For my second photoshoot responding to my personal study project, I chose my entire family this time to be the subjects. However, the manner in which I took these images were different from my first shoot, as for this shoot I chose to take photographs with the aim of capturing candid moments, rather than staged ones. These photographs were taken at my family’s Christmas dinner. This was a result of both being one of the only times in the year when we all get to see each other, as well as being an occasion many associated with spending time with loved ones and making memories. I only used the artificial lighting already provided in my house with no extra set ups for this shoot, again presenting the candid nature of the images. This lighting however I did find hard to work with, due to it being quite dark with the subjects in movement, meaning it took some time to adjust and alter my camera settings to fit the conditions. Here I ended up using a high ISO, mid to high shutter speed and small aperture.
Image Selection
Here I started selecting and narrowing down the images I wish to edit by first flagging the images I believe are of good quality, using the ‘P’ key to do this, as well as flagging the images I don’t wish to develop, using the ‘X’ key. With this I discounted images that were perhaps too dark or over exposed, as well as some which were blurry due to the movement of the subjects.
After I had gone through the 170 photographs that this shoot was comprised of, I then filtered out all the images I do not want to edit and went through the ‘P’ flagged images rating them out of 5. Here I was able to see which photographs were the most interesting composition wise, and would best be able to communicate my narrative.
Once I had done this, I filtered through my photographs again this time choosing to look at the ‘P’ Flagged images rates 4 and above only. Here I was able to view the best products of this shoot. Finally, I narrowed down the best of my images by colour coding them, with green being my strongest photographs and yellow as the weaker ones. This allowed me to select images that showcased a variety of poses and angles making singular composite pieces.
For my first photoshoot, responding to this project, I used my grandparents as the sole focus of the images. I believe that they were the best subjects to focus on for my first shoot, as they are more or less at the centre of my personal study project. I went about this by taking staged portraits with each of them separately as well as together. I took these photographs to display both a medium shot and a head and shoulder frame. In addition to this style of portraits, I also captured a small amount of images that showcased my grandparents hands, including their wedding rings. I used natural light with this shoot as I was able to take them at midday in a space that allowed a large amount of natural light in the room. I thought this type of lighting would best fit this shoot as it provides a more natural and less staged essence to the image, as well as making it appear closer to something seen in a family album. My camera was set to a fast shutter speed and low ISO for this shoot, due to the large amounts of natural light entering the lens, and a mid to large aperture.
Image Selection
Here I started selecting and narrowing down the images I wish to edit by first flagging the images I believe are of good quality, using the ‘P’ key to do this, as well as flagging the images I don’t wish to develop, using the ‘X’ key. After going through roughly 200 photographs that my shoot was composed of, I then filtered out all the images I do not want to edit and went through the ‘P’ flagged images rating them out of 5. With this I filtered out all of the images that were und or over exposed, and not quite in focus enough.
Once I had done this, I filtered through my photographs again this time choosing to look at the ‘P’ Flagged images rates 4 and above only. Here I was able to view the best products of this shoot. Finally, I narrowed down the best of my images by colour coding them, with green being my strongest photographs and yellow as the weaker ones. This enabled me to see which of my images were the most interesting composition wise and best as singular standalone pieces.
In what way are family photographs extensions of our memories as well as our identities?
“Photographs thus are not just manufactured memories, they are also expressions of our desire to hold on to something.” (Colberg, J, May 28, 2012)
This extract from the thoughts of Jörg Colberg highlights the topics in which I will discuss in this essay; questioning also how Carole Benitah in particular, explores these past memories in attempt to gain a wider knowledge of her own identity. This investigation of identity through archival images resonates with myself, as within this personal study I wish to revisit past memories of the senior generation in my family, in attempt to argue that these depictions often do not recount the whole truth of the past and are in fact a method of regaining control of our identity. Carolle Benitah is an archetype for reshaping the past through the manipulation and reworking of archival materials, due to her emotional attachment to the images and people within them. Furthermore, I am also choosing to look at Benitah’s work in detail as a result of her multi-media methods she undertakes, in order to create her contemporary commentary of the idealistic family in contrast with reality, using stitching, gold leaf, ink drawings and beading to achieve this. This utilisation of multi-media by Benitah can be linked with my previous work throughout the course, such as my use of maps in digital collages for an identity project and recent experimentations with embroidery. I intend to respond to this unique style again by producing reworked images of my family, that centre around my maternal grandparents and the life they have built – a life that have been both archived and recently captured. The style in which these new photographs will be created, will be mostly staged tableau pieces, with some candid images also. I will achieve this also by using multiple media, similar to Benitah, such as stitching as well as digital collage.
The Lashmar family, 1857–58
Forms of family photography have always been a prominent element in photography’s history; from formal portraits taken in the 19th century, to the blurry snapshots of everyday domestic life we are far more used to nowadays, these images are a way of identifying the stories of ourselves and lineages. It is known that some of the first products of photographic technology were depictions of human life, with the invention of the Daguerreotype in 1839 being a popular way to document loved ones, as a more efficient substitution for realistic paintings. This method of capturing a moment in time became more accessible, as well as affordable, as the 19th century progressed. With inventions such as the portable film camera being introduced in 1888 by George Eastman, and even a camera for children coined the ‘Brownie Camera’. Sold for one dollar in 1900, people were able to produce their own archival material specific to their family. As well as the technology, the manner in which these photographs were taken evolved, with family portraits moving from formal, staged pieces to candid images that often-celebrated notable events. All of which made with the intent to communicate the familial bond they wished to display “Through photographs, each family constructs a portrait chronicle of itself – a portable kit of images that bears witness to its connectedness.” (Sontag 1977: 8). The way in which Benitah utilises this supposed commonplace form of photography in the present day, in order to create new meanings and significance to these snapshots, can be said to be influenced by movements such as modernism in the 20th century. This is due to Tate gallery’s description of the movement that stated that during this time “artists around the world used new imagery, materials and techniques to create artworks that they felt better reflected the realities and hopes of modern societies” (Tate). Benitah displays this within her work by using the medium of embroidery and materials such as beads, in order to transform the narrative that had been created by both the photographer and society’s expectations of what a ‘perfect’ family looks like. In turn, producing a piece that more accurately depicts the reality of Benitah’s family. Furthermore, some of Modernisms key defining traits were artists experimentation with form, technique, and process, which Benitah demonstrates by the variation in the way she uses such methods of alteration; from simply covering the faces with thread or beads, to erasing identities in the images completely. In addition, this particular use of multi-media to reform false depictions, can also be linked to the movement Dadaism, which operated under the time period and characteristics of Modernism. Dadaism was a movement established as a result of the First World War and the atrocities associated with it, producing work of that was usually satirical in essence. However, the aim of this movement was “to destroy traditional values in art and to create a new art to replace the old.” (Tate), which closely relates to the intent of Benitah’s work, if viewing the art in question as the constructed memories of her past.
The Art Critic – Raoul Hausmann (1919-20)
Moreover, when looking at Dada artists such as Raoul Hausmann in comparison to Benitah, it is easy to draw similarities between their work; for instance, the physical parallels such as the concealment of identity through collage, as well as the way in which they approach their work in an emotional manner, that evokes anger towards the subject, shown by the harshness of the cuts and punctures.
la chute (the fall) – Photo Souvenirs – Carolle Benitah (2009)
This reworked image created by Benitah in 2009, displays a black and white scene, which originally appeared to be a mother standing with her two children. However, now the image showcases one of the children cut out and placed outside the photograph, with a red, silk thread connecting her hand to a large mass of stitching on the mother’s hand. Here, the dark tones of the original archival photograph heavily contrasts with the vastness of the cut-out sections, only leaving empty white space behind. Furthermore, elements of juxtaposition are only increased by Bentiah’s signature use of bold, red embroidery. This piece was named ‘La Chute’ by Benitah translated to ‘The Fall’ and is featured in Benitah’s photobook and series Photo Souvenirs, published in 2016. This photobook presents a retelling of her past through archival photographs, in chronological order, starting with her as a child and ending with her as an adult, with a child of her own. Benitah has stated that with this series “I decided to explore the memory of childhood through my family photographs, because it allows me to understand who I am and to define my identity today.” (Benitah, 2017). From this, it can be said that this particular piece is aiming to deal with a familial struggle, that was never portrayed through this original construction of so-called perfection, meaning that the child cut from the photograph is in fact Benitah herself. The issues Benitah is presenting here may be an expression of the child’s disconnection from her mother, possibly due to being replaced as favourite, by a younger sibling, or simply the pains of growing up and out of childhood bliss. Although, through Benitah’s alterations further depth is added to the piece with her embroidery, in which the red stitch here may represent the feeling of still being tethered to the pain through the connections of family. In addition, this could mean that this long stich connecting mother and daughter represents bloodlines, showing the connection between the two similar to a family tree. The element of embroidery here itself is significant due to the fact that the medium is associated with femininity as well as the stereotypical roles of a housewife, in particular repairing things. Consequently, this use of stitching into the archival photograph could possibly be a means of fixing a broken relationship, or even fixing the perspective that nothing was broken at all. Moreover, Benitah herself has claimed that “It’s like an exorcism. I pierce the paper until I have no more evil.” (Benitah, 2017) when referring to her use of embroidery. This means that this skill is used by Benitah as a form of therapy, as well as a means of finally being able to project the truth.
Quatre soeurs, (Four sisters) – Jamais je ne t’oublierai – Carolle Benitah (2018-2020)
This reworked photograph also produced by Benitah more recently, showcases an originally black and white scene containing at first glance three sisters in the frame. However, when referring to the name of this piece ‘Quatre soeurs’ translated to ‘Four sisters’, it becomes just about possible to notice the legs of another girl hiding in the back of the image. With this particular photograph, Benitah has made the choice to cut out the heads of these girls, replacing this empty space with the material of gold leaf and blending it into the background. This method of reworking archival images is a relatively new one for Benitah, although a large contrast is still created through the juxtaposition between the darker tones in the grass, of the black and white image, and the extravagance of the reflective gold. This piece is one of many taken from Benitah’s photobook and series ‘Jamais je ne t’oublierai’, which can be translated to ‘I will never forget you’, published in 2019. In this series, Benitah has used not only her own archival materials, but also photographs she has collected at flea markets, analysing the happiness and joy constructed for these images. With this, Benitah has stated her intent in creating this photobook, claiming “I am rebuilding the memory of my family that I missed” (Benitah, 2019). From this it can be said that this piece is aiming to confront issues of neglect or mistreatment of the hidden sister, by either parents or siblings. It is clear that this child is not valued as highly as other siblings by the photographer, who most likely is a parent, as her position in the frame is not equal to those around her and is overshadowed by the sister standing in front of her. It is not clear however, if this photograph specifically is a piece of archival material from Benitah’s personal collection or a piece she rescued from a flea market. Benitah’s decision to use gold leaf with this project, instead of her signature red stitch, is significant in the way that the photographs featured in this series, which she purchased for a low price “change status by a simple gesture: the application of gold leaf on the photograph” (Benitah, 2019). In addition to this, Benitah also uses this this new material as a tool to allow the audience a retrospective experience, as a result of the new properties gold leaf provides “The golden flat surface operates both as an obliteration and a shiny surface on which our own faces are reflected” (Benitah, 2019). This piece of work is similar to the previous image analysed in the way that both are dealing with a struggle for love and attention from a youthful perspective inside a family. In addition, the relationship between sisters is emphasised in both images with at least one receiving a higher standard of appreciation than another, from what it appears. Furthermore, their physical similarities are also prominent due to both original images being taken on black and white film, meaning they are dated and may reference issues that have now been solved for Benitah or at least something she has able to have come to terms with through this work. Although, the differences between the two are also substantial from their use of different mediums alone, with the red stitching representing elements of pain whilst the gold leaf represents a sense of self-reflection. This may be a result of Benitah’s personal growth and healing through her progression in this style of work, and the relief it has brought her.
Overall, it is clear that Benitah uses the alterations of archival photographs as a method in better understanding her own personal identity, as well as using it as a form of self-expression. This is evident throughout many series she has produced, using both her own and others family memories to construct a new narrative, that demolishes the ideals of a perfect family and the notion that we must present this façade to the world through family portraiture. Here Benitah has been able to come to terms with the truth of her past as well as react to the lies that were told through these photographs, on behalf of her childhood self. My work that I will produce for my personal study, will resemble many of the elements seen in Benitah’s. One of which being the retelling of the truth, through alterations made to archived family images of my own. The aim in developing these pieces, will be to highlight how the production of these past images were often a way of holding onto the supposed perfection of the past, which never existed. However, I will also be using new photographs of my own to reject the notion that photographs must be made for this reason, therefore reinforcing Susan Sontag’s statement on how photography is used to produce memories “A way of certifying experience, taking photographs is also a way of refusing it” (Sontag 1977: 9). This means my new photographs will attempt to counteract the untold truths in the archived images.
Olivia Mooney-Griffiths (2022)
Bibliography
Sontag. S (1971), On Photography. London: Penguin Books
“Photographs thus are not just manufactured memories, they are also expressions of our desire to hold on to something.” (Colberg, J, May 28, 2012)
This extract from the thoughts of Jörg Colberg highlights the topics in which I will discuss in this essay; questioning also how Carole Benitah in particular, explores these past memories in attempt to gain a wider knowledge of her own identity. This investigation of identity through archival images resonates with myself, as within this personal study I wish to revisit past memories of the senior generation in my family, in attempt to argue that these depictions often do not recount the whole truth of the past and are in fact a method of regaining control of our identity. Carolle Benitah is an archetype for reshaping the past through the manipulation and reworking of archival materials, due to her emotional attachment to the images and people within them. Furthermore, I am also choosing to look at Benitah’s work in detail as a result of her multi-media methods she undertakes, in order to create her contemporary commentary of the idealistic family in contrast with reality, using stitching, gold leaf, ink drawings and beading to achieve this. This utilisation of multi-media by Benitah can be linked with my previous work throughout the course, such as my use of maps in digital collages for an identity project and recent experimentations with embroidery. I intend to respond to this unique style again by producing reworked images of my family, that centre around my maternal grandparents and the life they have built – a life that have been both archived and recently captured. The style in which these new photographs will be created, will be mostly staged tableau pieces, with some candid images also. I will achieve this also by using multiple media, similar to Benitah, such as stitching as well as digital collage.
Forms of family photography have always been a prominent element in photography’s history; from formal portraits taken in the 19th century, to the blurry snapshots of everyday domestic life we are far more used to nowadays, these images are a way of identifying the stories of ourselves and lineages. It is known that some of the first products of photographic technology were depictions of human life, with the invention of the Daguerreotype in 1839 being a popular way to document loved ones, as a more efficient substitution for realistic paintings. This method of capturing a moment in time became more accessible, as well as affordable, as the 19th century progressed. With inventions such as the portable film camera being introduced in 1888 by George Eastman, and even a camera for children coined the ‘Brownie Camera’. Sold for one dollar in 1900, people were able to produce their own archival material specific to their family. As well as the technology, the manner in which these photographs were taken evolved, with family portraits moving from formal, staged pieces to candid images that often-celebrated notable events. All of which made with the intent to communicate the familial bond they wished to display “Through photographs, each family constructs a portrait chronicle of itself – a portable kit of images that bears witness to its connectedness.” (Sontag 1977: 8). The way in which Benitah utilises this supposed commonplace form of photography in the present day, in order to create new meanings and significance to these snapshots, can be said to be influenced by movements such as modernism in the 20th century. This is due to Tate gallery’s description of the movement that stated that during this time “artists around the world used new imagery, materials and techniques to create artworks that they felt better reflected the realities and hopes of modern societies” (Tate). Benitah displays this within her work by using the medium of embroidery and materials such as beads, in order to transform the narrative that had been created by both the photographer and society’s expectations of what a ‘perfect’ family looks like. In turn, producing a piece that more accurately depicts the reality of Benitah’s family. Furthermore, some of Modernisms key defining traits were artists experimentation with form, technique, and process, which Benitah demonstrates by the variation in the way she uses such methods of alteration; from simply covering the faces with thread or beads, to erasing identities in the images completely. In addition, this particular use of multi-media to reform false depictions, can also be linked to the movement Dadaism, which operated under the time period and characteristics of Modernism. Dadaism was a movement established as a result of the First World War and the atrocities associated with it, producing work of that was usually satirical in essence. However, the aim of this movement was “to destroy traditional values in art and to create a new art to replace the old.” (Tate), which closely relates to the intent of Benitah’s work, if viewing the art in question as the constructed memories of her past. Moreover, when looking at Dada artists such as Raoul Hausmann (MT; include an illustration of his work) in comparison to Benitah, it is easy to draw similarities between their work; for instance, the physical parallels such as the concealment of identity through collage, as well as the way in which they approach their work in an emotional manner, that evokes anger towards the subject, shown by the harshness of the cuts and punctures.
la chute (the fall) – Photo Souvenirs – Carolle Benitah (2009)
This reworked image created by Benitah in 2009, displays a black and white scene, which originally appeared to be a mother standing with her two children. However, now the image showcases one of the children cut out and placed outside the photograph, with a red, silk thread connecting her hand to a large mass of stitching on the mother’s hand. Here, the dark tones of the original archival photograph heavily contrasts with the vastness of the cut-out sections, only leaving empty white space behind. Furthermore, elements of juxtaposition are only increased by Bentiah’s signature use of bold, red embroidery. This piece was named ‘La Chute’ by Benitah translated to ‘The Fall’ and is featured in Benitah’s photobook and series Photo Souvenirs, published in 2016. This photobook presents a retelling of her past through archival photographs, in chronological order, starting with her as a child and ending with her as an adult, with a child of her own. Benitah has stated that with this series “I decided to explore the memory of childhood through my family photographs, because it allows me to understand who I am and to define my identity today.” (Benitah, 2017). From this, it can be said that this particular piece is aiming to deal with a familial struggle, that was never portrayed through this original construction of so-called perfection, meaning that the child cut from the photograph is in fact Benitah herself. The issues Benitah is presenting here may be an expression of the child’s disconnection from her mother, possibly due to being replaced as favourite, by a younger sibling, or simply the pains of growing up and out of childhood bliss. Although, through Benitah’s alterations further depth is added to the piece with her embroidery, in which the red stitch here may represent the feeling of still being tethered to the pain through the connections of family. In addition, this could mean that this long stich connecting mother and daughter represents bloodlines, showing the connection between the two similar to a family tree. The element of embroidery here itself is significant due to the fact that the medium is associated with femininity as well as the stereotypical roles of a housewife, in particular repairing things. Consequently, this use of stitching into the archival photograph could possibly be a means of fixing a broken relationship, or even fixing the perspective that nothing was broken at all. Moreover, Benitah herself has claimed that “It’s like an exorcism. I pierce the paper until I have no more evil.” (reference source) when referring to her use of embroidery. This means that this skill is used by Benitah as a form of therapy, as well as a means of finally being able to project the truth.
Quatre soeurs, (Four sisters) – Jamais je ne t’oublierai – Carolle Benitah (2018-2020)
This reworked photograph also produced by Benitah more recently, showcases an originally black and white scene containing at first glance three sisters in the frame. However, when referring to the name of this piece ‘Quatre soeurs’ translated to ‘Four sisters’, it becomes just about possible to notice the legs of another girl hiding in the back of the image. With this particular photograph, Benitah has made the choice to cut out the heads of these girls, replacing this empty space with the material of gold leaf and blending it into the background. This method of reworking archival images is a relatively new one for Benitah, although a large contrast is still created through the juxtaposition between the darker tones in the grass, of the black and white image, and the extravagance of the reflective gold. This piece is one of many taken from Benitah’s photobook and series ‘Jamais je ne t’oublierai’, which can be translated to ‘I will never forget you’, published in 2019. In this series, Benitah has used not only her own archival materials, but also photographs she has collected at flea markets, analysing the happiness and joy constructed for these images. With this, Benitah has stated her intent in creating this photobook, claiming “I am rebuilding the memory of my family that I missed” (Benitah, 2019). From this it can be said that this piece is aiming to confront issues of neglect or mistreatment of the hidden sister, by either parents or siblings. It is clear that this child is not valued as highly as other siblings by the photographer, who most likely is a parent, as her position in the frame is not equal to those around her and is overshadowed by the sister standing in front of her. It is not clear however, if this photograph specifically is a piece of archival material from Benitah’s personal collection or a piece she rescued from a flea market. Benitah’s decision to use gold leaf with this project, instead of her signature red stitch, is significant in the way that the photographs featured in this series, which she purchased for a low price “change status by a simple gesture: the application of gold leaf on the photograph” (Benitah, 2019). In addition to this, Benitah also uses this this new material as a tool to allow the audience a retrospective experience, as a result of the new properties gold leaf provides “The golden flat surface operates both as an obliteration and a shiny surface on which our own faces are reflected” (Benitah, 2019). This piece of work is similar to the previous image analysed in the way that both are dealing with a struggle for love and attention from a youthful perspective inside a family. In addition, the relationship between sisters is emphasised in both images with at least one receiving a higher standard of appreciation than another, from what it appears. Furthermore, their physical similarities are also prominent due to both original images being taken on black and white film, meaning they are dated and may reference issues that have now been solved for Benitah or at least something she has able to have come to terms with through this work. Although, the differences between the two are also substantial from their use of different mediums alone, with the red stitching representing elements of pain whilst the gold leaf represents a sense of self-reflection. This may be a result of Benitah’s personal growth and healing through her progression in this style of work, and the relief it has brought her.
Overall, it is clear that Benitah uses the alterations of archival photographs as a method in better understanding her own personal identity, as well as using it as a form of self-expression. This is evident throughout many series she has produced, using both her own and others family memories to construct a new narrative, that demolishes the ideals of a perfect family and the notion that we must present this façade to the world through family portraiture. Here Benitah has been able to come to terms with the truth of her past as well as react to the lies that were told through these photographs, on behalf of her childhood self. My work that I will produce for my personal study, will resemble many of the elements seen in Benitah’s. One of which being the retelling of the truth, through alterations made to archived family images of my own. The aim in developing these pieces, will be to highlight how the production of these past images were often a way of holding onto the supposed perfection of the past, which never existed. However, I will also be using new photographs of my own to reject the notion that photographs must be made for this reason, therefore reinforcing Susan Sontag’s statement on how photography is used to produce memories “A way of certifying experience, taking photographs is also a way of refusing it” (Sontag 1977: 9). This means my new photographs will attempt to counteract the untold truths in the archived images.
Literary Sources
Sontag. S (1971), On Photography. London: Penguin Books
This photobook, published in 2016 and created by Carolle Benitah, displays reworked, archival photographs taken from the the artists Moroccan childhood and adolescence. These images that Benitah used here are have been taken in a mostly candid manner. However, some of which also being tableau, as the family has been placed and arranged in the frame for a group portrait. With these photographs she uses methods such as embroidery, beading and some other forms of multi-media to produce a new meaning from these old and forgotten images.
Carolle Benitah, born in 1965, Casablanca, is a 57 year old artist and previous fashion designer that explores the theme of identity through family photographs through her work. Benitah states in her photobook ‘Photo Souvenirs’ that she created this series to construct a fantasy album, which deconstructs the myth of the ideal family to produce a more nuanced image. In addition, Benitah uses needlework as a method in which to create a sense of drama, conflict and pain that is lacking in these photographs that do not display the whole truth. The artist has claimed that this slow and precise process is a metaphor for the shaping of one’s identity and for the passage of time. As well as this, needlework is often related to women and motherly duties, meaning this may be a protest of the expectations of woman’s roles in a family and regaining a sense of power for Benitah herself, subverting ideologies that claim women must not show characteristics such as anger. This photobook may have originally only served the purpose of acting as a kind of therapy for Benitah, but could also be argued to provide a service to an audience with complicated and difficult families, which many have, in particular women who find themselves in these places of familial untruthfulness. This book was received positively by many and named one of 2016’s best books by international curator/essayist Yumi Goto.
The photobook itself is a 21×24 cm printed hard-cover, presenting an image of one of Benitah’s pieces from the centre of her book. Containing 112 pages and 53 images, the paper used to display these photographs on are glossy throughout, kept together with a red running stitch binding. Although some of the archived images Benitah used here are black and white, there are elements of juxtaposing colour throughout, that bring new life and messages to the forgotten photographs, this usually being red embroidery or beading. The narrative of Bentiah’s Photo Souvenirs centres around her family archives, focusing on her childhood and selecting images which relate to memory and loss. This is emphasised by the chronological order in which the photographs are placed. The first image showcased in the photobook showcases Benitah as a child within a black and white family portrait and the final image displaying her and her son in a colour photograph. This progression of time is not only displayed through the growth of Benitah herself, but also in the development of photographic technology as the images slowly posses a higher quality as the book progresses. The title ‘Photo Souvenirs’ suggests that these photographs are a way of holding onto and remembering the past for Benitah’s family, which could also mean that these images were originally a façade, before Benitah’s manipulation of them, concealing the truth of what is often a complicated and messy reality. The design and layout of this photobook mostly presents one image within every double page, leaving a large amount of empty space around it and often a blank page next to it. This choice of layout could be a choice to bring attention to one image at a time, allowing it to resonate and connect with the viewer more. Benitah does not accompany these photographs with pieces of text throughout her photobook, but only features text in the final pages with mentions and a description of the series.
In what way does Carole Benitah explore family archives through her work as a method of understanding identity and self expression?
Introduction Draft
“Photographs thus are not just manufactured memories, they are also expressions of our desire to hold on to something.” (Colberg, J, May 28, 2012)
This extract from the thoughts of Jörg Colberg highlights the topics in which I will discuss in this essay; questioning also how Carole Benitah in particular, explores these past memories in attempt to gain a wider knowledge of her identity. This investigation of identity through archival images resonates with myself, as within this personal study I wish to revisit past memories of the senior generation in my family, in attempt to argue that these depictions often do not recount the whole truth of the past and are in fact a method of regaining control of our identity. Carolle Benitah is an archetype for reshaping the past through the manipulation and reworking of archival materials, due to her emotional attachment to the images and people within them. Furthermore, I am also choosing to look at Bentiah’s work in detail as a result of her multi-media methods she undertakes, in order to create her contemporary commentary of the idealistic family in contrast with reality, using stitching, gold leaf, ink drawings and beading to achieve this. This utilisation of mulit-medias by Benitah can be linked with my previous work throughout the course, such as my use of maps in digital collages for an identity project and recent experimentations with embroidery. I intend to respond to this unique style again, in regard to my personal study by producing reworked images of my family, that centre around my maternal grandparents and the life they have built, that have been both archived and recently captured. The style in which these new photographs will be created, will be mostly staged tableau pieces, with some candid images also. I will achieve this also by using multiple medias, similar to Benitah, such as stitching as well as digital collage.
Paragraph 1
500 words
Historical context of family photography and its development
Photography in relation to memory and identity
Link to contemporary art movement and influence from movements such as Dadaism
Paragraph 2
500 words
Analysis of an image from Carolle Benitah’s photobook ‘Photo Souvenirs’ in relation to identity, self-expression and memory
Explain the significance of the use of red stitching and beading in her work
Paragraph 3
500 words
Analysis of an image from Carolle Benitah’s photo series ‘Jamais je ne t’oubliera’ (I Will Never Forget You) in comparison to the previous image, and in relation to to identity, self-expression and memory
Explain the significance of the use of gold leaf in her work
Conclusion
500 words
Link similarities between Carolle Bentiah and my own work
“I decided to explore the memory of childhood through my family photographs, because it allows me to understand who I am and to define my identity today.”
“The past of a human being, unlike the remains of some ancient temple, is neither fixed nor reconstituted but finished by this”
“It’s like an exorcism. I pierce the paper until I have no more evil.
“I transform my traces of the past.”
“I’m building a fantasy album like a crossing of appearances where I enjoy demolish the myth of the ideal family to let emerge a more nuanced picture”
“The past of a human being, unlike the remains of some ancient temple, is neither fixed nor reconstituted but finished by this”
In addition to this I will also re-photograph and scan old, archived family images that focus on the lives of my grandparents on my mother’s side. These will include photographs that show their socio-economic status at different times, as well as images relating to the jobs they had.
Shoot 1
This photoshoot will be focused on my grandparents only and will consist of staged portraits taken in and around the house. I will take these photographs at midday allowing natural light to be used through the windows as well as the above head home lighting, making these staged photographs feel natural also as well as homely and familiar.
Shoot 2
This photoshoot will be focused around my family on my mother’s side and will be composed of staged portraits first, with the whole family and then in different groups of generations and partners. These will be taken first inside in the living room then outside in a rural setting at golden hour.
Shoot 3
This photoshoot will be focused again on my whole family, however this time in a candid manner, consisting of photographs of Christmas day that will posses a joyous tone. These will bring a sense a sense of authenticity to the project.
Carolle Benitah is a French-Moroccan photographer, born in 1965, who is best known for her multimedia pieces that focus on the theme of identity, Benitah’s in particular, through archived family photographs. With these Benitah utilises the techniques collage, ink drawings and embroidery in order to create her narratives of family history, personal memories, mourning and the passage of time. As well as this, Benitah uses this work as a way to reinterpret her past, stating that she uses “the falsely decorative function of embroidery to create designs that break the images of happiness and deconstruct the myth of the ideal family.”. This look back on the past has also allowed Benitah to understand and establish her current identity in a more defined manner, and gain knowledge of the fears, secrets and memories that helped shape it.
Analysis
Carolle Benitah – A la plage (from Photos Souvenirs) – 2009
This collage image produced by Carolle Benitah, from her series ‘Photos Souvenirs’, showcases what appears to be an old family portrait of the children, in a beach setting. The composition of the original image places the group of children just off centre, leaving a large amount of empty space around them. This bright, white sand creates a heavy contrasts with the dark, black hair of the children, as well as the strong shadows cast behind them. Due to the vastness of the background there is a lack of leading lines in this photograph. The children are the clear focal point of this image, but in particular the child who had been replaced by a red silhouette is the main point of focus in my opinion. This is due to its bold contrast with the black and white tone of the photograph, bringing in some of the only element of colour this piece has to offer. As well as this, the red cut out section here seems to posses a texture which is different to the one of the photograph. Here Benitah has utilised the border of the photograph as a place to isolate the two children who have been cut out of the family portrait, leaving blurred white empty spaces.
From a technical viewpoint, it is clear to see that the original image was taken with natural light due to its beach settings and the shadows. These shadows can also be an indicator of the time of day in which this was taken, which is most likely around midday, as the shadows are short and close to them. As a result of the large amount of natural light flooding the lens, the ISO setting used when this photograph was taken was most likely low, meaning the image would not be over exposed. In addition to this, it is probable that the shutter speed was on a fast setting due to this as well, as a longer shutter speed would also result in an over exposed image. Due to this brightness of light, the white balance setting used for this photograph would have a mid to high one. This photograph appears to have been taken with a small aperture, as the image is taken far away from the children and they are all still in focus with no blur on the background behind them.
Here Benitah seems to have reinterpreted her family history and presented the truth by removing two of the children out of the frame of the photograph and onto the border, as well as making one completely red. This could be interpreted as a way to foreground the exclusion of these children, possibly by the child in red, as the blurred effect on the blank spaces where the children used to be could imply a sense of uncertainty and anxiousness, contrasting with the bold red and the powerful position the child is stood in. This piece may be highlighting how they might not have been treated as part of the family. This border acting as a frame for the altered image, may also be a way of communicating what is seen as the ideal family, removing any imperfections. This inclusion of the border could also be a way of showing the issues that have been left out of the photo and creating a wider perspective in which the audience are able to see the truth. Furthermore, the angle in which this photo was taken could suggest that the children are viewed as inferior as they are being looked down on, by supposedly the parents or adults that took this photograph. Due to this piece being taken from Benitah’s series ‘Photos Souvenirs’ it may be a depiction of her painful childhood experiences, in which she has chosen to portray the truth which was hidden by the innocence of the original photograph.
Key Characteristics/Conventions: This type of photography was supposed to appear handmade and have similar visual qualities to art. This meant these pieces were made to look foggy, naturalistic and romantic. If these images incorporated people, they were often staged photographs not candid. Furthermore these photographs could be said to contain allegorical qualities, with photographers aiming to communicate a underlying meanings within their work, often using characters to personify these abstract ideas.
Artists Associated: Alfred Stieglitz was one of the first photographers to promote this medium as an artform, suggesting that the camera was only a tool, like a paintbrush is to a painter. Julia Margaret Cameron was also key in developing this genre, through her allegorical portraits, influenced by Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Some photographic groups also took part in the start of this new age of photography, including The Brotherhood of the Linked Ring (London), The Vienna Camera Club (Austria) and Photo-Secession (New York), which was founded by Alfred Stieglitz.
Key Works: The pieces of photography created during the pictorialism movement have often been compared to artists such as Rembrandt and the Italian Renaissance period.
Fading Away (1858) – Henry Peach Robinson
The Onion Field, Mersea Island, Essex (1890) – George Davison
Methods/Techniques/Processes: Photographers often used a soft focus and even put Vaseline on the lens of their camera in order to create foggy and romantic images. Photographers also experimented with manipulation in the dark room. Various chemicals were also used to distort the image as well. In addition, they also were known to scratch onto the negatives to imitate the texture of a canvas.
Realism/Straight Photography
Time Period: 1920s
Key Characteristics/Conventions: Photographs in this style usually incorporated geometrical shapes, high contrast, rich tonalities and a sharp focus. These photographs often showcased seemingly mundane objects and landscapes, with the aim of the photograph to produce an accurate and descriptive record of the visual world. Photographers of this artistic movement did not want to treat photography as a kind of monochrome painting
Artists Associated: One of the pioneers of this photographic movement was Paul Strand, said to have brought new perspectives to often overlooked subjects, who studied under photographer Alfred Stieglitz. These two photographers were said to be influenced by European avant-garde art movements, which can be seen in there abstract and geometric images. Walker Evans also helped to develop this genre, instead focusing on portraits containing detached and disinterested expressions from the subjects.
Key Works:
‘A Sea of Steps’, Wells Cathedral, Steps to Chapter House (1903) – Frederick Henry Evans
Bowls (1917) – Paul Strand
Methods/Techniques/Processes: Most of the time these photographs are not manipulated and rely on the eye of the photographer. These images were often taken in an abstract manner and from unique angles. In order to take these images, photographers used crisp focus with a wide depth-of-field, contrasting with the style of Pictorialism.
Modernism
Time Period: 1900s – 1940s
Key Characteristics/Conventions: Modernism can be identified as a term that encompasses the broadness of all the avant-garde isms that were seen in the beginning of the 20th century. This new movement was a reaction to ‘the enlightenment’, which saw science and reason become more prevalent in society than spiritualistic beliefs. This dramatic change of thought lead to many artists seeking answers concerning fundamental questions about the nature of art and human experience. Many came to the conclusion that art needed to renew itself by confronting and exploring its own modernity. Works in this style were often based on idealism and a utopian vision of human life, as well as society and a belief in progress.
Artists Associated: Ansel Adams can be described as an early modernist photographer, with his dramatic photographs of North America’s vast landscapes that showcased large contrast in tones. Alfred Stieglitz was known to also be a modernist photographer as well, taking photographs that displays striking architecture with a sharp focus, after moving away from his soft edge pictorial style.
Key Works:
The Art Critic 1919-20 Raoul Hausmann 1886-1971
Blind – Paul Strand (1916)
Methods/Techniques/Processes: There were not many key defining techniques that were in constant use throughout this movement, however modernist artist usually experimented with form, technique and process. This was in contrast to purely focusing on subjects, believing they were able to find a way of reflecting the modern world.
Post-Modernism
Time Period: 1970s – 2000s
Key Characteristics/Conventions: Post-modernism was a rejection of modernism and its formality. Many works seen in this photographic movement were ambiguous and diverse in nature, whilst being influenced by disenchantment brought on by World War Two and refers to a state that lacks central hierarchy. This sceptic style argued the ideas that there are universal certainties or truths, and instead stated that individual experience and interpretation was more concrete than any abstract principles seen in modernism. This mean that it often embraced complex and even sometimes contradictory layers of meaning.
Artists Associated: Cindy Sherman is a post-modernist photography, best known for her self portrait that depict herself in extremely different contexts. Another photographer who worked in this style was Jeff Wall, whose work varies from mundane urban environments to complex tableaux pieces that are back lit and on a scale comparable to 19th-century history paintings.
Key Works:
Cindy Sherman
Marilyn Diptych – Andy Warhol
Methods/Techniques/Processes: Post-modern photography varies greatly in style, but tends to posses a sense of chaos and relate to conflict, whether personal or political.
The medium of photography is a well known art form, with it now being more accessible than ever, whether it is taking pictures with your phone or using a film camera. Nowadays we consume hundreds of images a day and are able to produce them at ease, however it has taken many scientists, inventors and artists hundreds of years to perfect this process.
The first known method used to capture and present images can be dated back to 400BC. This was known as a Camera Obscura, meaning ‘dark chamber’ in Latin, which was a method that involved creating a completely dark room with one small hole in it. As a result, this created a projection of the image outside the room onto the walls of the dark room upside down. For hundreds of years this was an invention that was used in order to view the eclipse of the sun, without causing damage to the eyes. Although a revolutionary discovery, this method did not allow for the image to be permanently captured. This was an issue many struggled with for years until the late 1820s, when Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, a French inventor, was able to create a camera obscura which was portable and could expose a pewter plate coated with bitumen to the projected image. This made him the first person to record an image that did not fade quickly after it was captured.
Soon after this, the idea of photography was commercialised by Louis Daguerre after his invention of the daguerreotype, a process named after himself, in 1839. With this new form of photography, extremely detailed images were able to be created. This was achieved by using a copper plate with a thin sheet of silver on, which had to be polished enough so that the surface would look like a mirror. After this plate had been transferred to the camera, it was then exposed to light and developed over hot mercury. This meticulous technique and outcome was something only the rich could afford and most of the time was used to create portraits of them. However, even though Daguerre’s invention resulted in beautifully detailed photographs, each image was one of a kind, as it didn’t use negatives, meaning there was no way to make further prints. In addition to this, portraits usually took around three to fifteen minutes to take, meaning a more inexpensive and efficient alternative had to be made.
Leaving a gap in the market, this allowed British Henry Fox-Talbot to solve this problem by inventing the calotype in the 1830s. This is due to the process that required using a sheet of paper coated in silver chloride being exposed to light in a camera obscura. As a result, the places on the paper which had been exposed to light became dark and vice versa, in turn creating a negative image. With this negative, it meant that photographs could be reprinted by contact printing the negative onto another piece of sensitised paper. As well as this, the Calotype allowed for a shorter exposure time as fast as one minute. This method was then improved by English inventor Richard Maddox, who introduced the dry plate in 1871. Using dry plates meant that the plate could be transported and the negative could be exposed and developed at a later date, rather than in the same sitting. All of this caused photography to become slightly more accessible and appealing to the public.
It was not long after until George Eastman invented the roll of film in 1889, revolutionising the way we take photographs. Eastman developed these rolls on a transparent base, a standard that still remains in the present, containing 100 exposures. He named this camera Kodak, a name he coined himself, therefore starting the infamous camera company that still exists today. With this camera users would send the entire thing back to the manufacturer, with the used film inside, which they then developed and sent back with the reloaded camera. This quick and efficient process meant that less people held poses and more candid photographs were taken. This transformed the image of photography into something enjoyable and a way to capture happy memories, with Kodak even encouraging users to smile at the camera. In 1900, eleven years after first introducing the roll of film camera, Eastman distributed the Brownie Camera. This product was originally made for children and priced at one dollar, making photography more accessible than ever. It can be said that Kodak was the start of contemporary photography.
