Summary for Part 6: Pre-Assessment Tutorial.

Untitled, (2021) Shaun Mullins. For my final assignment I had decided to explore ideas of the politics of self with masks as metaphor for the front that we all put up when with others. This front is a kind of guard that protects as well as projects. At the time of preparing and conducting this

Assignment 6 – Final Project

Behind this laughing mask of mine 2020 – 2021 ‘Every profound spirit needs a mask’ Nietzsche, Beyond Good an Evil, 1888. In the politics of self we put up a front to others, and this is worn as a type of mask that projects as well as it guards. For identity we wear many masks

Image Makers Image Takers

Image Makers Image Takers, 2010, by Anne-Celine Jaeger, London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN: 978-0-500-28892-4. This book examines different subjects practiced in contemporary photography by prominent contemporary artists and Art Photography related professionals with interviews asking them about their philosophies? Inspirations and influences? Equipment and technical methods used? Etc. Subjects covered: Art, Documentary, Fashion and Advertising,

Between The Eyes, Essays on Photography and politics.

Between The Eyes, Essays on Photography and Politics, (2005) by David Levi Strauss, New York: Aperture. ISBN: 978-1-59711-214-7. Strauss looks at how politics has influenced art taking examples of the Vietnam war, San Salvador, The Gulf war, Rwanda, 911, etc. Notes. Journalists working for the largest news media outlets in America operate under the institutional

Photography and Belief by David Lee Strauss

Photography and Belief (1991) by David Lee Strauss In David Levi Strauss’ essay, Photography and Belief, Strauss looks at how photography is facing new challenges as a result of new digital imaging technology and how this technology is throwing into question the future integrity of photography. Photography as mechanical reproduction almost immediately altered the aura

My Other Half – a critical self-review.

My Other Half – A critical self-review by Shaun Mullins. The objective of this project was to create 6-10 environmental portraits and I chose to produce photographs of my wife in different locations in our home, dressed for and performing the typical activities that I often see her doing.  I wanted to convey the idea

Summary for Part 3, “Look at Me!” – The Representation of Self.

In section 3, “Look at Me!”, I studied the subject of ‘self’ and how it has and is used and interpreted in the portrait. I learned that the idea of the ‘selfie’ goes back beyond photography. Originally the early selfies where exclusively for the rich and powerful to express wealth and more importantly, power, examples

Summary for Part 2, Other

Part 2, Other, began by looking at how photography has played its part in violence against the other, siting Victorian photography as one example of asserting colonial power over weaker subjected peoples of other ethnic and cultural societies. Artists such as Mark Sealy have been addressing these troubling histories with work and exhibitions such as

Assignment 1 – Environmental Portraits, ‘My Other-half’

Assignment 1 – My Other-half “Identity comes from both the observer and the observed.” – Shaun Mullins. In this project, I wanted to create environmental portraits that in some way express the different sub-identities that make up the overall character of a person.  I believe that our identity / character is not defined by one

Definition of ‘Other’

Stephen Bull in his book Photography (2010) Abingdon: Routledge. Bull discusses how in the 18th and 19th century anthropology linked to colonialism recorded and catalogued native people around the world allowing comparison across races and with the intention of comparing who and what they considered superior and who and what was in their opinion inferior.