Virtual Essay

After researching for different creations by different photographers, Lauren E.Simonutti’s works have inspired and attracted me by giving me mysteries and fantasies. One of his famous creations is “The Devil’s Alphabet.  It is a photo album that include the alphabet A to Z. All of the photographs are mysterious and they represent the alphabet letters.

Starting with the Alphabet letter A:

The Devil's Alphabet: A (2007) Lauren E. Simonutti
http://www.edelmangallery.com/simonutti/devils_alphabet/simonutti1.jpg

We can see that there is a doll with an “A” pose in the photograph. There is also one man looking at the doll doing the pose from above. Personally, I think the best interpretation of this photograph is that it is very hard to hide secrets, although you have been putting so many efforts on hiding secrets, people will discover eventually.

Same thing happens in this photograph by an unknown photographer, this time there is no one watching you but the doll itself. The meaning is basically the same; there is someone who is watching you, trying to find out your secrets and most likely, your secrets will be spreading out.

Creepy doll by Iynchseattle from flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynchseattle/4443455798/#/

Following is the Alphabet N from “The Devil Alphabet” album, there is a person who has his leg sticking out of the door. He might be dead or faint. The color setting and the effect on this photograph seems to tell us that something happened in this room and the room is abandoned.



The Devil's Alphabet: N (2007) Lauren E. Simonutti
http://www.edelmangallery.com/simonutti/devils_alphabet/simonutti14.htm



Same as this photograph by Arvydas KniukAita, this room has also been abandoned. It is also a mysterious photograph which gives us the space to think what happened in this room.

Abandoned spooky industrial room in former factory in HDR by Arvydas Kniukšta

http://www.123rf.com/photo_4917674_abandoned-spooky-industrial-room-in-former-factory-in-hdr-black-and-white.html

The Alphabet letter L is a book. It says on the book:

“L” exists in memory.

It is quit lovely but will never see the light of day.

It is the first letter of the sobriquet by which I was christened.

You see, and so must remain hidden.

For without it the Devil can never call out to me by name.

Many meanings can be implied in this message on the book and the most important idea in this message indicates specific religion. The writer might be trying to portray the religion that he/she believes in. Since the theme of this album is “devil” the true meaning message might bring out different negative mentality in our souls, including envy, hatred, selfish, violent, etc…


The Devil's Alphabet: L (2007) Lauren E. Simonutti
http://www.edelmangallery.com/simonutti/devils_alphabet/simonutti12.jpg



One photograph that is similar to the Alphabet letter L is a black and white photograph of a holy bible.  In contrast of the Devil Alphabet, this holy bible represents justices, love and sacrifice.

Holy bible by unknow photographer
http://www.sadena.com/Photography-Artwork/bw.html

In the photograph of the Alphabet X, there is a stair which leads us to the ultimate darkness. Something must be waiting for us downstairs.

The Devil's Alphabet: X (2007) Lauren E. Simonutti
http://www.edelmangallery.com/simonutti/devils_alphabet/simonutti24.jpg

Similar to the stairs from the Alphabet X, the photo, creepy stair represent the same setting, which is paranormal environment and mysteries. In contrast to the Alphabet X, we cannot see anything from upstairs instead of downstairs.

Creepy Stairs by Brian Hill Photography from Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebelhd/363884389/

The last alphabet that I want to present is the Alphabet V. In the photograph, there is a vacant chair in the room. The chair might be old, it might also be broken. There is a clock refection on the chair, telling us that the chair has been recording the history that “it” has seen.

The Devil's Alphabet: Q (2007) Lauren E. Simonutti
http://www.edelmangallery.com/simonutti/devils_alphabet/simonutti17.jpg

In the photograph of a black and white antique chair, same thing happens. The background of the chair is a forest and the chair might be dumped for so many years.

 

Black and white antique chair by summerbreezes 93 from Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39841386@N04/3985260608/

 

Week 13: The new reality or fiction: Contemporary photography

Alterations are not allowed in press photography, but they are one of the tools used in contemporary art photography? Why?

We all know that alterations are not allowed or accepted in press photography, since alterations will hide the truth or the events that the press photographs are presenting. However, alterations can be one of the tools used in contemporary art photography for different effects and feelings. Art is a very pectoral matter; different people have different perspectives toward or against art which can be simple or abstract, colorful or black and white. Since contemporary art photography is created only for art purposes and it doesn’t have to portray the truth behind the story, therefore, alterations can be great tools to use. Comparing art photography to press photography, art photography has an important role of illustrating the feelings and creates the spaces for the audiences to think. Alternations on art photography can bring the art photographs to the next stage of expressing the feelings. For example, if the artist wants to express the sad feelings in the photograph, the black and white effect can help to emphasize the feelings more effectively. Also, alterations can contribute to creative art, for instance, it is often used in sardonicism. Many artists use the alteration as a technique on photographs to mock or demonstrate major social issues, which works very well most of the time on catching our attention. For example, we all know the brand, “Apple”. Its products such as iPhone, Ipad, IPod and MAC have been very successful in the market; Apple can even make advertising unnecessary. From the photograph below, we can see that the Steve Job, the chairman of Apple Inc, holding two Apple computers in his hands, and he dressed like Jesus, meaning that people follow his products irrationally and religiously, that is why many artists have been mocking Steve Job for being a god who has lots of followers in the technologies world.

Moses (Steve Jobs) carrying the new Apple iPad tablets down from the Mountain By Unknown

http://ourwritersblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/moses-tablets-jobs.jpg?w=468&h=611

- Compare photographs of Sommer, Adams and Klett versus  Parkeharrison, Muniz

and Crewdson. What happened to the photography? Is this its future?

Photographs of Sommer focus on the nature, especially death. One of his photograph, the chicken indicated the final stage of live- death. It might not be accepted by majority, but this is his role of taking photography. Adams’s photographs tell us how beautiful Colorado is, although all of the photographs are black and white, we can still feel the warmth and happiness in this place, making everyone to enjoy this place. Klett’s photographs are similar to Adams; he captured different cultures and landscapes. For example, from the photograph by Klett below, a temple is shown, it might be abandoned for a long time, but the connection of the temple and the nature is portrayed. This is how Klett connected human beings building and landscapes to the nature. These three photographers captured the history and nature that we might ignore most of the time. Although we are so busy with so many things nowadays, history and nature should not be ignored since history and nature demonstrate discipline, telling us the right direction. Those photographs do a very good job on recalling our memories and purify our souls.

Frederick Sommer, Anatomy of a Chicken, 1939
http://www.sauer-thompson.com/junkforcode/archives/2009/01/05/SommerFChicken.jpg



Robert Adams, Redlands, Looking Toward Los Angeles, California 1983
http://i1.exhibit-e.com/matthewmarks/974a4658.jpg



Klett Mark Andy Looking East...Winds, 1981
http://collections.mocp.org/media/Klett_M/2006_744.JPG

On the other hand, Parkeharrison, Muniz and Crewdson use alternation as a tool on their photographs, in contrast to Sommer, Adams and Klett, who play the role in press photo, Parkeharrison, Muniz and Crewdson tend to have the intention toward art photographs. They demonstrate abstract, fantasy and of course, many colorful elements were added in the photographs. Alternations that used in those photographs also give us the illusion, thinking all those are paint drawing. We often put ourselves in the photographs to experience the objects and views in the photographs. It is hard to believe that is reality, but the creations also bring out a message, what is reality? How do we know if we are in the reality? We could still be lost even though we are in the reality.

The future of the photography should develop with the technologies used in alternation in order to create different art photographs, meanwhile, press and historical photographs should also be respected. It is because, there is no way to process to the future without going through the pass, history gives us discipline, as we mentioned before. We believe that photography is the most powerful tool to use in delivering the messages, as it can show the truth in front of our eyeballs.

Elegy (2007) Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison
http://www.edelmangallery.com/parke102.jpg

Nightwork (2007) Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison
http://www.edelmangallery.com/parke106.jpg

Group members list, By:
Wilson Wong (100670330)
Yi Ye (100588597)
Melissa Lee
Collen Kennedy
Angad Hanjra