Exhibtion Review: To The River by Sophy Rickett

Arnolfini, Bristol

3 March 2012 - 22 April 2012

Image: Taken by myself at the exhibition

On the 5th March I travelled to Bristol with my BA Photography course and the first exhibition on show at the Arnolfini was Sophy Ricketts' 'To The River' (2011). When first entering we are surrounded by vast blackness to be only accompanied by 3 video installations in different corners of the room and 12 channels of sound [1]. This is an unusual experience as I am so used to hung framed works on white painted walls as a typical exhibition space. Rickett, amongst a new wave of artists experimenting with video installation, explores 'her interest in our encounter with the natural world [and] the process around photographic representation.' [1] In 2010 during the spring equinox she had filmed on the bank of the River Severn recording a small crowd of people gathered to wait for the Severn Bore to pass. Though this work has been previously exhibited at the Venice Biennale, this project was brought home as Bristol shares great history with the River Severn due to its location. Though unseen, the main subject matter and inspiration is the landscape and the river. I found the experience quite unsettling due to the bouncing of sounds echoing through the vast space and the visitor hearing only snippets of conversation making it more realistic to how it would feel to stand amongst the crowd. I think the blackness emphasizes the night making the exhibition four dimensional. Though the work itself hasn't been particularly inspiring for me due to repetition of film scenes and subject matter, her ambitious methods of large scale installation shows upcoming artists that the possibilities of medium and exhibiting modes are boundless.

Upstairs: A small room filled with Rickett's research from her sketchbook. This juxtaposes the feeling in the first gallery space of black and vastness, this room was white and enclosed.

References:

1. Exhibition Guide document- Arnolfini, Sophy Rickett: To The River

Useful Links:

Arnolfini - Sophy Rickett http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/details/1235

Sophy Rickett http://www.fotonet.org.uk/rickett/index.html

Beauty: Supermodels Supernaturals by Peter Lindbergh

 Harper’s Bazaar Sept 2009

Image Source: http://models.com/feed/?p=3747

Peter Lindbergh is famous for his ‘classic’ approach to fashion photography and is on hot demand in the fashion industry. His shooting style is high-end glamour making the fashion instantly irresistible however from for this shoot he has stripped bare the made-up glamour and shows the real beauty in ‘supermodels’. In an industry fixated on youth which in turn reflects on wider society, the older generations are left behind and only a select few ‘mature’ models representing the whole age group. Adolescent models that have barely grown full breasts are being cast to model ‘adult’ fashion yet they are not adults themselves. This is confusing for the consumer and contradicts the true population, especially the target audience which is the older generation who are rich enough to purchase expensive designer clothes yet society is obsessed with youth and associates this with beauty. This particular shoot in Harper’s Bazaar shows that models over 30 are still beautiful and is ridiculous to think otherwise. The viewer can see their experience and Lindbergh captures this wonderfully. It’s refreshing to see non-airbrushed models that dominate the beauty and glamour market; Valletta, 35 (above) doesn’t need these digital touch ups as she is naturally beautiful. I like how her eyes are sincere and her simple expression. Usually I’m not fond of overly grey portraits as the tones are rather dull however the subject matter is so strong, the beauty shines through the dullness and shows that high contrast isn’t needed. Like Avedon and Daemian Smith I like the simple approach and that this method works best to show beauty as it is. Nadia Auermann (below) says ‘"I think women look best when they're natural,". I completely agree with this statement.

More photos from the editorial:

[Left – right]

1. Kristen McMenamy, 44 / 2. Helena Christensen, 40 / 3. Nadia Auermann, 38 / 4. Shalom Harlow, 35

References: 

Harper's Bazaar Supermodels Supernatural http://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/makeup-articles/supermodels-without-makeup-0909#slide-1

Models.com http://models.com/feed/?p=3747

Useful Links:

Peter Lindbergh http://www.peterlindbergh.com/

Fashion Gone Rogue - Peter Lindbergh http://fashiongonerogue.com/photographer/peter-lindbergh/

Beauty: My Generation by Andreas Laszlo Konrath

2004-2010

Image Source: http://andreaslaszlokonrath.com/story.php?id=4

I enjoy discovering new art and Konrath’s work was found by chance after a succession of internet links ^[1] all connected by the world wide web but every HTML unique in its code. Like the human race, we are all made up of different genetic codes but all belong to the same species. Celebrating differences and uniqueness is a popular subject amongst modern artists including Konrath’s ‘My Generation’ series. Like many photographers before him he has adopted this style of a plain white background, studio style set up and opted for black-and-white portraiture, reminiscent of Richard Avedon and David Bailey. Despite being relatively unknown Konrath embodies youthfulness and instead of having the privilege to shoot celebrities focuses on shooting his own generation and their distinct style. Like Scott Schuman states in ‘The Sartorialist’:  ‘That is why young people, or the young at heart, are those that inspire or move fashion forward. They are still struggling to find themselves: ‘Am I a rocker? A footballer? Or a little bit of both?’ These contra-dictions produce the most interesting looks’. ^[2] Konrath shoots beautiful, sincere portraits of his young generation showcasing the diversity. ‘Sheryl, 2007’ (above) is particularly engaging as I am first intrigued by her ethnicity however I don’t believe this is the main focus; her individuality is what Konrath is trying to show rather than her representing a whole race; she is being photographed representing herself only. The tattoo on her shoulder adds to the uniqueness of her character and her fresh face shows she isn’t hiding behind a mask of make-up. Looking through ‘My Generation’ has been inspiring and I enjoy realizing different styles to emphasize individuality within a similar age group. I also like the ‘grunge’ effect on the borders making the ‘clean’ images smudged with imperfection. This reflects youth where many people make mistakes and are learning. Not only does this series look at youth but the beauty within. I believe this portraits are very beautiful as they’re simply shot and captures people as they are, natural.

[Left – right]

1. Max, 2006 / 2. Sean, 2006 / 3.Vala, 2010 / 4.Erin, 2008

References: 

1. Discovered on http://www.nutopiaforum.com/magazine.html [accessed 06/05/12], an online magazine showcasing photography from emerging artists created by Platon, renowned for his portrait photographs of well-known world figures. His work has featured on magazine covers such as Time, Rolling Stone and Esquire. 

2. Schuman, Scott; ‘The Sartorialist’; published: Penguin (Sep 3 2009)

Useful Links:

Andreas Laszlo Konrath http://andreaslaszlokonrath.com/index.php

Check out my Sept 2010 post on my blog M.A.S.H on Scott Schuman: http://mashthings.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/photograph-of-day-on-street-oxford-st.html?zx=e330694b695153c2

The Sartorialist http://www.thesartorialist.com/