Week 7: Contextualisation and Text
- Laura Marsh
- Mar 14, 2021
- 3 min read
"It's a strange thought, that personal identity and qualities of mind and character can be discovered not only in people, but also in objects, landscapes, jars or boxes. If this seems a bit odd, it's because we have, by and large, emptied visual realm of personal character. Yet when we feel a kinship with an object, it is because the values we sense that it carries are clearer in it than they usually are in our minds" (De Botton and Armstrong, 2016:40)
I have been reading Art as Therapy by Alain de Botton and John Armstrong this week and the above quote stood out to me as an example of what I am hoping to achieve and include within my work. That link between myself and the surrounds and objects I photograph, something I spot that I can relate to my intent and idea as well as myself. The connection I feel to a delicate and fragile object such as a leaf, just reminds me of vulnerability.
I have been capturing other objects within my work, such as a broken eggshell amongst mud and dirt under a railway bridge where pigeons next all year round and a broken crushed feather laying in the middle of a pile of twigs after a stormy night. Here, I am exploring other influences that could reflect that of the fragile human body as well as exploring the natural world as the season changes, soon the leaf skeletons that I have been focussing on, will disappear, so other objects may be needed before the end of the module, but they would still encompass what I am exploring.
The egg and feather I chose to show in my portfolio review and the feedback was positive, the exploration of items and not just leaves was felt as a good idea and one that could lead on and develop into the next modules following the seasons of the year.
These three images below show different angles used, and the surroundings included more within the image frame.
Fig 3-5, Laura Marsh, 2021, Fragile
The frame is something that features heavily in my decision-making process, capturing the subjects within this helps portray my idea in a visual manner that allows the viewers to focus on the subject but also create their own thoughts about the work. Using the dark edges still brings the viewer in and highlights the structures of the objects.
"With the choice of the frame, the photographer actively makes the picture rather than simply recording pre-existing things" (Edwards, 2006:107)
Another discussion the review was how I spoke about my work and it was suggested that maybe I could incorporate text into my work, following the verbal presentation of it. Something I have thought about, but not explored.
Following this, I decided to go for a walk without my camera and make a note of the words that I think of as I walk that associated with the work and myself, how I acted, walked, and felt and how these words could relate to the images I have taken so far.
· Slower
· Slowly
· Careful
· Anticipation
· Anxious
· Cautious
· Pain
· Tension
· Relief
I want to try and explore how I could use these words within my work, either alongside an image or as an introduction in some way and see if it works within the context of what I am doing, text may not be suitable, and I am wary of making the metaphorical side of the work too obvious to the viewer and allow that self-decision to develop. I refer to Edwards again from his book, Photography A Very Short introduction.
“Even when photographs are not provided with accompanying text (sometimes on gallery walls or the odd advertisement), the viewer brings experiences and beliefs with them; we fit the image into narrative contexts” (Edwards, 2006:107)
References:
Books:
Alain De Botton, and John Armstrong. Art as Therapy. London, Phaidon Press Limited, 2016, p. 40.
Edwards, Steve. Photography : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2006.
Figures:
Fig 1, Laura Marsh, 2021, Fragile
Fig 2, Laura Marsh, 2021, Fragile
Fig 3-5, Laura Marsh, 2021, Fragile
Fig 6: Laura Marsh, 2021, Phone Edit, Fragile
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