The context of photography
Jamie McDonald lectures
The learning outcome for this lecture are:
Understand the meaning os 'modernity' and also understand how it represented must constantly change as it itself changes
- What are they really talking about
- The only way to tell is to put it into context
- What went before? What came after?
-Why
-When
-What for
-Who for
-Who will see it
-Where will they see it
-Who took it
- Photos can be perceived in many different contexts depending on what other images it is put with and also the different text it is placed with, it all counts Reading photographs in context will in a sense under pin, change your studio practice.
The Modern City
Quote: "All that is solid, melts into air" - Marshall Berman
Humanisation of Paris
Baron Hausman in the mid 19th century. Rebuilt the centre of Paris. The actual change in the landscape and the surroundings of the city created a lot more material for the artists who were around at the time to paint. Giving inspiration to them.
Due to the change in the surroundings, the people themselves changed. The more wealthy were better of in this situation that the pooper people. This lead to the middle class mainly staying in the thriving city centre and the poor, less fortunate people were thrown into the outer parts of the city, the suburbs.
Fox Tolbort and Degore
Both of these influential people started using cameras, being quite a new technology still at the time, is it surprising that their photography were to have such a massive affect on the paintings and artist work to come.
The reason their work was so influential was because they were actively changing peoples perception of the world.
Buildings, cities, cameras co-existed they grew together, they thrived.
Artwork and photography the support claims made above.
-Calillebotte - family stroll 1875
-A rainy day 1874 (actually painted from a photograph)
-Pont Neuf 1876
-Monet Boulevards des capucines (view from Hadors studio) 1872
The painter of modern life, Charles Bauldelaire (artist would take his words and create ideas for paintings.)
Used a quote that stated 'Paint the underpass'. He believed this was a way to get amazing work and represent the cities thriving new life because the 'underclass' or poor people got the short end of the deal in this and were worse off that any other person.
More artists and photographers work to look at.
-Nadar, The sewers 1864
-Degas, the absinthe drinkers, 1880
-Brassi, cafe scene, 1930's (strongly influenced by the paintings above)
-Degas, Cafe Concert, 1884
-Degas, Women in front of cafe, 1882
-Brassai, Prostitute, 1930's
-Van Gogh, Night Cafe, 1888
- Some said they were photographing the city for the purpose of social reform.
- Some photographed the 'under belly' of cities within this time period and also the 20th century because they became concerned of the people and did so to instil change, by spreading this message through their work.
More art and photography to look at
-Bandits roost, New York, Jacob Riis, 1888 (used a flash bulb to capture images when his surroundings were dark)
-Mullins alley, 1888, Jacob Riis
-Thomas Annah, Glasgow, "close" 1867
-The technological city
-Alvin Langdon, coburn, New York, 1912
-Alvin Langdon, the octopus, 1912
To conclude
To conclude western cities of this time grew and changed so the representation of them can change also. The change may not have been good for some and it may have been a great thing for others but it did vastly influence thew way art and photography grew and changed alongside the physical buildings within a city, there are clear links between artists and other artists, photographers and other photographers and also between both artist and photographers, who do not capture images in the same way at all but their creative minds meant they grew together along with the technology the other people, the landscape and themselves.
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