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08/26/2002 09:56:44 AM · #1 |
The way DPC operates means that if you can't get your meaning across to the viewer in your photo within a few seconds you won't do very well in the challenge. Most people don't even like you to lean on the title a little bit. I thought I'd post this photo and some discussion of it as a bit of a change from this :)
The following photo is called "Self Portrait in a Single Breasted Suit with Hare" by British photographer and filmmaker Sam Taylor-Wood:
First of all, I'd like to know what people's impression of this photo is before knowing anything about it. What do you think it means? Does it seem to have any meaning? Is there anything about it that visually appeals to you?
Now that you've assessed those things, the first bit of information you need in order to understand this image is that it was taken after the photographer had a breast removed, and chemotherapy treatments (during which she lost her hair) for breast cancer. So the title, and the image itself, is a pun. So there is wit in this photo, and it reveals a bit more about the photographer than you would imagine at first (as a good self-portrait should). The single breasted suit refers to the mastectomy (or perhaps her body following the mastectomy), and the "with hare" refers to the regrowth of her hair.
But then there's a little bit more analysis you can go into. The hare is dead, and stuffed, and the suit is black. Both these things are symbolic of death, which the photographer has escaped at least for now. Also, the suit and the short hair are masculine symbols, they mask her femininity. Does she feel that she's been masculinised by her treatment? I'm fairly sure a woman's eggs don't survive chemotherapy, so perhaps she's incapable of bearing children now too. This is just speculation on my part, but they are questions I think the photograph legitimately raises.
But beyond that, there is more you can see in this image if you know more about Sam Taylor-Wood's work. She makes a lot of references to Renaissance artwork in everything she does. The marble floor and doorway here strike me as a bit Renaissance-esque, but the main reference is the hare. Renaissance era portraits usually contained a "momento mori" symbol - this is latin for something along the lines of "remember you will die". These were objects such as human skulls, clocks, bowls of rotting fruit, wilting flowers, and dead game animals such as pheasants and hares. So the hare here is a definite symbol of death when seen within the context of Taylor-Wood's work.
But then there's even more to think about. Taylor-Wood is a member of a generation of British artists that have been at the centre of a lot of controversy and hype for the past 10 years or more. She only recently had her first big retrospective exhibition in the UK. She has a high profile for being married to a well known art dealer, and a lot of her work features celebrity friends of hers such as Robert Downey Jr., and other actors, models, etc. Critics see her and others of her movement as gimmicky, self-referential, trendy, people who create work that's deliberately inaccessible except to educated people with a cursory knowledge of art history. Knowing all that, it's hard not to look at the photo a bit cynically and say yes, it contains themes associated with her breast cancer, but does it really expose her and her emotions? Does it really explore anything at all? Is it really any deeper than a play on words?
I actually think this photo is strong enough and interesting enough not to be too cynical about it. I like it a lot, and keep coming back to it, as you can probably tell :). I'd love to know how other people feel about it, before and after learning all this information.
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/26/2002 9:59:15 AM.
Message edited by author 2002-12-16 11:34:53.
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08/26/2002 09:58:27 AM · #2 |
can you link the photo rather than insert it?
;)
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08/26/2002 10:00:49 AM · #3 |
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08/26/2002 10:49:39 AM · #4 |
Before reading the rest of the information:
This is a particularly captivating photo⦠There is nothing special about it technically or compositionally, but why in the hell is she holding a dead rabbit? She is also dressed unusually for a woman. She also obviously wants this image to be identified as a âself portraitâ or she would not have used the cable release to take the photoâ¦
As for being âvisually appealingâ, I would say no. Itâs more psychologically appealing than anything. Itâs making me ask questions because of the elements of the photograph. The visual appeal is not inspiring to me, per sayâ¦
So⦠After reading the rest of this story, I can definitely understand the purpose of the photo. Itâs a clever photo as well⦠She has captured a lot of information about herself and her state of mind in a single photo. That, alone, is artistic.
Now⦠In my mind, this may be artistic and intriguing to viewers who know this person or know her work. If I was not a âfanâ of this person, I would have little desire to give this photo more than one glance. I am not part of her âcliqueâ and I donât know anything about her history.
As for the social merit of this photo, I suppose it goes back to my last statement. It would probably be a blockbuster to her friends and family. As for whether or not it will appear in art history classes in the next millennium, who knows :) Will this photo have lasting value? Maybe⦠Maybe notâ¦
Maybe this photo is like pop music⦠Itâs here today, but may be gone tomorrow?
I do NOT know the story behind Karen Bryanâs âPanacheâ photo, but I have spent more time studying that one that I will this one :)
I'm definitely open to discussion on this photo...
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08/26/2002 10:58:48 AM · #5 |
I agree with you John.
If I didn't know the back story on her this photo would be nothing but a pop culture shot to me. My first thought was "what a great shot for a DP Challenge self portrait!"
Sometimes DP Challenge shots would not be great if not for the challenge topic to give reference.
Maybe this womans connection within the art community helps her cause. She wouldn't be the first to have that happen.
But then again, if she finds her photography cathartic and interesting to her..thats all that's important really :-) |
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08/26/2002 11:20:29 AM · #6 |
| Yeah, it is a very pop culture image, but that's one thing about the "Britart" artists - they play on pop culture, so you respond to some images as though it's a billboard or advertisement until you realise that you've been manpulated a bit into responding to something that's darker or more twisted than you expected. But it all borders on pretentiousness and hype, which is the trademark of this movement. There's a great article about the whole movement here, on the BBC's website. |
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08/26/2002 11:31:33 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by lisae:
Yeah, it is a very pop culture image, but that's one thing about the "Britart" artists - they play on pop culture, so you respond to some images as though it's a billboard or advertisement until you realise that you've been manpulated a bit into responding to something that's darker or more twisted than you expected. But it all borders on pretentiousness and hype, which is the trademark of this movement. There's a great article about the whole movement here, on the BBC's website.
I think I view art and music in much the same way... If I think I'll enjoy hearing it more than once, I'' buy it. "Pop Culture" has a short term impact on be, but it, like gas, soon passes :)
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08/26/2002 11:33:55 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by lisae:
Yeah, it is a very pop culture image, but that's one thing about the "Britart" artists - they play on pop culture, so you respond to some images as though it's a billboard or advertisement ....
I could definitely see this photo being used as a book cover for biography of a cancer survivor or an article in a magazine.
A lot of my own images are influenced by my association with Newspaper/Advertising/Magazine uses of photgraphy.
My Webrose photo was sold to NSW Corp. They make these bathroom sponges but they are a large manufacturer of Turkey netting and the ad is being used as an inhouse advert to private label companies who buy these things in bulk and put their own private label on them to sell.
But, as evidenced by my score on this photo, a photo is always cheered or booed based on the audience you are showing it too. But that is art in general really.
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08/26/2002 11:44:05 PM · #9 |
BUMP
I'd like to see if anyone else has any interesting opinions on this :) |
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08/27/2002 12:20:06 AM · #10 |
GREAT post, Lisae!!
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/27/2002 12:22:11 AM. |
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