What do I know about Photography?

This is my own example from the class exercise 'What do I know..?'

The Great John Berger (1926-2017)

What should I be doing in my subject area?

I should be learning about photographers, critical theory of photography such as Walter Benjamin, Solomon Godeau, Roland Barthes, John Berger, Susan Sontag and many more.

I should be discovering different photography techniques and practicing these.  

I should be creating many different types of projects both technical and conceptual to really understand the many different aspects of photography 

I should go to galleries and shows

I should keep up to date with a changing digital world and the latest in photography 

What skills and knowledge do I need for my subject area?


I need the knowledge stated above but also knowledge of how photography works in the world today and how I could promote my photography work

The skills I need are understanding all my camera settings, understanding frame, composition, and light.  I need to have a clear digital workflow and storage system for my work


What jobs can I get by studying in this subject?

I could work as a freelance photographer, photo editor, photo archivist, curator, photographer for newspaper or magazine, graphic designer, teacher, 

If I scored myself out of ten, with ten being the highest, how well do I think I know my own subject area?

I would give myself an eight as I still think there is much to learn!  Also, technology changes very quickly and there is much to discover!

The History of Me!

 Today in class we discussed research and how understanding a person and what made a person become themselves and to understand their work was vital in our research when looking at other artists.  We, therefore, created a history of ourselves and what made us become ourselves.  This is my work here.  I have shown my early years and teenage years - I decided not to add my entire life story as this would be a task, I thought the formative years would do!  I have added my personality traits, people who are most important to me, and things that have altered or changed the direction of my life. 

I enjoyed this task and particularly seeing what others had done as this was an insight into them and their lives and how they expressed themselves as artists/designers.  It was insightful and uplifting - thank you to my group for this.

Know Your Onions! Key Research: Das Soldatenbad by Kirchner

 As an example of a key piece of research, I will be looking at Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's Das Soldatenbad (The Solider Bath or Artillerymen) 1915.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's Das Soldatenbad (The Solider Bath or Artillerymen) 1915.

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) started his career studying Architecture at the Dresden Technical High School in 1901.  Kirchner soon realised that with his radical ideas and outlook he would move into fine art.  In 1905 with his friends Erich Heckel and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, he created  Die Brücke ("The Bridge.").  The idea was to create a movement that bridged classical style and avant-garde thinking. 'Die Brücke expressed extreme emotion through crude lines and a vibrant, unnatural color palette.' (The Art Story 2021) Kirchner was particularly interested in Albrecht Dürer and much of his work was inspired by Dürer's wood cuttings and the neo-impressionists.  De Brucke ended in 1913 by this time Kirchner wanted to find his own identity as an artist, moving away from the nude and the studio, Kirchner wanted to look at the city streets, alienation and industrialisation. During this time 'Kirchner depicted crowds of people with bold, expressive brushstrokes and in brash colors of blue, green, orange, and pink. Perspective was often skewed, the figures looming and teetering either toward or away from the picture plane, as a rejection of the academic conventions that he learned in his architecture courses.' (The Art Story 2021).  

In 1914 Kirchner volunteered for military service in World War I and discharged in 1915 as he suffered a nervous breakdown.  The painting Das Soldatenbad was painted immediately after his release along with other works such as Self-Portrait as a Soldier.  This depicts himself as a soldier with an amputated hand however Kircher did not lose a hand in the war. 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1915) Self-Portrait as a Soldier 

In 1918 Kirchner moved to Switzerland and focussed on mountain scenes. 'By 1933, Kirchner’s art was declared "degenerate" by the Nazis. As a result, over 600 of his pieces were confiscated from public museums, and were either destroyed or sold. Due to the distress of his art being destroyed and the Nazi occupation close to his home, he committed suicide in 1938 in Frauenkirch, Switzerland.' (artnet 2021) 

Das Soldatenbad by Kirchner

This painting was originally purchased by Alfred Flechtheim in 1919, in 1935 Fletchman 'wrote in a 1935 letter to the Museum of Modern Art’s founding director Alfred H. Barr Jr.: “I lost all my money and all my pictures.” ' (Wexelman A. 05/10/2018) as the Nazis had raided his house, Fletchmann died in 1937 and his family has since had a long battle to recover the picture that rightly belonged to them. 

Kirchner created this painting to show the harsh realities of war, he painted this immediately upon his release from military service.  Kirchner wanted to show the human form in 'its most nascent, uninhibited state. The mask-like faces of the soldiers, nudity, and angular gestures in Das Soldatenbad reveal the artist’s preference for spontaneous, unmediated depictions of the body, divorced from the rigorous constraints of academic painting.' (Sothebys 2020).  The power of the work is the vulnerability of the naked soldiers with the dressed guard shouting at them as they are pressed closely together under the heat of the shower.  The furnace making this environment volatile and inhuman. 

Kirchner made sketches of this work prior to the final painting, this one just sketched in ink pen.  It was common for him to base his final paintings on his sketches.  'He never made use of detailed preparatory drawings. He explained that they were not a “benefit,” since “forms arise and undergo change during the process of work….” Jotted-down impressions found in his sketchbooks provided the seeds for paintings of all kinds.' (MOMA n.d)

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (2015) Das Soldatenbad Sketch

Kirchner liked to experiment with many techniques and mediums from charcoal, pastel, oil and ink and though these mediums he believed they all offered different ways to expression in his work. 'Kirchner believed this kind of visual discovery was a prime responsibility of the artist and he talked about “a vital love of life”10 derived from such drawings. Yet what is revealed in them is not only the essence of the observed phenomenon, but also the artist’s own temperament.'  (MOMA n.d) Das Soldatenbad also references works by Cezanne and Degas and later on would influence neo expressionists such as George Baselitz.  

Kirchner was passionate about his work and created hundreds of paintings and drawings in his short lifetime.  He carried with him a diary/sketchbook and drew and wrote through the day.  He also was very keen on photography and produced thousands of negatives. He loved to give work away to friends and colleagues.  I will leave you now with a few thoughts from Kirchner himself...

'You can do anything. Nothing is forbidden.'

'If suffering can be transformed into creativity... I want to try it.'

'A painter paints the appearance of things, not their objective correctness. In fact, he creates new appearances of things.'

References 

Wexelman A. (05/10/2018) Artsy Editorial: The Guggenheim returned a Kirchner painting to the heirs of a Jewish art dealer.[Online] Available from:  https://www.artsy.net/news/artsy-editorial-guggenheim-returned-kirchner-painting-heirs-jewish-art-dealer (Accessed 30/01/21) 

Sothebys (2020) Masterpieces from the Alfred Flechtheim Collection: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Das Soldatenbad (Artillerymen) [Online] Available from: https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/impressionist-modern-art-evening-sale-n09930/lot.22.html (Accessed 30/01/21) 

The Art Story (2021) Biography of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner [Online] Available from: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/kirchner-ernst-ludwig/life-and-legacy/ (Accessed 30/01/21) 

Artnet (2021) Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: Biography [Onlie] Available from: http://www.artnet.com/artists/ernst-ludwig-kirchner/biography (Accessed 30/01/21) 

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (2021) Ernst Ludwig Kirchner [Online] Available from: http://www.ernstludwigkirchner.org/(Accessed 30/01/21) 

Bowness A. (1985) Modern European Art. Thames & Hudson. London

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (2021) Britannica Academic. Retrieved 30 January 2021, from https://academic-eb-com.proxy.library.dmu.ac.uk/levels/collegiate/article/Ernst-Ludwig-Kirchner/45599

MOMA (n.d.) Kirchner's Working Process [Online] Available from: https://www.moma.org/momaorg/shared/pdfs/docs/learn/courses/Kirchner.pdf (Accessed 01/02/2021)

Media: Project Plan - Is this the end?

 This is my project plan for the Media photography project I will be carrying out this term.

Noel Fielding (2015) Been talking to Jesus all my life

Project Title: Is this the end?

Progression Route: Photography


Describe your major project objective using the SMART acronym

To create a collection of six photographic images that are Expressionist/Neo-Expressionist in style and are based on themes relating to the end times. These images will be taken using a digital DSLR camera and the effects will be in-camera, Photoshop will only be used as quality control to ensure consistency throughout the project. The final images will be added to my website in a new gallery. These will be completed by the beginning of March.

Why have you chosen to do this project?

I am very interested in the expressionist work and that period in history from early to middle 20th century with both World Wars. Now we live in different times and face another kind of threat and I want to explore the idea of end times and Revelation through this work. I want to find ways to express this through photography, exploring photography techniques and composition.

Who are you researching for this project? Please list at least three media producers, authors, musicians, photographers etc.

I will be researching Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Helmut Newton and Weegee. I will also look further into the films Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Calgari for their expressionist methods.

What techniques/skills are you developing/learning for this project?

I may explore night photography, further however I am interested in considering further the frame and composition and will be using many indoor shots as this is our life today.

What do you expect the final outcome of the project to be?

The final outcome of this project will be a set of six images that will be on a gallery on my website. I will also physically output these in hard copy. These images will reflect the end times, I am considering the maniacal laughter and madness that comes when the world seems to be falling.

What have you completed so far for this project?

I have developed and researched my initial ideas, I have considered the equipment and resources I will need/use. I now need to create some test shots and sketches as my next step.

What do you think will be the issues/drawbacks to the project?

As always, time is against me and I will need to ensure that I stick to a strictly disciplined plan to ensure that this will be completed in a timely manner. I also am concerned that I won't get the shots I want, and will need ot reshoot several times.

What is your timescale considering that this has to be completed by Week 10?

Week Three: Project Sign off and this plan!

Week Four: To begin sketching and test shot practice, to consider different compositional techniques and the content of each image

Week Five: To continue to take test shots. Add further research and look closely at other artists techniques

Week Six: Continue to work on the photographs, aim to finalise at least two of these by this time

Week Seven: Further research and finalising at least 3 more of the photographs

Week Eight: Look at website design and update, start to consider portfolio presentation. Complete all pieces ready for portfolio

Week Nine: Quality check everything and write an introduction on the portfolio and complete ready for the deadline.

What resources or materials will you need for this project?

I will be using a DSLR Camera probably my Olympus OM-2 and My Compact camera Olympus Stylus SH-2. I will also be using a tripod, self timer/remote. Photographic printer. Props, Photoshop


Draw a picture/Write a sentence/sketch a story/write a dialogue that captures the essence of your project

'It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.' (Revelation 13:15) This resonated with the idea of dictatorships and the forced worship of evil.

We do not face evil now but something more indiscriminate, this is a different kind of fear.

Art & Design and Media Project Sign Off

 I have completed my project sign off as an example for both art & design and media here: Zoe Van-de-Velde Project Sign Off.  

Below is a photograph by Weegee.  Weegee (1899-1968) was a self-taught photographer who had emigrated the United States from the Ukraine he changed his name to Arthur so that it was more American sounding.  Weegee was employed by newspapers and photographed crime scenes, he was allowed a police radio in his car so that he could be one of the first on the scene. He also photographed the city street, politicians and celebrities, published book, and had exhibitions during his own lifetime of his work, respected by both the fine art community and the media. 

Lost His Horse, circa 1960 by Weegee (Arthur Fellig)

References 

ICP (2021) Artist: Weegee Biography [Online] Available from: https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/weegee?all/all/all/all/0 (Accessed 30/01/21) 

Thinking Picture..

 To help me think and work out how I wanted to create my work this term, I worked on this painting, it is not completed however as I was doing this I knew exactly what I did and did not want to do for my paintings.

What I did like was the size of the canvas which was 10 X 12 inches this size worked well for me and so I will be ordering these online.  I primed the canvas and sketched prior to the painting and as I was doing this I realised I would like to create only black and white work so I will use a colour palette of greys.  I have now also have ideas about what each picture will be I will put up sketches of these shortly so that you can see what I intend.  

I obviously still need to work on my drawing/painting skills and I will share my practice with you as I go along.

Art Portfolio: Project Plan Expressionism and End of Times

 In this post, I will go through my project plan for the term for my project. This term as I am doing both art and media projects I have kept to the same theme for both end of times and using expressionism.

My SMART outcome is as follows:

This term I will use the theme of Expressionism to create six 2D pieces.  These will be created using drawing/painting.  I will probably use traditional methods however I may experiment using digital drawing as well. The concept for these pieces will be end times to reflect the world situation emulating the German Expressionists and their images of World War I & II. The final images will be scanned/photographed and digitised for the portfolio on my website.  

Why have you chosen to do this project?

I have chosen this project as I am very interested in the German expressionist and this period in history between the First and Second World Wars.  I believe that as we are now we are in a different kind of crisis with the pandemic there is similarities in the sense that the world will be changed because of this.  This pandemic has had major economic, social and societal effects and this has changed our future, particularly in the next few years.  I have stated the end times in my objective however I really mean changing times, a future disrupted and altered. I want to express this through this work. 

Who are you researching for this project? Please list at least three artists and/or designers and your additional research on your concept 

As stated in my previous post on initial research I will be looking at Otto Dix, George Grosz and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.  In terms of the concept of end times/changed times I will look at different theories that predict end times and theories on the outcome of this crisis.  

What techniques/skills are you developing/learning for this project?

The skills and techniques I will be exploring and hopefully, improving will be my drawing and painting skills, as I am a photographer I always want to improve these skills as I am not naturally talented in this area. Also, I am particularly interested in this style of drawing/painting and it appeals to my own sensibilities.  I would like to experiment with different mediums and I will see what suits the work and my burgeoning skills best!

What do you expect the final outcome of the project to be?

The final outcome will be a collection of six 2D drawings/paintings that I expect to show a consistent theme and colour palette (this is another area I will be experimenting with ) that will be placed in a gallery that best showcases this work on my website.

What have you completed so far for this project?

I have completed initial research on both concept and theme and through this plan, I aim to have set tasks to complete each week to ensure that the project moves forward and I have deadlines to meet.

What do you think will be the issues/drawbacks to the project?

The main issues I can see are my own drawing/painting skills and improving these sufficiently.  Also, the consistency of the pieces will be very important to ensure that this is a collection that will really come together. 

Obviously, my own skills just need practice and work.  The consistency and narrative through the pieces will need much more thought and consideration.

What is your timescale considering that this has to be completed by Week 10?

Week Three: Project Sign off and this plan!

Week Four:  To begin sketching and practice, to consider different color palettes and look at the narrative through the pieces

Week Five: To continue to sketch and start to work on the pieces.  Add further research and look closely at other artists techniques  

Week Six:  Continue to work on the pieces, aim to finalise at least one of these by this time 

Week Seven:  Further research and finalising at least 3 more of the pieces 

Week Eight: Look at website design and update, start to consider portfolio presentation.  Complete all pieces and photograph/scan these for the portfolio 

Week Nine: Quality check everything and write an introduction on the portfolio and complete ready for the deadline. 

What resources or materials will you need for this project?

The resources and materials I will need are cartridge paper, a set of pencils, charcoal pencils, acrylics, paintbrushes, palette, canvasses (possibly),  digital tablet with drawing/painting app

Draw a picture/Write a sentence/sketch a story/write a dialogue that captures the essence of your project

The passion I have will drive this work and through artistic expression, I hope to find a universal meaning that will touch the viewer