The Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall
Juergen Teller Woo! exhibition:
This is a contemporary exhibition by Juergen Teller, his work is digital and this exhibition is the journey of his fashion and commercial photography starting in the 90's. It ranges from photographs of celebrities to family portraits to landscapes. This exhibition also includes a room covered celling to floor with his magazine and commercial work. When you first walk into the exhibition you are greeted with a huge Photograph with a very small and cute kitten, this gives you an automatic judgement of what you are about to see but moving on you see that on the opposite wall to the kitten there are three huge nude photographs of Vivian Westwood. This changes the whole feel of the exhibition and shocks you.
In-depth analysis
Juergen Teller started off photographing for the music industry, making record covers, he then began photographing for fashion magazines in the late 80's, most famously of Kate Moss, when she was only 15 and his fashion campaign for Marc Jacobs later on.
Jurgen Teller in a German photographer, best know for his fashion and commercial photography, he was born in Erlangen, Germany in 1964 and studied photography in Munich at Bayerische Staatslehranstalt from 1984 to 1986. He moved to London and learned English at the age of 22 to avoid military service.
This photograph is called 'Lars Eidinger' it was taken in Berlin in 2010, so it is quite a contemporary image. The photograph is of a man wearing just his underwear. He is standing in a doorway of a house, on the door there is a crayon drawing obviously done by a child. The man in the photograph is covered in mud and on his head is an upside down crown. The fact that there is a half naked man covered in mud in front of a child's drawing is quite strange as its not something you would normally put together. The man does not look uncomfortable at all although he is very out of place in this possible family home. also he is covered in mud this is also very out of place.
The fact that the man is half naked in a family home isn't socially acceptable and makes the photograph very controversial and shocking. This photograph links to my theme as it is inside a house but he is covered in mud which should be outside or suggests he has been outside. This photograph is realistic but controversial at the same time. This photograph is in a white frame and is mounted with a white border, the actual photograph is at a strange angle, it works with this image as it is slightly obscure but normally would look like a mistake or amateur. The photo is approximately twelve foot by seven foot. It was taken in Berlin in 2010 so is very contemporary The photograph is a digital C-type print. The framing of this image has been cropped as it is not a full length portrait. The overall arrangement of the image is pleasing as the photo is quite busy and is in colour, if this photograph was in black and white it wouldn't have the same effect and you possibly wouldn't notice the crayon drawings.
I believe the this photograph has been planned and set up, the lighting is quite neutral and no part of the image stands out more than another. I think digital manipulation has more than likely been used here but not very heavily.
Notes about this image:
-upside down crown
-underwear
-man
-crayon drawing on door
-covered in mud= outside
-in a house = inside
-taken in Berlin
-portraiture
-realistic
-house is messy
-not straight
-white frame
-confusing
-posed
-thighs upwards in frame
-shocking-shouldn't be naked
-doesn't look uncomfortable
-digital
I like this photograph because it makes you think about the strange combination of themes running through the image as a whole. It is also very shocking and controversial this makes it more interesting to look at and makes it easier to find any kind of deeper meaning. although the photograph has not inspired me to do a Jurgen Teller style photo shoot I would like to come back to this to get inspiration from the themes.
The national portrait gallery:
Man-Ray:
This exhibition is almost the opposite of Woo! by Jurgen Teller as it is very vintage and Man Rays work is done through the media of film photography. It highlights the role that Man Ray played in movements such as Surrealism and Dada. The photographs featured are from between 1916 and 1968 and shows techniques like solorisation and colour work, it shows a wide variety of themes and subjects from celebrities to family to contemporary work.
In-depth analysis
Man Ray is an American born photographer focusing on modernist works and surrealism, he is best known for his avant-garde photography but he considered his self a painter over anything else and also enjoys sculpture, film and drawing. He was born named Emmanuel Radnitzky in 1890 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States to Jewish parents, because of the racial discrimination of the time his name soon evolved to Man Ray. He died November 18th 1976, aged 86 in Paris, France.
Quote from the artist:
"Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask 'how', while others of a more curious nature will ask 'why'. Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information." – Man Ray
This photograph was taken by Man Ray in 1924, it is called 'Le Violon d'Ingres' or 'Ingres's violin'. The image is of a woman with part of a cello painted onto her back. The print is a Gelatin silver print and it approximately 11.5 inches by 8.5 inches. The image shows the objectification on woman but yet the appreciation of women as well. the print was created by painting the 'f-holes' from a string instrument onto the print and then re-photographing the print.
This photograph relates to my theme of inside, outside and in-between because
Photographs:
I took these photographs in Trafalgar square and Green Park.
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