Fig. 1:Van Mene Untitled (#0390)
The cool and detached look of the deadpan takes photography outside of the sentimental and the subjective with seeming neutrality. The image is now outside the hyperbolic, and may still engage us with emotion based subjects, but the sense of the photographers emotions on the subject are less clear (Cotton, 2014).
The deadpan well done, can be both rich and commanding, and frequents the gallery walls, such as with the works of Andreas Gursky (Cotton 2014:83).
Fig. 2: Gursky 1999. 99 Cent
In my photography, the deadpan is far removed from my intent and processes. I love the land of hyperbolic images. My art strives to increase sentiments and open up the subjective. I absolutely avoid the catatonic and expressionless. My images are the antithesis of static, but instead are engaged, responsive, alive and animated.
In images regarding young people I see the 'most frequent' comment from Cotton come to life. MANY photographers represent these youth in this detached way. And while deadpan is certainly intriguing and can be amazing, it is surely not the only way to be represented or to represent. I feel like the deadpan has been done to death (pun and all). I am ready for something new, and I believe others are as well. The audience that appreciates my animated illustrations will be a different sort perhaps, but I do believe there is an audience for it.
Figure 1. VAN MENE, Helen. V&A [online] available at: http://hellenvanmeene.com/photos [accessed March 26 2019]
Figure 2. GURSKY, Andreas. V&A [online] available at:https://www.artsy.net/artwork/andreas-gursky-99-cent
COTTON, C. 2014. The Photograph as Contemporary Art. Third edn. Thames & Hudson, New York, NY.
No comments:
Post a Comment