The Self-Portrait A Cultural History

The Self-Portrait A Cultural History, 2015, by James Hall, London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN: 978-0-500-29211-2 This book examines the history of the self-portrait, unfortunately I purchased a Kindle edition which unhelpfully doesn’t provide page numbers, this option is greyed out in the menu; so I am only able to quote location numbers (Loc) as provided

Assignment 5: Self Directed Project. (Work in Progress)

The Politics of Self & Other My idea for a theme is a critical look at how we regard ourselves and others from a political angle. I want to explore ideas of ‘self and other based upon a form of political ideology and to be more specific consider how portraits are viewed from the angles

Home Truths, Photography and Motherhood

Home Truths, Photography and Motherhood, (2013) Edited by Susan Bright, London: Art Books Publishing Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-908970-10-7. This book examines the work of a number of artist who have used the theme of motherhood for their work. The book is divided into four sections, each section introduced with an essay that discusses the specific aspects

Reading Photographs – In Our Own Image, by Fred Ritchin

Peter Kennard and Cat Phillips created the image, titled: Photo Op, in 2005. From Fred Ritchin’s book, In Our Own Image, his essay, Reading Photographs, (Ritchin, 2010) discusses the authenticity of a photograph. He asks, …after all that is happening in computer imaging can one safeguard the integrity of the photograph in its populist role

My Tutor’s assessment – Assignment 2

In my video conference with my Tutor we discussed the style of work that I am using which is a controlled and planned method, my Tutor thought that this style worked for this project’s narrative. He could see the influence of artist such as Cindy Sherman and Jeff Wall who both create contrived pictures in

Summary for Part 1, Looking at Them – The Representation of the Other.

I began this section with a preliminary exercise as a kind ice breaker in which I took photographs of people incognito and this really reaffirmed my discomfort of street photography which I think has become much harder to practise in our modern society that is now always under the gaze of CCTV and the world

Reading Task – The photographic works of Diane Arbus – My thoughts

Much has been said and written about Arbus and her work, but I wonder if too much has been read into her photographs?  The images used to critique her work style all appear to poses those elements of the sublime, they have that something, that punctum that Barthes coined (1) and which all photographers strive

Shizuka Yokomizo

Shizuka Yokomizo, born 1966. Yokomizo produced a project a called, Dear Stranger, (1998-2000) in which she dropped letters to her neighbours addressed, Dear stranger, and asked them to stand behind their windows at a specific time so that she could take their portrait. Stranger No. 10. (1999) by Shizuka Yokomizo. Stranger No. 9 (1999) by