Lecture Seven: A History of Type

The Portrait in Photography

Presentation from the session.

Notes from the session.

Self Initiated Research 

Hendrik Kerstens

This is work by Dutch photographer Hendrik Kerstens. The images I have selected are four of numerous photographs of his daughter. Here he has chosen to project his fascination with seventeenth century dutch painters upon her. This is achieved successfully via the rather severe, confrontational character of the photographs, as well as their undeniable clarity and Kerstens's use of characteristically dutch light. The first photograph in particular is rather reminiscent of the Johannes Vermeer painting entitled Girl with a Pearl Earring. The second appears to have a slightly softer focus than the other three producing a more painterly effect. Overall his work exhibits an appreciation of the fact that people are the same regardless of the age they lived in. Any association with a particular period of animate existence is established through the way we are depicted.

Lecture Six: Graffiti & Street Art

Self Initiated Research

This is a little bit of self initiated research spanning from the Graffiti & Street Art lecture. The majority of it comes from a book called Visible Signs by David Crow. It also includes some of my personal views informed by the lecture and additional research.  

In the book, graffiti comes under the section entitled 'unofficial language'. This holds more relevance than referring to it as an 'art' because in it's best from it communicates idea's. The vernacular aspect of graffiti is interesting, how anyone can participate. There is a distinction between graffiti and street art. Street art can often lack the power and message held by vernacular graffiti. However there is also a crossover point. 

Graffiti can be considered a community. It's worthwhile in that it provides an opportunity to convey a message. 

Listed below are the several types of graffiti. These definitions have come from the previously mentioned book. 

Ideological vandalism

Property that is destroyed to gain publicity for a particular cause, which is justified by a political belief or long-standing grievance.

Acquisitive vandalism

To acquire money or property. For example, looting vending machines or stealing signs.

Tactical vandalism

Baker and Waddon replaced this category: graffiti. A means of achieving some other end, such a bringing a production line to a halt in order to break the boredom of the work and to increase standing within peer groups.

Vindictive vandalism

Baker and Wadden changed the title of this category to problem expression. Vandalism for some form of revenge or to settle a grudge, often directed at schools.

Play vandalism

Vandalism for fun fun or through high spirits, which is motivated by curiosity or competition. For example, who can break the most windows.

Malicious vandalism

For Cohen, this is the category that includes the behaviour of young people whoa re 'breaking out, breaking away or breaking clear' and would include attacks on local authority property. He recognises this to be the category that is most difficult to understand as it appears to be 'meaningless' but provides an opportunity for them to express their boredom, frustration or despair with little chance of being caught and convicted.'

This list puts graffiti and vandalism into 6 categories. Ideological vandalism conveys a message therefore it has a reason and should not be considered vandalism. Vandalism is something that is carried for no reason at all. 

With regards to graffiti, the type of communication can be categorised as low level dissent. The use of stencils has increased this factor due to their history grounded in revolution. Stencilling is an appropriate method because graffiti has to be carried out both quickly and discreetly. 

In conclusion, graffiti is an undeniably useful resource when it comes the communication of a message. However it can be demeaned and abused by those using it purely to vandalise, tagging ones name for example. It's high viewership number, lack of censorship and low cost make it ideal for the communication of political messages. Graffiti artists risk imprisonment to create their work. This exhibits high levels of commitment, making graffiti just as valid as any of the more established art forms, if not more so.  

Document, Survey, Construct

Presentation from the session.

Notes from the session.

Surrealism

Presentation from the session.



Task 6 

Surrealism is a cultural movement with origins routed in the early 1920s. It was profoundly indebted to Freud's theory of the unconscious as well as the various method's he projected for uncovering a being's subconscious desire's, perhaps most notably dream analysis and the free-association sequences of idea's and words (Warner Marien, 2012: 253).  

Surrealist work was best reflected in visual art/writings and featured elements of juxtaposition, distortion and surprise. It was particularly prevalent in photography with surrealist practitioners such as Brassai and Man Ray. The large majority of Surrealist photography lent itself to psychological innuendoes and imitations, scenarios in which something has either just happened or is about to (Warner Marien, 2010: 253). Key themes explored within Surrealist photography are the representation of sex, the body versus the mind, the unconscious, the ordinary & extraordinary and the female nude. 

Lecture Four: A History of Creative Advertising

Notes