I chose this photographer since she conveys ‘loss of identity’ through many of her edited images. She does this by concealing a part of her face through photo manipulation or using paint/textures to hide herself away from the frame. I will take several self portraits of myself using a tripod to replicate her style of photography which is very personal and aimed for self discovery. I will be taking these self portraits in my room and bathroom, a place which is intimate and personal. After selecting the best images from the photo shoot, I will edit them all in different ways to create an effect which will further express the theme ‘loss of identity’. Just like the photographer, I will experiment with textures, colours, light and the black and white filter on photoshop.
FINAL OUTCOMES
To capture this image, I ran the shower with hot water to steam up the glass pane of the shower and to create a raindrop effect. The water drops created a nice effect to the image because water is a very compelling element. Once in the shower, I placed the palm of my hand onto the glass pane. The palm is the main aspect in this image since it’s in the foreground and is much brighter than anything else in the frame. This aspect helps to create an eerie and dark atmosphere to my image since it looks like the subject is calling out for help. The black and white filter also helped to convey the theme ‘loss of identity’ since it generates a mysterious effect. The subject has been darkened by increasing the contrast on photoshop and experimenting with the curve image adjustment. The subject is slightly blurred on the left side because the water drops and steam conceal a part of her face. This helps to further emphasise ‘loss of identity’ since part of the subjects face is hidden.
I have joined two images for this outcome since they are both similar but the subject is in a different position. Like the previous image, I have used a glass mirror that has been steamed up to capture images for my theme ‘loss of identity’. To create texture, I ran my fingers across the mirror to create streaks. These streaks will reveal a part of my face. The two images are blurry which shows ‘loss of identity’ since the subject’s facial features have been hidden. In the first image I am positioned further away from the mirror, whereas in the second image I am a lot closer and my eyes are looking towards the floor to convey an emotion of sadness. When taking these images, I made sure that it was the time of day where sunlight would be streaming in through the bathroom window. I wanted there to be highlights and shadows on the subject since Isabella Madrid is always experimented with light in her photography work. I placed these two images side by side to show the different hand marks I created on the mirror and to make it more visually interesting. I have replicated her style in this outcome by capturing simple images that convey a sense of being lost and confused with ones own identity.
Before capturing images, I used red face paint to draw a cross over my lips. I did this to replicate one of Isabella Madrid’s image because It relates to ‘gender identity’ since most women in the past were silenced to keep their opinions to themselves. This also relates to ‘loss of identity’ since opinions make up a part of our identity and if one is made to be silenced, one is loosing a part of it. I took images by placing my camera on a tripod and using the flash settings to illuminate myself through the mirror. I took this image through the mirror to show the subject looking into it and conveying an emotion of sadness as they feel that they cannot express their identity. Since the photographer conveys ‘loss of identity’ through her edited images I decided to edit on photoshop. I opened up the same image twice and made the front image black and white while keeping the background image the same colour. With the eraser tool I erased the areas of paint so the colour red would be revealed. Afterwards I adjusted the saturation so the colour red would pop in the image and capture the viewers attention.
I took this image in my bedroom and used flash to illuminate the subject. I kept the red x over my lips and was looking towards the ground when capturing the image. On photoshop I opened up a page and inserted 3 of the same image on top of one another. Since there was a lot of empty space because of the blank white wall, I opened up a solid black image and placed it the left side. I was inspired to do this edit by an error that occurred in my photo album. Afterwards, I adjusted the saturation by increasing it so the subject would be vibrant and bold
Isabella Madrid was born in Pereira, Columbia. At the age of twelve, she began to feel a void in her life until her father gave her the first camera at thirteen and she discovered photography. Her style is simple, candid and introspective. She has a love for post production and knows the incredible things that can be achieved from a photograph. Inspiration comes to her from the most unexpected places and people. She also finds it within herself, in her feelings, in the human body, in light and nature. Her artistic photography is mainly self portraits. Therefore, her whole creative process is very personal and aimed for self discovery. She does all the editing on photoshop and likes to experiment with textures, mixing digital painting with photos, with colours, with light, with black and white. Her creative work mainly happens in her own room. A place where she can be herself without any concerns.
ANALYSIS OF IMAGE
This image is a self portrait of the photographer holding two paintbrushes towards her face. One is towards her mouth and the other is near her right eye. This image relates to ‘loss of identity’ since the edit shows that her face is a blank canvas. The two paintbrushes are painting her facial features and creating a false identity for her. When responding to Isabella Madrid’s work I will create edits that convey the theme ‘lack of identity’ just like she does through photoshop manipulation.
To respond to Francesca Woodman’s work, I have replicated some of her photographs to create images that show loss of identity. To replicate her photographs, I had my subject half hidden by slow exposures to blur her figure into a ghostly presence. Since she usually photographed herself in empty interiors, I captured my images in the studio room. In the studio room I turned on the spotlight and changed my camera setting to a slower shutter speed to manipulate the light and movement to create the same photographic effects Woodman has in her images. Woodman explored problems that affect young people such as isolation, questions of self and confusion about identity. I wanted to explore the same themes in my own work to create a series of photographs about lack of identity.
CONTACT SHEET
L: The lighting is overexposed/underexposed
F: The image is out of focus
Red X: I will not use this image
Green square: I will use this image
Francesca Woodman, Space 2, 1975-1978
She stands in the centre of the image wearing a dress and black knee high boots. She occupies an empty space in the corner of a room, standing near the back wall. Woodman stands with her feet planted apart and is bent slightly forward towards the camera with her arms and hands out in front of her. Her face, which looks down towards the floor, is obscured by her hair. Woodman is blurred as though she is shaking her head.
I replicated her first image by having my subject wear all black. I told her to stand with her feet apart and have her arms and hands out in front of her. To create the same blurred effect, I told my subject to look down towards the floor and shake her head. Her face is obscured by her hair which is blurred through movement. The slow shutter speed captures the movement and creates a ghostly presence. Since there are no windows with light streaming through I used the spotlight in the studio room to create shadows on the floor as well as highlights. On Photoshop I changed the image adjustment to black and white and increased the contrast to create an eerie effect.
Francesca Woodman, Space 2, 1975-1978
Woodman, wearing a dark dress and knee length boots, occupies an empty interior space with bare white walls. A window can be seen on the far right of the image where light enters the room. With feet firmly planted, Woodman appears to lunge forward. Her body is orientated away from the camera, her knees are bent, back hunched and arms stretched out. Her body from the ankles up is blurred as if in motion, obscuring her face.
I replicated the second image by having my subject lunge forward towards the spotlight. Because of the fast motion, most of her body is blurred. This is my favourite image that I replicated from Woodman because the rapid movement creates a sense of loss of identity. She appears lost and confused through the motion blur.
I created more loss of identity images by coming up with my own ideas to represent this topic. Although these images are not a replicate of Francesca Woodman’s photography work, they are inspired by her. I photographed my subject in front of a mirror admiring herself. I then stayed in the same position and told my subject to move out the frame. On photoshop I opened up the two images and used the opacity tool to help me position the mirror without her reflection onto of the first image. Doing this removed her reflection from the original image which connotes the idea of lack of identity since she cannot see herself through the mirror. I also applied the black and white filter to resemble Francesca Woodman’s images.
To create this image on Photoshop I told my subject to do two things. I captured one image of her looking directly at the camera, and in the same position I had my her covering her face with her hands. I placed the image with her face showing on top of the other. Using the opacity tool I placed and resized her facial features onto her hands and erased the rest of the image. This edit shows loss of identity since she is hiding her face away from the public. However, she can still be seen faintly through her hands suggesting that she can’t hide away. The subject blending into the black background creates an eerie and dark effect that Francesca Woodman portrays through her images.
Francesca Woodman is best known for photographing herself. She is usually seen half hidden; sometimes by furniture or by slow exposures that blur her figure into a ghostly presence. She photographed herself in empty interiors. The images convey an underlying sense of human fragility. The fragility is exaggerated by the fact that the photographs are printed on a very small scale; they seem personal and intimate.
Francesca Woodman’s entire body of work was produced as a young person and created over eight years. Her photographs explore many themes that affect young people such as relationships, sexuality, questions of self, body image, alienation, isolation and confusion or uncertainty about personal identity.
Francesca distorts reality into a surreal fantasy by squeezing herself behind mantelpieces or into small cupboards. She hides herself by pulling wallpaper over herself like a blanket. She often seems to be retreating into the material of the building. This makes her seem vulnerable, isolated and alienated.
She continuously explored and tested what she could do with photography. She manipulated light, movement and photographic effects and used carefully selected props, clothing and decaying interiors to add a mysterious and gothic atmosphere to the work.
