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Matt Watkinson 7218 Personal Investigation

Part 2

Reflections Photo Shoot - Contact Sheet

Reflections Photo Shoot, best photos, simple edits large

Reflections Photo Shoot, best photos, written analysis/ response page

Chosen photographer research 1

Chosen photographer research 2

Chosen photographer research 3

Add 3-D experiments of these..

Try some of the other online apps for editing box photos

Add 3-D box maquettes

analysis of previoous work

Aaron Draplin Research

Photographs of new boxes contact sheet

Clean simple edits of boxes

Typology Variations For my typology grid variations i decided to place four of the same original edits in one larger grid. I then proceeded to horizontally or vertically flip each grid to make all of the edits flow together as one edit.

I did firstly experiment with just randomly flipping each image so that it looked as if there were random squares within each grid. However the edits looked much more freeflowing when they had been placed together. The size of the image meant that i could use the railway sign as a border across the edge of the edit.

Initial Typology Maquettes For my initial typology maquettes I decided to print off several different designs to form a few ideas that would progress my work towards the final piece. I wanted to use the grids as they will be a key element within my final piece. I decided to combine a few different edits of the grids. I will advance in my project and in these specific edits by attempting to raise up parts of these maquettes because then it gives the edits a 3D element that the original typology maquette doesn’t have. However, it is a good indication of what I need to do to progress. I really like the use of the grids as they would work well in a combination for my final piece alongside simplistic edits for example the written worded typology and the original match box labels. I have cut into some of the edits and have added other parts of other labels which will create a merging of grids which is another way that I tried to experiment with the grids. I really like the combination of colours and I am happy with the way that the brightness and tone came out when it was printed as it complements the white colours of the frames.

Kelidiscope typology

analysis...

My first maquette i decided to randomly raise parts of the grid from the original edit. This added a 3D element and the idea will help make my final piece look more intriquette. I raised the grid squares by using several layers of foam board. I really like this layout and may decide to use this technique in my final piece.

My second development of the maquette i decided to cut out parts of the grid in a geometric format. I used a triangular theme and elevated half of the grid and then a further raise above the triangular elevation. The overall balance of the image is not as well distributed as the first maquette therefore i won’t progress with this idea.

For my final maquette i also raised random parts of the grid. I wanted to raise the central piece to create a focal point. However this meant there wasn’t space to raise more parts of the image. Overall i prefer the first maquette because there is a better distribution of elevated sections of the typology grid.

I attempted several different layout styles for my matchbox final piece. I used a variety of positions, it was about deciding whether or not i wanted structure within the piece. I have decided that my favourite layout is definitely the structure grid in rown and columns. This is because it will fit in with the frameworks of the image and the square, rigid theme. I did not like the unequal spaces that the unorganised layouts left, the overall piece looked more complete and stable with structure. I want the piece to look more like there has been thought that has gone into the layout rather than randomly placing the match boxes on the page.

Slogan options typography and font options Franklin Gothic Demi Bold

For my maquette i decided to frame the labels. This inspired me to develop my ideas towards my final piece. The framework idea may become essential in forging my final piece because i will want to apply rows of frames and then use several different techniques amongst the frames. For example the actual labels, then a digitall created typology grid and finally a close up of one image. The layout of the labels within the frame look much more structured in a block of rows and columns which gives the piece a more crisp look.

final piece plan Sketch

Final Piece Plan In terms of my final piece I decided to create a digital plan of the design and layout of my final piece. I progressed this idea and I have decided that I really like the quotes at the corners of the edits but in my final piece I will use a variety of different quotes and not the same ones and to reflect the variety of colours that will be in and around the edit I will change the background of the written typology edits to a different colour each. The piece is visually pleasing as it is formed in a structured way and also the types of edits are separated by a different form of edit. I will add framed white borders to all the edits in the grids because it adds simplicity to the image and it contrasts the technicality of the edits as it represents a neutral, plain colour. I really like the idea of the white border because it focuses attention to the area within the frame. The black background I have used because it contrasts the white framed work and it also uses the simplicity of a standard colour rather than a patterned background which would detract from the edits centrally on the page.

Chosen Images For Final Piece

Chosen typology edits

Final Piece Evaluation

Essay Planning Title Page

Can photographers/artists portray beauty through the discarded and abandoned? In this personal investigation I intend to analyse and discuss the work of specific photographers/artists to see if it is possible to take objects that have been discarded and transform them into artistic pieces that be viewed as work that has ‘aesthetic credibility’ of even ‘beauty.’ These pieces could form collections, photographs or sculptures, and I will study the work of a variety of photographers and artists. If I can find this ‘aesthetic credibility’ I intend to analyse and try to define how the work has been engineered or created to become more than the sum of its parts. Irving Penn This first photograph is a collection of cigarettes by Irving Penn’s. The photograph shows four cigarettes lined up in an organised fashion. The cigarettes look as if they have previously been used and have been taken out of an ash tray or found on the ground. The cigarettes have been carefully arranged, vertically next to one another on a clean white background. Penn has taken the cigarettes presumably from an ashtray, then he has elevated them by arranging them ordered structure, this could suggest that Penn is trying to present them in a positive light rather than the way that society views them as dangerous and harmful. The use of a film camera using black and white in strong light provides high contrast allowing the texture of each cigarette to be seen. The scorch marks and damage to the paper used to make the cigarettes is clear to see, creating interesting patterns and tonal variation. I feel that the way in which they have been photographed transforms objects that are seen as ugly or harmful to a piece which is almost elegant, the cigarettes could be mistaken of branches of a tree. There looks to be a single light source from the left which is creating the strong shadows and contrasts making the cigarettes more powerful visually and grander in scale. in the image as the shadows act as a sort of contour to the cigarettes. Irving Penn created a collection of photographs using cigarettes that he found on the streets, he brought them to a studio so he could then create minimalist compositions. The reason for making these photographs was to transform one of the most widely used and consumed products in society, into a symbolic representation of the current culture at the time (1930’s onwards). The transformation made the cigarettes look elegant and gave a new perspective of the object. The way that Penn created these edits were through printing cigarettes through a platinum palladium process, he then elevated each image and status of these discarded objects. Printing in platinum is seen as one of the most difficult printing techniques. The soft tone and gentle contrasts show the nature of the original objects and emphasising the characteristics of them.

Barry Rosenthal The photograph is a by Barry Rosenthal from his ‘Found in Nature’ series. It is a collection of cups that have been collected after being discarded by members of the public. Some of the cups are crushed, cut and some simply dirty. Rosenthal has created a structured piece by organising where the cups are placed on the black background, but there is also an element of disorganisation due to the physical state of the cups and how there is no placement structure between the organisation on the background to the way the cups have been distorted. The photograph is presented in a way that shows objects that have no purpose anymore into a piece of sculptural art photography. The mood of the photograph could be presented through the black background which could portray disapproval of littering and this could be a subtle message to stop littering. In fact, Rosenthal is quoted in saying, “I'm displaying what I find, and it's open to people’s interpretation, but there is the message of, ‘Why don't we care for things a little better? Why can't we clean up our own backyard?’. The photograph reminds me of Thom Boekhoven who collected and photograph singular discarded cans and zoomed into the details of the can which resulted in a unique form of beauty and detail amongst the crushed can, which can later be seen in this investigation. The camera and viewpoint angle are directly looking at the sculptural work as it wants to portray a main focus which is the distortion of the cups. There is almost a symmetrical balance amongst the photograph as there is an evenly distributed amount of cups. There is an element of repetition and pattern of shapes which amounts to a structured layout. The background is black and dark as it enables the cups to be brighter and the focal point of the image as they are opposite colours. The cups are contained within a black background which acts as a frame to keep the cups within a single space. Some of the cups have a lighter reflection which could be due to an artificial light to brighten up the cups to create an element of importance on the cups. There is a strong visual difference between light and dark in this image which creates a more visually pleasing element to the photograph. I feel the intentions of the photographer where about collecting, categorizing and using photography to document modern day issues or problems. The photographer has created the photograph by collecting the decaying cups and distributing them in a structural and organised way. It almost looks as if the cups are placed diagonally as they all correlate in that manner. As it is a sculpture there is a limited amount of editing done to the outcome other than potentially changing the lighting and the contrast digitally which is not definite. Rosenthal and Irving Penn both have structural similarities with the layout and the concept ideas reflect the theme of discarding an object. The cigarettes and plastic cups are objects that have been found and collected. After being discarded both sets of objects are decaying and have a shape and textural deformities, the similarities are how they are both centralised in the piece and portray the theme taking objects that have been discarded and transforming them into a piece that has visual relevance. Both also use discarded objects typical of their era, and convey a message about society.

Cornelia Parker ‘Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View’ by Cornelia Parker contrasts the work of Penn and Rosenthal as the piece is presented as three dimensional sculpture. The piece comprises of a shed and its contents that Parker blew up with explosives. The remains have then been meticulously hung and arranged to re-enact a moment in the explosion, finally a central light source is used which helps to project shadows across the gallery space. This enables the discarded pieces of wooden shed to contrast from its previous purpose and at present be portrayed as a form of beauty. The presentation of the shadows is a key feature of the artistic features. Parker explained the point and reasoning behind the explosive idea. The whole point of suspending it was to rob it of its pathos. The parts after being blown up were distressed and therefore reflect the disregarded and abandoned idea. Putting the materials back in the air reanimates it and puts it back to how it previously was. The mood that Parker wanted to create is a psychological state of depression through an exploded viewpoint. Parker wanted to create something that was beyond control.

The shadows in the background of the photograph are details that give the surrounding area of the photo a darker atmosphere, it revolves around the idea that Parker wanted to represent which was death and depression. The photo includes materials that most people would relate to as trash, but the contents of the piece are made into something far more exciting than an abandoned shed. This piece is similar to the Laziz Hamini smashed fragrance bottles as there is a still photo image of a shattered object, which strongly reminds me of Parker’s work. The lighting of the sculpture is focused centrally as it enables the light to project outwards making the shadows at the forefront of the piece. It also makes the wooden materials darker putting emphasis on the artificial lighting of the photo. The camera angle is taken from the lower position because it means there is more open space at the upper sectors of the image which consists of a black and white contrasting area. The lighting creates the shadows that in a way look like an unorganised arrangement of objects. There is a key balance distribution as to the positioning of the sections of the piece. The central focus which is the shed and the outer vignette section allow a key balance from the lighter and darker areas. In this way the light vignette around the border acts as a frame to the image keeping the focal point central to the eye line. There is limited colours used

as a vibrant colour would affect the mood of the photo which is supposed to be depression, for example black and white tones are presented to show an undertone of sadness. Parker’s work has obvious similarities to Penn’s and Rosenthal’s, the use of the discarded, the arrangement of these pieces in a structured way and the ideas or making these discarded objects into something more. What Parker has done though is to destroy the objects and then reconstruct them into something totally new that does not resemble the original piece. It has then been elevated further with the use of a strong central light source to create the exaggerated shadows. Tony Cragg Tony Gragg uses a similar concept to Parker by taking the discarded items and combining them to make something original and different from their constructed form. This piece from his ‘recycled art collection’ is made up of a collection of random objects that he has found that follow a specific colour scheme of shades of green. The objects look as if they no longer have a purpose and now they have been given a use. The objects together form a shape of a leaf, this differs from Rosenthal’s and Penn’s work which are still collections, in a structure format but not in an organised form to reflect another shape. Cragg has used objects that have no relationship to the leaf and the leaf being a natural shape is in juxtaposition to the manmade forms of the found objects. The aerial viewpoint of the camera is essential in capturing the leaf image, the white coloured background is used to emphasise the green colour and help frame the piece. Typically for Cragg, the work consists of many individual objects arranged to form a larger image. This has enabled his work to be described as a 'relationship of the part to the whole', an idea from particle physics. The photographer has created this art by collecting objects that have similarities in colour and placing them in the form of a leaf in a larger scale. The photograph creates interest and curiosity around where the objects have come from and why they have been used as they have no relation to the larger piece he has created. Thom Boekhoven In this photograph comprises of a single crushed can, the can represents one of many cans that are thrown and discarded all over the world which makes this can one of many. The white background pushes the can to the forefront of the image which makes it the main focus of the photograph. The subject matter of this art is discarded materials which in this case is a coke can. Boekhoven has tried to make the edit simplistic through the simplicity of the background as a standard white and a subtle reflection below. This is an important detail because it portrays another dimension to the image through natural reflections via bright lighting and shiny surfaces. The shadow stands out in the bright white background. This is interesting because it creates some form of power and makes the can seem important and the core focal point of the image. This is similar to Barry Rosenthal in the way that he collects discarded objects such as cups and has previously collected cans, although there is a key difference because Rosenthal portrays a group of abandoned decaying objects which makes it seem like a collection, whereas Boekhoven’s photograph is of an individual can which makes it the focal point of the image that Rosenthal’s collection does not have. The photograph reminds me of how every item has a purpose and that once found, the can is made into art and has a new purpose. It also shows how there is visual interest and beauty in the way that the can has been bend out of shape after being discarded, but is still has visibility of its previous function.

The head on viewpoint of the camera angle makes the can seem powerful and as if it has a purpose and is meaningful. It is about intellectualising something that Is standard in everyday life. The white background emphasises the can as it is bright red and is bold and beaming as the forefront of the edit. There is a steady central focus keeping the can contained within the image. The background acts as a sort of border which keeps all the main focus points within the image. The reflection looks as if it is trying to push past the border but is merging with the border creating a natural blur. The border acts as a frame as it contains the contents of the image. There is a clear contrast in colours which is why the white background has been used as there is a large amount of red on the can meaning it is saturated more than the background which is why it stands out more. The setting of the edit is a contrast to where the can would have been found, white portrays cleanliness but the setting of the original location of the can would have probably been on the floor discarded in a park for example. The close up angle of the camera shows the detail and crushed elements of the can which is interesting as it shows a combination of natural and unnatural deformation as it was likely crushed and discarded by an individual who had finished using it and believed it had no further purpose. The simplistic mannerisms of the photograph oppose the journey of the can and I think that is what the photographer is trying to portray as he places the object in a clear space to counter what it had once been surrounded by. World famous logos are the icons of our time. The logos and colours have been carefully designed and are known by all. But when the contents have been used, we find the packaging and with that, the image brand of the icon in the bin or the streets. The packaging so well known to us, is now a crumpled up piece of rubbish. This contradiction is a frequent occurrence in our society. This piece has influenced my own in why objects are abandoned and how they change or transform after they have been abandoned. This can include the journey that this can has been on, from individual use to waste. I believe that Boekhoven makes the can have an element of visual interest within the discarded object. Not only through its physical appearance but through the journey it has been on. Adam Holtzman This photograph represents an empty space. The story behind the photograph is very important in understanding how he captured emotion though simplicity and a darkened tone. Adam Holtzman collected his Grandfathers belongings and emptied his house of everything, removing the memories from the home. He then tried to correlate the emotions of emptiness that he obtained since his grandad died and he portrayed that through the simplicity and lifelessness of his grandad’s home. The main focus of the photograph is the concept of simplicity and emptiness surrounding emotion, there is no real focal point other than the unique technique that he has used to emphasise empty spaces to make them have a meaning. For example, the diagonal lines are important in making an object or space simplistic. The lines in this photograph separate the image into different sections. Holtzman is very good at creating a dark, tense atmosphere from simplistic, minimalist edits. In terms of lighting Holtzman has taken the photograph just below a window which therefore creates dark shadows when the photograph is edited and the contrast Is changed. The lighting is natural and not artificial which reflects his feelings towards his Grandfather and how he wouldn’t manipulate an area to represent his feelings towards him. There is a clear difference in the visuals between the light and dark, the light in the window could portray the celebrations of his Grandads life but the darker shades show the depression and grief. The arrangements and composition of the image represent that of an empty nature and that something is missing. He photographs an empty towel rail and a full toilet roll which rather shows that there is no one there and that

someone is missing. The room lacks personality and decoration which often would describe the person living there, however Holtzman is trying to show how much the owner will be missed and that the house isn’t the same anymore. There is a clear difference in the balance of the image and the distribution of certain objects. The centre of the image is an empty space possibly portraying the hole that has been left in his life and the sadness that he feels after losing a loved one. Even though the photograph is simple it communicates complex intention as it shows something that was around for many years is now missing. In conclusion after completing this personal study I believe that photographers and artists can portray beauty through the discarded and abandoned. I have also found that photographers and artists create these pieces for different reasons which is not always obvious and can be subtly inferred. Many of the pieces I have analysed take the discarded or abandoned objects and put them in a different context whether placing them on a contrasting clean background and photographing them or hanging them in a gallery space and transforming them with projected light. Finally, I believe it is about changing the perception of an object which is what is being acted upon with all the photographers. They all give an object a new meaning and purpose, they take the object out of its surroundings and the artist will try to remove any traces of the past environment. This personal study has had a significant influence on my personal investigation as the focal point of my final piece is taking found objects and extending and rearranging them to create original outcomes.

Bibliography Irving Penn Web – Platinum Printing – [25th January] https://artofplatinum.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/irving-penn-platinum-cigarettes/ Publication - (Authors) Merry A. Foresta, William F. Stapp - Irving Penn: Master Images Paperback – 1 Mar 1994 Barry Rosenthal Web - Found in Nature - [1st February 2017] http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2013/05/28/barry_rosenthal_found_in_nature_makes_artwork_out_ of_trash_photos.html - ‘Found in Nature’ - Barry Rosenthal: Trash 2017 Wall Calendar – 15 Jul 2016 by Barry Rosenthal (Artist) Cornelia Parker Web - Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View (1991) – [26th January 2017] http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/cornelia-parker-2/ Publication - (Author) Tronzo - The Fragment: An Incomplete History Hardcover – 2 Apr 2009 Tony Cragg Web - Tony Cragg Collections – [4th February 2017] http://www.tony-cragg.com/index.php?/sculptures/1980-1984 - Collections Publication - Paul Schimmel (Author)) - Tony Cragg: Sculpture, 1975-90 Hardcover – 28 Jan 1991 Thom Boekhoven Web – Used Icons – [9th February] http://www.thomboekhoven.com/index%20used-icons.htm – ‘Used Icons’ Adam Holtzman Web - Absence Collection – [12 January 2017] http://adamholtzman.com/adam-holtzman%2c-absence-2005.html