Context of Practice: Aspects of Modernism

Notes written up in lesson:

• Modernism is about simplicity = “form follows function.” “ornament is crime.”
• IKEA is the contemporary version of “modernist” style. – (in a craft sense)
• “Truth to Materials.”
• The manta of modernism.
• For photography this means that photographs should look like photographs.
• No manipulation.
• A move away from ‘Pictorialism’ of the middle to end of the 19th century.
• An exploration of the qualities specific to the medium.
• Sharp – pinpoint focus in their photography.
• Alfred Steiglitz: The force behind the establishment of the photograph to the status of an art in it’s own right.
• Birth of ‘straight’ Photography.
• “Flat iron building, New York, 1903” by Steiglitz. – soft focus, cropped, celebrating the architecture of the building. – Example of his pictorial former style.

• “The Steerage, 1907” by Steiglitz-more modernist, moving away form Pictorialism. The main focus of the image is the bridge boarding onto the ship. This divides the image, not only visually but divides the figures in the image. The lower class being at the bottom of the image, and the upper class being higher up on the image.

• Steiglitz is known as a FORMACIST.
• F.64 Group – US Group based in San Francisco in early 1930s.
• Founded by Willard van Dyke and Ansel Adams.
• Characteristics; Sharp Focus, detail through print, natural forms.
• F.64 – smallest aperture on camera – depth of field is most in focus on this aperture.
• Edward Weston, “Nude, 1936” and “Pepper, No. 30”

• The idea of shape – comparison of nude figure and pepper. Light being an important factor giving an exquisite image, with full detail and tonal value.
• Pepper almost like a Henry Moore sculpture. Henry Moore based his sculptures on the human figure.
• Use of high contrast and shadows – This effectively changes the shape of the subject.
• Paul Strand – “Wall Street, New York, 1915”

• Also did “The White Fence” image.
• People being small compared to urban buildings.
• Use of abstract shapes – Wall Street Building.
• A very formalist way to Photograph something.
• Ansel Adams, “Yosemite, Monolith, 1927” Maximising the tonal value; his prints over done to give texture and real rendering of detail.

• “The print becomes a fine art piece”
• Willard van Dyke, “Still from The City, 1930” – film still from the movie.

• Reference to modernism, photographer almost becoming a part of the building, from its viewpoint; typically modernist.
• The relationship between the body and the city.
• The idea of migration and movement.
• Imogen Cunningham, “Magnolia Blossom, 1925” – ultra focused, with a shallow depth of field.

• Uses a macro lense – celebrated, demonstrating what a camera can technically achieve.
• Sculptural Status – through a macro lense.
• Technology enables the human eye to see things you couldn’t do without a lense.

VISUAL LANGUAGE OF PURE AND STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY:

• Depth of field – as much in focus as possible.
• Contrast – strong use of full tonal range (black to white)
• Exquisite hand printing, no manipulation.
• Subject matter: Art genres eg: still life and the nude, landscape etc.
• The City, people in relationship to Technology.