Mood board on Andre Kertesz’s work –
Above is a mind map which I created in relation to Andre Kertesz’s still life photography. While exploring his work, I decided that I liked his images which he created where he focuses on different shadows, such as in the image of the fork, and reflections, such as in the images of the flower and glassware. This is because I have decided that I wanted to explore photography regarding different shadows/reflections in different glassware and various kitchen objects as I want to represent the connection of women towards the stereotype of them being linked towards the kitchen as well. In relation to the mood board of the photo on the bottom left, I will also experiment with different objects besides ones that are within the field of the kitchen objects such as perfume, makeup, different accessories etc. I will also focus on how the shadows and reflections are able to be manipulated and changed.
Research on Andre Kertesz –
To gather inspiration for my mood board on Andre Kertesz, which is seen above, and to gather further research I used this website for reference. This was very helpful as it provided me with a deeper look into who Andre Kertesz is and how he developed his career as a photographer.
- Andre Kertesz experimented with ‘Purist’ photography, this was where he produced images such as Fork (1928) in Paris, where he was able to build his reputation as a photographer.
- In Paris, he held an exhibition of 42 photos in the left-bank gallery.
- In 1928, he experimented with using the camera regarded as a Leica.
- He moved to New York in 1936 where he began working within advertising with companies such as Vogue.
3 Key quotes –
To gather further information on Kertesz’s still life photography, I used this website for reference as well as this website. The first website provided me with , and the second website provided me with a different view towards Kertesz’s work and this was from , these are opinions are what I will use further in my image analysis as well.
1.
“He had an aim to transform the mundane into something poetic”
The quote above discusses the photographic aim that Kertesz intended when creating his different photographs as he didn’t want to make them appear to be the same as someone else’s in their characteristics, he wanted them to represent a poetical element within them, creating this subjective view on what it may represent. This can be seen in different images he has created such as on the mood board with the images of a flower in a vase, the flower instead of being full of life is droopy and sad, creating a gloomy and dark atmosphere of the photo.
2.
“He also made the use of monochrome lines which were bold and he used shadows as well as reflections to enhance his photographs.”
The quote above is used to discuss how Kertesz was able to make these bold, dark lines created from different shadows and reflections stand out amongst different still life works who have also experimented with the same techniques. This is because he was able to transform what they were able to represent and enhance the images which he was producing.
3.
“He illuminated The Fork (1928) under a harsh light to cast a grill of shadows through its tines, making the image stark and poetic at the same time: Kertész reveals that the fork is an object of beauty—without dissipating any of its essential forkness.”
This quote is used to discuss how the composition of one of the images called ‘The Fork’ in 1928 was created through the manipulation of different shadows from the fork and the plate as they bend around the side of the bowl but underneath there is a dark, bold and sharp image which is being show. This can re[resent how everything always ends up looking the same no matter what we want to see or believe, keeping that initial ‘forkness’ which is discussed above, which I will use for further analysis in my image analysis. This is what I would like to show in my work as well, the simplicity of still life kitchenware and glassware compared to the deeper meaning of how it links towards the stereotypical views of women in the kitchen.
Image analysis –
I think that this image taken by Andre Kertesz called ‘The Fork’ in 1928 is a successful image and this is because I think that it shows the simplicity of still life photography yet visually there is a deeper, poetical meaning behind the shapes created through the different shadows casted on to the ground and bowl. This is discussed through the comment of Shonquis Monero, who looked at Andre Kertesz’s work, from the ‘Kinfolk’ website where it states “making the image stark and poetic at the same time“. This quote is used to discuss how Kertesz’s work follows a poetic manipulation yet uses objects which are quite plain or bare in their appearance, such as a bowl or a fork, and how they have a deeper meaning within them. This can be clearly seen within this photo as the fork and bowls shadow is dark and bold underneath but as you look as the bowl you are able to see how the shadow of the fork begins to curve and follow the bowl instead. Therefore, this can be used to represent how society cling to these older ideas of gender relating towards how you are viewed within a household role and then the top, where it begins to curve, can be used to show people beginning to move away from these different stereotypes. If I were to give a critic towards this image, I would consider how the background isn’t plain and looks somewhat grainy or dirty, although this may be a photographic choice from Kertesz, I believe that having a plain white background would make the objects shadows stand out more and create more of an effect, this is what I will be using within my work instead.