My Artist Statement

“I'm fat. I'm too skinny. I'd be happy if I were taller, shorter, had curly hair, straight hair, a smaller nose, bigger muscles, longer legs”

Body Image is a broad theme, which can be interpreted in many different ways. Of all contemporary issues, I chose this topic because it relates predominantly to my peer group. The people around me, like myself, are often concerned with their appearance and become constantly preoccupied and upset about their body imperfections. How we feel about our appearance is part of our body image and self-image. Lots of people have some kind of dissatisfaction with their bodies and often become caught up trying to attain what the fashion industry considers the “ideal” figure. This is especially true during teen years when our bodies and appearance go through changes.

This obsession is often influenced by social environment (cultural messages, criticism, and teasing), as well as the value society places on being perfect. People are incessantly surrounded by images of emaciated models that appear on the front cover of all fashion magazines, on television and in shopping mall windows, giving them the message that in order to be happy and successful, they must be flawless. This constant confrontation provokes teens to feel inadequate and go to great lengths to change what they look like, subsequently triggering body dysmorphic and eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.

Many people don't realize that the photos displayed in magazines have gone through many touch ups and have been airbrushed to make the models look perfect. My original idea, based on this theory, was to photograph this masked reality and underline the importance that teenagers need to realize that society's ideal body image is not achievable and the photos we see in magazines are not real either. I intended on highlighting this through portrait photography and comparing two images of the same person... one edited, airbrushed etc. and the other natural – a before and after display. However, rather than explore this interpretation of body image (which a few of my classmates are already looking at), I decided to look at the impact that media has on society and emphasize on the emotional and physical circumstances that can result. I illustrate this through the distorted view that many people suffering from such disorders have of themselves.

Using the distortion that can be produced underwater, I created a series of unique and idiosyncratic images that interpret the chosen theme in an original way. I took the photographs in the Australian Institute of Sport public swimming pool in Belconnen, which fortunately had mirrors running along the floors and enough light to capture clear photographs without the use of a flash. This eliminated the potential difficulty of having to remove light spots, which I have learned from previous experience, is very difficult to execute. Despite having a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to create and some roughly planned out sketches of the layout of my photographs, I was mostly inspired when I got into the water and began trying out various camera angles and perspectives through trial and error. Some turned out beautifully just by coincidence and others through hard work and precision.

My model, Natasha Pearce, was very patient and I commend her for the huge effort and time she put into helping me with this shoot. After working together for hours in the pool and experimenting with various techniques, we became more habituated with our environment and the photographs improved. There is certainly a clear distinction when comparing the photographs taken towards the end of the shoot, which look more professional and aesthetically pleasing, to those taken at the beginning.

This task has certainly made me realize how much more difficult underwater photography is, when compared to out of water photography. A lot of planning, effort, and long hours of hard work were put into the process. I personally contacted the AIS and organized a specific time to use the pool with the manager - at a time when there were no children or athletes training. I had to prove that the clothing I dressed my subject with, was not going to percolate any dye in the pool or drown my subject. Due to the pool regulations, a lifesaver also had to supervise us while we took the shoot. This made my model more apprehensive and it took some time before she loosened up and started feeling more relaxed and confident – I think this added to the awkward and uneasy feeling I tried to portray through my photographs.

While these restrictions made the process more time consuming and complicated, there were also other factors that added to the degree of difficulty. The pool we were shooting in had a depth of 2.5 metres and the mirrors were located at the bottom. This meant that each time we attempted a mirror shot, we had to swim (holding our breath) to the bottom and take a quick shot in a matter of milliseconds before swimming back up to get air - this might sound easy but after doing it over and over again it became very exhausting. My subject was wearing a long thick maxi dress in the shoot too, which added to the weight she had to carry. Although this piece of clothing looked great in the shoot, the weight meant my model fatigued quickly. As a result, we couldn’t shoot as deep as time passed because she didn’t have the strength to swim to the surface.  

With experience I can now justify that underwater photography is certainly the most difficult to practice. The shoot required numerous attempts at getting correct exposure, accurate focus, controlled movement of my subject and pleasing colour balance. Although there was plenty of light in the pool area, some photographs, taken at a greater depth, appear quite dark due to the loss of colour and contrast. I tried to adjust the colour balance to help offset the blueish tint of the water but wasn’t pleased with this result. Instead, I converted my images to black and white and, using colour selection, selected the outline of my model’s dress and left it in colour. I was really pleased with this outcome and decided to continue it through out the remaining photographs so that they all link together and form more of a distinguished series as such.

While most of the shoot took place completely underwater, some shots were taken half underwater/half above. This observed the distortion that is produced when water bends or refracts light, making things appear disfigured or much larger in proportion. This contrast between above-water and underwater distortion, shows the clear disparity between physical reality and emotional disbelief triggered when people become concerned with their appearance and their obsessive thoughts distort and magnify tiny imperfections. This "imagined ugliness" can become quite extreme and upsetting, which is what I tried to demonstrate through my series of photographs. I also took some shots looking down on my subject from the surface of the water. The distressed expression on her face and the angle of the shot, show her vulnerability and the extreme torment.

My project was influenced by the works of Narelle Autio (her fantastic underwater series the place in between and new colour works), Elena Kalis, Barbara Cole, Roger Ballen, Montalbetti&Campbell, David LaChapelle, and of course, my idol, David Doubillet - whom I gained plenty of advice and tips for shooting underwater. I discovered many interesting articles not only from the internet but also in books and magazines, which provided me with plenty of inspiration. I found that creating an online blog allowed me to explore a more contemporary medium and gave me the opportunity to express my views and feelings towards other artists work. The online blog has also allowed me to communicate and keep a clear record of my ideas and research over the last 7 weeks.

I am particularly fond of four images taken for this project, these works will be printed and placed in my end of year 12 exhibition. These along with my other work for this project will also be displayed in a 3-minute iMovie presentation (shown above), which will be shown to my class. This presentation is accompanied with a song of my choice, which best suits the mood of my photographs. I think this form of presentation has strong impact and communicates my theme in an original way.

As well as symbolic, I believe my photographs are aesthetically pleasing. Even though the series deals with a very upsetting theme, my prints are somehow peaceful and beautiful to look at. I have put a lot of effort into this project and I think my work this session is to the best of my ability. Exploring underwater photography has been a real challenge but I think it is something I could certainly pursue further in the future.

Elena Kalis - True Inspiration!

I came across Elena Kalis' underwater photography when I was researching techniques for my underwater photoshoot. I was absolutely blown away by her masterpieces; they are a true inspiration to my photography!

Kalis is a visual artist that was born in Russia and is specialized in underwater photography. She is inspired by the water, which surrounds her island home and is strongly influenced by the Brothers Grimm Tales she read as a child.

She spends time planning each shoot and goes through a process of designing the frame, procuring props, creating costumes and developing choreography. Residing in the Bahamas for the last 10 years, Elena brings the whimsical, hypnotic quality to each photograph, and transports the viewer into another truely magical world.

For her Alice in Wonderland shoot, she used her 10 year old daughter as her model. The results are some really fascinating photos that not only transmit all the surrealism and imagination of the original story, but take it a step forward. I believe her work is a beautiful manifestation of feelings, perception and great love and dedication to the art of photography.

Take a look at her website here

Project Update

I am supposed to keep my blog updated with working procedures in regards to my project, which will be due in the next 2 weeks!

Over the past 5 weeks, I have gone through the process of..

•     researching other artists,
•     coming up with a creative idea to compliment a contemporary issue,
•     developing it into a carefully thought out concept,
•     planning a shoot and carrying it out,
•     …and right now I am editing the finished product.

After several attempts of trying to shoot at different places (Manuka pool, Rydges hotel pool, Civic pool etc.), my friend informed me of a really great location at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) public swimming pool. Fortunately, the pool is fitted with mirrors that line the floors for athletes to monitor their strokes in training. So after hearing of this great opportunity, I called the manager of the pool, explained what my project was for/about and organized a suitable time to photograph on Thursday morning. I had to take the morning off school because there was no other time during the week that wouldn’t be busy with athlete training or open to the public.

The shoot went really well and I am extremely pleased with the results, which should be displayed on this blog shortly. After careful deliberation, I managed to select 30 of my favourites from over 200 photographs taken on the day. These photographs will be edited on photoshop in the next week and handed in for marking. 

Laura Sackett: Liminal Portraits

The resulting project, Liminal Portraits, chronicles Laura Sackett’s investigation into the teenage world of social networks and iChatting. Inspired by her daughter’s online social life, Sackett began putting together the following series of clips. 


"Ichats are uniquely narcissistic because one sees oneself talking into the 'camera'" she says, "Adolescence is a particularly transitional time in life, a time when teens are experimenting with and forming their identity. And with today’s wired kids, they have the opportunity to create virtual identities – every time they log on to a computer." 

By creating remote images with teens using iChat on multiple computers, Sacketts project explores a new form of portraiture. She investigates this new form of the virtual self, which, like her adolescent subject, is liminal – and constantly changing.

Julia Curtin: Appropriation Artist

When I was visiting the lens culture website, I came across the artist Julia Curtin, another photographer who uses appropriation in her work. However, rather than just reusing another artist’s work, adjusting the image slightly (or not at all) and altering the context so that it differs from its original state, Cutin uses the photographs to create sculptures! The UK born artist has created three-dimensional photographic sculpture representations or “appropriations” of two-dimensional depression-era photographs taken by the well-known photographers Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange - both photographers that became central in defining aspects of the documentary genre. Curtin deconstructs and subsequently reconstructs the three dimensional models of settlement that are depicted in their original images. The images shown below are a selection from the series which she calls ‘Resettlement’, shown at the LCC BA Photography Degree Show in 2009...

Original image by Walker Evans, 1936

Appropriation by Julia Curtin

Resettlement focuses on the vernacular architecture, the transient, makeshift structures inhabited by the migratory victims of the 1930s Great Depression. - Julia Cutin

Original image by Dorothea Lange

Appropriation by Julia Curtin

In conclusion, I find the work of Julia Curtin aesthetically pleasing. When compared to Sherri Levine’s series, I would presume that Curtin’s 'appropriations' change the appearance and perspective of the original image, rather than its original conceptual idea.

Chaotic Harmony: Korean Contemporary Photography Exhibition

Chaotic Harmony is a collection of photographs that formed an exhibit at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA). Consisting of 42 large-scale photographs from Korean contemporary photographers, this presentation opens a window onto the dynamic photographic scene of Korean contemporary art.

Within the exhibition, two distinct generations of Korean artists are represented: those born in the mid-1950s and 1960s (during a succession of military dictatorships when the country was still largely agrarian) and those born in the 1970s (predominantly in urban areas and who came into maturity in the new democratic era which began in 1987). The recent works explore contemporary issues through the 5 thematic sections of land and sea; urbanization and globalization; family, friends, and memory; identity: cultural and personal; and anxiety.

After watching an interview with Karen Sinsheimer, SBMA's Curator of Photography (click here to view), I selected a few of my favourite photographs from the exhibition and evaluated them. I was blown away by the dynamic artistic activity and culture revealed throughout the exhibition. Some artists display very avant-garde and colourful large-scale images, whereas others have used more traditional photographic techniques.

Bae Bien-U

‘Kyung ju’ from the series ‘Sonamu’

This large-scale photograph was taken in one of the sacred pine forest of South Korea, which were cut down by the Japanese when they dominated Korea for 35 years. I think Bien-U’s intention was to photograph the beautiful peninsula and remaining curved pine-trees as a celebration and representation of the strength of Korean people. High contrast, soft imagery and a modern simplicity all support this beautiful print. Bien-U also demonstrates good use of the 'rule of thirds' and balance.

Dae-Soo Kim

‘Untitled’ from the series ‘Bamboo’ (1998-2008)

This photograph of a Korean bamboo growth was taken in traditional black and white photography mode, a very prevalent method used in Korea. The silver gelatin print itself is extremely delicate and looks very much like a negative. When observed more closely, the photograph gives an op-art effect where sometimes the darks advance and other times the whites advance – strong emphasis on abstraction. Like Bae Bieun-U’s photograph (above), the composition is simple, high contrasting and very effective.

Sekwon Ahn

'Seoul New Town’ (2005-2007)  

This triptych compares the rapid development over a period of 4 years (2003-2007) in a small town in South Korea. Fundamentally, it highlights urbanization & globalization of Korea – a huge contemporary issue being faced more and more as the world’s population increases. Although simple, this series is effective and gets a clear message across quickly without explanation.

Kyung Duk Kim

‘Refrigerator’, 2008

Looking at everyday life and exploring cultural identity, this artist has put together a collection of thirty photographs, one taken per day, of inside his refrigerator. I think this series of photographs is a reflection on the orderly society of Korea – a place where every young man serves in military for 2 years. It highlights the militaristic underpinning, which seems to pervade even the social lives of Koreans. Duk Kim has also looked at other typologies in Korean such as lampshades, bed covers etc. and I find his series of work to be very effective. The use of balance, line and unity also contribute to the overall purpose.

Chan-Hyo Bae

Existing in costume, 2008

I found this series very interesting and I was captivated by the artists’ story!

In his artist statement, Chan-Hyo Bae states that as a student studying in London, he always felt like an outsider - In Korea there are known rules for behaviour but in London he felt that he didn’t know how to act or behave. His whole concept was that if he dressed as an historical figure (in costume) he would somehow fit in. So, he made a whole series of photographs of himself dressed in traditional clothing. This series of self-portraits explores the theme of personal identity…

 

Interestingly enough, when he finally went back to Korea, he equally felt like an outsider!

  

Yeondoo Jung

‘Bewitched #2’

In his series, Yeondoo Jung asked a group of young people who they are and who they aspire to be. He then photographed them in their environment and, using digital editing techniques, created a superimposed duplicate of them in their imagined environment. Similar to the technique used by photographer Sekwon Ahn, the photographs are laid side-by-side so that a clear comparison can be made. In the two photographs above, Jung purposely gave the girl an aggressive expression to make her appear more independent and determined. This contrasts against her gentle expression and the bright pink of the ice-cream parlor clearly displayed in the photo to the left - I think the artist may have also been exploring the theme of women’s role in society.

Sungsoo Koo

‘Tour Bus’ from the series ‘Magical Reality’ (2005-2006)

This series of photographs labeled ‘Magical reality’ have been described as both ‘kitsch’ and ‘wonderous’. An incredible and overwhelming sense of colour, noise, neon etc. is projected, highlighting the constantly bombarding and over-the-top commercialism of Korea. Tour buses, like this one, are now found everywhere! ‘A jarring note but at the same time there’s something wonderful about them’, the photographer is attempting to celebrate the transcending ‘kitsch’ and understand the infusion of western influence on Korean society.

Sanggil Kim

Off-line: Burberry internet community’ from the series ‘off-line’ (2005)

This photograph depicts a modern phenomenon: people who met over the internet, united by a common passion, in this case, that of wearing Burberry Check and enjoying an “off-line” get-together. What really strikes me in this image, is that none of the people in the photograph are smiling – they all look very serous? This may be a reflection on the conformity of Korean life.

Sunmin Lee

‘Lee, Sunja’s House #1 – Ancestral Rites’ from the series ‘Woman’s House II’ (2003-2004)  

This photograph of a Korean family reflects the tensions in shifting societal values and practices as Korea continues its rapid growth. Traditionally, families followed Confucian norms: the father was the respected head of household and made decisions for his wife and children, financially supporting the family and arranging schooling and marriages. Social values have changed with increasing awareness of Western cultures through travel and the importation of Western products and media. Also with dramatic urban growth, came shifts from homes to crowded high rises, the entrance of women into the workforce, and other changes. Sunmin Lee’s photograph portrays traditional values playing out in a modern setting: the men and boys of a family conduct traditional rituals in one room while the women watch from the doorway. 

Appropriation in Art

Dictionary meaning: “Appropriation - The artistic practice or technique of reusing another’s imagery in a context which differs from its original state, typically without the owners permission.”

To get a thorough understanding of what appropriation is, I looked at a wide variety of resources and studied the works of several different artists working with this technique. I must admit I was astonished at some of the information I read and work that I found! 

Here are just a few artists…

Cindy Sherman

Barbara Kruger

Richard Prince

Original Marlboro ad by Jim Krantz

Richard Prince's Appropriation

Shepard Fairey

I recently saw this artists work at an exhibition in the national gallery, here in Canberra! 

Although the artists above have interesting work and conceptual ideas, the photographs of Sherrie Levine, one of the world’s best-known post-modernists, drew more to my attention. With careful reading and discussion with my photography teacher, Peter (a very wise resouce!), I was able to get my head around the purpose of her work. I also found this really interesting article (click here), which also mentions some of the other artists listed above.

Unlike with Richard Prince, whose rephotographs of advertising imagery divert one’s gaze towards everyday ‘visual culture’ and re-evaluates it, Levine reflects the mechanism of the art system, built around expressions such as authorship and originality, and questions this. Her work is based purely on the conceptual idea rather than the aesthetic artwork itself.

Her controversial images (shown below) are simply photographed artworks of past photographers such as Walker Evans, Manet, Degas, Malevich, Schiele, Van Gogh, Klee, Duchamp, among many others.

She signs her own name to the reproductions she creates and labels her work “after walker evans” or whichever artists work she has used. Her own works are thus 'appropriations' of works by other artists. They prove how unclear in our times is the status of artworks, which more often appear to us as popular icons that are disseminated by advertising and usurped by mass culture. 

Sherrie Levine 

Apart from a slight change in size, there is no collaging or reworking, nor any changes in format, medium, or style. Levine has simply made an exact copy and claimed that copy as her own original (copyrighted) work.

Annie Leibovitz: A Photographers Life EXHIBITION

19 NOVEMBER 2010 - 27 MARCH 2011

This summer the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is thrilled to present the work of legendary American photographer Annie Leibovitz to Australian audiences. Leibovitz has been making powerful images documenting American popular culture since the early 1970s, when her photographs began appearing in Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten years later she began working for Vanity Fair, and then Vogue US, creating a diverse body of work.

Following a record-breaking tour in the US and Europe, this hugely popular exhibition showcases commercial, documentary and personal works selected by the artist. At the heart of the exhibition are images that record the personal moments from Leibovitz’s life, including births, deaths, reunions and vacations. 

I happened to come across this notice on the MCA website when I was researching contemporary artists. Annie Liebovitz is one of my all time favourite photographers and I look forward to visiting this exhibition in Sydney at the end of November!  

Below, I have added some of the portraits being displayed in the exhibition - well-known figures, including actors Brad Pitt, Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman, Patti Smith, Johnny Cash and Mick Jagger will feature.