Identity & anonymity Personal Brief The question of identity- How much power do we have over our identity, who we are and who we become?
I have decided to explore the topic of 'Iden6ty and Anonymity' because it is something that we as humans need to acquire knowledge about, if it is possible to alter our iden6ty over 6me or are we always the same but appear different. In this project, I will be looking at silhoueDes and how they portray a person’s iden6ty without the usual familiarity of features. I will look at various photographers and ar6sts who deal with the idea of ‘iden6ty’ through a variety of techniques; their way of producing and presen6ng their photographs and how that will influence my own photographs.
Artist Analysis Shaun Lowe Shaun Lowe is a self taught photographer, his work is influenced by the idea of significant spaces and the mystery of silhoue<es. This piece called ‘ anniversary’ celebrates the unity between two people or two things, the idea of the silhoue<es in black whiles the background in white provokes the viewers to quesCon the moCves of the photographer. I believe he did this to signify that the idenCty of the people in love doesn’t ma<er as long as their love is pure and real hence the white background.
‘ Anniversary’
Artist Analysis
Adam Fuss
Adam fuss pieces are visually enCcing and plays around with the element of directness; he focuses on the subject ma<er telling the story. The objects depicted in the photogram came into physical contact with the very paper on which the final print appears. The experience is somehow more tangible, more visceral. What a<racted me to Adam fuss’s work is the way he creates his ‘Photograms’ ; he makes the pieces almost translucent but solid at the same Cme. He experiments with layering which has proven to be interesCng in its own right has inspired me to produce my own. In this photograph he uses very restrained colors such as black and white; I believe it is the intenCon of Fuss in order to provoke his audience to see the photo for what it is.
‘ UnCtled’ 1992
st 1 IniCal Sets of photographs
EvaluaCon of 1st set of photographs These set of photographs were hard to produce because I had lost them on two different occasions which lead me to believe that maybe I was not meant to exhibit work like it. However, with much encouragement I was able to start re-‐photographing the silhoue<e figures again; I realised that at this a<empt the photograph’s outcomes were much more interesCng and exciCng than my first two a<empts. with these 1st sets, it was about using the silhuoe<es to create simplicity and directness; the black silhuo<es in contrast to the background explores a sense of two world emerging into one, the tone of the silhuo<es which are more sinister compared to the background of natural blue skys shows a forcefulness. I was happy with the visual outcome of the silhoue<es with the white background because they really allow the subject ma<er’s expression and emoCons to be seen in the model’s body language which was my original intenCon. I also played around with the composiCon of the subject ma<ers because I wanted to incorporate the border of the photograph and the subject ma<er as a sort of connecCon. In all these first sets, the subject ma<ers are always in connecCon with the border/frame of the photograph; this was done to symbolize the idea of unity and togetherness; that idea standing for ‘idenCty’ and the contrast of the subject ma<er and frame standing for ‘anonymity 'of something that shouldn’t be but is.
Artist Analysis
‘ Le Double ’ 1927
Jean moral born 1906 in France, Marchiennes ; famously known for his collaboraCons with other photographers. His style was insClled with Modernism that was evolving in Paris during 30s and he conCnually experimented with abstracCon and the use of mulCple exposures. His work ‘Le double’ is thought-‐provoking because of the focal point a darker shade compared to the rest of the photograph. I think this was done intenConally to draw our a<enCon to the meeCng point between the man and woman, like Moral is trying to say that they are equal with the way they blend in together; there is no difference, we cant tell where the woman stops and the man starts.
Development set of photographs
EvaluaCon of developmental photographs
My intenCons with these developmental photographs were to emphasize the exploraCon of anonymity within my model; I wanted to showcase the idea of a mulCple personality exisCng in one’s self. I believe that I achieved the idea and appearance I was hoping for because of the quality which I think was good and worked well to my advantage. Also the technical and visual qualiCes of this photograph were worthy because the focus was as I intended; neither strong nor blurry, to give a surreal feeling. With photographs 1 & 2 I projected a background onto the model in a dark studio with the lighCng focused directly on the model; this allowed me to capture the feelings of the model in detail which was very important in this project. I carefully chose to shoot these photographs in a dark eerie space because I wanted there to be a mixture of dark and light tones contrasCng in order to get the concept of ‘ idenCty & anonymity’. I believe that with that intenCon, my photographs will manipulate the viewers into relaCng with the model because the light tones stood for the knowledge of one’s self idenCty and the dark tones stood for the anonymity of what's really underneath. The visual impact of the photographs I think is quite good especially in photographs 1 & 4 because the symbolism is hard to overlook in the sense that in photograph one the model looks worried but not showing it whereas the shadow cast over is revealing all. Likewise in photograph 4, the model is smiling; a sign of joy however beneath the surface she is screaming for a break-‐through, a way out. I think this will surely influence my viewers to imagine the struggle of deciding who we are (our idenCty) and where we are going in life; these photographs ask for it.
Artist Analysis Lucy Cash is an arCst whose work takes different forms -‐ moving image works, photography, performance and wriCng. Lucy Cash is interested in the subtle choreographies underpinning everyday experiences. She draws on associaCve processes, making connecCons between the familiar and the unexpected. In ‘ my body folded like a map’ a group of year 10 students worked to make a collecCve statement through large scale images of each other’s eyes, overcoming an iniCal resistance to being portrayed. These images reveal as much as they conceal, as they are built on trust and inCmacy, playing with idenCty and anonymity. Fly-‐posted on hoardings in the school, they elicited interacCon with the wider community. This work intrigued me because it was simple at first glance but yet so visually and characterisCcally strong in its right.
Lucy cash
‘ My Body Folded Like a Map’ 2011
2nd iniCal set of photographs
EvaluaCon of 2nd set of photographs My intenCons with these photographs were to acquire a much closer relaConship with the idea of ‘idenCty &anonymity’; I wanted to photograph a part of the human form considered as ‘the window to the soul’, I believe that this was achieved. In these photographs, I focused on visual qualiCes and elements such as tone, composiCon and detail; the tone of some of the photographs were muted because I wanted to reinforce that no ma<er the different skin or race our eyes all tell the same story. I also made sure that the lighCng was to a minimal with only natural lighCng as I wanted the focus to be just ‘the eyes’ and the camera. I engaged in recreaCon of the composiCon of the photographs to create a sense of difference, for example, images 1 & 2 are asymmetrical to each other whereas images 3 & 4 are symmetrical; this all added to the character of each eyes which was important to me. Much like Lucy cash's work I played with the interacCon aspect of photographing by asking my models what they were feeling as I photographed their eyes, this noCon helped me in photographing every individual’s eyes as it was about the individual controlling how they were portrayed; that was to clarify to the viewers that they too were able to control how they were seen by others. On different occasions, people tried to guess who the people were, and that is how I intended for my viewers to react to these photographs. The interacCon between outsiders and ‘the eyes’ were a key part in this part of the project because it ulCmately decided whether these photographs were successful or not. And they were!
Dan Mounford & Ma< wisniewski
Artist Analysis Melinda Gibson Melinda Gibson's visual remixes of secondary luminaries involves the removal of three or more images from the book and then slicing, cueng and recomposing them into her own photo-‐collage. For Gibson, she concludes in her blog "By slicing, cueng and decontextualizing the images, I start to gain a greater appreciaCon of these works: I start understanding why and how these images have been created". This statement by Gibson influenced my work because it made me really consider which images would fit together well in my developmental responses to her work. By contrasCng the human form with everyday objects, she establishes interacCons with them and I believe that it is a way of saying that we are influenced by our environment ‘ a product of our environment’ I also considered this in my work.
‘ Photomontages’ 2010
2nd Development set of photographs
This photograph truly intrigues me because of the Photoshop effect I used and how it changed my interpretaCon of the photograph; with a complete black background all the focus is on the white outlines and shapes. The white imagery reminds me of clouds passing by a moon and the day turning into night; at first glance some may recognise a pair of eyes but others see this same idea that I see and that was important to me.
EvaluaCon of 2nd developmental photographs These photographs were largely influenced by Melinda Gibson's ‘photomontage’ series; although I used the technique of acetate I also used the method of recomposing to fit both the images used, for example photographs 9 & 10. I enjoyed this set because I got to explore pueng different textures together which created quiet effecCve imagery; slim acetate sheet overlaid with a co<on like material in photograph 7, this gave the photograph an eerie atmosphere. What worked well was the range of textures and materials used, because they helped to further emphasize the visual impact I wanted to have on my viewers, for my viewers to be able to see not only the common silhoue<es but also what was within those silhoue<es. It was to get across the idea that we all look alike on the outside but on the inside we are quiet different, we are made of different substance and materials; our life’s experiences have altered us on the inside. What didn’t work so well was the composiCon with some of the photographs, photographs 6,9,10 were a li<le unresolved because I didn’t consider the angle that I posiConed them however, I liked how photos 9 and 10 were angle in a landscape manner rather than portrait because it gave then a whole new perspecCve because you could see the eyes within the photographs rather than the silhoue<es; I think this worked well.
4 Final Outcomes
End of project EvaluaCon I had a rocky start to this project because I had lost my silhoue<e photographs on two occasions which lead me to think that I needed to go a different way, but with much convincing from my teachers I decided to give it another go and I am glad I did. Overall, I am quiet pleased with the turn out of my iniCal photographs because they embodied exactly what I wanted to convey to my viewers, and in that sense they were effecCve. The quality of my iniCal set of photographs differed as I went along because I got a be<er hang of the technique and considered more than just the angles and composiCon of the photographs, I considered the tone of the photographs; I wanted some to have a darker tone and others to have a lighter tone. I did this because I wanted to emphasize the idea of things and people coming in different forms, the idea of different cultures and ethniciCes. With photographs 7 & 8 from the second developmental set, this idea is really brought out; with the texture of the acetate material almost fading out the silhoue<e form but accentuaCng the eyes within the silhoue<e. Furthermore, It brings be to think of different cultures and ethniciCes becoming one, blending together, mulCcultural communiCes which is fast becoming a big thing in our world today. Also what worked well was the lighCng in my 1st iniCal silhuoe<e photographs; the projecCon on the subject ma<er really highlighted the importance of the subject ma<er in the story my photographs were telling.
What could be improved on is the colouring in my photographs, like the developmental set 1&2 where the mixture of colour doesn’t blend as well so next Cme I would pay closer a<enCon to it and choose a single colour to focus on. I think that visually my photographs produce a sense of familiarity towards its viewers, I believe that when people encounter these photographs can will feel the need to focus on them in order to understand them as a whole and not individuals. I think that with all the set of photographs there is an idea that links them together, they all stem from one source and that is the human form as an idenCty. I would hope that when viewers look upon my photographs they will be able to interpret the kind of approach I took and the mind set I was in during this project. I believe that my second iniCal set would have a stronger impact on my viewers because there is that finality with looking into someone’s eyes, it is were you almost feel like you really know that person whether you just met them or you have known them all your life. When I was ediCng these set of photographs, a couple of people looked at them and thought that they new the people the eyes belonged to and many tried to guess who they were and got it wrong. It was this idea of misjudging someone or a case of mistaken IdenCty; I quiet liked that idea of a guessing game and I was intrigued by the effort people made to recognise others. This then transpired into the public’s involvement in my photographs, how they saw it ma<ered to me, it also influenced my 2nd set photographs as I thought to combine the silhoue<es with eyes; giving them eyes a place to dwell ma<ered.
I decided in the second developmental set to put some of the photographs in landscape instead of portraits because I wanted to show a different perspecCve; in the portrait we are able to see the silhoue<e but in the landscape we are able to see the eyes. It was to connote that two personaliCes could exist in one enCty, that different people see different things in the same object or person, we never really see something in the same light. In this project and set of photographs I was trying to symbolise IdenCty in different parts of the human form; idenCty through the eyes, silhoue<e, and portraits. I wanted to really push through the idea of different idenCCes exisCng in one enCty and I believe I achieved that through my 1st developmental set of photographs, within the person there is a person and its open for all to see but not all will see. Even though there was a good amount of pa<erns and colours in my photographs it did not over power the concept I was presenCng, which was that we go many direcCons in life and acquire many idenCCes within our one and only enCty. I believe that my final outcomes truly brought home the concept and level of symbolism I wanted throughout my project, I think that they represented every individual set of photographs and were effecCve in projecCng IdenCty & Anonymity. Overall, I believe that symbolism was achieved and visual impact was achieved however, if I were to improve this project I would also explore other body parts that could prove idenCty and I would consider how I presented these photographs.