Photographic Negatives

Clearly many photographic negatives require a standardized process to portray the artists given intention, either due to the photographer’s methodology or the subject matter in hand. In the way that the photographic image is portrayed in contemporary society; in such industries as advertisement, fashion, product, landscape and even art photography, higher than life quality is the current fashion. Artists working in alternative methods seem to be viewed with an alternative eye, their work can’t be contextualised with ‘high quality’ images. In many art forms, an artist’s visualisation of a given theme can be interrupted using various ways. This can be due to their choice of equipment, materials, colour palette etc. the artists choice regarding
If an artist decides their content to require a system of deconstruction then what does this say about their relationship with the theme? This decision could be based on an initial level to be a reaction to an environment as in Stephen Gill’s series “Buried” but could also be based on feelings of intense personal turmoil, thus requiring a production method of delicate distinctiveness which reiterates their relationship to the subject. “It’s about letting go and following my instincts…I think it’s almost a reaction against photography. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, digital imaging was coming in and everyone was talking about quality and technique…I was reacting against that and trying to put the content back in. It’s both conscious and subconscious, but it’s really exciting for me.” (Gill, 2007a) Many viewers will have defined expectations of an artist based on their existing portfolio and similarly visitors to a museum or contemporary gallery will expect the work displayed to contain perfectly orchestrated examples of the artist’s craftsmanship and skillfulness although an artist’s ego can get in the way. The following is a quote about a well-known artist but could equally be applied to a photographer: “Somewhat late in the day, Damien Hirst has decided to find out whether he can paint…. But he’s not a legitimate heir and the
Artists who willfully damage or manipulate a print for creative purposes are addressing this careless attitude. The decision to make the print part of their methodology rather than solely the end product opens up a completely new way of making art in photography. Allowing the print to be as a blank canvas is to a painter brings a new dimension to saturated medium. This bring the preciousness back to photography, these works are one off, irreplaceable ‘objects’.
Image : No.8 from the series “Buried” (2007) by Stephen Gill
Words : David Foulkes