It’s been a busy couple of weeks but I need to get some info out there about the first of the exhibitions I have seen for Excite 09, The Otago Polytechnic annual showcase of graduating students work (and some non-graduating students too!)
The School of Design had their opening and prize giving last night in the amazing ex Wickliffe Press building, now empty warehouses which are the best setting for cool design work. The exhibition includes work from graduating students in the Communication design, Fashion design, Interior design and Product design degrees, as well as a showcase of first and second year works.
I’m here to shout out for the 2009 Communications design students and their exhibition; Last Word.
These guys were challenged not only to exhibit their best design work from their degree, but also co-ordinate, advertise, design the exhibition space, design the catalogue and website and put the whole event together themselves! They did an amazing job and the opening last night proved the success. The exhibition was well received by all who attended(which was heaps!).
Check out their work in the space until Sunday 22nd Nov. Opening times here. (it’s also worth going to the space to see a sneak preview of the Fashion Design students work before their Collections fashion show this Saturday, the Product design show, Ideate and the Interior design show Infuse, all exhibited in the same space but each with their own amazing and unique style that really sets this whole exhibition apart.
And check our their work on their own, self-designed website here. You’ll need to visit the space to pick up a beautifully designed and hand stamped, special edition catalogue.
Well done you guys!
Here’s an excerpt from a new book called “After Photography” by Fred Ritchin on the designobserver blog.
It’s looking at perceptions of truth in a digital photojournalism sphere with references to many well known images and media events. Easy to read and points to further research materials if this is an area you’re interested in…well worth a read.
Cover of After Photography by Fred Ritchin (W.W. Norton & Company), from which this essay is excerpted
“Unmasking Photo Opportunities, Cubistically
In a 1994 photograph we see U.S. soldiers invading Haiti, lying on the airport tarmac pointing their rifles at unseen enemies. The heroic image supports the claim of the U.S. government that it is invading to support democracy, liberating a neighboring country from a dictatorship.
The curious reader [of the future], however, might want to place the computer cursor on the image. Another photograph appears from beneath it; it is of the same scene but from another vantage point. U.S. soldiers are pointing their guns not at any potential enemy but at about a dozen photographers who, lined up in front of them, are photographing them. In fact, the photographers are the only ones doing any shooting.
The contradictory “double image” is cubist; reality has no single truth.” READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ON THE DESIGN OBSERVER SITE
Reprinted from After Photography by Fred Ritchin. Copyright 2008 by Fred Ritchin. With permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Here is an interesting article from one of the judges, Diane Smythe of the Taylor Wessing photographic portrait prize, currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery in London (UK). In it, Diane discusses not only som of the complexities of judging such a prize, but what makes a good portrait (in context with the prize of course) and offers insight into the difference between personally knowing the subject of a work, and not. This is something we all have to be able to think about with our artwork,: what will it mean to someone else? (Who doesn’t know us, our process, our thoughts…)
Click the image below to link through to the finalists’ images. The image below is the Overall Winner of the Prize, 2009.
Rosie Bancroft (2008) by London photographer Paul Floyd Blake. This portrait is part of series entitled On Track for 2012, in which he photographs young athletes with the potential to compete in the 2012 Olympics.
82. French Touch - Bordeaux (2006), Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek
Rotterdam-based photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek have worked together since October 1994. Inspired by a shared interest in the striking dress codes of various social groups, they have systematically documented numerous identities over the last 14 years. Rotterdam’s heterogeneous, multicultural street scene remains a major source of inspiration for Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek, although since 1998 they have also worked in cities abroad.
This is a great project, nothing new perhaps and in some ways a nice update on August Sander’s People of our Time, with people grouped into a much more social topography depicting our times, like an extended Thomas Ruff project… However, I really love the web interface of this project – struck by a huge sea of people, or rather groups of people where you can simply randomly click on those you want to see in more detail. Great People Watching! Be great to browse on a much bigger screen than my wee laptop…interactive exhibition display anyone?
Parrworld: Martin Parr at Baltic
Friday, October 16, 2009
Parrworld Is A Hit – Martin Parr at BALTIC
Last night, we headed up to BALTIC in Gateashead for the opening of Parrworld, and I was not disappointed. I left the show feeling inspired to get my camera out, and start taking pictures, while at the same time, I started thinking about the notion of collecting, a cultural consciousness, memories and our constantly changing times.
More from Aesthetica Magazine Blog
Canon’s flagship EOS dSLR has received a welcome upgrade, with the 1D Mark IV adding HD video capabilities, the ability to shoot at 10 frames per second and improving on the AF system which proved a problem in the Mark III. More on D-Ph0to and Photographer’s Mail Blog
Kimsooja
“A thin woman stands bolt upright with her back to us, as the city centre’s population at large pass her by. The “performance” is repeated and recorded in eight worldwide metropolitans: London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Delhi, New York, Mexico City, Cairo and Lagos.” Read more here
I got introduced to Kimsooja’s work as photography a few years ago and it has always intrigued me. I find it interesting and very relevant as an example of the convergence of media such as film, photography and performance that I find are more prevelant in contemporary art.
At the moment, this work makes me think of student Alex Lovell-Smith’s work, so this post’s for Alex. he is working on a performance, related work with another student , that looks at ‘observation’ and ’sruveillance’ (amongst other things), although he is a photography major and has another serious of photographic works that employ/require some kind of performance that needs to be ‘caught’ on camera. The result is something of alienation or suspension, as in Kimsooja’s work – although the contexts are different….
…just some thoughts!
The Impossible Project: The Impossible Project inspires Polaroid to re-launch Instant Cameras
Here’s one for the polaroid lovers out there.
“What is the Impossible Project?
We aim to re-start production of analog instant film for vintage Polaroid cameras in 2010.”
Click the image to go to the website…enjoy!
The Frieze Art Fair is on in the UK. This is one of the major art events int he UK. Worth a look to see what is happening overseas…
A visitor strolls past a large-scale Gilbert and George. The fair features over 150 contemporary art galleries from 30 countries, presenting the work of over a thousand artists
Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
p.s. Click the image to see more images by my favourite: the guardian.co.uk
All in one story!
Ralph Lauren and the Photoshop Disaster:
“…the photoshop disaster that is this Ralph Lauren advertisement, in which a model’s proportions appear to have been altered to give her an impossibly skinny body (“Dude, her head’s bigger than her pelvis”).”
Copyright Infringement and Fair Use:
“Copyright law doesn’t give you the right to threaten your critics for pointing out the problems with your offerings. You should know better.”
So, read the full story here on Boing Boing and see the offending image in question!
