I knew that I had images taken when I was eight, before the cloud and before the internet. The achieve process back then was take the print and stick it to a bit of card. Simple solution for and eight year old. I have stored the sheets of card in various locations over the years, none of them special. Maybe with hindsight I should have taken more care of them.

Technology has advanced and sharing images is something that everyone takes for granted every day. Quick snap with the mobile phone the off to the cloud to store and share on Instagram and Facebook.

Scanning the old image and transferring it to the computer is and easy task although takes a few more minutes that a phone capture. Out of Lightroom and away to the cloud.

Quality of the 1970’s print leaves a lot to be desired due to the fixed focus point and shoot Agfa 126 camera that I used but it invokes the memory of the time the image was taken. I remember taking it and the camera but when it was slips away from me. I have seen the image many times over the years but never thought about it. The re-visit to scan and upload and think about the memory has caused the image to be ‘looked’ at. The memory of the event has changed, been forgotten.

I have proof it happened but the facts of the event are being lost. Without documentation and context this image will slip into a wonder who they were? picture as Roland Barthes discusses in Camera Lucida. It already is.

I can date the image from elements within the image because I was there. External viewers may be able to date the image with the car in the background or the Raleigh Shopper bike against the wall, putting it in the ’70s. The location and other information will be lost as the image has no EXIF data, unlike many modern pictures.

For the record It is Simon and James @ 34 Bar Lane, Stapleford. Early 1970’s

Time clearly changes memory of events and the image can only preserve what we can remember whilst leaving bread crumbs for the parts that are lost. So how true is history when individuals can’t remember events truly?

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Umbrico has not stopped with sunsets, utilising the process has created works based on full moon images and TV remotes. I find that the sunset images work well with the colours blending and contrasting. In looking at the image I find that it enters a “eye” game as you explore the surface moving along the lines before being stopped by a colder image which moves the eye in a different direction.

As abstraction I find this a great piece as although the image allows the individual referents to be seen clearly, however the overall work creates a new non referent image.

With the concept of appropriation in mind, I produced an image of the Eifel Tower with images found online. This image is produced in the multiple exposure method, as discussed in the post regarding Pep Ventosa. So

Reference

REXER, Lyle. 2013. Theœ Edge of Vision. (First paperback edition edn). New York: aperture.

Figures

Fig 1 Suns from sunsets on Flikr http://www.penelopeumbrico.net/

Fig 2 Roydon Woodford 2021

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Roger Newton pushes back against the traditional photographic systems to explore the ‘looking’ and expand the question of representation. His work, an abstractness that pulls against the composition that leaves the viewer to make sense.

The properties of the components he uses have dramatic affect on the images directly. Non glass lenses made of oil or homemade film emulsion glued onto plywood. This photographer is a good example of the experimentation that abstract photographer can utilise to produce images.

This process would be further research to conduct in the abstract process. I do have reservations for my own practice as the simple chemistry is predominantly black and white which I have not explored in any great detail.

References

1 https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/recipients/roger-newton/#:~:text=Roger%20Newton%20is%20a%20photographer,began%20experimenting%20with%20color%20photography.

https://www.davidzwirner.com/exhibitions/1996/roger-newton/press-release

Figures

Roger Neton: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/roger-newton-1721-c-fe74dcd8c9

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This is a blending of the abstract work and exploration of images with a topical subject. This direction came about when I started exploring the abstract processing on more normal images. I felt that this was a major success in that it highlights a social problem that we are all facing, that of pollution in our oceans.

A beer bottle on a shoreline may not be seen but make it purple to highlight it, a sauce bottle oozing red.

This body of work has been well received by the public through social channels and has opened up avenues to explore for exhibiting them and continuing this as a further project.

I have further experimented with this avenue having collected shoreline plastics and pollution to bring home to utilise macro photography. I feel that macro photography lends itself to this process both in abstraction and the pollution aspect with the microplastic and small items. I have yet to explore the macro in pure abstract but think that it will provide some very clear results.

At this stage, I feel that I will include some of the images in the final work in progress presentation, however, it may be a distraction from the exploration of the abstract. With some weeks still to go before that has to be finalised things may change. I do not think the clipper lighter is too successful as the actual lighter is lost in the sea of red. The red only works on select images. I find the drum of carbon remover is a great piece and I could see that displayed in a book or exhibition with the safety sheet next to it to show how toxic this drum is.

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I feel that the current intent is misunderstood and could not be delivered as an elevator pitch unless there are 75 floors.

So the post started. Informing Contexts session on Monday proved to be worthwhile and so on topic. The session was devoted to Intent, with each attendee reading out their current position on intent. The elevator pitch live. The critique and direction for others helped me understand what needed to be done. From the verbose descriptive statement that I had, I was able to create a better version to read out. The criticism directed me further to see what was needed.

Several revisions later I have reduced my statement of intent I am sure that this will change again however, its a step in the right direction:

‘My work is the exploration of abstract photography to counter a view that photographs have to be of reality and the nature of what an image is. I have the chance to play in my mind as a creative with no boundaries, with no limits apart from light. Bright colours, startling colours, things that are unnoticed until transformed.  In my practice I am happy to use all that the photographic medium can offer to capture light, to create something that can be seen in a new way.’

Clearing out the descriptive ‘what is’ and removing surplus ‘waffle’ reduced things down for a clearer statement. I feel it has moved forwards and I am happier with its progression.

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Roth’s image from 1970 shown here is a screen print, which could question originality, however, I find keeps the eyes exploring the image for interest and exploration. The tones which only have a small range of colours, blues and orange-brown, offer such a great diversity of elements. The darker colours lifting away to create individual images before you plunge into the lower tones of the blue.

This I feel is an excellent example of abstract work because of the individual detail within the image with no representation or signifier within the image.

The Tate has a collection of his paintings and prints available to view online, I find that there is such great variation within the body of work. The ‘self-portrait at a table’ is a good example of the surrealist influence and then other works depict other styles, but the abstract theme underlies many of the work.

Bibliography

1. Roth, quoted in Roth Time, Dobke and Walter, Lars Müller, 2004, p77

Figures

Fig 1 https://www.1stdibs.com/art/prints-works-on-paper/abstract-prints-works-on-paper/dieter-roth-20th-century-abstract-dieter-roth-piccadilly-screenprint/id-a_7818612/?&currency=gbp&gclid=CjwKCAjwgZuDBhBTEiwAXNofRCc_DUVqeiiJqciP6tQdpEsyy_KBSJw2K4_jstLKh0kFzcBk8iENSBoCNIYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

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BA Presentation Reflection. Completely useless PDF if you were not present. The 20 mins of me orating to discuss, explain and reflect are missing. Ten more minutes of questions and answers which I felt were for my benefit. Thanks to Pe** I now have another avenue to explore. Thanks to Steph and Abby for finding some BA student willing to give up lunchtime.

LO6 Written and Oral communication was clearly fluffed. I know that I spoke too fast and maybe without a clear train of thought, so did not delve very deep into the images which would be the LO5 Critical analysis. Notes and more rehearsal. Maybe the practice which came in at 35 minutes caused the rush?

The experience has presented a strange position in that I have been reluctant to have my camera on during lectures and seminars during the modules, Not sure why. Here I was camera on, the mic on and the spotlight was very much on me. I have felt very conscious that there are others that stand out and I have been in the shadows, which sadly is not who I have been or think that I am.

I feel this experience was very much required for me to get back to being at the front. I would love to thank all the students that gave up their lunch time to drop in and hear R****** C********* and myself.

Although the contextualisation of other artists works presented in the chatbox was well known to me through the research I have undertaken it was really good to see how much the group were informed.

Some of the work I have undertaken is Pinhole, Justin Quinnell is well known for this kind of work and has presented a workshop on his practice, which I was unaware of. Finding out more about what the students have done would have stopped me from showing the can that I have used. However, this is really good in that it reinforces the research aspect of whatever you do.

I feel it is shame that more of the Informed Contexts group did not take up on the offer because this was far greater an experience if you reflect on your own performance within the learning outcomes

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Hi Roydon, 

I find your project fascinating! 

With your intent – maybe you could talk about what led you to change the images once you took them? Maybe you could talk about the colours you use and why you choose them? Also I think it would be interesting to see the image from start to finish – even just a ‘behind the scenes’ type of shot to see how you create the work because its not immediately obvious how the images are created, i.e. the images all seem finished, almost like a painting would be finished. 

I know you don’t need anymore artists to look at as you have contextualised your work really well but your work makes me think of Patrick Heron and Mark Rothko’s work.

I also think that the exhibition idea is spot on – having the images nice and big. I don’t know if you have seen Roy Litchtenstien’s work in a gallery before but they are enormous pieces and really makes you understand his work more – as you said seeing this type of work in a book really doesn’t do it justice. 

Hope this helps! 

B**

Thanks, Ben for taking a look,

I have to agree that Rothko was left out. When I started it was only a couple of photographic artists then the research started revelling so many but I will gladly take more suggestions. I have not stumbled across Patrick Heron, but having viewed his work the cubism/surrealism is clearly visible before he dramatically moved into abstract expressionism. 

I do like the point about the changing of the image and that is certainly something I will address.

The Tillmans quote about as soon as it is a photograph the question of how comes in. I am happy to share the method but do not see that it is important, it is the final image.

Thanks for some really good feedback

H**** W*****

Hi Roydon,

That certainly was a trip and I very much enjoyed it. I think the level of experimentation and technical prowess here were very strong though I feel the work sometimes lacked intent. I think it was well informed and contextualised through contemporary practitioners (LO3) with a good use of personal observations and critical opinions of your work and those practitioners (L06). I think for the dissemination of contemporary photographic practices could have used a few more examples of how those practitioners you gave as an example show their work and what platforms/mediums they choose to display the work to their audience (LO4). I thought the presentation was presented well though as with the work and you did acknowledge this that sometimes it went off on various tangents which I think is part of the experiment process which you acknowledged. I think with clearer intent such as the toxicity of plastic pollution on the beach or the reason why you made the photographs it would help navigate your way through the abstraction and have a reason why you abstract the work in the first place. The solar can image was very beautiful btw on another note and I know we’re not supposed to be thinking about (LO1) but I think the work of the abstract seascapes were particularly pleasing to myself. 

H****

S**** R******

Thanks for sharing this work Roydon. Having worked with you on the last module and seen a couple of these images over the last couple of weeks it was great to see the wider scope of your work in progress. The vibrant use of colours and abstract nature of them makes them very unique and will I am sure come together as a powerful body of work.

I was a little unsure at the outset what your intent was in terms of this work but having then seen the discarded sauce bottle image and you thoughts and ideas around incorporating them with the more abstract I can see how this will work. I guess you will need to consider bringing this part in a lot sooner in terms of your critical review as it would be good to start with the overall intent at the outset. 

There were some great example of photographers that have inspired you, big tick for LO3, and your images stand up well against them, confirming the contextualisation of your practice. LO1 is also very evident in terms of your awareness and expertise in experimenting and creating this wonderful images. LO4 is also evident in terms of the dissemination of your practice and I like the sound of the exhibition, I would suggest adding more details in about how this would look and perhaps incorporate the environmental pictures such as the sauce bottle to show how this would be included.

Whilst you have said in the words above that you have failed with LO5, there was evidence of critical analysing your work in terms of the multiple exposure shots and soap bubble images.

Looking forward to seeing more of this project in the coming weeks.

One fact that leaps out is that I introduce the pollution at the end of the presentation and it will appear that people focus on that aspect. I had thought that the citation of Wolfgang Tillmans would leave the viewer without any doubt is was about the individual picture. Another aspect that leaps out is the quote reflects on the concept that the method is not important, it’s the image.

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Public Video (Do not use as a template for your own, its not been marked)

For the peer reviews visit the PHO702 Peer review feedback post

Part of PHO702 Informed Contexts Falmouth University MA Photography

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Jordanian Air Force pilot Lieutenant Moath Youssef al-Kasasbeh is reported to have been burnt alive.

The fact he was killed is not in dispute, however, Thomas Wictor has presented strong evidence that this atrocity is a hoax. It was not unknown for the ISIS media to be faked. I am no expert and it has been a few years since I viewed the video so do not feel in a position to validate his findings. I could be wrong in entertaining the idea of fake news, am I?

Could our current crisis be down to citizen journalism or the free use of the Internet to spread propaganda? and be a case that the video is out in the wild and our media have to post the story to get ahead so experts are not used or possibly, in this case, this is just another conspiracy to make the public feel better for having watched something so horrific?

The desensitising has occurred through social media and the rolling 24hr news. If we look at major events and disasters they drop onto our screens often without images or it’s the aftermath images that only show the trace of the event that is shown over and over until they can find another shocking image. Debord eloquently rephrases the old chip paper saying, ‘When the spectacle stops talking about something for three days, it is as if it did not exist, for it has gone onto talk about something else, and it is that which henceforth exists.’ (Debord, 1988, p20)

I do not feel that there is any solution to the shocking images and the way they infiltrate or screens. If the time for change is now then the populous need to change. When there is a traffic accident on the motorway, why is the other carriageway blocked? Simple everyone wants to look.

I personally don’t have an issue with a shocking content, maybe one too many experiences, as maybe some of the others here don’t either. If I have to show a disturbing image it would be this one. Clearly, this is a trace, the event has happened and this is the aftermath. Should this disturbing image be censored? I think not.

The reason I find this disturbing is that this is the capsize of a French lifeboat, On 7 Jun 2019, the lifeboat Jack Morisseau launched, 22 mins later, 3 crew died and that is too close for comfort. As seen with the Hastings lifeboat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXmtWtexo_c – the same class I volunteer on.

Reference

Deboard, Guy (1994) The Society of the Spectacle, New York:Zone

Thomas Wictor http://www.thomaswictor.com/the-jordanian-pilot-was-not-burned-to-death/

Figures

Fig 1 http://www.thomaswictor.com/the-jordanian-pilot-was-not-burned-to-death/

Fig 2 https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2019/0607/1054121-capsized-vessel-leaves-three-dead-in-french-storm/

Current Work in Progress

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