Two Artists Whose Work Addresses Identity

Two Artists Whose Work Addresses Identity

Assessment Task III: Major Essay

Laura Sanders

Word Count: 1,235

In this essay I will investigate, explore and interpret a piece of work from each of the two artists that addresses the theme of identity. My two chosen artists are award winner photographer and director Andrew Zuckerman and New York Fashion photographer Christian Witkin. They are both similar in style, specialising in mainly studio portraits, however their work is very diverse. I hope to discover the ideas behind each photographer’s work and what they are trying to represent and express identity to the viewer.

                                                                    

Photographer Andrew Zuckerman is worldwide known for his unusual yet effective photography and documentary project, “Wisdom”, where he uses celebrities as his subjects and places them against a pure white background. From this series I selected this photograph of actress Judy Dench because it is iconic and distinctively recognisable as a Zuckerman photograph.

The “Wisdom” project provokes ideas and thoughts on the subject of age. Zuckerman uses well known elder celebrities to perceive what they believe to be wisdom. This is much more intriguing to the viewer than the perception being told by an ordinary citizen. This is because they are easy to identify due to our fame knowledge and celebrity obsessed culture. In a short film “Making Of” “Wisdom” Andrew Zuckerman admitted that he is a younger generation and it was a rare experience to meet these people that have had such fulfilling and interesting lives, “…I saw myself as a servant in the pursuit of wisdom”[1].

I found this “Wisdom” project so fascinating since these Celebrities discuss what they believe to be wisdom, but also discuss their identity. “…we knew we weren’t interested in professional achievements or humanitarian achievements, it was about life achievements and how they have been family people, and how they have been friends, and how they have been lovers, and how they have been artists and teachers and all of these different things that we sort of get to experience and all these different roles we get to experience throughout our life” Andrew Zuckerman¹. It was a chance to hear ideas and thoughts from celebrities that may not have usually been considered, but are in fact insightful, beneficial and helpful. This touches and plays with the idea that younger generations should respect and listen to our elders as they are wiser having lived and experienced so much. “No one can teach me who I am, you can describe parts of me but who I am and what I need these are things I have to find out for myself” Chinua Achebe¹.

Andrew Zuckerman’s style of studio photography may not be unique, used constantly by amateur and professional photographers, but is so polished, consistent and effective it is what makes these photographs so powerful and thought provoking. Using straight forward clean, bright lighting and white background is perfect for portrait photography focusing purely on the subject. “I’m most interested in how you can get closest to the actual subject. And not the subject in relation to its environment but the subject itself…we are not seeing the prime minister against his great wall of books and the artists in the studio surrounded by his paintings…When you neutralise the environment and when you democratise the environment the viewer is more able to easily understand, and more easily see the essence of these people…” Andrew Zuckerman¹. It is also a useful tool when capturing personal detail of the subject, especially when they are older such as the photograph of Judy Dench. “I need that much light because I want to reveal the subject’s face; I want something that opens everything up. By revealing of the hills and valleys of the face, we actually get a closer view” Andrew Zuckerman¹. Whereas some may find the view of age frightening or distasteful, the way Zuckman captures his subjects like Judy Dench, it somehow becomes beautiful. “I always thought that a person’s face is a kind of road map of the life they have lived. If you have laughed your whole life you have laugh lines, if you have frowned your whole life you have furrows in your brow. Sometimes you have both” Chuck Close¹. What I find most amazing is that I can look at the eyes of Judy Dench and see a sparkle of life and identity in them which usually cannot be captured in just a photograph. I believe that is what Andrew Zuckerman wanted to show and express to the viewer. Age is wisdom, wisdom comes with living, living and experiencing is identity.

Photographer Christian Witkin produces rich, appealing images that are much more commercially viable. His immense passion for photography also becomes his own identity, “…I felt not just the desire, but the need to make images…to me there is nothing more engaging, more captivating than an inspired image”[2].

Primarily a fashion photographer, it is unusual to see his subjects in a non catwalk state. This photograph of celebrity Gary Sinise in 2001 from a selection called “Familiar Faces”, expresses a depth that is not often shown on screen. “Sometimes the moment is the vulnerability of a confident person, or the confidence of a vulnerable person. Or maybe it’s an instant where all the layers are peeled back” Christian Witkin². Even though this photograph of Gary Sinise is appealing to the eye, consisting of a warmer green background with Sinise’s dark coloured clothes stand out from it, there is something much more seductive about it. Frozen in that moment, we are drawn in to analyse the photograph more and see his identity. “When I’m photographing someone, it’s like everything else disappears. I’m looking for that something, for that moment where everything comes together. The light, the composition, the emotion. It’s like everything synchronizes, and it’s just me and my subject”. Christian Witkin².

Witkin’s portrait style has changed the perceptions of celebrity’s identities. Instead of ecstatically appealing photographs used purely as a marketing tool, Witkin produces a much more profound meaning to the images. His style does not just reveal the celebrities hidden identities, but also in fact shows his own. “It’s not just about beauty for me, it’s about truth. It’s about discovering the thing that makes us human”. Christian Witkin².

I have investigated and explored two photographer’s ideas on identity. For Andrew Zuckerman identity was age and wisdom. Using a white background and removing any object that could influence or distract our attention from the subject. We focus on their face, not their environment or shared knowledge for what we know they are famous for. Zuckerman did not hide wrinkles or details in the face that commonly are not seen as ecstatically appealing, he instead over stresses it. It shows thier identity more than just words could, i.e. “laughter lines”.  Seeing celebrities like Judy Dench un-edited is much more personal, like we are viewing them properly for the first time in crystal clear vision.

For Christian Witkin identity was capturing the subject in the moment where the layers were peeled back. The photograph is not about beauty, it is about the person, and about “truth”.

In the discovery of these celebrity’s identities, we also see the identity of the two photographers. Their style, hard work, ideas and thoughts provides us with that unusual pleasure and insight. In my opinion these are not just photographs of celebrities, these are photographs of real people granted us with the extraordinary experience of seeing their true selves, their true identities.

Bibliography:

Books:

Melcher Media          Individuals: Portraits from the Gap Collection

Published 16 October 2006, Page 207

Andrew Zuckerman               Wisdom: 50 Unique and Original Portraits

Published 26 September 2008, Page 62 and 63

Websites:

www.andrewzuckerman.com

www.christianwitkin.com

www.wisdombook.org

http://www.google.com/

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[1] http://www.wisdombook.org

Andrew Zuckerman, “Making Of” “How It Was Made” short film

[2] http://www.christianwitkin.com

Christian Witkin “Reel” short film

Contextual Studies: Assessment Task II

Contextual Studies: Assessment Task II

Laura Sanders

Malcolm Mosley

493 Words

British artist Keith Tyson, renowned for his ability to create amazing installations, winning the Turner prize in 2002, has greatly influenced my latest work. In particular his collection of 300 pieces, together create the “Large Field Array” 2008 collection.

This collection works as a whole in a large gallery space as the viewer negotiates their own path through the grid of sculptures. “…linked together they can produce a much sharper, more detailed image of the universe.”  

However it is this piece that I am fascinated by. The sculpture is two feet squared that stands on a plinth and made using mixed media. The individual piece has no name, only known as just a “detail” to the “Large Field Array” collection.

 There is a definite narrative in this piece. The ideas behind it only Keith Tyson would know as the individual pieces are not given any definition. It is up to the interpretation of the viewer to decide what the piece means.

I really like the huge amount of detail and ideas put into this piece, small vital elements such as the men in the boats at the creature’s feet that appear to be its shoes. The man climbing the ladder inset in a jug that resembles something like a hat on the creature’s head. Two people are drinking at a table inside the hollow back end of the creature which is where it seems to be looking. The creature is very tree like; its legs are like trunks and assume the texture and colour of bark. The owl and crow perched on its branches help to illustrate this further. There is nothing short of imagination in this piece, however it is well designed and produced making it believable as if it sprung into being. This piece reminds me of Edward Lear’s nonsense poems which generally consisted of bizarre narratives such as this. Keith Tyson’s work apparently was influenced by Jeff Koons. When analysing both artists work it is easy to see some similar elements between the two such as the realism and exaggeration in their sculptures.

Keith Tyson inspired and influenced my own work such as my sculpture designs. In this 3D piece I used the same concept; exaggeration of shapes and ideas that create an unusual narrative. My aim was to create a dragon creature that breaks the stereotypical appearance and ideas.

To start with I researched and observed nature such as reptiles. Then I added the unusual element of octopuses and squids that changed the look of my dragon entirely. This is a trial piece made with a wire skeleton covered in modelling wax. A much different material used to Keith Tyson’s work, however it enabled me to create the tentacle shapes and smooth skin texture like a snakes.

Even though this is a design idea and trial, I would expand upon this piece more using various materials that would enable me to create something similar to Keith Tyson’s polished pieces.

Bibliography:

http://www.keithtyson.com/#/projects/largefieldarray/synopsis/

http://www.keithtyson.com/#/projects/largefieldarray/examples/

http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/reviews/robinson/robinson9-11-07.asp

Digital Art and Design

Typeography development pieces made on photoshop. Baised on my views on religion.

Best piece from series.

Next step:  Final Piece

Contextual Studies

Boccioni and Giacometti Visual Analysis

Laura Sanders

Malcolm Mosley

535 Words

Umberto Boccioni’s “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space” 1913, consists of a bronze sculpture of a figure in motion. This free standing sculpture size, 111.2 x 88.5 x 40cm, is not scaled to adult size but more of the size of a five year old child.

Even though abstract, it is clear that the shapes represent a human striding forward. The human has no arms and even though its body and head are smaller than the legs when viewed as a whole it creates this powerful muscled look to it.  The abnormally large legs, the main feature of the sculpture, emphasize the strength and power of the figure’s stride. Triangular like shapes jut out of its legs giving the impression of speed, as if the human is moving too fast it is blurred.

There is a repetitive texture and shape to the sculpture. Some areas are smooth but then finish with sharp unexpected edges. This warped metal could be seen as folds in cloth as the figure battles against a wind. I think however the shapes, such as the indistinguishable head, look more like amour from a medieval period. There is almost a natural, pure element to it, possibly because of the bronze coating. The shapes and composition are almost super human. A possible religious point of view could be that the sculpture may represent an angel or god.

Alberto Giacometti’s “La Foret” 1950, is a collection of bronze sculptures; seven lean female figures accompanied by a man’s bust. The work refers to Giacometti’s childhood memory of the woods around his hometown of Stampa, "The Composition with Seven Figures and a Head reminded me of the corner of a forest, seen over many years during my childhood, where trees with naked slender trunks (limbless almost to their tops and behind which there were granite boulders) had always seemed to me like people stopped in their tracks and talking amongst themselves"

“La Foret” has a rough texture to it unlike “Unique forms of continuity in space” which is smooth and shiny.  I think Giacometti’s work focuses more on shadows whereas Boccioni is more on the light as it reflects onto the bronze figure. It was suggested that the countryside of Stampa with gnarled trees seems to be reflected in “La Foret”. The figures do appear like trees in a forest, unequal distances apart, randomly placed and consisting of different heights but repetitive and appearing almost identical to each other. Boccioni’s sculpture had a particular narrative to it, i.e. the figure in motion moving towards something, whereas Giacometti’s are stationary like trees therefore less obvious. 

Possible other meanings behind “La Foret” is about women and men’s controversy during that period. Giacometti commented, "When I am walking in the street and see a whore from a distance, all dressed, I see a whore. When she is in the room and naked before me, I see a goddess". The use of the word goddess changes the man bust as instead of just an onlooker, he may be looking up at these seven women as goddess’. This is a common representation as Boccioni’s “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space” is the solitary yet majestic figure possibly preserved as a god.