Daniel Jarvis 0902784 Graphic Design Year 2
Communication and Media Theory EFFC2003 Mike Billam
Question 2. “…people tend to look through photographs as if they were windows rather than pictures… ( but)… Photographs, no matter how objective or scientific, are the constructions of individuals with beliefs and biases, and we need to consider them as such. To describe subject, form, medium and style is to consider photographs as pictures made by individuals, and not to mistake them for anything more or less” (Barrett 2006: 26). A photograph is “a message without a code.” (Barthes,1997 ‘The Photographic Message’). Bearing the passage above in mind, choose one or a sequence of related contemporary photographs, and offer an analysis. Your analysis should discuss the implications of the quotes, and incorporate the terms subject, form, medium and style as discussed in the quote above. (You will need to read the whole of Barthes “ Photographic message” and the relevant chapter in Barrett. See also Barthes “Camera Lucida,” Wells, Howarth.)
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
“Candy Cigarette” (Mann, Sally:2005)
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
“How do I want my work to been seen, and what do I want to leave behind…I don’t want to leave behind vapid meaningless pictures, but I don’t want to leave anything that is hurtful” (Mann: 2005). For this essay I will be interrogating Sally Mann’s photograph ‘Candy Cigarette’. Through dissection I will be critically analysing the social messages implied by the deliberate construction of its subjects, and subject matter. Sally Mann, a self confessed artist declaring in her documentary “I knew even at school that I wanted to be an artist” (Mann: 2005), further explains in her 2003 interview with Charlie Rose, “An artist follows a concept” (Mann: 2003). Typical of an artist, Mann saturates her imagery with meaning, poetically scattering entropic signals throughout her work. Candy Cigarette, is a photograph from a body of work entitled ‘Immediate Family 1992’, which throughout the early 90’s, came up against much controversy by Mann’s “intimate depiction of her children“ (Mann: 2003). Responding to her critics she stated, “Do people buy prints because they are controversial, or do they buy them because they like them?” (Mann: 2005). When a photograph is created, we as the viewer do not experience ‘the literal reality’, but glimpse only at the ‘perfect analogon’ (Barthes 1997: 17). Within the frame we see the literal denotation of the objects, and by this reasoning the photograph is “a message without a code” (Barthes 1997: 17). However, by understanding the image is not a “window” (Barrett 2006: 26) we can start to see its “secondary message” (connotation), and through our “beliefs and bias” (Barrett 2006: 26) begin to interpret its meaning. “Since every photograph is contingent (and thereby out of meaning) photography cannot signify (aim at a generality) except by assuming a mask” (Barthes 2000: 34). At first glance the eyes of the girl, positioned in the centre of the image, confronts the viewer. Drained of their childlike shine they stare back piercing deep into our own, void of interest. Their lifeless glare appears full with woe, menacing with a youthful fragility. It feels as though at any moment, streams of adolescent tears could flood from these grieving eyes, held back only by a thin film of self-respect. In her documentary, Mann states that she asked the girl, who is in fact her daughter, “Jessie, I want you to prop your hand with the candy cigarette with just that look of world-weary ennui” (Mann: 2005).
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
By influencing how her daughter articulates her vision, Mann has greatly improved the semantics of the image. We are in no question as to what Jessie is trying to portray in her expression. They are indexical signals that portray the precise meaning that Mann had requested. Had those words not been said, would such hurt still emanate from her? The bags under her eyes, both obvious and concerning, are clearly visible in faint sunlight. Apparent are the signs of both tiredness and stress; they are also indexical signs that imply worry, perhaps from a burden of some kind. The bags help to exaggerate the young girl’s eyes, enhancing their immediate impact, “for the photographic ‘shock’ consists less in traumatizing than in revealing what was so well hidden” (Barthes 2000: 32). Being used to draw out other features on her body, the bags impressively make us, (as Fiske describes us), the decoder, seek out more than what is there. Being from a western society, the cigarette reveals the metalinguistics for our culture, “fix[ing] the floating chain of signifieds in such a way” (Barthes 2000: 39) as to open a channel of communication that encourages the viewer to interpret the image as an artistic construction, rather than a ‘window’ (Barrett 2006: 26). The cigarette, the ‘monument’ to its social meaning is a metonym by itself, saturated in its own social and cultural connotations. Many people, (although less so in recent years) consider smoking to be a social grace: held by a beautiful woman it personifies sophistication, sexual prowess, and to some degree an enhancement of elegance. However, this cigarette, clutched in the hand of the child distorts our understanding. No longer does the image hold the same ideals as previously thought, our interpretation changes, and it now embodies an entirely new meaning. What was once an image of a child is now a photograph “capturing the confusing emotions and developing identities of adolescent girls” (Museum of Cotemporary Photography: 2012). But what innocence has she lost, if any at all? The “myth” (Barthes1993:) that children are supposed to be sheltered from life’s harsh realities has only recently come about. The unquestionable ‘truth’ that it is better for children to grow up unknowing of their forthcoming pressures has not always been part of our ideology. Years ago, it was common for children of young ages to work long tiresome hours in sweat shops, using dangerous machinery (inspiring the work of other photographers such as Lewis Hine, ‘Children at work’), whereas now they are expected to stay naïve until adulthood, deferring their responsibilities.
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
The title ‘Candy Cigarette’ denotes that the girl is holding a ‘candy’ cigarette, affirming the fact that there is nothing wrong with what she is doing and is in fact acceptable. This justification conflicts with the viewer’s natural response, and we are left wanting to pull if from her. However, “photography is subversive not when it frightens, repels, or even stigmatizes, but when it is pensive, when it makes us think” (Barthes 2000: 38). The cigarette is fake, but it is a real candy cigarette, a novelty sweet that was shockingly aimed towards children, which romanticised the idea of smoking. Perhaps the question should be what is Jessie doing wrong? We only perceive the girl to be smoking by how her hand grasps the sweet, and by her overall posture. “It animates me and I animate it…this is what creates every adventure” (Barthes 2000: 20). This playful humour between the title and image does not seem to weaken the effectiveness of the message being transmitted. Separate from when we objectively analyse this photograph, the knowledge that the cigarette is ‘fake’ is forgotten, and our emotions cause us to focus upon what is clearly being depicted. It would be interesting to consider whether the photograph would still be as powerful if the cigarette were to be taken away. The rhythmic pattern of her body language and expression creates a clear aesthetic that greatly increases the effectiveness of the message. The Museum of Contemporary Photography’s website states that “Jessie holds the cigarette with the innocent miniature of a blonde and gangling twentysomething beauty” (Museum of Contemporary Photography: 2012). This portrayal stems from her posture: we see a young girl, dejected, arm brought across her chest uninvitingly. She appears bored, as though she is waiting to be stimulated. Her minor slouch indicates a relaxed attitude, a lack of formality suggesting that the stance is comfortable and natural. Her hand that is brought across her chest is concealed, enticing us as the viewer to guess what it holds. Is it concealing a lighter or merely positioned to prop up her other hand? The absence of a lighter maintains the idea that the image is a child mimicking the actions of an adult, rather than becoming an adult. Had there been one present, the added realism that would be created by their relationship could have interfered with our decoding of the message. We would look too heavily at the fact that the cigarette is not lit, forgetting the importance that it is a candy cigarette. The absence keeps the image from overstepping into the real and so maintains its metaphor.
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
Jessie is clothed in a summer dress, its white cleanliness suggesting that she has not been engaged in play. The crest upon the front in addition to the detailing around its edges implies it has been designed to look nice, and not for practical use. It is in this example, the dress is a fashion statement, her choice of outfit is an extension of her identity that expresses her maturity. Her frail physique, distinctive throughout models, gives her face extreme pronunciation and frames the subtle pout on her lips. Her body is slightly turned away from us, head twisted back revealing the profile of her cheekbones and jaw line, typical in portraiture. We can faintly see a ring upon her left index finger, reaffirming the awareness of her ‘identity’ by appearance. Few children wear jewellery when playing, presumably at the request of the parent, so as not to get lost whilst playing. But here Jessie seems to be just a spectator, detached from physical interaction, presumably to avoid damaging her well-treated nails, which show no signs of dirt and appear to have a slight shine to them, as though just manicured. Her white skin has a warm appearance, as though sun-kissed. Its leather-ish quality becomes prominent by the context of the photograph. We perceive her colouring to be self inflicted, a conscious decision to give herself a radiance, which would appear more desirable to others, in a way, seductive. Her hair has been brushed to one side increasing the aura of temptation: untamed, its shaggy appearance allures the viewer “who might be attracted and for what reason?” (Mann 2003), which is partly responsible for the photo’s controversy. We are given no alternative but to develop a singular attachment to Jessie: by only showing her face our vision is blinkered, and we are pulled in by her expression as all else falls into our peripheral vision. As a result of this, do the other children become redundant or phatic? It is obvious that they are overshadowed by the predominant focus of their sibling, so they simply maintain the channel of communication. However they reinforce the scenario that is being portrayed by becoming paradigm signals, which we come to expect, whilst still contributing to the greater message. The young girl to the right of the photograph has her back to the camera, as if considering us unimportant. Her attention is focused upon the boy in the far left, suggesting that her body language and stance is a response to his actions. Her small shoulders are pulled back expanding her chest in an authoritative manner, hands balled into fists placed against her hips as if in disapproval, or perhaps envious of what Mann describes as a “wild naked Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
freedom” (Mann 2003) which the boy seems to possess. She is clothed identically to her sister, which, typical of girls their age, is again more ornate than the ordinary. The detailed edging and elasticated waist again implies a similar awareness of her appearance to others. The young boy set back in the portrait would appear to be enjoying himself up high on his stilts, clothed in a baggy t-shirt and shorts, his attire better suiting one playing outdoors. With his back to us, we can make out no distinguishable features, he is unclear to us, blurred, maybe as we are to him. It is said that girls grow up faster that boys, so it is conceivable that Mann is connoting this statement by limiting our vision. The boy, who is blurred to the viewer, could be said to be naïve of the complexities of adult life, and the girls in the foreground who are both in focus, are fully aware emphasised in Jessie’s case by her holding the Candy Cigarette. The younger girl, who by her size appears to be the youngest of the three, has only a slight haze suggesting that she has started to become conscious of these pressures, and because of her sex, not her age, she is more aware than the boy. Typical of Mann’s style, the image has been taken in black and white. Colourlessly this helps imply the gritty subject matter that she is encapsulating. The blackness in Jessie’s eyes is exaggerated by this absence of colour and contrasts dramatically against her white skin. Still distinguishable through the colourless landscape, the children appear to be on the grounds of their land. Surrounded by trees their drive stretches away from us, isolating them and constructing their playground. People who portray wealth through such things as property and belongings, are in the social circles that require you to maintain appearances. Mann’s projection of an upper middle class family suffers from the same notions. Mann is fully aware of the message she is attempting to transmit: as the encoder she understands that the material she is broadcasting is, to some, considered offensive. However throughout the early stages of her career, Mann was not “afraid to plumb the depths of children” (Mann 2003). The image demonstrates how social pressures have affected what was once the child, and has stolen from them their youth as signified through the iconic signal of a cigarette. Childish ignorance has been replaced with the complexities of adult life, thrusting them into a world of vanity and sex,
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
accompanied with the stress and worry that is apparent through bags under Jessie’s eyes. In some way perhaps, Mann is expressing through photography her concerns for her children, and by creating this image she confronts them stating, “I was responding to things that appeal to me” (Mann: 2005), further explaining in her interview that parents have a fear of “seeing what they are going to lose” (Vile Bodies: 1998). This explanation provides the reasoning behind Mann’s emotive photograph, unveiling her “individual beliefs and biases” (Barrett 2006: 26). Mann has created a controversial photograph incorporating a controversial topic, apparently in an attempt to enlighten her audience.
To conclude, Mann has through the medium of photography, created an emotively charged portrayal of a girl, “capturing [her] confusing emotions and developing identities…” (Museum of Cotemporary Photography: 2012). The young female subjects appear lost in an adult world where we see the faults in their armour have become clear. Iconic and indexical signs peer through and what was once was considered a harsh exterior, we now perceive to be as “assuming a mask” (Barthes 2000: 34). Mann has attempted to create a “window rather than [a] picture” (Barrett: 26), as if we were looking out into her fears for the future. The emotions Jessie portrays have highly conative “secondary messages”, meaning that the “… message [that was once] without a code” (Barthes 1997: 17) has created a context for us as the audience to interpret. And by our own “beliefs and biases” (Barrett: 26), “no matter how objective or scientific”, (Barrett: 26), we are powerless to ignore. We are brought through the visual narrative that has been styled poetically for us to easily interpret the entropic from the redundant. The simple black and white exemplifies the “analogon” (Barthes 1997: 17) of the metaphor Mann has created.
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
Bibliography Barrett, Terry. (2006). Criticizing Photographs, An introduction into understanding images. McGraw-Hill Companies inc. Barthes, Roland. (1933). Roland Barthes Mythologies. Cox & Wyman Ltd. Barthes, Roland. (1997). Image Music Text, Roland Barthes. Clays Ltd, St Ives plc. Barthes, Roland. (2000). Camera Lucida, Roland Barthes. Hill and Wang 1993. Mann, Sally. (2003) [Interview by Charlie Rose, 12 November 2003]. Mann, Sally. (2005). What Remains. Directed by Steven Cantor. Stick Figure productions. Museum of Cotemporary Photography. (2012). Sally Mann. Accessed on, 30.03.2012. Accessible at http://www.mocp.org/collections/permanent/mann_sally.php Vile Bodies, Kids. (1998). Directed by Penny Woolcock. Channel 4. United states of America.
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2
Appendices Mann Sally. (2005). Candy Cigarette. Immediate Children. Aperture.
Daniel Jarvis - 0902784
Communication and Media Theory - Q2