Fig 2.Jerry Uelsmann 'Untitled' 1964
While I was looking through the list of photographers we must include in our 12 blog brief I was suddenly struck by the realisation that I was looking at the official UEL cannon of photographers. The 16 most important and influential photographers past and present (as far as our photographic faculty is concerned anyway). This got me thinking what would the list look like for other Universities. Would there be any major differences to our list. I watched a video on Annie Leibovitz where she states that 'Robert Frank' was considered the most important photographer when she was at Uni. Now...lets not get it twisted.....I have no problems with the list but in my humble opinion there are a few glaring omissions.
Anyway, I love Willy Egg. and I needed a deeper understanding of Stephen Shore. Three from the 'list' are required so who should I pick? and why? Doing these blogs has very much helped me to narrow down what I like as far as photography is concerned. I like colour, I like sculpture and I love a bit of hidden narrative along with forms natural and Geometric. Thomas Demand hits 4 out of 5. Choice made.
Fig 3. 'Bathroom' 160x120cm c-print 1997
Fig 3. Is an exact life size reconstruction of a murder scene. Demand questions how much real information we as viewers require in order to start to imagine meaning and construct a narrative. He uses the naive assumption that photography is a faithful transcriber of the real.
Fig 4. example of Troupe L'oeil
In a similar way to Troupe L'oeil he tricks the viewer into one way of thinking then, by using small errors in the lighting or perhaps the sculptural forms he skillfully reminds us of the unreality that we are looking at. I admire the craftsmanship of Demands work but I like the way he plays with our heads and eyes even more. Thomas Demand studied sculpture in Dusseldorf and then at Goldsmith college London. Although the Bechers were at Demands University, I don't believe he ever studied under them.
Reading: 'The photograph as contemporary art' Charlotte Cotton.
Images: Fig 1.
Fig 2.
Fig 3.
Fig 4.
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