project description:
What are the ways a photographic image can physically occupy a space?
What happens when you engage a viewer with photography as an object, by getting them to touch it, hold it, move around it or through it?
What are the ways a photographic image can be produced on a three dimensional surface?
These questions are to be explored through a wide range of experimentation that then develops into a sequence of ambitious and refined outcomes.
JoiNt ExPeriMeNtaTiOn aT HiGhgATe WoOdS
For this very beginning stage of understanding the project brief, The Photographic Object, we were instructed to pair up, and connect ourselves with a piece of 3ft rope. On our trip to Highgate woods, we explored the idea of restriction, and restricting ourselves and our movements as photographers by being tied together.
The task was very open, and we could interpret it how we liked. Lots of other pairs photographed nature and the surroundings whilst being joined by the rope, thus the images had the underlying process of being tied together whilst being photographed, yet didn't visibly show the rope in the images. Others chose to photograph the rope connected to various different natural and man-made structures in the environment, such as trees and railings. Dea and I decided to investigate the notion of being joined by photographing ourselves, literally exposing the connection process. We played around with positioning, space, movement and the effects of being physically joined upon our bodies.
I really enjoyed our experimentation with positioning, using height and depth in composing of the images, with the aid of the tree, utilising the surroundings. The difference between the tension of the tight rope and the slack of the rope when loose also adds an interesting dynamic to the way in which the atmosphere of the image is interpreted. When the rope is tight, for me, this provides a more forceful, almost violent tugging vibe, whereas when it is loose and slack the use of the rope somewhat becomes more playful. This is something I could look deeper into when choosing my direction of development with creating my own photographic object - how can the different experiences with the object evoke different moods?
These three images are those than I chose to get printed large scale for the photographic object workshop that will follow the talk from Alix Marie in the morning. I chose these because there are varying uses of the rope: as a divider, as a connector and as a trap. Another thing, from this, that I should consider when proposing my own ideas is how the context of the photographic object can change when it is used in alternative ways?
What I enjoy so much about this photograph [above] is the way in which the rope is the only thing that occupies the negative space between the forks in the tree, which Dea and I symmetrically push against. This symmetry adds another element of appeal to the eye when viewing this image: not only does the rope create a straight line across the top third, but the two thick branches of tree create thirds vertically across the photo too. I think it is interesting how this unnatural interaction in a very natural environment is so easy on the eye because of the pleasing mathematical composition factors - patterns and symmetry occur naturally and artificially in the world around us.
I found the experience of working with Dea whilst being tied together very interesting, especially in terms of communicating our ideas. Turning the visualisations into a joint composed image, and carrying out all the tasks of taking a good photograph, whilst simultaneously being in the photograph (and joined at the heads, arms, etc. !) was certainly challenging, but also extremely fun and funny.
By having this restriction in terms of taking the images and, to some extent, the content of the images, it pushed our ideas to think more interestingly outside of the box, to broaden the way we think around such specific situations, as well as strengthening teamwork, cooperation and collaboration. If I were to do this task again, I would, perhaps, think about the different ways in which we could've connected ourselves - not just limb to limb, arm to arm... - and the sorts of narratives this would create.
iNiTiaL iDEas
Thinking back to the greatly insightful and interesting presentation by Alix Marie about the sorts of photographic object work she produces, I was definitely most influenced by the thought behind the tangibility of her book (as an object). She breaks conventions in terms of how we, as photographers, designers, or just general viewers, treat finished photographic pieces of work with so much respect that they become somewhat paramount and precious, never to be touched, only to be looked at. Giving her book paper that shows fingerprints, as well as a soft, flesh-like cover, surprises those who interact with it when they realise the mark they've left on the pages. This collection of prints upon the prints is kind of significant and artistic in its own way, reinforcing Marie's message whilst documenting how many and in which way people interact with her work.
In relation to my own ideas, I thought about what sort of photographic/graphic objects or things are highly tangible, and touched. After much deliberation, I came up with the concept of playing cards. Not only can they become extremely photographic, especially if I were to make them photo rather than illustration based, but most importantly, they are dealt with, played with, shuffled, flung, tossed, bent and so on, every time they are used. Developing onto the basis of what I want my photographic object to say, whether it be personal, political, or a comment on the present, for me, playing cards beg the question: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE PLAYED? This could be by a certain person, lover, family member, enemy... or by the system, society, patriarchy... or by karma... or by anything that makes you feel like you've been taken for a fool, or in this case, a joker (?!).
[above] I really like the style of portrait in these images (taken from a display for a beard grooming competition) and the way that the rest of the card, which is still recognisable, is used to frame the photo.
PrOjeCt pRoPosAL:
For this project, The Photographic Object, I intend to explore the realms of tangible photography through making a pack of playing cards. I feel most inspired by Alix Marie’s intention to draw photography away from a sacred ritual of images in frames on walls, and instead towards the purpose of being handled. Thus, what is more touched, tossed, teared, bent and shuffled than a deck of cards. The deck will contain photographic playing cards responding to research I propose to undertake, investigating the history of the cards and games in terms of social hierarchy and class.
I want the playing card characters and values to reflect different aspects of life that could bee seen to “play” us back. Potential lovers, Capitalism, Karma, and Ourselves were the most common responses I received to the question “When and by whom was the last time you were played?” In my first hand research. Each respective response can be presented through one of the 4 suits in a typical deck of cards.
I plan to redesign the entire deck, from the typography of the letters and numbers, the colours, imagery, to the iconography/symbols (typically diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades), reinventing the traditional and exploring the potential of creating my own tangible photographic product. I want to do self-portraiture, for accessibility as well as adding to the underlying message of the cards and the way we approach the situation of being played. By characterising myself as all the different ways in which we get “played”, I am somewhat embodying the situation and, to me, this is a state of overcoming and accepting the harsh realities of life. If all goes to plan, the reverse side of the cards, when all laid next to each other, will reveal one large, simple self portrait.
iNiTiaL inSpiRaTiON
FiNaL OuTcomE
- video of flicking through the cards
- images of cards laid out in order
- close up details
- jigsaw styled backs in position.
- reflective comments - quality, final product, what would I change, etc.
FiNaL OuTcomE - physicality of cards
Alix Marie
Orlando
"This is carried out mostly through my experience of my own female body and my perception of the bodies that surround me; here the one I have the most intimate relationship to, the one with my lover Orlando.
The installation is composed of large-scale prints of close-up body parts of Orlando. The photographs have been dipped in wax, crinkled, scanned and reprinted, resulting in a trompe-l’oeil effect, skin trying to break open and escape itself.
The cracked wax resembles marble, the marble of meat and the marble of classical sculptures. Orlando in Virginia Woolf’s novel blurs gender boundaries, a character that turns from male to female.
Orlando is a story of our genders melting and merging together.
Orlando is a large-scale photographic paper prints installation.
My practice has always been concerned with the crossing and mixing of photography and sculpture practices. I am interested in the photograph as object and its potential for materiality, touch, and three-dimensionality.
Orlando comes from an investigation of how to represent intimacy, those moments where the other’s body is blown up through proximity and every detail of the skin and body unravels. I have always felt teased by the similarities between skin and the photographic print: both surfaces, both fragile, both ungraspable."
- Alex Marie [https://www.rca.ac.uk/students/alix-marie/]
What I find most striking about Alix Marie's work is that you can tell they are photographs, printed on paper or a sort, but the way in which she plays with size, scale, presentation and further experimental techniques elevates the images to so much more than photographs on paper. By placing them in an exhibition space, particularly in this environment [in pics] the texture of the skin is heightened and reinforced by the pale stone surroundings. I would be really interested to see what these sorts of works would look like in a public environment, in a more environmental art manner, and also how (if possible) the public could interact with such work. After reading what Alix Marie had to say about the message she presents from this project, Orlando, comparing the similarities between skin and photographic paper, in reflection to the similarities between male, female and gender fluidity, I want to know more about how people have responded. Are the LGBTQ+ society aware of this subtle nod to their community through such a fine art, non commercialist piece of, ultimately, communication?
VoiCe NotE oF sEsSioN wiTh Alix Marie
KeY pOinTs frOm SesSioN [above]
- Fine Artist - most enjoys the touch in sculpture and the eye in photography, so combines both in her practice.
- Intrigued by the clinical methodology of photography, i.e. wearing gloves, sacred treatment of photographic prints, intricate framing, etc.
- Self portraiture, very staged, focus on the human body…
- Recreating layers on top of her photographs to give impression that the content is trying to escape the image. Transformation from 2D to 3D.
- “Photography is unique as a medium because it is a direct trace of reality” - only medium where you need the person or the object to be there at the same time and place, like casting and sculpture, which is especially significant as she uses them both !
- Really believes in content and form coming together - chooses material to reinforce what the image is talking about/communicating.
- Play between vision and touch became important, interestingly, when she had a residency period at the V&A, where you cannot touch any of the artwork.
- People want to touch her work - misunderstanding of whether parts were interactive or not, led her to continue exploring how tactile elements can bring interactivity to her work
- idea for the book was, instead of making a catalogue of images and installations, to make a photographic book as an object of images and installations, in itself.
- Printed on glossy paper that picks up fingerprints immediately, cover is made of PVC to reflect skin, lending to the content of the pages, and juxtapose the traditional hardback structure of photographic books.
CoLLecTinG fiRsT hAnd ResEarCh
As with some of my previous projects, I used Instagram as a social media platform to reach out to my friends and followers about my chosen topic. Using the internet to invite conversation about personal things, I have found, often makes it easier for people to communicate the truth, because they are behind a screen. I had people I haven't spoken to in ages, or at all, respond through the interactive question and answer feature on Instagram stories. In this way, they can contribute to my project by giving me an insight to the ways other people get played, rather than my first hand, biased experiences, while also remaining semi-anonymous.
And so, deducting from the few responses I got, the biggest/most common ways people get played regularly are by:
- potential lovers/romantic interests
- the capitalist system
- karma, bad luck, etc.
- themselves !
ChAraCTeRisAtiOn
The broken hearted beau, PLAYED by a lover.
For this look, I styled a robe of white bedsheets as a dramatic makeshift dress, emphasising the pinks and reds of the flowers, as well as the dark aspects of the ruined makeup. Moreover, connotations with beds/bedsheets include sex, love and intimacy, and messy beds often symbolise reckless affection and careless sharing of secrets. All these things make us vulnerable, susceptible to heartbreak and pain from those who take the opportunity to play and abuse raw feelings. This character outwardly depicts the often internalised emotions from this type of love affair.
The businessman, the PLAYER fuelled by toxic Capitalism.
For this character, I dressed as what I perceive as a typical "businessman": sleek, suited and somewhat corrupt. Obviously the effect of the falling money around the central subject of the character is not as effective, undermined by the fact it is Monopoly money, but hopefully when the cards are physically printed, the size and scale will make this minor issue less overt. For the entire suit of Diamonds I have produced only king cards - so no queen, jack, ace, or numbers one to ten - in order to comment on the unfortunately natural and historical patriarchal issues in society, especially in the economic world. Less than 5% of all leading management positions in employment from the Fortune 500 list of companies are filled by women, explicitly reinforcing the dominating force of men in power. It is almost as if women are not given the opportunity to succeed, or at least, it is not made as accessible, thus, by making the entire suit of kings it not only heightens the fact of the lack of women in powerful business roles, but also makes the game impossible to play, as kings are most often a winning card.
(Your)self, PLAYED by the PLAYER.
Self reflection. The idea that we play ourselves is not uncommon. We are our biggest friend, yet biggest enemy. In taking these images of myself in the most natural and raw form, whilst in front of the mirror, I am addressing the issues of self in terms of the way I perceive me, and treat me. Unfortunately, my camera died for this final "character", and so I had to use my phone to improvise in the time I had. If I were to take these photos again, I would also choose a different set up: in my head I envisioned an entirely white room, with a more simple mirror with no frame, just glass. For more reasons than one this was not possible in the space of my home, and so the white sheets were used as a backdrop, and I made use of the most plain mirror I had. Positively, at least the bed sheets appearing here as well lend back nicely to the use of the sheets as costume in the shoot for my suit of broken hearts. Furthermore, both these suits I redesigned with the colour pink, and so I feel they fit quite well together.
Karma, the universe's fair PLAYER.
The photographic elements in terms of visualising "karma" is what I found most difficult in the creation of this project. I wanted to continue with the clean cut and uniform style of headshots, but also not identify myself as karma, when I believe it is an external force. So I simply turned away from the camera, and this series of images somewhat developed and evolved themselves. I really like the simplicity of the photographs, made interesting by the different use of hand and arm gestures. In reflection, I feel that the black stands out too much, however this also links to the dark suit jacket worn in the suit of diamonds characterisation, and so both blue suits are connected through colour and costume. For me, the most important thing about these images is that, although you know it is the same model in all the images across all the suits, the identity is still hidden here.
Linda Hofvander
Fold 1, 2013, photographic object 80×100 cm
Fold 2, 2013, photographic object 80×100 cm
Fold 3, 2013, photographic object 80×100 cm
Linda Hofvanders approach to the photographic object is very much rooted in fine art conventions, but shows exaclty how the simple fold or bend in an already abstract image can elevate it beyond simple photographic format. I enjoy the minimalism, as well as the symmetry, especially in the last piece. I think it would be interesting to see how these pieces of work changed if there were placed in alternative environments, such as outside, or in a busier space.
Gerhard Richter
4.4.89 (Golden Gate)
1989 10 cm x 15 cm
Oil on colour photograph
6. Nov. 1999
1999 10.1 cm x 14.8 cm
Oil on colour photograph
11.2.98
1998 10 cm x 14.7 cm
Oil on colour photograph
I like the way both Gerhard Richter and Diane Meyer have employed other mediums and materials to heighten the impact of there photographs - paint and painting, as well as thread and embroidery/cross-stitch. Not only does this add a layer of texture to the images, but also added colours, often completely changing the tone and impression presented. I kind of began exploring the idea of textures and colours juxtaposing black and white photographs when I experimented with poking my hair through the large scale image of me, in the exact same position my hair was in the still picture. The results would have been more striking if the contrast between real and fake was more obvious. Perhaps this is something I can investigate further.
Diane Meyer
ThE HisTorY oF thE pLaYinG CaRd
Playing cards were invented by the Chinese before AD1000. They reached Europe around 1360, not directly from China but from the Mameluke empire of Egypt. The history of suitmarks demonstrates a fascinating interplay between words, shapes and concepts. The Mameluke suits were goblets, gold coins, swords, and polo-sticks. Polo being then unknown in Europe, these were transformed into batons or staves, which, together with swords, cups and coins, are still the traditional suitmarks of Italian and Spanish cards. Fifteenth-century German card-makers experimented with suits vaguely based on Italian ones, eventually settling for acorns, leaves, hearts and bells (hawk-bells), which still remain in use. Around 1480 the French started producing playing-cards by means of stencils, and simplified the German shapes into trefle (clover), pique (pike-heads), coeur (hearts), and carreau (paving tiles). English card-makers used these shapes but varied the names - club, spade, diamond and heart...
[https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-2647,00.html]
ChAraCTeRisAtiOn inSpO
OURSELVES
CAPITALISM
LOVERS
KARMA
ReDeSigNinG thE GrApHicS
I have begun creating the base templates for my cards, with the size measurements provided by the company I am going to print the decks of cards with. I have changed the typical suit symbols from hearts, clubs and spades, to broken hearts, eyes and the karma symbol. I have also changed the colour scheme, mainly to fit with a softer aesthetic, and the typeface from "card characters" to "Futura", for a reinvented, updated look.
One thing I need to consider is the colours. The printing company have made it clear that they print using CYMK, compared to RGB graphics that are on photoshop and the screen of my laptop, etc. This could effect the ultimate result, however I don't really have the funds or time to get a test print done. If I had more time and money, of course, this is something I would definitely do, but for now, I just need to make sure I am happy with my design as much as I can be, and hope the printers create a result close to the design.
For diamonds, representing the capitalistic ways in which we get treated badly in life, the entire suit will consist of only kings. Not only does this make the pack of cards useless for playing with - reflecting the disposable nature of consumerism driven by capitalistic norms - but also reinforces the male dominating economic industry, and subtly comments on issues such as the gender pay gap and inequality within businesses and employment, etc. I am going to take a series of self-portraits, dressed as a typical "business man", overly dramatised to seem narcissistic, corrupt and greedy. While this furthers my point visually, I need to be careful not to cross the line between meaningful and cliche in terms of characterising myself as something I am not.
I have reinvented the typical heart symbol as a broken heart to lend to the way in which we are played, a lot of the time, by potential lovers and heartbreak as an overpowering emotion. Love can often lead to situations that make us feel like the world is against us, and so I plan to add images to the King, Queen and Jack cards of a heartbroken woman. I imagine the styling and make up to be quite ethereal, but also messy from crying. The entire characterisation will be hyperbolised, and I am yet to decide how I want the images to sit on the base templates of the cards that I have designed. Perhaps I will want to continue with the colour scheme of dusty pink in the visuals of the photography to accompany the graphic elements of the cards?
The third redesigned icon here is actually the symbol of karma, as I discovered in my research. I chose this to blatantly represent Karma, and the way in which luck, fortune and karma effect us in life, depending on our actions... The iconography is quite intricate, so maybe I will want to simplify the photographic elements of the cards to balance the card face designs.
This design of an eye icon works in two ways: as a symbol of self, the eye represents the way in which we play ourselves, but also "eye" is a visual play on the personal pronoun "I", also drawing to this idea of self scrutiny and self reflection. Our actions against ourselves often have the biggest consequences, and with the photographic elements for this suit of cards, I want to incorporate use of mirrors as a prop to reinforce this idea of self reflection and acceptance.
After considering the refinement of my designs of the suit symbols, I decided to develop the one symbol I didn't stray from, the regular diamond shape, to this style of diamond instead. I feel like it fits more with the capitalistic theme, showing more of a commercial, luxury styled diamond. This subtle change has refocused the entire meaning of this suit, and draws on the thematic elements in more detail...
SeNdiNg tHe CaRds oFf To pRinTinG
In order for the print company to process my pack of card designs, I had to create a series of pdfs for each side of every individual card - I made custom designs for the front and back of each card, and labelled accordingly. Below is a contact sheet of the proposed product. I really like how, in this case, the layout is misaligned and so the puzzle style display of the back of the cards creates a messed up appearance, rather than the effect of the whole photo when they are all in order and position.
ChAraCTeRisAtiOn
ReFLeCtioN
Because we had a much longer time span to complete this project - the entire course of the 3 week Christmas holiday - I feel that this is one of my strongest outcomes and projects so far. The extra time gave me the opportunity to focus on the smaller details and final finish of the project, as well as the concept and ideas deeply. Aspects of my playing cards that I think have been successful are: the physicality of the cards and the professional finish (with great thanks to IvoryGraphics in terms of printing), the fluency and thematic connections of the photographs not only to one another but also to the overriding themes and messages, the iconography designs - something I haven't particularly explored before this project, but something I feel adds depth and personality - and the connections back to my initial inspiration from the talk given by Alix Marie.
Things I know I could (have) improve{d) are minor, but would add to the overall quality of the product. I feel that I could have experimented with other colours for the type and icons before settling on blue and pink. Although the colours fit well with the tones of the respective photographs, there was plenty more room for experimentation, and I think I chose too quickly, without fully considering alternatives. Moreover, to get the jigsaw-like image on the back of the cards to a high enough quality, I had to adjust the settings on photoshop. I did not do this for the smaller images on the card faces, and I feel that this kind of shows. The pixel and print quality is much higher for the back of the cards, annoying, than the actual detailed faces, and I would resolve this had I more time and money for printing!
Overall, I am extremely happy with my outcome. I believe the connection to the brief is strong, my personal interpretation is evident, it is an interesting subject matter and an appropriate product outcome. I produced 3 packs of cards, and I think it could be interesting to see how people interact with them in different situations and settings - galleries, game rooms, displays, schools, etc. Ultimately, whatever context I place the piece in, the message remains the same - life plays us all in the end.