Moving Forward, Taking The Good With The Bad, The Beauty With The Ugly

'Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal it's difficult to score.'

So today I had one of the most impacted phone conversations with my friend Sarah. To start off I would like to say that usually I am not the biggest talkers on phones I find phone conversations sometimes the most tedious of things. You can sit on the phone to someone for hours and not digest any information that is coming from their mouth. The good thing about mine and Sarah's conversations is that I usually come from them feeling some sense of growth, whether it be as a person or the influencing of each other. It is great when you have one of those friendships were by you can learn from each other and almost share a journey together, that's what it feels like I have with Sarah.

It must have been around 4pm yesterday and I was still laying in bed thinking to myself I haven't done a single thing today that could be considered productive and I don't like the feeling of going a single day thinking that I haven't moved forward in some way or another. Then I thought to myself to ring Sarah as it had been a while since we last had a long conversation, knowing full well in my head that I would probably use up all my minutes for this months contract on my phone. Our conversation consisted of us both bouncing ideas off one another consistently helping each other on our beautiful road in to the art world.

It has been a difficult few years for myself and in a huge way I know Sarah relates to this because we have gone on this journey together. I couldn't help but feel that when I finally changed courses and moved to Fine Art that a part of me was leaving Sarah behind. For the past couple of years we have been around each other and built up a friendship that is clear to the world. So when I made my decision to change from Photography, the course that we had both been doing together, I couldn't help but feel a huge part of me would deeply miss her company. Getting to the point, our conversation today made me realise that regardless of whether we are under each others feet mine and Sarah's purpose as a friendship is to help each other along what has been considered 'a dark road' and I regained some happiness that I lost when moving from Photography because I now know that she can push her ideas forward and become a successful artist... and there is no doubt in my head that she will continue to live and breath creativity.

Have Computers Made Life Worse?

For this blog entry I wanted to give my opinion relating back to the question 'Have computers made life worse?'.

When we think about how much time we spend on computers and not learn enough it is safe to say that computers can most definitely be a waste of valuable time.Time is something that is limited and to be fair most of us waste it on our computers and everyone will agree that when you are sat at a computer time usually flies by. I think there is definitely good purposes for using a computer depending on what we are searching for. When you think of how large the Internet is half of this is probably a waste of space having no value to most of us. However I do also believe that the other half is valuable and can give us great knowledge. On a social level I think the Internet can also be both good and bad depending on how it is used.  For example the Internet can be a great place to network and speak to other artists, exchanging tips and knowledge within a specific area. However most people today, usually teenagers, are spending most of their time on social network sites, including myself. I will find myself wasting so much time skipping though pages on facebook that have no relevance to anything whatsoever. I think on a social level it is not such a good thing, instead we should be spending time with our friends and family face to face instead of talking to them on facebook. The Internet takes away from the importance of connecting with your friends and family, spending time with them. We are now relying on the Internet to do most things for us instead of using our own minds.

In my opinion although I do gain valuable knowledge from the Internet I think computers have made life worse.

Naa Teki Lebar

Gallery Location - Secret Den / Pure Evil Gallery

Australian born artist currently practicing in the UK, Lebar is interested in re-encountering memory, space and the self. Taking inspiration from mythology and fantasy she tries to archive a blending of opposite realities in the secret of nature and the nature of secrets, the idea of lucid dreams and its connotations and symbolism is played with.

In particular I really liked this image out of the series in the exhibition. It was less obvious as the what the message was. I like the use of nature and taking a portrait in an unusual setting. This image is not really my style but I can definitely appreciate it from an artistic point of view. The image is almost like something out of a fairy tale, yet at the same time gives an essence of something quite eerie and sinister. I would have liked to have seen more images from this photographer at the exhibition however the venue in which the images were displayed was rather small.

Reading List :

http://naateki.carbonmade.com/

Modern & Postmodern Photography

Postmodern is the movement away from modernism and acts as rejection towards trend in modernism. Were as modernism is more so the rejection of tradition and pushing boundaries within the art world. At the start of the 20th century modernist art was becoming more popular and it was the first time that the term avant-garde was used for the arts. Meaning that modernist art is advanced and represents a pushing of boundaries.

Hans Hofmann's painting - The Gate 1959-60

Hofmann was not only recognized for his modernist paintings but also for being a teacher of art and a modernist theorist. Through his teaching and work Hofmann managed to widen the understanding of modernism in America. In my opinion I believe that Modernist art has widened the possibilities within the creative world. It allows people to express themselves a lot more freely and gives us something that is different.

I believe us as people have changed since the start of Postmodern art, we are now looking for other ways to be creative and express are artistic sides and modernist art offers this.

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Documentary Photography

When looking into documentary photography I think there are two major points to consider

1. Is it a beneficial way of looking into reality and all things that are true

2. In some cases is it an invasion of privacy gone a step too far 

Enrique Metinides is a documentary photographer working from 1949 to 1979 taking images of crime, murder and disasters in Mexico City. Metinides photographed his first corpse when he was 12 and a year later was working as an assistant for the crime photographer of Mexican newspaper La Prensa. His work not only shows us dead people but it also shows us the gathering crowds and the tragedy as a whole. Although his work is very in touch with reality and disasters I believe we are seeing too much. The imagery is step beyond documentary photography and although it is acceptable to push boundaries I believe what we are seeing is disturbing and in reality we are looking at things we shouldn't.

On the other hand I believe documentary photography can be quite inspirational, allowing us too look into the world and what is going on around us. It keeps us aware and at the same time not all documentary photography includes disasters and death.

German-American photographer and journalist Alfred Eisenstaedt is also a documentary photographer renowned for his candid style images. More importantly he is remembered for his photography capturing the celebration of V-J Day. I think in relation to this style of documentary photography it is safe to say that the events photographed are not disturbing. The type images taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt and other documentary photographers allow us too remember specific events and act as memories in print, for us to look back in the future and remember how far we have came. They give us a sense of reality, images we can relate to which is becoming quite rare considering a lot of photography is now airbrushed and manipulated into looking a specific way. These images aren't what people consider perfection but they are real and speak true to life, which in my opinion has a lot more importance.

Reading List :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2003/jul/22/photography.artsfeatures

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Eisenstaedt

My Influences

One of the questions that always seems to come up in any art form is "who are your influences"?

I want to start by questioning whether photographers always have to find influence from other photographers to improve their work. In my opinion I believe it is better to take as little influence as possible directly from something else. I think by doing so it makes our own work more unique and true to what we want to achieve within our work. However I feel I am constantly reminded to take influence and ideas from other photographers and being told this will improve my work.

My personal influences come from people and life experiences, I want to convey my emotions and experiences into an image rather than using someone elses ideas. I think that if everyone was to take influence from something else nothing would be original and everything would be a watered down version of something that has happened before. As an artist I am constantly searching myself for ideas, using my imagination to create something that comes from my own head and heart. I think that by searching ourselves for ideas this then becomes a reflection of our own individual identities. Not everyone needs to understand and relate with an artists work for them to have an appreciation of it. Most people will take what they want from your images anyhow whether it be based on their own experiences or not.

Going back a couple of years I remember what my photography tutor once said to me. When asking me what I was influenced by I said that David LaChapelle was quite an influence to which she replied: "There is already a David LaChapelle why would the world need another?". I totally agree with this statement and I'm not saying it is wrong to find another artists work inspirational but as artists we need to draw a line with how much we take from their work. Within art I believe we can be inspired by other things than art itself, we just have to dig deep into ourselves and our own imagination to realise this.

Fashion And Its Influence

When you think of fashion and how it has influence on society I think there are both good and bad points to look at. For example Fashion allows us to be creative and show our inner creativity on the exterior, it influences us to take risks and to not be afraid of looking different. For example if you look at famous trend setters over the years you can notice how society has developed in the sense that we take inspiration from them and their influence can be visible in the way we present ourselves.

If you look at trendsetters of our time you can clearly notice that Fashion has progressed, it is now a lot more acceptable to have a unique style. Past trendsetters include Madonna and Elvis who back then allowed the younger generations to experiment more with fashion. In society today teenagers generally look up to the likes of Lady GaGa and David Beckham for influence on fashion.

Above is an image of Madonna wearing the famous and highly publicized costume which she wore in her 'Vogue' era. Aside of this image shows also Lady GaGa and Katy Perry doing their own versions of this famous costume. However back when Madonna had done this it was considered more controversial however today it is considered less outrageous. However today celebrities are looking for a way to push the boundaries within Fashion. Today the boundaries within Fashion and the media are far wider and it is harder for an outfit to seem controversial without flashing what god gave us.

But the big question is have we gone too far with Fashion and how far can boundaries be pushed before it is considered distasteful. I believe that today the younger generation are a lot more influenced by celebrities and media. They are reading magazines that are telling us we should be thinner, have the perfect skin, the perfect hair and by doing so is painting a unrealistic image and creating an unreachable target. By doing so this leaves many teenagers feeling inadequate and in hope of achieving the same results from the magazines they may go to extreme lengths with serious consequences.

The Semiotics of Advertising

  For this blog entry I wanted to speak about the semiotics within advertising. I will also talk about how we are persuaded through advertisement into buying a particular product in hope that we will achieve the same results as displayed in the image. In reality what they fail to explain is that within most advertising the product is actually not as effective as they make out. Yet through media and advertising we are lead to believe that certain products work miracles when in fact they don't. When looking at the aims of advertisement it is created to influence attitudes and lifestyle behaviours by covertly suggesting how we can best satisfy our innermost urges and aspirations through consumption. I think that the messages of advertisers  today are promising to deliver something that they just simply can't. Everywhere we look we are faced by advertisements whether it be on the train, newspapers, bill boards, television. Advertisers of today are using persuasive techniques to make us buy that product.

Below is an image of Kate Moss in the advertisement for Rimmel London. This image was banned due to complaints that the lashes within the image are actually false. When you think of advertisements many years ago products were sold based on the truth. I think that advertising today has simply gone too far and we aren't actually receiving the same results as promised. The manipulative techniques of advertisment simply push us into buying a product that we either don't need or doesn't benefit us as much as the advertiser promises.

You too can look just like Kate Moss with our new RIMMEL Mascara!


Reading List

Book/ Persuasive Signs : The Semiotics of Advertising, by Ron Beasly, Marcel Danesi

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-485333/Kate-Moss-mascara-ads-banned-complaints-lashes-false.html

Feminism in Photography

Artist and Photographer Cindy Sherman has clearly set her ground as one of the most successful artists of our time. She doesn't stick to what is known as safe, she takes her artwork and pushes boundaries and the fact she is a female photographer makes this an even bigger achievement. When looking into feminism it is assumed that Cindy Sherman is a modern pioneer of feminist photography. Although Sherman denies this herself there is no doubt that her images reflect many stereotypes of women in society today. What I like most about the images is they do not just fit one stereotype of a woman which is what a lot of people tend to do in photography. They will display a woman as a sexual object, sometimes just for male viewing. Sherman shows power in women, seduction, insanity, fear and captures all these emotions to create a unique portrait each time. Whether or not Sherman likes to see herself as a feminist photographer there is a clear pattern within feminism. 

Another artist who has their special place in feminism and art is Tracy Emin, an artist who I studied whilst taking fine art in college back in 2008. Her work stands for women and most importantly it proves that not just men are successful within the world of working or making a statement. Like Cindy Sherman her work is based around women but Emin in particular makes her art based on her own life events. Her work doesn't portray women in a sense that they are a success but instead speaks true to life. Emin reveals her hopes, humiliations, failures and successes within her art. I respect her for this because she isn't trying to paint a picture of something perfect. She is showing us a side of life that isn't covered in glitter, instead it is quite raw and brings up feelings of discomfort and controversy.

When thinking of females and the world of art I definitely think that women play a huge part in making art a step beyond boring. In my opinion I believe women have a tendency to put a lot of emotion into their work. They show us a side to life that is quite true and intimate. Resulting from this they create outstanding pieces of art work touching on the reality of true life itself.

My final point to this entry is that I do believe females are now more accepted within society and respected for their opinions and work. We have came a long way since the times in which women were perceived as weaker individuals and not recognised as being intellectual or artists. I believe women add a sense of emotion and reality to art which some male artists fail to achieve. 

Cindy Sherman – Untitled Film

Reading:

http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue5/sherman.htm

http://www.whitecube.com/artists/emin/

August Sander

August Sander was a German photographer best known for his documentary styled images. In the 1920's he travelled through Sardinia taking around  500 portraits. What I like most about his work is how up close and personal it is. The images allow us to see what it would have been like to live in that era. Although his images included landscapes and buildings most of his work consisted of black and white portraits. His work also allows us to look at a past time and what Germany was like including the war period. Alot of his images were seized and destroyed due to not meeting approval with Nazi authority, however I think his images showed true reality making him a great photographer of his time.

Mozos agricultores vestidos de domingo, 1914

Nan Goldin

American photographer born September 12, 1953 best known for her autobiography images showing love, gender, domesticity, and sexuality. I especially like Nan Goldin's work because it shows life as true form. The images are raw and true to life showing true reality. I think for me Goldin is an inspiration because her images allow us to see the more realistic moments in life. One image that has most impact is a self portrait “One month after being battered". This image plays with our emotions showing something that is quite personal and concerning. I think when it comes to art I would prefer to see something realistic and moving than superficial. It is nice to see photography that's moved us and makes us feel sadness, happiness and many other emotions. It shouldn't just be aesthetically pleasing but it should make us sit back and think. We are in a world today were we are constantly faced with images of 'perfect' looking models who appear to have the perfect appearence and because of this we sometimes feel that we should also look that way. Goldin's work in my opinion gives us the comfort that not everything is perfect nor should it be, we can also find perfection in something that is considered imperfect.

The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. Nan Goldin. 1983. Nan One Month After Being Battered



Martin Parr

I have to say I have never been a huge fan of Martin Parr's work, however it is safe to say he has became one of the best British photographers of our time. He is best known for his photography that includes aspects within modern life, more specifically life in England.

MARTIN PARR - FROM THE SERIES THE LAST RESORT (1986)

This image in particular shows the British public in a typical sea side restaurant in new Brighton. Although I wasn't born the time this image was taken it still gives me a feeling of nostalgia and understanding. I myself have been on more British holidays than abroad so I understand more about British culture especially growing up close to New Brighton. In my opinion these are the type of images that will forever be remembered because they capture our times and allow our future generation to have insight into our past experiences. I especially like the way Parr takes the essence of British culture giving it his own comical twist. I think this helps him as a photographer to stand out from the rest who are trying to achieve the documentary styled photographs.

Reading
Magnum Photos / Books / The Last Resort

Polaroid

Lady Gaga is quickly taking over a huge part of today’s music industry and now she is not just a music artist she is now a household name and a brand. Currently one of her latest achievements is being Creative Director for the new Polaroid camera series. In life this should be seen as a huge achievement however I believe advertisement can get out of control at times. For an artist to keep a long and healthy career within the music industry there needs to be a certain amount of control on how much publicity a person receives. People do not realise that Lady Gaga is only the creation of other peoples work, she has a good team backing her up and they too have years of experience. 
                             
 There is no doubt that she has a raw talent as she has gone from a thriving artist into an international superstar. Her efforts as a business woman are extremely successful but I think for the public to relate to you there needs to be a certain amount of realistic personality which is where she lacks. Although she has put in so much work to achieve her goals and supports many charities, I can’t help but think that a certain amount of this is contrived.