VPA104_W2_LectureSlides

VPA104

INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL IMAGING REALISM WEEK 2: PICTORIALISTS | NEW VISION

Last week, we looked at the historical birth of photography, and then examined the vitally important role that light plays. We also looked at some of the more scientific concerns relating to the interplay of light and photography that makes it all possible.

This week, we examine the idea of realism from two perspectives: the first from one of the first photographic movements: The Pictorialists.

The second, from a movement that that embraced the machine in more ways than one. Central to these two movements lies a question that has dogged photography ever since: IS IT ART?

VPA104: WEEK 2 PICTORIALISTS | NEW VISION

VPA104: Realism 2 The Pictorialists | The New Vision

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ÂŤ3Âť In a nutshell, Pictorialism can be defined as a photographic movement that spanned from the mid-1880s until the 1920s. It marks an era when people first started exploring the artistic possibilities of photography.

VPA104: WEEK 2 PICTORIALISTS | NEW VISION

What is Pictorialism?

Left: Robert Demarchy “Étude” 1895 Source: www.photogravure.com Next Page: Robert Demachy “Severity” 1904 Source: www.photogravure.com

Julia Margaret Cameron (1872) “I Wait” Source: Getty Images

Julia Margaret Cameron Sir John Herschel, 1867 Source: Met Museum

Julia Margaret Cameron (1874) “The Parting of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere” (Getty Images)

Leonard Missone (1920) “Dans la Tourmente Annees”

Leonard Missone (1899) “Waterloo Place, London”

Leonard Missone (1899) “Waterloo Place, London”

Joseph T. Keiley (1899) “A Head Study”

Joseph Keiley (1907) “A Bit of Paris” Source: Creative Commons

Joseph T. Keiley (1898) “Zitkala-Ša or Gertrude Simmons Bonnin” 1898.

Source: Museum of the American Indian

Edward J. Steichen (1904) “The Flatiron”

Tracey Moffatt (1989) “Something More”, Source: MCA

THE NEW VISION

Alexander Rodchenko (1927) “Pine Trees, Pushkin Park”

“Anyone who fails to understand photography will be one of the illiterates of the future.”

–Lazlo Moholy-Nagy

New Vision photography embraced the machine, and also recognised a new way of seeing through the machine. New perspectives were sought that embraced the objectivity of the camera, marrying it to the eye.

El Lissitzky (1924) Self-Portrait (The Constructor) Source: MOMA

“The essence of New Vision photography is pointedly expressed in this picture, commonly known as 'The Constructor', which puts the act of seeing at center stage. El Lissitzky’s hand, holding a compass, is superimposed on a shot of his head that explicitly highlights his eye: insight, it expresses, is passed through the eye and transmitted to the hand, and through it to the tools of production. Devised from six different exposures, the picture merges Lissitzky’s personae as photographer (eye) and constructor of images (hand) into a single likeness. Contesting the idea that straight photography provides a single, unmediated truth, Lissitzky held instead that montage, with its layering of one meaning over another, impels the viewer to reconsider the world. It thus marks a conceptual shift in the understanding of what a picture can be.”

Gallery label from “The Shaping of New Visions: Photography, Film, Photobook”, April 16, 2012–April 29, 2013.

Alexander Rodchenko (1929) Gears Source: Art Blart

In particular, diagonals were of interest, and juxtaposed against the vertical and horizontal lines of the photo frame itself. This was viewed as a more truthful representation of how the eye looks out at the world.

Alexander Rodchenko (1930) Pioneer with a Trumpet Source: Art Blart

Alexander Rodchenko (1932) Morning exercises, Student Campus in Lefortovo Source: Art Blart

The New Vision also recognised that, in the modern world, people were often looking up, at buildings, towers and other structures.

Alexander Rodchenko (1925) Fire Escape from the series “House on Myasnitskaya�

Source: Moscow House of Photography

Alexander Rodchenko (1929) Shukhov Tower Source: Art Blart

Alexander Rodchenko (1926) Mosselprom Building Source: Art Blart

Ordinary scenes were captured in interesting and new ways, and a play with light became an increasingly important part of The new Vision approach.

Lรกszlรณ Moholy-Nagy (1926) Siesta Source: MOMA

Lรกszlรณ Moholy-Nagy (1926) Ascona Source: MOMA

Alexander Rodchenko (1934) Girl with a Leica Source: Art Blart

Lรกszlรณ Moholy-Nagy (1931 or earlier) The Diving Board Source: MOMA

Umbo (Otto Umbehr) (1930) At the Beach Source: MOMA

All kinds of new perspectives were being sought, from below, and from on high.

Lรกszlรณ Moholy-Nagy (1929) Boats, Marseille Source: MOMA

Aerial photography became widely used during reconnaissance missions in WWI. The “Bird’s Eye” perspective was adapted by New Vision Photographers who reappropriated it for artistic aims.

László Moholy-Nagy (1928) From the Radio Tower, Berlin Source: MOMA

Lรกszlรณ Moholy-Nagy (1925) Geometry and Texture of Landscape Source: MOMA

Composition was central to New Vision photography.

What was put within the frame, and the way lines, light, shadows and textures were combined were all carefully planned out by New Vision photographers.

While some, such as El Lissitzky, used the technology in creative ways and to great effect (multiple exposures, for example), others such as Rodchecnko were against the manipulation of the technical capacities of both image caputure and development. Instead, he chose to exploit the ‘visual laws’ of volume, light, shade and rhythm.

Rodchenko said, “These laws have always existed even though they are hard to describe and explain (Coperniucus Films, 2007).

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Aleksandr Rodchenko (1934) Diver Source: Copernicus Films

“Rodchenko used qualities already inherent in the subject–light,shade, volume, line, contrast etc. He drew the viewer's attention to these qualities through his system of 'Rakursy', or perspectives: that is, using the angle from which the object is photographed to maximize the compositional value of the subject or the visual dynamics of the subject without falsifying it. In other words, these qualities are already inherent in the subject and the camera is used merely to bring out these qualities in new and interesting ways–to make the usual unusual and and make the unusual usual.

“In western culture we read from left to right.

The placing of the figure in the top right hand corner creates a natural dynamic, drawing our vision upwards to the rising figure. We seem to be looking up as if we were at the event itself, staring up as a spectator, even though we are looking at the photograph square on. Secondly, the illusion of motion is purposely created from a still image, which at that time was an innovative and bold approach to photography, which today we very much take for granted . It's not clear if they are connected, but Rodchenko’s sketch on a note pad on the left hand side seems to show how important these geometric “laws” were for Rodchenko’ approach to photography” (Coperniucus Films, 2007).

El Lissitzky (1926) Record Source: MOMA

El Lissitzky (1924-30) Untitled Source: MOMA

El Lissitzky (1924) Kurt Schwitters Source: MOMA

El Lissitzky (1924) N²ATUR + T²ECHNIK + K²UNST = √-1 = i Source: MOMA

Umbo (1935) Skatrunde (Round of Cards) Source: Three Penny Review

Umbo (Otto Umbehr) (1929-1931) Stairs II Source: MOMA