Author: Sarah-Jane Field

Exploring emergence, fragmentation and value systems

Artists: Orpheus Standing Alone, Camille L. and Anna L

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ Leave a comment

I recalled seeing this work in a Foam magazine #51 (the previous post is also from that edition) and being really struck by the way it was put together, and incorporated a range of images, styles, as well as text. On the website there are still images, text, a bit of processing and a freedom that one doesn’t see in more ‘conservative’ examples of photographic work. I did not recall the name of the work and had to flick through old copies, and now see a similarity to one of my own texts – Orpheus in Homebase. The linking again of old myth to today’s world. What I take mostly from this work is freedom to play. (Which is interesting given my sense that there is an ever decreasing sense of play related to online forums where the conservatism of Flusser’s apparatus appears to dominate and rule.)

Self Published Art Books
— Read on www.orpheusstandingalone.com/about

Artist: Filip Berendt

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ 2 Comments

Berendt’s ephemeral process equates well to Barad’s agenitial cut which I’ve been exploring in my own work (ideas for so far). There is also the mix of medium and ownership (like Martins and Clark) which rejects the purity espoused by Bate. Additionally, he manages to focus his work on myth and archetypical patterns cross culturally and across linear time. Worth exploring and thinking about, possibly including as an example in CS.

Monomyth project combines authorial photography with abstract painting – photographed objects are spatial collages created on the walls of Berendt’s studio and destroyed once they have been captured on film. Berendt has used that method previously in a couple of cycles (Every Single Crash, Pandemia) in which the only physical trace of the pieces he created – and thus the final effect of the creative act – was a photograph. His latest works refer to the idea of monomyth, introduced by the American mythologist Joseph Campbell (the term was originally coined by James Joyce). Monomyth stands for the archetypal pattern typical of fictional narratives, described by Campbell, shared by all mythical stories, manifesting itself as the hero’s journey, conveying universal truths about self-discovery and self-transcendence, about social and interpersonal roles. According to Campbell – and Berendt – the hero is an individual setting out on a journey leading them to the final destination: profound spiritual transformation. The journey is tantamount to making life meaningful, to searching for and discovering its meaning at consecutive stages of the trip.

text; Agnieszka Rayzacher

— Read on www.filipberendt.pl/

CS Research: (97) (PDF) ‘Lights, Camera, Algorithm: Digital Photography’s Algorithmic Conditions’ in Sean Cubitt, Daniel Palmer & Nate Tkacz (eds.), Digital Light (London: Fibreculture Book Series, Open Humanities Press, 2015), 144–62. | Daniel Palmer – Academia.edu

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ Leave a comment

This has some useful references included and the phrase ‘marginal’ referring to decisive moment photography which may be useful alongside ‘boring’ (Elkins) ‘conservative’ (Blight) and ‘tautological’ (me).

(97) (PDF) ‘Lights, Camera, Algorithm: Digital Photography’s Algorithmic Conditions’ in Sean Cubitt, Daniel Palmer & Nate Tkacz (eds.), Digital Light (London: Fibreculture Book Series, Open Humanities Press, 2015), 144–62. | Daniel Palmer – Academia.edu
— Read on www.academia.edu/30168558/_Lights_Camera_Algorithm_Digital_Photography_s_Algorithmic_Conditions_in_Sean_Cubitt_Daniel_Palmer_and_Nate_Tkacz_eds._Digital_Light_London_Fibreculture_Book_Series_Open_Humanities_Press_2015_144_62

 

Research: Art Schools of the Future Need to Teach Students to Understand Technology. How Will That Change the Future of Art? | artnet News

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ 3 Comments

As software, algorithms, non-conscious cognitive agents and cybernetic thinking increasingly shape the world around us, artists need to have a strong grasp of the practical and philosophical implications of this transformation,” Kaganskiy says. “I’m not saying that every artist needs to learn to code, but they should probably read some media theory and software studies texts, maybe even some posthumanist philosophy.”
— Read on news.artnet.com/art-world/art-school-tech-adapt-1742802

I can’t help thinking this reluctance is all about snobbery. It reminds me of the Blight comment re photography and conservatism which I mentioned in a previous post and which might go into my introduction- if not elsewhere in the essay.

CS & BOW: research – Cultural Capital / Capital Culture text Sunil Shah

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ Leave a comment

Re: the entangled implications of art, culture, business and ethics

‘How can artists and their work stand up to critical scrutiny if the conditions which foreground them are complicit in the creation of the subject matter they represent? What does that mean for the integrity of the artist and the ethics of the photo- journalist, documentarian or creative producer who seeks to address our world’s problems?’ (Shah, 2019)

https://www.mathieuasselin.com/cultural-capital-capital-culture

Currently looking through a book on Baudrillard so good timing to stumble across the above

BOW: A development – Chance

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ 1 Comment

I have had the film returned, digitised. I have not looked at it yet and held off writing more or making any decisions until I saw it. The company who did it were super helpful – and ended up sending two versions, one at the original cine-speed of 18fps and one at the more up to date speed (I will double-check to see if they’ve used of 24fps or something slightly slower as 24fps is still impressionistic even though we are so used to seeing that speed.)

Screenshot of the dropbox that has been sent below. It looks so tantalising! ‘A Commentary’  – how exciting… or perhaps it will just be disappointing and I shall need to go back to the drawing board. Let’s see.

Screen Shot 2019-12-24 at 10.31.43

 

Artist: Edgar Martins Siloquies and Soliloquies

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ 2 Comments

Am trying to find out more about this work. I am particularly interested in Martins’ ability to mix archival and original photography as well as text. Looking for as much exposure to this work as possible – if anyone has the book, I’d love to take a look at it.

Having only seen the work online so far, I am so impressed by its power and focus. I am also interested in the range of forms – still gallery prints, videos, book, interviews, talks – utilising every way possible to convey information.

Noted Virilio’s comments on death and reminded of Wegee https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/weegee

Will keep investigating.

http://www.edgarmartins.com/video/siloquies-soliloquies-death-life-interludes-compilation-video/

http://www.edgarmartins.com/video/siloquies-and-soliloquies-on-death-life-and-other-interludes-open-eye-gallery-liverpool/

Some useful links from Doug  – Martins talks about relevant ideas (uncertainty principle – although important to recall Barad opts for indeterminacy over uncertainty as interpreted by Bohr)

Colberg reprints Martins’ response to NYT withdrawing his images – ‘As fraught and as contradictory as much of the information being portrayed often is, it reveals a polymorphic and multiform reality, a world of flux and flow that is in a perpetual state of uncertain transformation and where the constant search for answers only leads to more questions.’ (Colberg, 2009) Martins alludes to entanglement as the housing crisis and the issue of ‘reality’ in photography intersect in this episode.

http://jmcolberg.com/weblog/2009/07/edgar_martins_how_can_i_see_what_i_see_until_i_know_what_i_know/

Truthy lies: photographers speak out on Edgar Martins

This is not a House @ The New Art Gallery Walsall (UK)

CS: notes

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ Leave a comment

In my plan, I suggested chapter’s 3 and 4 would merge and become less pedestrian – i.e. subject followed by examples. Instead examples should flow throughout the essay. And that an alternative topic for 4 might present itself at some point. I’m wondering now if addressing the difference between revisionism and reviewing but coming to different conclusions with new information is worth investigating. This would entail looking at quantum erasure too where the past is changed by what happens in the future – as in chapter 7 Barad. (See final episode of Good Omens for example of this in popular culture/fantasy science fiction – relevant for BOW)

CS A4: Notes – naive realism etc.

~ Sarah-Jane Field ~ Leave a comment

Veridical perception – what you see is what you get. (Hoffman, 2019 posits this can’t be the case)

Schrödinger – uses term ‘naive realism’ (Barad, 2007)

Daniel C Blight – talks about photography being conservative (agree!) (Twitter, 2019)

And photography does seem in many instances / general use to be tautological (CS A1 Field, 2019)- at which point it becomes reassuring/comforting to make and look at.