Exam Paper
Selecting a question - Initial Ideas:
After reading through and considering the various exam questions, I began to generate potential ideas and initial research. I was initially unsure about which topic to choose - I had ideas surrounding all of the individual questions. To narrow it down, I sketched out some brief plans and ideas for each topic, so that I decide on a question based on the most interesting ideas that I generated. Through this process, I chose to get rid of questions 4,6,7 and 8. I thought that these were the least interesting options available, and I had better ideas for a number of the other questions. From this process, I decided I am mostly likes to either choose 1. Changed Spaces, or 2. Materials.
After considering all of the options available, I decided to choose question 2, 'Materials' as my focus. I selected this question due to the extensive options and hugely varied potential outcomes and avenues of investigation I could pursue. There are so many different ways I which I would pursue this question, as the whole world is made up of materials, even photographs themselves are material.
Materials
Initial ideas - mind mapping
The materiality of photographs themselves
In 'Photography' by Steven Bull, I am primarily interested in his investigation into photographs as physical objects, focusing on the materiality of photographs themselves. I find the concept of photographs as objects themselves as three dimensional objects interesting, especially in contrast to digital images, which are pixels made up of data and digital code. Moreover, the contrast of physical images, comparatively to a camera obscura, which effectively directs and projects light onto a surface. Moreover, this book talks about the physical substance that make up photographs: 'as chemical deposits on paper, as images mounted on a multitude of different sized, shaped and coloured card', describing photographs like this as 'material objects'. This contrast to the digital image is interesting, as film photographs are effectively images formed on light sensitive, gelatin coated strips. They have been 'dematerialised' through digital photography, becoming virtual files of data viewed through screens of pixels; although he also identifies 'touch screens', returning the photographs to stimulate the 'materiality of physical photographs'.
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How has photography historically explored materials?
Henry Fox Talbot - Photography for science
Henry Fox Talbot developed and invented various photographic processes. Using a series of chemical light sensitive processes, Fox Talbot was able to develop early photography as a scientific medium predominantly, as well as more of an artistic medium subsequently. In his early scientific pieces, Fox Talbot was able to capture the materials and of various objects and substances, and create identical photo reproductions of these various plants, landscapes etc. Through his early photographic inventions, he was able to create photographic prints which captured the scientific materials he was investigating in perfect detail/accuracy. Fox Talbot was one of the first photographers to capture the material reality of the world through scientific photography, developing various processes. He lead the way in documenting and investigating the properties of materials, both organic and man made.
New Vision/New Objectivity movement - Documenting natural/man made materials
The New Vision/New Objectivity movement was founded largely on the basis of many Bauhaus students, as well as in response to the change in art following the First World War conflict, and subsequent shift away from stylised photography. This new movement rejected the 'pictorialist' style of image manipulation which was popular before the First World War, instead recording the material reality of real life instead of the painterly images that were popular before the War. People wanted to create photographs with more strength and realism following the War, people had lost interested in creating idealistic and sentimental photographs, deciding to use photography to capture the world clearly and precisely, as it really was, instead. Moreover, artists like Albert Renger-Patszch were primarily interested in the 'high-fidelity' of photography - capturing the material reality of the world in the highest possible quality and accuracy. In many of the photographs typical of the New objectivity movement, the artists focus on textures and material surfaces, as well as the industrial materials of factories and urban spaces; these sharp, high quality images were supposed to capture the world in as high quality as their own eyes, documenting the material surface reality of their surroundings.
Photographs by Iwao Yamawaki, Laslzo moholy-Nagy, Renger-Patzsch and Jaromir Funke:
Albert Renger-Patzsch, Edward Weston & Josef Sudek
"The camera should be used for a recording of life, for rendering the very substance and quintessence of the thing itself, whether it be polished steel or palpitating flesh."
- Edward Weston, 1924
- Edward Weston, 1924
Inspired by the New Objectivity movement and Bauhuas artists, Edward Weston similarly rejected his previous pictorial style, developing and beginning to embrace the ideas of capturing the world as in reality and high fidelity of his finely detailed photographs. Similarly to Renger-Patszch, he capturefd the textures and material surface reality of the subjects that surrounded him.
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Renger-Patzsch & Weston's work: |
Josef Sudek - Still lives and glass
Again, Josef Sudek moved away significantly from Pictorialism, abandoning this for the approach and concepts of capturing reality (of the New Objectivity Movement). Sudek was mainly interested in the sharp, high quality and detail of his prints, whilst taking strong inspiration especially from the style and subject matter of artists like Jaromir Funke.
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Stephen Gill
I am primarily interested in Stephen Gill's photography focusing on combining materials and media - overlaying objects, layered on top of his photographs. This investigation combining materials and photography through the medium of colour photograms could be a key point of inspiration for my own work. I am drawn to his ability to document and describe a place not only by capturing light, but also combining physical objects from the places themselves - adding another layer to the images.
'Coexistence' by Stephen Gill:
In 'coexistence', Stephen Gill turns his focus to a pond amongst industrial wasteland, situated in a former steelmaking area. He focused on the microscopic life in the pond, unseen life that emerged after the demise of industry. Through this project, he investigated the parallels between our lives and the ecosystem within this pond, using this to combine portraiture with the contents of the pond itself. To create these images, he filled a bucket with contents of the pond, photographing through the water teeming with life using an underwater camera, whilst dipping the prints into the pond to combine the microscopic life of the pond onto the surface of the prints.
I am interested in this investigation, combining the physical substances and microscopic life within the pond with photography. Combining the materials and substances of the pond with light - creating images where the light has been distorted by water and substances from within the pond have transferred onto the page. I like the relationship between the textures and details of the materials, alongside the visual elements and colours of the photographs themselves.
'Off Ground' by Stephen Gill:
In 'Off Ground', Stephen Gill documents the remnants and traces left behind by the London riots. After a night of rioting and chaos in Hackney, Stephen Gill collecting pieces of rubble and brick used a projectiles, thrown at the police and smashing shop windows in Hackney. He subsequently documented these traces, photographing them in his studio in the form of a typology.
In this series by Stephen Gill, I am primarily interested in his focus on the materials and leftover remnants from the riot. I am interested in Gill's close-up, detailed documentation of the objects, focusing in on the rough detailed material surfaces of the rocks and bricks. It is almost like a forensic study, with straight forward typological photographs of each individual piece of rock used as part of the riots. It is also interesting to see how Stephen Gill documented the riots, focusing on the leftover traces of the rioting, the materials and pieces of rock people used to smash glass and incite violence - focusing on the material traces of the event rather than the event itself.
'Talking to Ants' and 'Outside in' by Stephen Gill:
In these projects, Stephen Gill documents his local region of Hackney, photographing the river and traces from the area. However, in making these photographs, he also combined objects and materials from the surrounding landscape. Through these photographs, Gill is not only capturing light and documenting his surroundings through the medium of photography, but also combining and using materials themselves from the landscape in these images, layering them on top of the photographs throughout this project.
To create these photograms, Gill used a plastic box camera, placing a number of objects and materials he discovered inside the camera itself. As a result, the outcome was a number of photograms that layered objects and materials on top of the subjects in the photographs. I really like these series, especially with the contrast of shapes and tones of the objects and materials on top of the richly coloured photographs themselves. I am interested in how Stephen Gill documents a certain place - not only by photographing his surroundings, but collecting and using materials and objects from each place, using them in the colour photograms themselves.
Hélène Binet
Hélène Binet's photography:
I began to focus on Helene Binet primarily as I was interested in the way she explores the material surface of concrete and the material surfaces of buildings particularly in her photography. In particular, she uses photography to capture and document primarily the architecture that surrounds her. She focuses on the way that light hits the surface of concrete and other materials as well. I especially like Binet's architectural compositions, the way that she composes images of complex architectural lines and shapes. As well as this, she focuses effectively on light/dark areas, with high contrast photographic outcomes. Moving forward, I could use Binet as inspiration to explore and investigate the urban architectural environment that surrounds me. Similarly to Binet, I could use the camera as a tool to investigate and focus on the material surfaces and textures of buildings. I am also interested in architecture, and I would enjoy experimenting with architectural compositions and playing with lines and shapes, especially in my surrounding urban environment
Fay Godwin
I was primarily interested in the ability of Fay Godwin to capture the fine detail and textures of plants in her glassworks series. I am interested in her ability to capture the fine, material detail of the surfaces and colour of the various glassworks in this series, as well as the details and material textures of the various plants and organic forms in these photographs. These photographs remind me significantly of many of Stephen Gills photographs, which combine landscapes with photograms/combinations of plants. Fay Godwin could inspire a number of my ideas/photographic responses moving forward, I would like to potential explore plants and organic forms using macro photography - capturing plants in the finest, closest possible detail using a close-up macro lens. Experimenting with glass would also be interesting - focusing on reflections and distortions of light as well as the material surface quality of various types of glass.
'Glassworks' by Fay Godwin:
Focusing on the material surface of object/materials - Glass macro experiments
Using a macro lens, I wanted to focus on the material surface and quality of glass. I wanted to investigate, what is the finest possible detail I can capture of the surface of the glass? How can I investigate and explore the material surface and quality of glass? I used a number of different types of glass - glass vases and ornaments as well as fragments of glass. I set my macro lens to the finest/closest focusing distance, to capture the finest possible detail close-up of the material surfaces of different types and fragments of glass. Moreover, I also experimented with light, reflections and distortion, playing with how the light reacts and hits the various material surfaces of different pieces of glass. I created varied compositions, focusing on the light reflecting off different angles and surfaces within the varied shapes of glass vases, bottles fragments etc. I used these varied shapes of colour, form and light to create a range of different compositions.
Sample of my photos:
Click here for the full set of my Glass macro experiments
Overall, these glass photographic experiments were relatively successful. Using a macro lens, I was relatively successful in being able to capture the fine textures and material details of the various surfaces of the pieces of glass. In the high quality images, the details and textures of the various glass objects are captured in fine detail and clarity. I would like to expand and persue this project further by investigating other ways in which I can observe and record glass in high quality/detail photographically.
Above are a series of photograms I created in the darkroom using a variety of different pieces of glass that I used for my macro series focusing on its material surface. I places the glass pieces onto the surface of the photographic paper and exposed them, this captured the outlines, shapes and some details of textures of the glass objects onto the surface of the photographic paper. In this way, I was able to transfer the shapes and detail of the glass onto the photographic paper using the process of exposing light onto the glass.
Izaac Enciso - 51 Miles
I began to focus on Enciso's series due to his focus on materials, and the way in which he investigated and documented the LA river. Enciso used fragments of glass found that he found on the river banks to construct a number of filters. He subsequently re-photographed the LA river with these these constructed filters mounted on top of the front of the camera lens. As a result, he created a number of documentary landscapes with vibrant colour casts from where he was shooting through the different pieces of glass. This process of investigating/documenting a specific place is interesting - especially the concept of using the materials and objects themselves from the LA river as part of his photographs investigating this place.
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Izaac Enciso's series:
My Intial Response
In response to izaac Enciso I subsequently made a number of my own filters to partially distort and obscure the camera lens. Using marker pens, I sketched marks and patches of various colours onto the pieces of acetate. I subsequently took photographs whilst holding the pieces of acetate in front of the lens. I experimented, looking through the viewfinder of the camera and arranging the pieces of acetate in different ways. This created various colour combinations and effects in the images. When photographing, I was mainly focusing on the shapes and silhouetted outlines of plants and tree branches. This was also partly inspired by Fay Godwin's glassworks series. Inspired by her, I similarly wanted to capture the details and shapes of organic forms and plants. I played with light as well when photographing. I often pointed the camera into the light and sun, creating washes of bright light and contrasty silhouettes. This was effective in conjunction with the bright colours of he acetate filters. In front of the lens, these filters produced washes of bright colour in the style of Izaac Enciso. Moving forward, I want to take inspiration from Enciso's concept of creating filters using the glass that he discovered on the banks of the LA river. I am very interested in this concept of exploring and investigating a place through the materials and objects found at the location. How can I use/document materials that describe a certain place?
Process:
Sample of my photos:
Overall, this set of images was relatively successful. I like the combination and arrangement of different elements within each photograph. I was also able to explore and capture the material surface detail of the various plants and organic forms in this series - I especially like the shapes of the leaves and branches in the images. The washes of bright colour from the filters were relatively effective - applying another layer to the images. Some of these outcomes were more successful than others, and I especially like the bright, partially overexposed outcomes with bright washes of colour; these were more successful on balance compared to the darker images. I especially like images such as this, and this, where bright washes of colour have partially obscured the silhouetted background details, with the shapes of branches appearing through patches of colour in images like this one.
Click here for the full set of my photos inspired by Izaac Enciso
Thames foreshore typology - found objects & materials
After studying Stephen Gill's typological series 'Off Ground', I wanted to investigate my surroundings by focusing on the materials and objects of certain places. For this series of images, I went to the Thames foreshore, whith these small beaches on the banks of the Thames river full of rocks, discarded objects and other debris that had washed up on the shore. I walked around, studying the various rocks and objects and observing the rocks beneath my feet. I collected the most interesting objects and debris that I encountered - old objects and materials as well as rocks and coloured glass for example.
My idea was to photograph all of these collected objects as a photographic typology, focusing on the detailed, aged material surfaces of the various objects, with pieces of glass smoothed and worn down by the moving waters. My concept was to document the Thames foreshore, not by photographing the place directly, but by documenting the objects and materials from the foreshore itself. I wanted to capture and describe the place through the material surface and details of the objects and debris that I collected from the foreshore. This is inspired to Gill's series where he documents the London riots in hackney through photographing the material surface of the objects and debris left behind by the riots. Similarly to Gill, I photographed all of he objects individually on a white background, isolating each object against a plain backdrop. I wanted to view each object isolated individually, with no background distraction - so they would focus on the detail and look directly at the detail and material quality of each individual object.
My idea was to photograph all of these collected objects as a photographic typology, focusing on the detailed, aged material surfaces of the various objects, with pieces of glass smoothed and worn down by the moving waters. My concept was to document the Thames foreshore, not by photographing the place directly, but by documenting the objects and materials from the foreshore itself. I wanted to capture and describe the place through the material surface and details of the objects and debris that I collected from the foreshore. This is inspired to Gill's series where he documents the London riots in hackney through photographing the material surface of the objects and debris left behind by the riots. Similarly to Gill, I photographed all of he objects individually on a white background, isolating each object against a plain backdrop. I wanted to view each object isolated individually, with no background distraction - so they would focus on the detail and look directly at the detail and material quality of each individual object.
Sample of my images:
Click here for the full set of my Thames Foreshore typology photos
Overall, I think this photographic typology was relatively successful. Through photographing and carefully documenting the material surfaces, and textures, of objects and materials discovered on the Thames foreshore, I was able to create an effective typology. The range of different objects I collected and photographed makes this series particularly interesting -with the range of different shapes, colours, textures and overall wide variety of different types of objects and materials throughout the series. I am interested in the ability of materials and objects to reveal and document a place, with the history of these places almost captured and ingrained into the material surfaces of these objects. Moving forward, I would like to experiment more, using the theme of 'materials' to underpin further experiments and documentary series exploring the material reality of different places.
Stephen Calcutt - 'Bus Stops'
In Stephen Calcutt's series 'Bus Stops', he focuses on the scratched details and surfaces of the plastic backing of bust stops. He focuses on the surface of the plastic, with the colours and shapes of the background appearing blurred and defocused behind the scratched textured surface. I was interested in how Calcutt captures the material surface quality of the bus stops, documenting the scratches and marks that have built up on the surface of the plastic over time.
My Response
Process:
To create a scratched surface inspired by Stephen Calcutt, I used a sheet of acetate and scratched and drew onto the surface of the sheet. I applied tape and splodges of ink, as well as drawing and scratching into the surface of the acetate using an etching needle. I scratched words and shapes onto the acetate, emulating the textures and scratched on the surface of the bus stop shelters in Stephen Calcutt's series.
Sample of my images:
Click here for the full set of my photos inspired by Stephen Calcutt
Overall, I think the outcome of this series experimenting with acetate was relatively successful. Through these images, I was able to capture and explore the material surface and finely detailed texture of the sheet of acetate I drew and scratched in to. Moreover, using reflections using light, I was able to produce a more developed series of experiments. Using the reflective surface and scratches, I was able to produce a number abstracted images. In these compositions, I experimented with light shining through the scratched sheet of acetate, with various colour and tones emerging through this sheet of plastic. Photos like this with abstracted, geometrical reflected light, lines and shapes worked particularly well, as well as other images like this one, with defocused areas of light appearing through the scratches and pen marks on the material surface of the acetate; as well as marks and material details visible in this image for example, on the surface of the acetate (I could focus on fine detail with a macro lens). This experiments were quite interesting and effective, exploring the material surface of the acetate in more experimental, varied ways.
Darkroom Experimentation
Following my photography experimenting with the scratched surface of the acetate sheet, I subsequently wanted to experiment with how I could develop this. In particular, I wanted to experiment with translating the scratched textures onto different material surfaces, and using different processes. Moreover, in the darkroom, I wanted to see how I could disrupt and manipulate the material surface of the photographic paper (through painting on the developer, playing with the surface of the paper etc.) The outcome of these prints were quite interesting - I like how the scratches into the material surface of the acetate sheets have been translated onto photographic paper, as well as how I have disrupt the material surface of the photographic paper by painting developer onto certain sections of some of the prints.
Tate Exchange - Dafna Talmor workshop & Collage experiments
At the workshop, Diana Talmor spoke about her practice, primarily her collage constructions made using positive and negative film. By cutting and combining different sections of film, Talmor constructs her own re-imagined landscapes by combining a number of images. I was interested in Dafna Talmor's film manipulations/collages. I was particularly interested in the way that she disrupts and manipulates the material surface of the film, cutting up and overlapping different sections.
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Acetate collaging:
Using images printed on acetate, the group experimented with collaging and combining different sections, colour and shapes of photographs. Here, different pieces of acetate depicting a variety of materials surfaces and textures were combined to create effective compositions that were subsequently projected onto the wall.
Experimenting with colour slide collages:
There were a number of different ways that people created collages using colour film, creating complex compositions of colours and shapes. Click to see a number of slides constructed in the workshop:
Here it was interesting to see the photograph traditionally as a material in itself, with photographs appearing as small pieces of light sensitive plastic film. Cutting and collaging the plastic surface of the colour positive film was interesting to manipulate the images, by physically manipulating the roll of film itself.
Overall this slide construction was quite effective. I think that the arrangement of different collaged sections worked well, with the contrast of colour and subject matter throughout the different sections of the collaged colour slides. The concepts behind this were interesting - especially how I would manipulate and cut up the material surface of the slide photographs, How can I manipulate and disrupt the material surface of the photograph itself, in this form as a tangible objects (unlike digital photographs which are virtual images made up of pixels and binary code). Moreover, playing with a physical photograph (the slides are physical materials in themselves) was enjoyable.
Berlin 'materials' - Textures and details
Throughout my Berlin trip, I was focusing on the themes of materials through my photography. As well as focusing on how history is captured in the material surfaces of the city (and places), I was also focusing on the material details and surfaces that surrounded me. I was focusing primarily on the details and textures of the city, the materials that make up an urban place like Berlin. Moreover, I was focusing on the different materials that surrounded me - what dominated the city? In particular, I began to notice the dominance of concrete in the city. Especially the huge complexes of old East German socialist housing schemes - the brutalist concrete blocks of flats that dominate formerly communist East Berlin in particular. As well as this, the textures and contrasting materials to this - the textures of the public transport system, the graffiti and marks people leave on the surface of the city etc. Overall, I think these images are relatively effective. Although some of the images are weaker than others, I was able to describe Berlin through the material surface of its infrastructure and buildings of the city to an extent. However, I would have liked to experiment more and explore material surfaces and details of the city in a number of different ways, such as producing a typology to document a particular material for example. Moving forward, I could potentially use these images as a basis for further experimentation and image manipulation.
Sample of my photos:
Click here for the full set of my Berlin 'details and textures' images
Jewish Museum and Holocaust Memorial Berlin - Inspired by Hélène Binet
Taking inspiration from Helene Binet, I photographed the Jewish museum and holocaust memorial in Berlin. When photographing, I was primarily focusing on creating architectural compositions, focusing on various architectural shapes and lines in the photographs. Direction of lines was a key focus - I was thinking about diagonals (in contrast to horizontal/vertical lines) especially as well as the compositions of varied shapes. However, I was mainly focusing on materials throughout this series. I wanted to capture the material surface of the concrete walls of the buildings, as well as the way in which light hits the surface of he concrete. The details on the surface of the concrete were interesting - with different marks and textures on the surface of the walls. The interacting of light vs shadow on the material surface of the building was a key point of interest. How can I capture the way in which the light interacts with the material surfaces of the building?
Sample of my photos - Jewish Museum Berlin:
Click here for the full set of my photos from the Jewish museum
Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of this set of photographs focusing on the Jewish Museum inspired by Helene Binet. I converted this images to Black and White, in order to focus closely on the material surfaces and details in the photographs, without the distraction of colour. Moreover, I thought that the outcome of these images was especially effective in monochrome, with the mood created by the stark brutalist lines and shapes of the building in monochrome, and harsh contrast between light and dark areas of shadow. The combination of different textures was also quite effective in this series. I like the shimmering rough textures of the installation of cut out iron faces on the floor within a space in the museum. Moreover, the contrast of the textures of the concrete was interesting in contrast to the exterior building, as well as windows, and light etc. I especially liked the material surface textures of the the windows with images of light shining through a small window in the museum, as well as light reflecting and interacting with the material surface of the concrete walls.
Sample of my photos - Holocaust Memorial Berlin:
As well as the jewish museum, I also created a series of photographs at the Jewish Memorial in Berlin, again inspired by Helen Binet. Here, I also had the opportunity of experimenting and playing the the material surface and details of the memorial in various ways, as well as creating geometric compositions. When photographing, I focused on a number of different elements of the memorial. In some images, I focused closely on the material surfaces of the concrete, whereas other images I documented the rows of huge concrete blocks extending into the distance. Again, I was focusing on architectural geometric shapes, and the way light interacted and reflected off of he surface of these concrete blocks. Overall, these images were quite successful, although they could have been more varied (I could have used different focal lengths, zooming and cropping in to different sections of the concrete monument). However, these images are quite effective in black and white, with the rows of concrete blocks appearing ominous and stark in monochrome, which dark areas of shadow in contrast to the bright sky (black vs. white, light vs. dark).
Click here for the full set of my photos from the Holocaust memorial
Experimenting with film: Kodak Tmax 400 + Minolta Riva Zoom 150
Outcome of my photos:
I used this roll of film to photograph in Berlin, capturing the material surfaces and details of the surroundings in Berlin. I focused on the material surfaces and details in the Jewish museum in Berlin, as well as details and textures of the Berlin Wall. Overall, these images are relatively successful - although these images aren't pin sharp (the compact camera I was using wasn't brilliant quality), I like the graining textures and rendition of light/shadow in the film images. The film stock produced very high contrast images, with strong/bold rendition dark shadows. The gritty grainy quality of the film adds another element/surface quality to the photographs, providing another materials, textural aspect to the photos.
click here to see the full resolution images
Experimentation
To develop my photographs inspired by Helene Binet particularly, I also wanted to experiment with creating physical cut-out objects using the geometric images of the Jewish museum to create stencils. Moreover, I also wanted to experiment in the darkroom to capture and record the various geometric shapes onto the surface of photographic paper.
The photograms I created using the cut out stencils of photographs of the Jewish Museum were relatively effective. I liked the geometric shapes and lines of the photograms from where I had cut into the main shapes and lines of the photographs of the jewish museum, capturing the geometric compositions of the cut outs in the material surface of the photographic paper (where the light has exposed the paper through the cut out gaps in the stencil). I thought that these geometrical photograms were successful, I like the details and composition of the geometric experiments.
My Outcome:
After cutting out and arranging these stencils by stacking/layering them on the table, I was able to subsequently re-photograph them using a telephoto and macro lens. Stacking and layering them, standing up on the table, I then used a macro lens as well as a long focal length telephoto lens. Using the telephoto lens, I zoomed into different sections - photographing the images and layered stencils appearing through the cut out gaps. I used a macro lens to focus and capture fine details on the material surface of the image stencils, with a shallow depth of field focusing the eye on specific details. Overall, the outcome of these photographs are relatively successful - creating geometrical, abstracted compositions of different lines, shapes and textures. I like the layering of different stencils in the photographs, with sharp in-focus sections of the stencils appearing through out-of-focus elements and shapes.
Click here for the full set of my photos of my Jewish museum constructions
Further darkroom experiments
Using the stencils as well as the Kodak TMax negatives from Berlin, I decided to experiment further in the darkroom. Again I used the architectural cut out stencils of the Jewish Museum, however, I combined these with the negatives to produce a new set of photograms. After loading various negatives into the enlarger, I then placed some of the stencils on top of the photographic paper before exposing them. As a result, the grainy details of the negatives appeared through the gaps in the stencils in the photograms. I think that these prints are quite successful - the textures and details of the negatives appearing through the gaps in the geometric cut out stencils to add another material/textural element to the prints.
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Nuclear Bunker Berlin - Focusing on Industrial materials and light
In Berlin, we visited a nuclear bunker, built during the Cold War in case of an attack. I wanted to document this location almost as a historical artefact - how could I capture the history of this place in the materials and surfaces of the bunker? When photographing, I was focusing on the industrial materials of the bunker - the concrete walls and floors as well as the steel beds and pipes running across the ceiling. It was interesting to capture these industrial materials and surfaces, especially with the colourful lighting and contrast to light and dark. I am particularly interested how the trace of the Cold War are captured/manifested in this nuclear bunker - The extent of Cold War tensions and fear of an attack leading to the construction of this bunker with thick concrete walls and metal bunks.
My photos:
click here to see the full resolution images
Overall, the outcome of this series was relatively successful. visually, I like the colour and contrast of light and dark in the images. I was also able to capture the material surfaces and industrial interior of the bunker quite effectively, with textures of the material surfaces of metal and concrete. The images appear almost quite cinematic, and would be interesting to experiment with projections and images manipulation particularly. The contrast of colours is effective within these photographs, the washes of blue light within the bunker contrasting with yellow and orange spotlights. Although it was difficult photographing in the dark conditions (I was worried about camera shake blur with slower shutter speeds), but I didn't have too many problems with this in the outcome of my photographs.
Stasi Prison Berlin: Material Traces
Whilst in Berlin, I also visited a former Stasi prison called Berlin-Hohenschönhausen, where opponents of the communist regime in Eastern Europe were imprisoned. I wanted to produce a photo series capturing the details and material traces of the history of the prison. In a way, I wanted to capture and document the history of the prison through details and material surfaces of the surviving complex. When photographing, I was focusing on textures and material surfaces, as well as details that give a clue of the former use of the Prison. For example, in the photographs of details within the interrogation room (such as this image), I focused on the surface of the wooden table and recording device to record the interrogations. In images such as this, it is almost as if the history and suffering of the past is almost ingrained into pieces of evidence like this of the political oppression within the former communist dictatorship in East Germany.
My photos:
click here to see the full resolution images
Overall, I am relatively pleased with the outcome of my images of the Stasi Prison in Berlin. I was able to capture a range of different details and types of subject matter in my photographs. I think that the images capturing small details are especially effective, as well as images that offer a clue of the context and former use of the prison (for example a section of barbed wire, a small detail of the alarm system etc.) in contrast to the more obvious, documentary photographs (like the corridor of cells, the tall barbed wire fence etc.) My use of light and shadow was especially effective, focusing on the light hitting the material surfaces of the interior of the prison, with shards of sunlight appearing through railings and windows.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Berlin - Documenting details and materials
Whilst in Berlin, I also visited a former Nazi Concentration Camp for political prisoners on the outskirts of the city - Sachsenhausen. Through this series of photographs, I wanted to explore how history of the atrocities of the past are captured in the material surface and remenants of the camp itself. It is interesting how the camp stands as a piece of evidence of the past - the last material remenants of the camp stand as evidence of Nazi crimes. When photographing, I was mainly trying to focus on details and the surfaces of the environment and remains of the camp. I wanted to focus on the details that remain, the surfaces and buildings, with history almost ingrained into the material surface of these physical objects. For example, I focused on the cracked floor of the killing station of the camp. I was interested in how this cracked concrete floor was part of hundreds of killings - this seemingly mundane material standing as a reminder and evidence of this, the surface where thousands of victims stood. The history of the past is almost captured in the cracks and rough surface of the concrete floor, as well as the buildings and walls that are still standing at the camp. I wanted to investigate how traces of history remain and are captured in the material surfaces of the landscape that surrounds us, here in Berlin this camp stands as a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed years ago. On their own, these images offer a clue what had previously happened here (the barbed wire fences, the watch towers, the prison huts etc.), but when given background context, these images take on a whole new meaning, with the huge extent of the killing and suffering here. Overall, I think that this series was successful in capturing and documenting the traces and remnants at Sachsenhausen - I managed to capture the textures and material surfaces effectively in high quality and fine detail. I think that the Black and White editing of the photographs works quite well - making the viewer focusing on the texture and detail of the materials, rather than potentially distracted by the colour. It is also quite effective in terms of the mood of the photographs.
Sample of my photos:
Click here for the full set of my photos from Sachesenhausen concentration camp
Berlin Wall Typology - Focusing on material surfaces
Through this series, again I wanted to capture how history is captured and ingrained in the material surface of places with historical significance. In this case, I wanted to explore how history is captured in the concrete surface of the remnants of the Berlin Wall. It is interesting how this surviving remnant of the wall of steel reinforced concrete stood for so much politically - with such huge prominence in the Cold war, as a physical diving barrier between the East and West. It is interesting how the seemingly mundane and basic materials of steel and concrete stood as a divider between communism and capitalism for decades during the heightened tensions of the Cold War conflict. I created a photographic typology to capture how the history and pain of a divided nation in captured in the surface of this physical barrier - the holes and damage to the wall as people broke from East to West and began the destruction of this physical barrier that divided them. When photographing, I set a small aperture to document the surface of the wall in sharp quality. I wanted to capture the fine details and textures of the surface of the wall in this typology. Moreover, I wanted to explore the material surface of the wall - the details and texture of the concrete and rusted bars of steel emerging from the concrete. I was focusing on how the wall had been partly destroyed and damaged, the cracked paint and remnants of graffiti as well on the surface of the wall - the steel bars emerging in the gaps of the the concrete almost like a metaphor (like bars of a prison cells) reflecting the imprisonment of the East German people in the former communist dictatorship . Overall, I think that the outcome of this Berlin Wall typology is successful - I think that my photographs are effective in documenting and exploring the detail and surface of the wall, exploring this relic as a trace of the past, where people broke down and destroyed the dividing barrier across their nation.
Sample of my photos:
Click here for the full set of my photos of the Berlin Wall
Darkroom Experiments
Using this photographic typology of the Berlin wall, I subsequently wanted to capture/record the material surface of the wall in a number of different, more varied ways. Using print outs (where I inverted images of the wall to effectively produce a number of negatives - to create positive darkroom prints). I placed these print outs on top of various sheets of photographic paper, before exposing them. When developed, these exposures created positive exposures of the printed out images on the surface of the photographic paper. This was relatively effective - transferring the material textures and detail of the wall onto the surface of the darkroom prints. These printed were slightly faded and patchy in places - however, I quite liked this effect of varied levels of clarity and details of the wall in the prints.
Ideas - Playing with images and materials
Effect Twin - Daisuke Yokota & Hiroshi Takisawa
In Daisuke Yokota's and Hiroshi Takisawa's performance, they used a range of different industrial materials to manipulate book pages. In their performance at Tate Modern, they manipulated printed images and subsequently produced a number of photo books. They used cement and concrete, using an iron to blend and bind the industrial materials into the surface of the photographs. They subsequently sealed the pages with glue and an iron, before binding the images together into a book. I am really interested in this project, especially how he has combined with industrial materials with the images themselves. In a way, the book has become a physical material in itself.
Photographer's Gallery: Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2018
Matheiu Asselin: Monsanto
Through his series 'Monsanto', Matheiu Asselin investigates the chemical manufacturer Monsanto, investigating their crimes and the impact on the environment and people of the town of Monsanto who are effected. Moreover, he focuses on their global impact, as Monsanto manufactured agent orange for the Vietnam war, leaving victims, with genetic mutations even now of the crimes of the war.
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I really like Matheiu's exhibition, especially the documentary photographs and portraits of the various people and places effected by the Monsanto. Asselin created a very comprehensive and wide ranging series, talking about how he uses a variety of media and evidence to fully describe a topic and create a coherent investigation.
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I especially like the variety of different documents and materials Asselin includes alongside his photographs. Moreover, in his zine created for the exhibition, he layers documents, photographs and text across various pages. This would be interesting as inspiration for myself - creating a photographic investigation using not only my own photographs, but various other materials and media as well alongside this.
Batia Suter
Again, I really liked Batia Suter's exhibition entitled 'Parallel Encyclopedia'. In particular, I liked her ability to explore various materials and plants throughout the exhibition. The range of different media as well interested me - the halftone monochrome prints of various plants and organisms, as well as highly detailed observational images of these subjects and scans as well. In the accompanying book, she layers and arranged these various materials and objects across various pages.
Luke Willis Thompson: Autoportrait
In Luke Willis Thompson's installation, he has set up a huge projector with a reel of film projecting a short film of the portrait of a young American whose brother was a victim of police violence, and her family were involved in the case surrounding the murder. I really like Thompson's projected installation, especially with the scratches and blemishes on the projections from the reels of film. I am also interested in the presence of the huge film projector, with a number of different mechanical components, feeding the film over the bulb at the front of the projector. This huge projector almost feels part of Thompson's piece, providing another elements to the installation that primarily focuses on the filmed portrait of the young woman
Rafal Milach: Refusal
I really liked Rafal Milach's exhibition as part of the photography prize. In his series 'Refusal' Milach explores and investigated the remnants of the Soviet Union, as well as the laboratories and traces of the former scientific testing facilities that were used to conduct experiments of various phsycological tests. In this series, I was particularly interested in the remnants of the Soviet past, and the buildings and traces that remain as evidence of the former dictatorship. I am particularly drawn to the traces and remnants of the old labs and scientific research rooms that survived, as well as Rafal Milach's ability to document and observe these places through his photography. As well as this, again the variety of different media and materials used throughout this investigation is particularly effective - with the inclusion of video, video and drawings alongside Rafal's photographs. I really like his ideas in this exhibition and the remnants of the old Soviet dictatorship, traces and remnants could be an interesting avenue to explore conceptually in my own photography.
Photo series: Traces of war on the landscape
I wanted to explore the traces and marks that war and conflict have left on the surrounding environment. I wanted to explore how history and the remnants of past wars have been captured in the materials surface of the landscape. The landscape of London was radically changed and altered by the Second World War. Due to the extensive bomb damage and destruction of the war, huge areas of London were destroyed, rows of houses completely wiped out. This is evident in the modern landscape of London, with a huge array of pre-war and post-war architecture across London. Different areas of London have a huge mix of different buildings, with victorian and pre-war architecture standing alongside buildings built after the War, buildings and houses built in the bomb sites and destroyed areas of the war. Even on the road that I live, the row of victorian houses is broken at both ends of the street, with 1950s and 1960s housing estates built in the bomb sites at both ends of my street, standing as a clue and trace of the destruction of the war. Even on the landscape you can see obvious remnants of the past. After research, I discovered an old air raid shelter sign, old warden's shelters and even metal WWII stretchers used as fencing all in my local area. Some signs of destruction remain as a memorial of the past, with the West side of the Tate Britain building covered in bullet marks and shrapnel damage from the war, left as a memorial for the Blitz victims. These are the clear remnants and traces of the war that remain ingrained in the surface of the buildings and environments that surround us.
Kodak Tmax 400 + Minolta Riva Zoom 150
Outcome of my photos:
click here to see the full resolution images
Overall, I am relatively pleased with the outcome of my photographs focusing on the scars, traces and remnants of the Second World War on the landscape of London. I think that this series is relatively effective in exploring the material remnants and details of War. Moreover, I like the variety of different subject matter, with different types of traces and remnants that give different clues and reminders of the traces of war on the landscape of London - with more obvious traces like bullet/shrapnel marks and the old bombed out church, as well as less obvious clues like the array of pre and post-war housing in the landscape, constructed as a result of the destruction of the War. Technically the images were relatively successful. Although the camera was quite basic, the images were relatively well exposed and sharp. I had a couple of poor results as a result of shake blur, as well as one photo where the flash obscured the image. Moving forward, this concept of traces and remnants of war would be something that could make up/underpin my final outcome.
Darkroom prints - Experimenting with photo displaying and arrangement
I also produced a series of darkroom prints using the processed negatives, testing exposure using test strips and producing a number of prints. I wanted to experiment with arranging these prints, thinking about the composition of the prints and relationships between various photographs. Overall, there are some effective compositions of different images that work well together, especially the impact on the landscape - with traces on the landscape such as post war buildings, displayed with images of the marks of bomb and shrapnel damage.
Experimentation: Transferring photographs onto materials
My subsequent idea was to pair and create material objects from my photographs, using various found object and materials. I wanted to combine images with the material surface of the objects, exploring the textures and surfaces of these materials. In a way, the transferred photographs will take on a new meaning as objects in themselves pasted onto the surface of different materials.
Process:
Outcome:
After the paper transfers had dried, I subsequently began to remove the white paper backing of the photocopies. T remove the paper surface, I poured hot water onto the back of each paper transfer, wetting and softening the back of the paper. After I began to rub the back of the paper and peel off the paper from the photo transfer. This was relatively effective and the paper came off quite easily.
Overall, I think that the outcome of these photo transfers were quite effective - I like the way that the textures of the materials appear through the semi transparent photo transfers. Moreover, I like the way that these photographs have taken on a new form of objects in themselves, pasted onto 3D materials. I quite like the rough texture and way that the prints have been slightly broken and worn around the edges. However, I need to think about whether the images themselves are stronger on their own, or does creating these transfers add anything to the images?
Experimenting with expired film: Focusing on the materials of urban environments
Expired Fujicolour Superia 400 + Ricoh FF-9
I wanted to experiment with how the material surface of the film itself can age and degrade. In contrast to my variety of digital images, I wanted to explore how camera film can be a material in itself. Moving forward, this could be an idea to experiment with, in the darkroom especially - I could explore film strips as a physical object. The contrast between the subjects of the photographs (materials themselves), with the material surface of the camera film itself.
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Moreover, I was interested in how the colours and surface of the film can change and distort with age. The grainy textures and material surface of the film itself would be interesting to focus on. When photographing, I was focusing on the materials and textures of my surrounding urban environment. When exploring my local urban environment, I was focusing on the material details of shops, run down buildings and remnants of the food market. I used a relatively wide angle lens, moving close to the subjects I was photographing.
Outcome of my photos:
click here to see the full resolution images
Overall, these photographs documenting the material surfaces of my urban surroundings were relatively successful. I liked the colour rendition of this roll of film, and the slight grain and variations in colour tones a result of using the old, expired roll of film - this added another element and layer of material grain/texture to the photographs. I managed to produce quite a varied set of different images, observing a variety of textures and details in my surroundings; I especially like the market shots of the textures of food, as well as the compositions of gritty, run down urban environments. Although I was pleased with the outcome of this photographic series, and it does give me another option for outcomes and concepts moving forward, I think that I may stick to my provisional theme of scars and traces of conflict/wars more. The series of traces of conflict was more developed and coherent overall, with a wider range of subject matter and varied photographs, with further room to develop and explore this series moving forward.
Further image transfer experiments
I wanted to experiment further with photo transfers - to physically combine photographs with materials. I wanted to experiment with how various material surfaces and objects affect the surface of the image, using new materials such as fabrics, plastic, cardboard etc impact on the textures of the image transfers. The textures and surfaces of these objects add another dimension to the images, with the rough/smooth textures appearing underneath the photo transfer, adding interesting textures underneath the semi-transparent images.
Process
Again, I used image transfer, painting it onto the surface of the prints and placing them face down onto the objects I wanted to use.
Image transfer outcome
Overall, these photo transfers were relatively successful. Although I had some varied results, I like the outcome and textures of the transferred images in conjunction with the material textures of the objects. I liked the prints onto cloth especially, with the cloth pattern appearing through the lighter areas in the photo transfer. As well as this, I like the way that the photo transfers become slightly rough and disintegrated at the edges, with the physical surface of the prints partially worn away and broken down through the process, with some prints partially scratched as part of the process. The concept of a photo object/sculpture could be interesting - potentially pasting/transferring photographs onto physical objects such as blocks of wood concrete etc. Similarly to the materials as the subject of my images, these photographs could become material objects in themselves.
Development: Placing the image transfers amongst concrete
I also displayed and arranged my images transfers amongst pieces of rough, cracked concrete. I placed the image transfers in context of the concrete to further combine materials, in particular more varied, textured material surfaces, to the prints. This adds another interesting layer of material texture alongside the image transfers. A display like this could be interesting - combining materials with my photographs, almost like wreckage of war/conflict.
Ideas moving forward - Traces of Conflict
MAIN IDEA: The main idea/concept that could largely underpin and form my project moving forward could be 'Taces of Conflict'.
• So far, a number of my photographs have adhered to this theme. The range of different photo series that I captured in Berlin all stand as evidence of traces of past wars and conflicts (the old Stasi prison photo series, the photo series of the remnants of Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the images of the bunker that has survived from the cold war, and the typology of the remains of the Berlin wall). As well as this, the photo series of the material traces and remnants of the Second World war also adhere to my potential theme.
• Moving forward, I could also explore different surviving documents, archives and photographs that remain as surviving material evidence and traces of the past.
• My concept of 'Traces of Conflict' also came as a result of my ideas surrounding the overall theme of 'Materials'. My ideas and concept of 'Traces of Conflict' came as a result of exploring the material remnants and traces of conflicts of the past, and how the history of war is almost ingrained into the surviving landscape that surrounds us.
• To develop this concept, I will be exploring the other archival materials and material evidence of past wars and conflict, to create a more coherent extensive investigation using a wider range of different elements and pieces of evidence.
• So far, a number of my photographs have adhered to this theme. The range of different photo series that I captured in Berlin all stand as evidence of traces of past wars and conflicts (the old Stasi prison photo series, the photo series of the remnants of Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the images of the bunker that has survived from the cold war, and the typology of the remains of the Berlin wall). As well as this, the photo series of the material traces and remnants of the Second World war also adhere to my potential theme.
• Moving forward, I could also explore different surviving documents, archives and photographs that remain as surviving material evidence and traces of the past.
• My concept of 'Traces of Conflict' also came as a result of my ideas surrounding the overall theme of 'Materials'. My ideas and concept of 'Traces of Conflict' came as a result of exploring the material remnants and traces of conflicts of the past, and how the history of war is almost ingrained into the surviving landscape that surrounds us.
• To develop this concept, I will be exploring the other archival materials and material evidence of past wars and conflict, to create a more coherent extensive investigation using a wider range of different elements and pieces of evidence.
Conflict, Time, Photography (Tate Modern)
With the development of my concept and provisional overall theme of Traces of Wars and Conflict, I immediately thought of the Tate photography exhibition 'Conflict, Time, Photography. This exhibition 'exploring the relationship between photography and sites of conflict over time at Tate Modern' (linking substantially to my theme), brings together a wide range of different photographs who explore conflicts and wars in a variety of ways through their photography.
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Although I was interested in photojournalism of war (with photographers such as Don McCullin), I was predominantly interested in the photographers who explore the remnants and impact of war, and the remains and evidence of different conflict that exist. For example, a number of photographs look at the sites where war took place, as well as the more obvious remnants and scars of this on the landscape. Other photographer looked at the evidence and objects of war left behind, as well as typologies of specific themes relating to war. For example, Kikuji Kawada who documents the remnants and object of Hiroshima that remain years after the atomic bomb was dropped, as well as Shomei Tomatsu who documents the injures of people at bombing of Nagasaki. Other artists focus more on the traces of war, like Nick Waplington who focuses on the details of the cell wall of a prisoner of war camp in wales, Jerzy Lewczynski’s 1960 photographs of the remnants of Hitler's war headquarters, whilst the destruction of the landscape of Afghanistan is captured by Simon Nortfolk.
Diana Matar - Evidence
In 'Evidence' by Diana Matar, she photographs and documents the sites where atrocities are committed during the armed uprising and conflict in Libya. I am interested in the concept of these places almost bearing the history and scars of conflict, with the suffering of people and victims of war almost ingrained into the landscape and sites where these acts of killing took place. Evidence of the past in the landscape.
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Sophie Ristelhuber - Aerial views of the Kuwaiti desert after the first Gulf War
I am interested in Sophie Ristelhuber's aerial photographs of the Kuwaiti desert after the first Gulf War. In an aircraft above the desert of Kuwait, Ristelhuber captured the marks and obvious impacts that the Gulf War had on the landscape of the region - with trenches, wreckage, bomb shelters still remaining, appearing almost like scars and cuts on the surface of someone's skin; the scars of war on the landscape of Kuwait.
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Installing my photographs - experimenting with displaying and arranging images
My idea was to arrange a selection of my photographs, as an exhibition/photographic display off all of my images relating to traces of past conflict. I spent a significant amount of time looking through and evaluating my images, to create a selection of my most successful and effective images relating to conflicts.
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When displaying my photographs, I arranged them into the various small project series of photographs that I had created. For example, I arranged the photographs from Sachsenhausen together, the Berlin wall photographs together etc. When displaying, I was also looking for relationships between images, as well as effective displays and combinations of larger and smaller prints. Through trial and error, I managed to arrange and compose some successful arrangements of photographs. I displayed the Berlin Wall typology in a continuous line/strip of print outs - I like this arrangement of the typology, almost like the continuous wall itself. However, there a number of ways I could develop this further, and I could use a wider range of different documents and pieces of evidence of the past.
Evidence of the past - Documents and archives
Alongside the marks on the landscape and impacts/remnants of war and conflict I have explored in my own photographs, I also want to explore other remnants and material traces of conflict. Similarly to Batia Suter, Rafa Milach and Matheiu Asselin (in particular), from the Deutsche Borse photography prize, I want to combine other media/materials to fully explore and investigate traces of conflict in a number of different ways. I want to explore how the lives of people living through conflicts were captured through film, photographs, mementos particularly - as further surviving material evidence and traces of the conflict. Also, I want to explore the documents and archives that survive and remnants of the past. Moreover, I have an idea of creating a zine potentially for this project, and I'd like to include a range of media like archives and documents alongside my own photographs.
Second World War archival photographs
Through various historical books that I own, I explored the photographic archives and evidence of the past. The documentary images capture and observe life during the Second World War, and provide a valuable insight into the evidence of this conflict captured in this images
Second World War archives and documents
I explored these archives of Second World War documents extensively, with the booklets, documents and postcards/mementos from the war. I scanned a number of these various items, as I was thinking more considerably about creating a zine, which would include a number of scans of these documents alongside my own photographs and text. Below is a gallery of a number of the documents I explored. The first three documents in the gallery are my great grandfather's AR Warden's pass, as well as my grandmother's identity card from the second world war - surviving documents from my family who lived through the conflict.
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My Grandfather's old archives and documents.
I also thought more about other ways that the Second World War impacted the country, and left traces/remnants of the past that are visible today. This made me consider the way that the cultural landscape and make up of British society was drastically changed as a result of the war. With massive labour shortages, the British Government invited huge number of people across the commonwealth to emigrate the UK.
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This extensive emigration in the decades following the Second World War completely changed the cultural make up of society and range of different cultures/nationalities in Britain. My grandfather emigrated the the UK as a result of these post war emigration policies, starting a new life and family in Britain. I wanted to explore the various surviving documents that my grandfather had, as well as the contrast of his documents from native Pakistan, versus the documents from when he moved and became a full British citizen. I scanned a variety of these documents, as well as stamps and marks from the various countries he visited, remnants of his travel. I was thinking of including this in a zine potentially as well.
Traces of the Cold War - East German/Soviet archival documents, propaganda and remnants
As well as focusing on remnants of the second world war (with documents and archives that still exist from this), I also began to research remnants and surviving archives from the Cold War. In particular, I wanted to focus on the remnants of former communist East Germany, with their secret police (Stasi) which spied on and held millions of documents and photographs of survaillence of their citizens. I wanted to explore this extensive array of archives that had recently been uncovered after the fall of the wall.
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I began to explore a German Government website, which has online archives and sources of huge amounts of files, archival information and photographs from the Stasi. I explored this, focusing on the documents especially that had been uncovered after the fall of the East German dictatorship, remaining as evidence of the past of the repression of East Germans at the height of the Cold War.
As well as this, I also looked a number of Soviet Union (who supported and set up the East German Government) propaganda archives from the Tate 'Red Star over Russia' exhibition, as well as maps and photographs from the Cold War. I was interested in the remnants and traces of the old Soviet Union dictatorship, as well as traces and archives from the height of the Cold War conflict. These would be interesting to layer and play with in photoshop, potentially layering and experimenting with halftone/threshold effects.
Constructing/designing a zine
Layering images - initial photoshop experiments
To begin with, I experimented with layering and manipulating images in photoshop, as potential ideas and photoshop pieces potentially for my zine. I found a number of photographs relating to the traces of conflict series and imported a number of these to photoshop. For some of these images, I applied a black dotted halftone effect, and removed the white areas so that these images would appear as only the black dots when overlayed. I pasted these halftone images on top of various other photographs relating to traces of conflict. Overall, these outcomes were quite successful - in particular, the bold black halftone images overlapping the textured, colour photographs. It would be interesting to experiment with image manipulation and layering more especially in my zine, where I would like to play with halftone effects and layering/arranging photographs.
Inspiration - Monsanto by Mathieu Asselin
(See the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize further up this page). When beginning to formulate and plan and ideas for my zine, I was predominantly inspired by Matheiu Asselin's zine produced as part of his Deutsche Borse photography prize nominated exhibition 'Monsanto'. In particular, I was especially inspired by and drawn to the wide variety and range of different media, imagery, photographs, documents as well as text combined and layered in his zine. I was most interested in the pages where he has layered different images, and other image manipulations (for example combining a colour halftone image and monochrome document scan). The balance/arrangement or text alongside layered imagery was also particularly effective. Taking inspiration from Matheiu, I also want to combine and explore documents and photographic archives in my own zine, which I can play with in terms of layering images, as well as experiments and photo manipulation (especially in photoshop).
'Monsanto' Newspaper/Zine:
Batia Suter
(See the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize further up this page). Again, in Batia Suter's exhibition and book produced as part of her Deutsche Borse photography prize exhibition, I was primarily inspired by her black and white dotted halftone photographs, as well as coming other photographs of materials and objects in combination in her book and display.
Process of creating my zine
I decided to choose Newspaper Club to produce my zine, as they produce a number of different newspaper prints in batches to a good standard. I decided to choose tabloid size, as broadsheet would be too large for layouts of my images and text. I downloaded their page template for tabloid newspapers, and began to arrange pages and formulate ideas for spread layouts.
Creating my Zine - Adobe InDesign & Photoshop
As I hadn't previously used Adobe InDesign, I had to learn how to arrange and format images and text. Using image and text boxes, I could import and overlay text as well as graphics and images onto InDesign spreads. Using photoshop I could edit, manipulate and cut out photographs/objects, and then arrange them on the pages. I began to select various images, archives and documents that I could edit and layer on my pages, as I was formulating ideas about how I could arrange and design my spreads. In photoshop, I manipulated my images using a number of photo editing techniques. I used halftone particularly, converting photographs to dotted, semi transparent single colour objects, which I could subsequently layer and arrange in InDesign. Through trial and error as experimentation, I was able to create relatively successful page layouts and arrangements of various media on the spreads.
Overall, my initial experiments and process of designing my first set of spreads in InDesign was relatively successful. Although it was difficult initially to understand how to use InDesign and layer photographs and media effectively, I managed to produce a range of quite interesting arrangements of photo manipulations, graphic elements and photographs. I quite liked the arrangement of red halftone buildings layered on top of Soviet propaganda, as well as the design of my other spreads focusing on the Stasi and East Germany. Moving forward, I want to play with and use documents and archives more throughout my zine, as well as more varied photoshop experiments and manipulations.
Further Development of my zine
Moving forward, I began to formulate more ideas of what I could include in my various double page spreads, as well as the narrative and concept I could explore overall throughout my zine. I began to arrange and edit documents using photoshop. Using effects such as halftone and threshold, I could turn my photographs into single colour graphic elements which I could layer and arrange. When producing the various spreads, I was considering the balance and arrangement of my photography alongside historical documents of the conflicts. Moreover, I was considering the most effective arrangements of layered images and graphics that I could arrange across the page spreads.
Overall, I think that this developed series of spreads were relatively successful. I think that my ability to layer and arrange my photographs alongside graphics and manipulated elements improved significantly, and I was able to produce some successful layouts. It was quite difficult to get an effective balance. Sometimes I layered too many different elements and graphics, and I had to reconsidered and cut down/simplify a number of these elements. Moreover, the relationship between images was quite important throughout the zine, and I had to play with image arrangements and often reconsider my image layouts a number of times. I especially liked the spread combining scans from my grandfather's passport, with my layering of these scans alongside his old documents and photographs. I also especially liked the spreads focusing on the remnants of East Germany, with single coloured halftone graphics layered underneath old documents and edited images.
Finalising my zine - further adjustments and adding text
I looked through my zine, evaluating the arrangements of images and successes/improvements that could be made across a number of different spreads. I began to add text to my zine, adding titles as well as larger bodies of text annotating various documents and photographs, as well as explaining my concepts and historical background information throughout the chronological narrative of the zine. I inputted titles, as well as text with white highlighting (using a white 'rule' as a paragraph style), setting the text apart from the background images. When writing, whilst exploring my own concepts throughout this zine, I also included significant historical own knowledge, as well as facts and further historical from the various resources I used.
Overall, the text was quite effective in breaking up the image heavy spreads. I thought the page design and arrangement of images alongside text was successful. I played with different ways of arranging and laying out my text alongside images, editing and re-editing through processes of trial and error to find the most effective page layouts. My writing also added effective background information and context to my spread of historical documents and photographs. Before completing my zine, I re-read, edited and condensed my writing, to provide a more concise and effective body of text to accompany my images.
Developing my installation - combining archives and clipboards
Whilst also including documents and a variety of media including archives within my zine, I also wanted to display and range various documents alongside my wall of 'Traces of Conflict' photographs. I wanted to provide another element to this photographic investigation, and another form of media to explore my concept. This was largely inspired by Rafa Milach's and Matheiu Asselin's respective photographic investigations/exhibitions as part of the Deutsche Borse photography prize. In each of those exhibitions, they explored their subjects through a range of different forms of media in these exhibitions. Rafa Milach included video and drawings alongside his photographs. Matheiu Asselin include a range of different media and elements to his exhibition as well - samples of the genetically modified seeds of Monsanto (the company he was investigating), as well as documents, live stock exchange, zines and his own photographs. I thought this ability to create a comprehensive photographic investigation through a variety of different media can be a key inspiration for me to create a coherent and effective final display/installation fully exploring my investigation into the 'Traces of Conflict'. Similarly to them, I want my final piece/installation to include a variety of different elements and media - I want to include my zine alongside my displayed photographs as well as documents and potentially even a form of photo object.
To develop my display/installation further, I decided to include and install a number of old, rusted metal clipboards. My idea was to display photographs and old documents on these clipboards, and hang them on the wall alongside my images. I liked the antique, rusted look of these clipboards, they look almost as if they are an old relic or administrative clipboard from the Stasi headquarters, and their archives of secretive documents. They were effective amongst my photographs, appearing as an old relic in themselves - effective with the old documents that I included.
Overall, the outcome of this developed display was relatively successful, I especially liked the arrangement of the old documents and clipboards displayed amongst my own photographs. The layout of this was effective, with the old clipboards spaced out and displayed effectively as part of the installation. Overall, this inclusion of a wider variety of media and old documents alongside my photographs creates and more comprehensive/coherent investigation into the 'Traces of Conflict'. With the inclusion of these documents displayed on clipboards in my display, I am including another layer/element to my installation, investigating the concept and theme from a different perspective, not just solely my own photographs.
Refining my installation further
To further refine and improve my investigation, I decided to order a number of high quality prints for my display. I order the selection of photographs from my initial selection/arrangements of images that I produced. I was pleased with the outcome of the prints - due to the high quality of the prints, you can see the material details of the various subjects of the prints in my highly clarity and finer detail.
As well as this, I also developed my display/installation using a wider variety of different documents and archival material. I displayed these alongside my prints, interspersing these documents in the gaps between different groups of my photographs. Instead of using the clipboards, I decided to stick the documents directly onto the wall, with a range of different sizes print outs. I also included the title of the exhibition at the top of the installation. Overall, I thought that this development was relatively effective with a wider range of archival documents. However, on balance the use of the clipboards for the documents was more successful overall - I really like the old rusted surfaces of the clipboard, effective for displaying the old historical documents and files. I also observed that it may be more effective to print the archival files in different ways, rather than regular photocopies. I could experiment with different types of paper - cartridge and sugar paper may be the most effective for something like this. Including some original documents may add a more original, authentic element to the installation
Completed zine - final adjustments and printing
Before fully completing my zine and sending it off to the printers, I decided to print out the various spreads and lay them out in chronological order. This would help me decide if I was happy with the ordering and arrangement of different spreads, and whether I would need any final adjustments. Apart from a couple of minor tweaks, I was largely happy with my with the provisional outcome of my zine.
Digital Maquette:
After adding final adjustments and rigorously checking my zine, I completed and exported the zine ready for printing at the Newspaper Club. Overall, I was happy with the outcome of this completed zine. Through this zine, I have been able to produce a relatively coherent zine in terms of my ability to to fully explore the 'Traces of Conflict'. With the wide range of different archives, sources, documents, media, materials of photographs I have included in this zine, I have been able to address and explore my overarching concept from a range of different angles. I think that this zine effectively addresses my overall concept of 'Traces of Conflict', and chronologically explored the material remnants and traces of various conflicts and the past, through photography and other media. Visually, I think this outcome is relatively effective in terms of layering images, as well as photo manipulation and editing. I like the combination of halftone image edits and image manipulations, alongside single and arrangements of photographs and documents. As inspired by Mattheiu Asselin (Monsanto), this layering of photographs, documents and archives is a successful aspect of my zine. I also think that the text is effective in breaking up the imagery and combinations of photographs and documents, with the text providing some historical context, background and wider concepts of the 'Traces of Conflict', adding to the concepts of the outcome.
To improve, there a number of ways I could further refine and develop (particularly) this concept. Primarily, it would have been interesting to develop with handmade image layering/double printing experiments; I could have potentially played with collage as well. Instead of solely layering and juxtaposing graphics and images in InDesign (and Photoshop), I could have also played with double layered and single coloured printing. As well as this, although I thought providing some historical and conceptual context to the zine, I could have produced a longer, more
extended piece of writing with a more conceptual focus, potentially making the reader work harder to figure out the context and meanings behind images, rather than providing direct captions.
extended piece of writing with a more conceptual focus, potentially making the reader work harder to figure out the context and meanings behind images, rather than providing direct captions.
Outcome - Printed Zine
I ordered a printed newspaper produced for my 'Traces of Conflict' zine, using the company Newspaper Club. I ordered a tabloid sized print, the size of the pages that I had produced my maquette.
Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of my printed newspaper. The InDesign maquette was effective when printed, and I was happy with the outcome of my design and balance of images, graphics and text - it worked well on the printed outcome. The paper quality was better than I expected, and was relatively high quality. This produced pretty good quality prints, with quite clear vibrant images. However, due to the nature of newspaper printing, the ink had been sucked in my the paper, meaning the blacks appeared as more of a dark grey and were not as clear and contrasty as on screen. However, this was largely what I was expecting due to the nature of newspaper printing. I think this newspaper zine will be effective as part of my final display/installation, and it provides good historical and conceptual background to my project. If I were to improve the outcome of the zine, I could have simplified a few page spreads, as there were some over complicated spreads in places with a number of graphics and images combined. Moving forward, I could also produce a hand made zine, potentially experimenting with single colour printing, double layer printing, and collage.
Inspiration - Michael Hoppen Gallery: Evidence Case File (? The image as question)
As part of the exhibition at the Micheal Hoppen gallery exhibition, '? The image as question', which I visited a little while ago, there was an evidence case film of material and documents related to the exhibition. The exhibition explores how documentary photographs, as well as evidence and documents are used as a form of evidence/record of an event. The exhibition explored the meaning and function of these materials, documents and photographs that previously had a function as records and documents, but questions how valuable these items are when separated form their original purpose, function and context. Taking inspiration from the case file of documents and photographs provided as part of the exhibition, I want to similarly create a series of files of documents and photographs that stand as evidence of the materials (traces and remnants) of past war and conflict
Photo Object?
Inspiration: Marcel Duchamp - Box in a valise
Marcel Duchamp's 'Box in a Valise' is a form of photo object, with various reproductions of the artist's work. Duchamp created a series of constructed wooden boxes, which opened up to reveal a range of the artist's different printed works. I am interested in this use of a constructed physical object which had been used to display a range of his works
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Joseph Cornell - Sans Titre & photo objects
My set of drawers which could be used and repurposed as a photo object
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This is the set of pull out drawers that I am thinking of potentially including as a photo object for my final piece/installation. I want this set drawers to be almost like a set of old East German Secret police archives, like the extensive archives of surveillance and secret documents discovered after the fall of the Berlin wall. Within the drawers, I will potentially include a set of brown paper files, containing my photographs and prints alongside documents and other archival material. Taking inspiration from Marcel Duchamp and Joseph Cornell, I could also layer and collage different images, potentially collaging and layering images on the exterior of the drawers. These files are inspired by the evidence case file from the Michael Hoppen Exhibition 'The image as question'.
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Exam Final Outcome - Ideas & Plan
PLAN: My main idea is to create an installation centered around the theme of 'Traces of Conflict', exploring the material traces and remnants of wars and conflicts
• This installation will comprise a number of elements, including my own photographs as well as other forms of evidence and documents as well centered around the overall theme.
• I will be displaying the selection of prints of my photographs from my photo series and provisional display of photographs. Moreover, I could play with my composition and arrangement of images - I could potentially move around and edit my selection.
• Alongside this, I will be displaying a number of the archival documents that I collected as part of the focus on Traces of Conflict, as well as potentially installing the old metal clipboards (featuring various documents) as well as part of the installation. I could experiment with how I arrange and display these clipboards, potentially hanging these from string from the ceiling, resting them up against the wall etc.
• In front of the display, I want to have a table with a couple of items as part of the installation.
• On the table I will have my printed zine focusing on 'Traces of Conflict', alongside some kind of photo object as well.
• My current idea is to have a small filing cabinet/filing system, where I can install files, documents and prints relating to my theme. My idea would be that this filing unit would almost be like the old Stasi (secret police archives) archive, with the Secret Police previously having thousands of files and huge cabinets full of files spying on their own citizens, discovered after the fall of the Berlin wall and dissolution of the communist East German Dictatorship (and its secret police).
• Similarly to the 'Evidence' case file (see above) from the Michael Hoppen Gallery exhibition 'The image as question', I similarly want to make a file of documents and photographs.
In this file I can include a range of old documents and archives that I discovered through my photographic investigation into the 'traces of Conflict', as well as other prints and photographs (my own images and related photographs) as part of my concept.
• Moreover, I could include a number of experimental darkroom prints that I produced (as well as prints from my negatives), which I could develop further with more darkroom experiments.
• I could also experiment further with the that way I am printing and arranging my images. I could experiment with double printing (printing onto a sheet more than once to create an overlapping effect), as well as single colour printing and further photoshop experiments.
• My photo object in the form of the set of drawers could explore different conflicts included in my project- it could be that each drawer could have a different period of time/conflict enclosed within a file in each draw, with photographs and documents as evidence of the past in each file. For example, one draw could contain a file of photographs, archives and materials entitled 'Traces of the Second World War', another file could be 'Traces of the Cold War' etc. With certain periods of conflict, the Second World War in particularly as I have a number of original and replica documents from the war, it would be interesting to include the physical original documents themselves.
• This installation will comprise a number of elements, including my own photographs as well as other forms of evidence and documents as well centered around the overall theme.
• I will be displaying the selection of prints of my photographs from my photo series and provisional display of photographs. Moreover, I could play with my composition and arrangement of images - I could potentially move around and edit my selection.
• Alongside this, I will be displaying a number of the archival documents that I collected as part of the focus on Traces of Conflict, as well as potentially installing the old metal clipboards (featuring various documents) as well as part of the installation. I could experiment with how I arrange and display these clipboards, potentially hanging these from string from the ceiling, resting them up against the wall etc.
• In front of the display, I want to have a table with a couple of items as part of the installation.
• On the table I will have my printed zine focusing on 'Traces of Conflict', alongside some kind of photo object as well.
• My current idea is to have a small filing cabinet/filing system, where I can install files, documents and prints relating to my theme. My idea would be that this filing unit would almost be like the old Stasi (secret police archives) archive, with the Secret Police previously having thousands of files and huge cabinets full of files spying on their own citizens, discovered after the fall of the Berlin wall and dissolution of the communist East German Dictatorship (and its secret police).
• Similarly to the 'Evidence' case file (see above) from the Michael Hoppen Gallery exhibition 'The image as question', I similarly want to make a file of documents and photographs.
In this file I can include a range of old documents and archives that I discovered through my photographic investigation into the 'traces of Conflict', as well as other prints and photographs (my own images and related photographs) as part of my concept.
• Moreover, I could include a number of experimental darkroom prints that I produced (as well as prints from my negatives), which I could develop further with more darkroom experiments.
• I could also experiment further with the that way I am printing and arranging my images. I could experiment with double printing (printing onto a sheet more than once to create an overlapping effect), as well as single colour printing and further photoshop experiments.
• My photo object in the form of the set of drawers could explore different conflicts included in my project- it could be that each drawer could have a different period of time/conflict enclosed within a file in each draw, with photographs and documents as evidence of the past in each file. For example, one draw could contain a file of photographs, archives and materials entitled 'Traces of the Second World War', another file could be 'Traces of the Cold War' etc. With certain periods of conflict, the Second World War in particularly as I have a number of original and replica documents from the war, it would be interesting to include the physical original documents themselves.