Copies, Codes and Patterns; Living in the Binary World (Web)

Joan Fontcuberta
Archive Noise (Googlegrams)

After viewing some of Joan's Googlegrams in the session I immediately wanted to learn more about them. I came across her artists statement for the project, which seems to contain most of the information on how the project was constructed and I found to be an excellent starting point:

Artist's Statement

Joan's statement explains the entire process in depth making it reasonably easy to understand. For the googlegrams, she used a photo mosaic freeware program, in which a large final image is produced from a collective of available photos in the directory, using the smaller images as if they were coloured cells and placing them in chromatic and density values. The software is used by many graphic designers, with their own directory of images available. However for the googlegrams, Joan has used Google for her directory of images:


"For the Googlegrams, however, the programme was connected to the Internet and used the search engine Google to locate thousands of images on the basis of search criteria determined by the user, normally images associated with one or several words. In the Abu Ghraib photograph, for example, the search engine was given the names of top officials, civilian contractors and enlisted soldiers cited in the ‘Final Report of the Independent Panel to Review DoD Detention Operations’ (August 2004) of the Schlesinger Panel, set up by the United States Congress to investigate the alleged abuses."

I suppose it doesn't really surprise me how easy it is to gain so much from the internet using simple searches because that's what it has become; a shared pool of information which no longer has much meaning of ownership. The information is no longer physical, and to some extent a vast quantity is false information. The internet has made it possible to share everything, and in some cases even the most private information and images are displayed for the internet community to view.

As immense as the internet's pool of information is, there is always the introduction of 'noise'. When using google to search, it is inevitable that the criteria will bring up certain connections which are not intended. Hence the project name 'Archive Noise'.

I find it fascinating how detailed the large images actually are, even though when you look close up there aren't really any defined lines. Even with the political connections and context, I think the images are beautiful. I find the process very interesting and just shows how vast and readily available the pool of information on the internet is to the public.

Surreal Objects - Journals

Michiko Kon

‘Michiko Kon's array of fish scales, feathers, eyes, heads, flowers insects, dead fowl, raw fish, and gelatinous material are all assembled in such a way as to render themselves in transformation as a new and discrete object. ‘

Michiko Kon uses the likes of raw fish, dead animals, pins and eyes in her photographic works, creating/transforming them into new more desireable objects.

I think what attracts me to Kon’s images the most is the way the elements and objects work together. Having raw fish, heads and eyes as still life objects, is recognisably a disgusting concept, however I feel these images have a certain amount of beauty in them in which the original objects would not have offered. Combining and transforming these elements into surreal objects is almost like giving them a new life, a sort of resurrection. A subject which Kon is most comfortable in - life and death.

Kon’s friend died when she was younger and since then she has been frightened and at the same time fascinated by death.  The article in Afterimage explains her curiosity about why a body that once existed eventually disappears from the earth. I think what distracts from the gruesome subject is the way the pieces of the image react to each other creating whole new rather beautiful objects.

 Although possibly uncomfortable to look at, I think there is a very thin line drawn between the grotesque and the beautiful in Kon's images.

Sources:

European Photography v. 18 (Spring/Summer 1997) p. 54-61

Afterimage 26 no1 supp 1-12 Jl/Ag '98

Photography Identity and Gender - Books

I didn't manage to find anything useful from the books, however here are a few links I thought were quite interesting. The photographers listed all seem to have one thing in common; daring to cross as many lines as they possibly can with photography and gender. They seem to suggest gender should not be seen as a boundary and it does not define our identity. We can form and change our identities, express them with the use of photography and writings. We can modify our gender without affecting our sex, and possibly - vice versa.


Del Lagrace Volcano
Statement
Del Lagrace describes himself as 'A gender abolitionist. A part time gender terrorist'.

http://www.dellagracevolcano.com/fiercefemmes.html#9

Diana Blok - See Through us
Biography
http://www.dianablok.com/see-through-us/index.html


'portraits and stories of gay women/men and transsexuals in Turkey'




Jill Posener - Erotica
Biography


http://www.jillposener.com/photoview.cfm?category=erotica


I think I respond to these photographers and to some degree the people portrayed in the images, because I admire their confidence in expressing their identities.

Photography as Identification - Books

Immediate thoughts on Identification bring only shape, form and pattern, rather than character. I think of identifying a human, with recognisable features and lines, not of a person with personality and hobbies. A cold view of this subject however necessary none the less.

Thomas Ruff – ‘Other Portraits’

Ruff’s ‘Other Portraits’ are in somewhat of a similar response to Identification to that of myself. Superimposing two of his portraits and then using the base of Andy Warhol’s ‘Most wanted criminals’, he then took a photograph of the face construct and printed.

 His response is that of multiple images, being impossible to depict a personality or fix an identity. He uses a series of portraits symbolising the fact that there are millions of people, identifying one is no important than the other.

‘The portraits are about each individual and at the same time about all individuals’. 

There is a very reliable style to his portraits. Common lighting and poise, same facial expressions and background. Almost exactly like passport photographs; The most commonly widespread form of identification in our everyday lives, these portraits are depicted straight from the criminal identification photographs as well as common passports.

The body as an object of medical research: Athens

Immediate searches through the contents of Athens was found to be particularly dry, however looking into more depth there were a couple of interesting articles to be read.

Particular articles include:

http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e12b3db362ecdcfda98a1d29d69c0a4f6ddc098d29ffd7b19375574f260ec0730&fmt=P

Lee, C. Observing the body. Irish Arts Review (Dublin, Ireland) v. 27 no. 3 (Autumn 2010) p. 102-5

(You will have to log onto Athens to view these pages)

Observing the body begins to explore the comparisons between anatomists and artists. The article explains that:

 ‘Artists create, anatomists dissect. We anatomise or cut open and separate the parts of the body in order to understand its structure. Yet both artists and anatomists see and observe, both professions require manual dexterity and the histories of both are closely intertwined.’

Thinking about these points, I see that in the same sense an anatomist will study the body in detail, dissecting and observing; artists will observe and dissect a subject to visually represent it, in some cases, this may be the body. The article goes on to say that artists had actually started to begin studying the anatomy for medical purposes, having lessons on anatomical drawings in theatres.

The Osteology Lesson of Dr Sebastiaen Egbertsz, painted by Thomas de Keyser in 1619

Another relevant article is:

http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e12b3db362ecdcfda98a1d29d69c0a4f68a69ffa49366baad0cff61169867bb24&fmt=P

Parks, J. A. Real World Anatomy: Andrew Gerndt at the School of Visual Arts. American Artist Drawing v. 7 no. 25 (Spring 2010) p. 78-85

Skeleton, Finished

Drawing

by Jeff Aritonucci,

graphite. 30 x 40.

Real world anatomy talks about a class at the school of visual arts, taken by Andrew Gernt. The article explains the process of learning to draw the human anatomy, starting with the skeleton and working up to a live model. I find this particularly interesting because it shows how the use of art in medicine has advanced in a way in which we can collectively learn the skills to become a part of this subject; therefore creating new job areas in medicine for the artistic. Using the body as a subject to medical research is now widely recognised and used in various mediums such as drawing, painting and photography.

It seems important to respond to this research with my own personal experience, since I believe I can relate to this subject. I experienced a week at work with a medical artist, researching and studying the human form and skeleton. I found the amount of attention to detail needed in this area to be quite daunting; however I gained a good amount of experience.

Recorders: Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Pulse Index, 2010

Placing your finger on the censor automatically documents and creates an image of your fingerprint. Then, using the memory of previous visitor’s fingerprints the piece displays them as a catalogue on a large screen; A relevant introduction to Rafael’s exhibition, in which his work requires audience participation to generate results. Although we regard fingerprint documentation as a process often associated with sinister intentions, as it represents a digital copy of a person’s identity, I found this a more innocent/playful approach to the use of technology and did not think about any consequences.

Microphones, 2008

Microphones; another impressive piece of work programmed to respond to sound input, by recording your voice and playing back previous participants. Although taking myself slightly out of my comfort zone by having to increase my volume in a space full of strangers, I found this piece of work incredible to participate in; and indeed a humorous catalogue of recordings.

Pulse Room, 2006

Walking into the pulse room immediately sparks your attention with dazzling lights pulsing above your head. Although not initially obvious what is being recorded, the flickering of the lights electrifies the atmosphere in the room. This fascinating visual piece represents the recordings of past visitors pulses. In a similar fashion to his previous works, Pulse Room invites and requires the audience to become a part of his art on display.

Of all the pieces on display at the exhibition, Pulse Room is distinctively my favourite; bringing to light an inherent curiosity in the people around me. Even though they are complete strangers I find myself drawn into the event of a new added pulse.

“The pieces either depend on participation to exist or predatorily gather information on the public through surveillance and biometric technologies.”

I find the above quote wholly represents Rafael’s work since it does indeed require audience participation to exist, I find it hard to imagine the inactive work; being the first person to interact with the exhibition. Without realising it, after leaving the exhibition I have left a vast amount of information about my personal identity, which is a surreal prospect in the current social climate of information security. Knowing that the exhibition has recorded information such as finger prints, voice and other details; seems a potentially sinister prospect on what was actually a rather enjoyable exhibition.