Research Log

Research Log

I have done some research on some photographers that I have initially found which I believe I could use within my juxtaposition exam project. I have done a brief analysis of each of these below.

Frank Gohlke 

The image above is an example of one of Frank Gohlke's images from a series which is based on the aftermath of his home town after a tornado hit. Within this series of images Gohlke uses the diptych technique to show the difference between the before and after images of the town. I like the way that he has gone back to the exact same location once the tornado hit because I feel like taking photos from the same angle, in the same location makes the extent of the damage caused stand out. I feel like the fact that the image being in black and white could represent the dark and upsetting emotions that the photographer has attached to this series of images. This is because they have been taken in his home town therefore he must feel an emotional connection towards the event that happened. I like the use of the diptych within his work and I feel as though I could use this within my own work. 

 

Stephen McMennamy

Stephen is a photographer who is based in Atlanta and works as an art director. His interest in photography grew from 2012 and his interest evolved into his ongoing project which he calls 'combo photos'.

Stephen McMennamy uses two photos placed together in photoshop to create one juxtaposed image. The image above is of people in a ski lift which looks like they are being carried by balloons. His images create a sense of surrealism because he juxtaposes images that are completely different from each other yet he makes them fit seamlessly within each other. The image above could represent the love that people have for the things that they accomplish in life. This is because the fact that the ski lift is being lifted by the balloons shows that the people in the image feel as though they have the freedom to go wherever they want. This could imply that the photographer wants this image to have connotations of freedom and being able to do whatever you want in life. Within all of his images I like the way that the images that he juxtaposes are completely different from each other therefore I like the idea of looking at complete opposites of each other. I feel as though I could include this in my work. 

Harry Kaufman 

Harry Kaufman uses old, derelict buildings and places them in the same landscape as modern architecture. He juxtaposes the two images by placing them in the same photo. I like the way that the landscapes he creates look surreal because it is unlikely you would see these building side by side but they also look real due to the fact t hat he has placed them together in a very natural way. This image could be suggesting the difference between the richer, more wealthier citizens and people that are not as fortunate as others. I like the idea that the images could represent the rich versus the poor and I feel as though this is something that I would like to reflect in my work through the use of architecture.   

Jasper James

Jasper James is a Beijing based photographer who wants to explore the vast scale of the city whilst exploring the mass of people that live and word in China.  

Jasper James uses peoples silhouettes and places them in front of a city landscape. I believe that these images show the juxtaposition between people and the world we live in. The image above looks as though this girl is looking into the distance as if she feels trapped in her own life. This could suggest that the image shows people feel as though life is tough. This could also imply that the girl is someone who is not lucky enough to live in a rich wealthy city, all she can do is watch other people live their lives. This suggests that certain people are more privileged than others and some people do not get the opportunities that they deserve in life.  I like the idea of using people to show juxtaposition between humans and architecture. I think that this could be something that would be interesting to experiment with during my work. 

Daniella Zalcman

Daniella Zalcman is a photographer who is based in London and New York. 

Daniella Zalcman juxtaposes images by layering them on to of one another. I like the way that the juxtaposition is very obvious within all of her images. I also like the idea of layering two images on top of one another to create one image. I think that the image above is contrasting poorer areas of a city in comparison to the richer more wealthier parts. I feel like placing them directly on top of each other could represent that although these peoples lives are so different they are forced to live in  close proximity to each other. 

Justin Plunkett

Justin Plunkett is a Cape Town designer and creative editor. Each of his images has been created using multiple photographs layered together with computer generalised illustrations. He took all of the images that he has used in Cape Town. Justine Plunkett says ' I'll take a tire from one, a metal container from another, the sky from a different photograph and then construct an illustrated architectural structure in the middle of it.'

This is an image of a mixture of different parts of landscapes from Cape Town. He has used juxtaposition within the architectural structure by using parts from a lot of different images. Some of the parts are from homemade homes and some are from buildings that wealthier people own. I like the way that the structure he has created doesn't look like a typically shaped building. I feel like this gives it a surreal effect. I think that the fact that the building is oddly shaped could represent the people that are living in the homes that create this structure. This is implying that their lives are not straight forward and sometimes they're lives aren't as easy as people think. 

Artist Research - Paul Citroen 

Paul Citroen was a German Dutch artist. He was also art educator and co-founder of the New Art Academy in Amsterdam.

Paul Citroen uses a collaging technique to juxtapose different landscapes. His images almost look as if the buildings have been placed on top of one another to give the entire image a 3D effect. I feel as though the fact that all of the different landscapes being put together could represent different places in the world being as one and at peace. I like the way he has altered the image to black and white because I feel as though this makes the image look like it is one image rather than a lot put together. This gives each of the images the same tonal range which I feel makes this collage more effective.