Photographers

Today we looked at several photographers that we involved with the Cruel & Tender exhibition at the Tate Modern in 2003, Here are a few images that caught my eye and some thoughts that I noted.

Fazal Sheikh (Comparison & Classification):

Visiting Kenya during the 1990's Sheikh approached his subjects as individuals, aiming to tell their refugee story's through his simple portraiture. He would embody himself within the camps so to understand fully what it is they go through and how to portray their hardships. He puts the story before his photographic process, using just a polaroid to document his subjects.

'A Camel for the Son 2001 looks at the plight of Somali women, who have endured assault and rape both during the clan warfare in their homeland, and from the Kenyan guards in the camps where they seek protection'

Andreas Gursky (Industry & Consumerism):

He possesses a very manipulated view of reality by the images that he subjectively creates, the massive documents of an altered reality sell for record breaking amounts and are very much open to interpretation from the viewer who are able to immerse themselves in a 'Gursky World' where even the most average of scenes in modern life turns into a subconscious wonderland.

'Since the early 1990s, Gursky has made subtle digital alterations to some of his photographs, adjusting the composition, eliminating details and enhancing colour.'"My preference for clear structures is the result of my desire - perhaps illusory - to keep track of things and maintain my grip on the world."

Thomas Struth:

He may have studied at the same school at Gursky, but Struth documents the world in a much more tradition manor, starting out on the streets and using natural light to capture his subjects.  I like the very highly detailed and vivid colours used to document the groups of people appreciating awe inspiring works of art or architecture, His composition being key to highlight the scale of these incredible buildings in relationship to their mini worshippers.

Paul Graham (Industry & Consumerism):

For the most park 'Beyond Caring' is a very bleak and bland documentation of a young man's venture into a mundane requirement of becoming an adult, waiting in boring office spaces for some obscene length of time, conforming to the Thatcher government at the time, however there are some very interesting perspectives to emerge from this body of work such as the way in which some images are captured, featuring some very obscure angles as to not to be noticed by the subjects and preserve the candid moment. I also like how there are splashes of bright colour in some of the images that bring the scenes to life, standing out of the grey and draw the viewers attention.

 The series examined the degradation that accompanied the high unemployment and harsh economic conditions of the Thatcher era. Graham has described the series as showing places ‘where economic decisions and human lives meet head on’.