The Abject Body – Book Stock

We forget just how many photographs get edited, set up or airbrushed, photographers like John Coplans, Joel-Peter Witkin, Sally Mann and Nick Waplington's work makes us re-think about how we view the photograph and the body and by doing this it is intruding on the most intimate areas of the peoples experiences. These photographers are confronting beliefs and the way we see/view the people and by doing this they are been punished.

Damaged Bodies (Joel-Peter Witkin)

A first reaction to his work is shock and puzzlement, we may not understand what or why Witkins has photographed these people. His work is different and shows damaged and broken people compared to the “normal” bodies and how everyone sees each other. Witkins work portrays what has happened throughout life and what life is, even when dead. For example; a platter of pristine vegetables and fruit and beside them, a head, and its brain cavity partially removed during an autopsy; this reminds us that our life is like nature.



 Book; Vile Bodies - Joel-Peter Witkin, Still Life, Marseille, 1992 page 45



Ageing; Disgracefully

John Coplans “If you’re an old person you don’t exist….you’re going to die soon….you’re in the way of the worship of youth and beauty.” (Vile Bodies, Chris Townsend, page 97)

John Coplans speaks about been invisible and about an absence of older people, this is backed up, based upon how we view and see photographs of the elderly. We all belief and will look at an image/photograph of a young person and think nothing of it; it seems correct and acceptable in society. But when a photograph of an old person is shown/exhibited it’s seen as wrong and not acceptable. This is because it is not seen as beautiful and youthful anymore.

We all know that we are going to grow old and die, but we do not want to confront this because of the fear we have against it.

 

Book; Vile Bodies - John Coplans, Self-Portrait(Torso, Front), 1984 page 96



 The photograph of Coplans body would be viewed and commented upon completely different to how a young man’s body would be; this is because of how we see and judge what is classed as ‘beautiful’ in today’s society.



Does everyone forget that the elderly was once young?

Photographs and information from Book: Chris Townsend - Vile Bodies, 1998