The ‘Other’ - Objectification – Orientalism –– Colonialism – Post-colonialism – Reclaiming identity – Power & Ideology.
We discussed the relationship between early photography and colonialism, knowledge and power. Photography as a tool for objectification and photography as a tool for Orientalism. We looked at early attempts to represent the ‘other’ and how contemporary practioners have reclaimed their own identity.
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WEEKLY TASK: A dialogue with a stranger
Post on G+ community page by March 1st for class feedback
You are asked to record a dialogue with a stranger. This task needs to be practice based but can be any lens based media or an audio piece. It needs to represent and/or respond to the dialogue with the stranger.
Experimentation is encouraged. What medium are you going to use? Colour, Black and White? What format are you going to use? What presentation may support the portrait? Do you need to make more than one image? How did you negotiate the story with the participant?
ARTISTS DISCUSSED
Zanele Muholi (2016), Paul Gaugin (1899) Two Tahitian Women, Edward Curtis (1903/4) The Vanishing Race, Irving Penn (1960s-1970s) Worlds in a Small Room, Al Jolson (Actor) (1886-1950), Ingrid Pollard (1989) Seaside Series (1992) Wandsworth Heritage, Maud Sulter (1993) Sycras, Michael Cook (2009) Mother, Yinka Shonibare (2010-12) Nelson’s Bottle, Kara Walker (2014) A Marvellous Sugar Baby, Lisa Reihana (2017) In pursuit of Venus, Gideon Mendel (2017) Dzhangel.
Further reading
(Ed) Behdad, A. & Gartan, L. (2013) Photography’s Orientalism. New essays on Colonial representation. Getty Foundation
(Ed) Edwards, E. (1992) Anthropology and Photography 1860-1920. Yale University Press.
(Ed) Hight, E. & Sampson, G. (2002) Colonialist Photography Imagining race and place. Routledge
Franz, F. (1951) Black skin, white masks. Editions de Seuil
Gilroy, P. (1991) There Ain’t No Black in the Union Jack: The cultural politics of race and nation. Chicago press.
Pinder, K. (2002) Race-ing Art History. Routledge
Pinney, C. (2011) Photography and Anthropology. Reaktion Books
(Ed) Pinney, C. & Peterson, N. (2003) Photographers Other histories. Duke University press.
Pollard, I. (2004) Post cards home. Autograph
Said, E. (1976) Orientalism. Readon Publishing
Catalogues
Art and Empire (2015) Tate
In Visible light (1998) Museum of modern Art Oxford
The impossible science of being (1995) The photographers Gallery
Native Nations Journeys in American Photography (1998) Barbican
Viewing
Further references and resources are on the end of the powerpoint slide presentation and will continue to be disseminated through t @picbod and G+ community page (add link)