Family archives- These are a selection of images from old albums, going back generations into the family, including my great grandparents’ parents. There are also recent images of the family now. For the old images, I took photos of albums under natural light for best results. These images represent the family going back generations. The old ones can be compared with the new ones, looking at how people and places have changed and showing how photography was different back then. Having these family archives creates meaning as it enables the young generation to look back at their ancestors and gather an understanding of what their lives were like. A comparison can also be made between the difference in events. The modern photos were taken during lockdown, therefore the separate families are distanced. These images show the history of the family and the history of the world and how the pandemic changed life so much.
The term iconic is defined as ‘very famous or popular, especially being considered to represent particular opinions or a particular time’. An iconic image is created when there is strong social value and social history relating to the image. The way a photo is taken can also determine whether an image becomes iconic or not.
Alberto Korda, Guerrillero Heroico (1960)
The image above, Guerrillero Heroico is taken from a low angle making him appear powerful and important. The use of black and white film creates a serious tone due to the contrast and the focus on the face captures the viewers’ attention. This image was cropped from the original which had other features in the surrounding area. This cropped image enables us to focus on the subject and disregard any possible distractions, making it more memorable. The fact that he died young having been captured in Bolivia when fighting for his cause in the revolution adds to the meaning of this photo perhaps making it more iconic.
In Susan Bright’s article, she states the ‘Image transformed from a would-be news photograph to a global symbol of rebellion.’ This adds social value to the image as society spread this image to make it their global symbol of rebellion. However, Susan Bright also says: ‘Divorced from its original context, the initial meaning and substance become more diluted and the image today works almost purely as graphic icon.’ This suggests the image is no longer iconic due to its history, the meaning of this image is lost overtime. The history is not necessarily known, it gets lost along the way however the image itself becomes an icon on its own.
This image could be argued as iconic for multiple reasons, one of which being its political background and what it stands for. This image was taken during a Black Lives Matter protest. It represents unity, they are all standing for what they believe in. It creates a strong message of empowerment. Our eyes are drawn to the centre of the image where we witness human kindness during a scene of chaos and anger. This image spreads a message and shows the protest making others aware of what is happening, highlighting the importance of the cause. It has strong social value. The Black Lives Matter movement is very apparent in society today with many people standing up for black lives. This can be spread through society showing the importance of unity. This image can also be iconic as it breaks stereotypes about violence. This peaceful protest has turned violent because of the authorities. This shows society who is in the wrong and that people of all backgrounds and cultures can come together to fight for one cause.
This image can be considered iconic as it provokes emotion. The focal point in the image is the small child in the foreground. Some may say the image is disturbing due to the size of the child, being able to see their ribs with the bird of prey in the background. It makes the viewer think about how unfortunate some places are, the fact that a child was photographed makes the image more dramatic. This is because children represent innocence and vulnerability creating more sympathy from the viewer. The way this child was photographed, curled on the floor with the bird angled behind the child creates an upsetting and shocking feeling, it is not something you forget, therefore making it iconic. The social value of this image is high as it teaches the viewer of other cultures and less fortunate parts of the world, educating them and maybe even encouraging them to want to create change by helping.
I feel an iconic image has to consist of strong emotion, meaning and social value. Emotion creates feeling and attachment to an image making it feel important. If it has meaning its more likely to stick in your mind and spread a message. Finally, if it has social value it will become a part of society and it will be recognisable and meaningful to a large group of people.
These photos were taken in the style of Rotimi Fani-Kayode. I edited them by making them black and white and adjusting the levels creating more contrasts between the tones and shades. These images create meaning as they represent black lives being silenced and controlled by society. It shows how white lives can be perceived as more valuable. This can highlight and signal the change that needs to be made so that all lives are viewed as equal. The plain background in these images allows the viewer to focus on the subjects with no distractions. It creates an intense focussed image that draws you in.
This image creates a dramatic feeling due to the use of black and white, representing the seriousness of the topic. The focus on the eyes makes the image more intense and engaging.
This image is meant to represent the silence of black lives. Society does not listen to their voices, see their views or speak up for their rights. This is now being noticed and stood up for with protests represented in the other images.
Having the BLM sign in the foreground of the image creates meaning within the picture. The serious face in the centre draws the viewer in making it the focal point of the image. This is enhanced by having the foreground slightly out of focus and a bit blurry allowing the rest of the image to stand out clearly.
Sir George Carteret was Bailiff of Jersey when King Charles I was executed. He had been a Naval officer and later served as treasurer of treasurer of the Navy. He was given large plots of land in the American colonies by Charles II, who named New Jersey in his honour. In the 17th century Sir George invested money in the Company of Royal Adventurers in Africa, which traded in slaves, gold and ivory.
Sir George’s son, James Carteret completed one of the early voyages of the company in 1663. Starting from London, he journeyed to port of Offra in the Bight of Benin where he picked up 302 slaves. 20 died on the journey to the to the West Indies. By March 1664 he had sold 155 men 105 women and 22 boys to the eager planters. The company dealt in slaves till 1731.
Portrait of Sir George Carteret
Sir George Carteret statue
In 2014, the constable of St.Peter Mr John Refault revealed a statue of Sir George Carteret in the centre of his parish. He stated: Sir George represents a ‘role model for youngsters’ and he should be recognised ‘locally and nationally’.
There is currently a petition to have the statue removed. The statue was targeted by anti-racism protestors and vandalised, as it was covered with white paint. Deputy Montford Tadier said: ‘George de Carteret was somebody who made his profit off the back of dehumanising other human beings and trading them as slaves. So it’s quite right, in the modern day context, that we question why a statue was put up to him by the constable of St Peter in 2014.’
Sir George Carteret statue vandalised
Josu Mauger
Portrait of Jose Mauger
Josu Mauger was a sea captain, business man and politician. He was baptised in St John on April 25, 1725. He moved to Halifax in 1749 and is thought to have remained there until 1760. Mauger was a merchant and slave trader in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/joshua-mauger
Colonialism is when one country seeks authority over other people or territories, wanting economical dominance. Colonisers may impose their religion and other cultural factors on people.
The slave trade refers to transatlantic trading patterns, established as early as the mid-17th century. Trading ships containing manufactured goods would sail from Europe to Africa where goods would be traded for people. The ships conditions were awful, they would be full with the slaves crammed together in the hold. They had no room to move and many did not survive the journey to America or the Caribbean.
Much of America had been colonised by European countries. Slaves were put to work on plantations that produced sugar and tobacco which could be taken back to Europe for consumption.
Britain was one of the most successful slave trading countries. It was estimated that they transported 3.1 million Africans between 1640 and 1807.
The transatlantic slave trade is often as the ‘triangular trade’. This is because the three sides of the triangle represent the three journeys that were made. The first side of the triangle was the journey from Europe to Africa. This journey was to transport manufactured goods including cloth, glassware, guns and ammunition. The second side of the triangle was the journey from Africa to America and the Caribbean. This journey was called the ‘middle passage’, it carried slaves who were forced to work on plantations. The third side of the triangle was the journey from America and the Caribbean to Europe. This journey was to transport sugar, rum, cotton and other goods produced by plantations.
The Slavery Abolition Act freed more than 800,000 enslaved Africans in the Caribbean, South Africa and a small number in Canada. It received Royal Assent on August 28th 1833 and later took effect on August 1st 1834.
Racism is discrimination directed at a person or group of people based on their racial or ethnic group. Most discriminated groups are those that are marginalised or that are a minority. Racism can come in many forms including abuse, harassment, name calling, jokes and exclusion from certain activities. Racism can also become present in work, for example people may be excluded from a job opportunity due to their surname or where they come from.
The Black Lives Matter movement was founded in July 2013. It is a global organisation in the UK, US and Canada who’s mission is to eradicate white supremacy. The Black Lives Matter movement is a social movement advocating for non-violent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of police brutality against black people. This movement began in the United States in response to Trayvon Martin’s murder.
Steven O. Roberts a Stanford Psychologist has researched the seven factors that contribute to American Racism. https://news.stanford.edu/2020/06/09/seven-factors-contributing-american-racism/ “Racism is a system of advantage based on race. It is a hierarchy. It is a pandemic. Racism is so deeply embedded within U.S. minds and U.S. society that it is virtually impossible to escape.”
Racism is highly present in the US, with police brutality being one of the most obvious forms of racism. However the US is not alone when it comes to racism, the UK also faces it every day with comments being made about others race. It is said that the main questions asked are ‘Where are you from?’.
