The Evironment: Pastiches part 2

As in September in this task we’re asked to submit a photograph that pastiches one of below images:

 Brassai, "Paris after Dark, No.27", 1933

Lee Friedlander, "Albuquerque, New Mexico", 1972

Thomas Struth, "Bukseo Dong, Pyongyang, North Korea", 2007

I’ve chosen to pastiches the last one – Thomas Struth, “Bukseo Dong, Pyongyang, North Korea”, 2007. From the previous pastiches task I chose a picture which looked easiest way to find similar place and I was wrong. In the previous pastiches task I chose a picture which seemed to be easy. And it was good lesson for me, because I couldn't find a similar place. This time I hope it will be better.

Thomas Struth (born 1954) - is a German photographer whose wide-ranging work includes depictions of detailed cityscapes, Asian jungles and family portraits. 

Critical appraisal: The Object

In this unit we were asked to create a still life and represent a current social issue. Firstly I started to develop financial crisis idea, but it became more personal still life with financial problem results.

After researches my inspiration from history art was still life paintings called Vanitas (Harmen Steenwyck). This reference gives me understanding about symbolic objects and nice lightening subtlety. This unit was a difficult challenge for me. It was very hard to choose objects for interpretation.

Other big research was on object symbolism meanings. For every object, which I selected to use it in my still life I tried to find and give a symbolism meaning. Lots of sites with dream meanings and symbolisms were analyzed. Clock means: movement forward, activity and important things. To strength this movement show physically clock arrow turn in the picture. Gold coins mean profit and tangible things. Picture frame with family photo. Bodies I made black like a shadow. It will represent that I'm missing my parent’s ant how time and huge distance estrange us. Gold key in dreams means that solution for the problem is already founded.

Another challenging thing was colour printing: time issue and colour settings. In my opinion this unit I managed poorly – gave more opportunity to environment project. Looking forward it was a good lesson to me – next time I should balance all projects evenly and sometimes different projects can help to each other and give interesting ideas. 

Critical appraisal: The Environment

For this unit I looked to specific environment, which were built in war times. I create a series with military constructions designed to protect inhabitants. I want to demonstrate how natural landscape with these partly remain structures became to cold and horrible reminiscence environment. Nature against thousands of tons of concrete.

On my research I looked at several artists: Simon Norflok and Nigel Green. Especially I looked to Nigel Green book “Dungennes”, because my first idea was about it: How humans are taking over the landscapes with industries. But Erasmus Schroter book “Bunker” influenced me to the final idea. Differently then I, Schroter was able to reveal these structures in full beauty. It explains that main clue in image is idea – what you want to say to viewer and presentation of same object can differ like day from night.

I took all images with medium format camera and black and white films. For final printing I’ve choose dark tones to represent cold feeling and gloomy mood of landscape. Done processing’s and all prints in one day.   

I devote to this project a lot. It required time and lots travelling. Some access to these buildings are very complicated: no roads, fences or gates, but in other hand it was unbelievable experience. In this unit biggest challenge for me was location researches of these structures.

Pastiche: Production

Image which I choose to pastiches was Roberts Adams “On Signal Hill, Overlooking Long Beach, California” 1983.
Firstly it looked easy pastiche and I thought I will find similar place very quick. But I was wrong. My researches took so long that I've done my final shot nearly last minute in wrong light!! 
This was a good lesson for me: sometimes can meet issue and in simple things...
Scanned print:

The Environment: Production

Done a lot researches before my 2 day trip in Kent. It's not easy to find old structures like bunkers, pillboxes or forts. One page which I found was very useful: http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/
It was weekend with a lot traveling and new experience which took two days, done nearly 400 miles by car and walked tens of miles. Biggest issue that most of these buildings or structures are far away from roads or in private zones with fences and gates. But it was good fun.
Only one disappointing thing: I really desire to visit Mausnell Forts which I mention before, but unfortunately boat hires are not doing any trips till spring.  
Used my own Bronica SQ-A, Ilford Delta 400 and Fuji Acros 100 films. Thera are some scanned prints:

The Object: Production

Started with setting up a studio. Used a 5x4 Horseman camera with 300mm lens and worked with continuous light. It was a new experience for me because all the time before I just worked with flashes. An extraordinary advantage to work with continuous light - all shadows and light direction are on your hand. Other thing why I choose continuous lightening is physically movement in my image. I wanted to show clock arrow turn – that’s mean I will experiment with longer shutter speeds.

Done maybe 3-4 different exposures and the best one was when I used shutter speed 1/2s. 

This is my final image:

The Object: Object researches and symbolism

As I decided to use Vanitas style for my still life project next step was to find objects what I want to use. My idea - how I was touched in financial crisis. I will try to use object with special symbolic meanings.

First object what I choose and found in car boot sale was a vintage clock. On my researches I found out that clock meaning is: movement forward, activity and important things. To strength this movement I will show physically clock arrow turn in my picture.

Second object was money. Anyway it's main clue in this idea so I choose for it gold coins. Symbolically exactly gold coins mean profit and tangible things. I will use broken piggybank as well - to show that crisis use all the savings.

Picture frame with family photo. Probably bodies I will make black like a shadow. It will represent that I'm missing my parent’s ant how time and huge distance estrange us.

Gold key in dreams means that solution for the problem is already founded. And in my opinion it can represent freedom and access to return to family house. 

Composition I will create in workshop but will be similar to Vanitas style.