PH6CTS-5         Nicola South Student number: 514516

CONTEXTUAL STUDIES COURSE REFLECTIVE COMMENTARY

Starting points and progression

In Contextual Studies I understood I should build a contextual and theoretical framework for my photographic work as Body of Work and my Contextual Studies would run concurrently and contextualise each other; I wasn’t sure how this would work. My interests lay in Postmodern Landscape perspectives, photographing subjects as visual metaphors, and using photography for layers of truth. Exploring these further would develop my research on Minor White in my Landscape photography coursework, and Documentary Fact and Fiction research.

Initially I explored themes of post structuralist thoughts on plurality of meaning, and the way work can be interpreted differently by various viewers. I researched how photography can free a subject from a fixed time and place, ontology, (Bazin, 1960) and revisited ‘ways of ‘seeing’ (Berger, 1972) and relationships involved and ‘reading the space’ (Walker, 2005). It was satisfying researching critically and comparing the approach and conclusions of these and other leading authors relevant to my concept.

From assignment two I researched the tension between ‘affect’ and ‘effect’ in photography that emerged in the early 20th century and investigated methods to articulate both affect and effect in artists’ work. I began using compositional analysis, but concentrated on post structural Semiology and discourse analysis, focusing on the premise shared by writers that using semiotics based purely on linguistics cannot fully explain visual signification.

After assignment three I added further commentary from theorists such as O’Sullivan (2001) on affect theory and the opposition of idealism and materialism, and by assignment four had expanded on the need for context to give meaning. Whilst redrafting I also expanded on the effect of the audience on interpretations. I enjoyed deeper research on White and his methods for equivalence such as sequencing and symbolism, and contextualising with commentators such as Szarkowski and his ideas on mirrors and windows in photography.

Challenges

Summarising my argument to form a concise title was a challenge. I intended to explore how photography can be used for both sharing reality (effect) and expressing what is in an artist’s mind (affect) and discuss with reference to the landscape photography of Minor White and John Blakemore. It took me until assignment 4 to tighten this to: ‘Affect and Effect’, the landscape photography of Minor White. By then I decided to concentrate only on the work of Minor White, as after deeper research on both photographers, I felt Blakemore’s work did not exemplify my theme in such a rich manner. Allowing the research to dictate the final question eventually worked.

Later in my research I realised that I had not initially understood some concepts such as representation well. As my understanding grew I gradually incorporated representation into my dissertation to an extent; and I will continue as an area of further investigation along with theories on realism.

The peer group hangouts that I am part of, as well as tutor led Groupwork sessions, were a great support to my studies. Both my Tutor’s feedback and another who ran the Level three groupwork sessions helped me to better understand ways to extend and control my research.

What I will take forward

I now appreciate that at the beginning of a project you may be uncertain on what to research, or how a project will be framed, however as you proceed the balance of this shifts to more certainty and confidence. It was satisfying to discover that my research helped me to figure out where my photographic practice fits into the photographic world; I now understand how a good knowledge of visual culture can support my photographic knowledge. My Contextual Studies research moved my Body of Work creative practice forward, and my Body of Work explorations gave meaning to my Contextual Studies. It was rewarding to refresh and improve my academic skills, particularly how to bring a balance in my writing between being concise but not too dense, I will take this forward as a transferable skill.

References:

Bazin, A. and Gray, H. (1960) ‘The Ontology of the Photographic Image’ In: Film Quarterly 13 (4) pp.4–9.

Berger, J., Blomberg, S., Fox, C., Dibb, M. and Hollis, R. (1972) Ways of Seeing. London: British Broadcasting Corporation.

O’Sullivan, S. (2001) ‘THE AESTHETICS OF AFFECT: Thinking art beyond representation’ In: Angelaki: journal of theoretical humanities 6 (3) pp.125–135.

Walker, I., Dagenais, F. and Batchen, G. (2005) Image & Imagination : Le Mois de la Photo À Montréal 2005. McGill-Queen’s Univ. Press. At : https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=0qyuzQEACAAJ