Sequential images: Research
Duane Michals
The first photographer I researched is Duane Michals - an American photographer born in Pennsylvania in 1932. I decided to research his work, not only because he is an icon in the world of photography, but also, because he uses many biblical references in photographs.
The first sequence I find really interesting is "Paradise Regained" from the year 1968.
Source: Click here
This piece is referencing the parable of Adam and Eve from the Old Testament in The Bible. However the story is told from the end to the beginning. In the first picture, there are people, who look like from the present, and with each picture, everyday use objects change into plants, and people are taking off pieces of their clothing. "In this sequence of images, the material possessions of a man and woman - recalling Adam and Eve in paradise - are gradually replaced by plants. Warning the viewer that one's identity cannot be defined through worldly possessions, Michals depicts the couple's transformation into more pure natural beings." (clevelandart.org) According to The Cleveland Museum of Art, the sequence has a beautiful message hidden between the pictures, it is that materialism in the present world is making us all less human. I think that the pictures are very pleasing to look at, and the contrast is balanced very well. In the first picture, the humans are wearing black, and even though the room is not cramped, the picture looks heavy, this effect is caused by the strong contrast created. The last picture is showing the room filled with plants, however it doesn't look quite as heavy as the first one. I think it works very well with the message of showing purity and human nature.
Another piece I find very interesting is "The Fallen Angel"
Source: Click here
This is a very brave and mature artwork. It also has a biblical reference. In the pictures there is an angel in an intimate situation with a woman, therefore it is not a kind of situation where we expect to see an angel. The title of the piece is "The Fallen Angel", which could be understood in different ways; one way is the literal way of understanding the words, an angel who has fallen on earth, however there is also the second way of understanding this title, more biblical way. A fallen angel in The Bible means an angel that has completely and irrevocably disagreed with God, in other words, A fallen angel is also called a devil, a demon, a bad ghost or a satan (not capitalized, if the word satan is capitalized it refers only to one specific fallen angel). I like how the pictures are in black and white, because I believe that if there was color involved, it would take away from the message that the sequence carry, which I believe is showing human nature. I would interpret that as portraying that even the people who seem to be so good, almost saint, still sin and make choices they are not proud of. In my understanding in the first row of pictures we observe a person who spiritually is a Godly creature, but then they sin, so work against God, similar to actual fallen angels from The Bible. The two last pictures show a person instead of the angel, and I think it is a way of portraying that it was a human being the whole time.
Jurgen Klauke
Jurgen Klauke is a German artist born in 1943
The first piece I got inspired by is called "Das menschliche Antlitz im Spiegel soziologisch-nervoser Prozesse"
The title of the piece translates to "The human face in the mirror of sociological-nervous processes", the titles on the pictures translate to: 1. judge 2. artist 3. civil servant 4. anarchist 5. soldier 6. murderer 7. cop 8. gay 9. saint 10. addict 11. priest 12. imbecile. I really like how the artist used only two pictures for the whole sequence, I think it sends the message. There is a total of 12 images, 6 pictures of the artist smiling and 6 pictures of the artist being serious. Above every face, there is a text indicating a job/trait of the person. In my opinion, pictures are repeating to show, that it is impossible to tell who someone is, just by looking at them. I really like the font of the text, it looks like as if it was typed on a typewriter and it only ads to the aura of the sequence.
After analyzing these three examples of sequential images, I decided I really enjoy pictures that are in black and white, because they carry a stronger message. Color is a very tricky tool, which needs to be used very carefully, because different colors carry different emotions. Depending on the viewer's gender, people tend to enjoy different shades; "A number of studies have found that women tend to prefer redder colors and men bluer" (Hurlbert). There are not that many traps with black and white pictures, but there are different things to look out for, like the right amount of contrast, blur or in general if the picture looks more aesthetically pleasing in black and white or in color. I think, for my assignment, I will create black and white pictures as well.
Works Cited
clevelandart.org, The Cleveland Museum of Art, "Paradise Regained"
Website URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1989.446.f
Website visited: 10 Oct 2020
Hurlbert Anya C. "Biological components of sex differences in color preferences", Current Biology
Volume 17, Issue 16
Published: 21 August 2007
Visited: 10 Oct 2020
The sources under your images should use the 'text to display' function - check with your tutor in class if you do not know how to do this as this will look much better. You also need a references section at the end of this post
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