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Leanne M Photography
Semester B: Discourse Work
Semester B: Discourse Work
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Thursday, 24 April 2008
Post modernism is based upon modernism, in the sense that it challenges its concepts and is critical of its ideas. It can also be seen as using humour within its images. The uses of parodies and irony within the movement are persistent, as well as the use of appropriation and borrowing of ideas from others.
Just like with modernism, post modernism also has its key photographers. Cindy Sherman first comes to mind, especially with her work on film stills. In the 1970’s, Sherman took well known and very stereotypical shots from films and re-shot them. This can not only be seen as ‘borrowing’ from earlier films but it also considered post modern because of how see turned the camera on herself and became the model as well as the photographer. At the time, it was almost unique, especially with the amount of stills she did and how long each shot must have took to get ready for.
Left: Gursky is an example of how repetition is used within post modern photography
Right: Prince’s work is an example of how post modern photographers ‘borrow’ things, and in this case a scene, and re-use it in their own work
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Post Modernism
Post modernism is based upon modernism, in the sense that it challenges its concepts and is critical of its ideas. It can also be seen as using humour within its images. The uses of parodies and irony within the movement are persistent, as well as the use of appropriation and borrowing of ideas from others.
Just like with modernism, post modernism also has its key photographers. Cindy Sherman first comes to mind, especially with her work on film stills. In the 1970’s, Sherman took well known and very stereotypical shots from films and re-shot them. This can not only be seen as ‘borrowing’ from earlier films but it also considered post modern because of how see turned the camera on herself and became the model as well as the photographer. At the time, it was almost unique, especially with the amount of stills she did and how long each shot must have took to get ready for.
The idea behind her untitled film stills was to challenge to typical stereotypes that women were so often presented as in films. The image above shows a woman in a kitchen.
Another person would be Diane Arbus, an American photographer who broke away from the ‘rules’ and photographed those on the fringes of society. By doing so, she was making a statement and commenting on the society, another part of the post modernist world.
William Eggleston was also a significant post modernist photographer. Then more recently we have photographers such as Martin Parr, who also uses photography to show his views on modern society.
Left: Gursky is an example of how repetition is used within post modern photographyRight: Prince’s work is an example of how post modern photographers ‘borrow’ things, and in this case a scene, and re-use it in their own work
Image Credits:
1. Sherman, C. (1977). Untitled Film Still #3. [Online image]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/1997/sherman/untitled03.html (Accessed: 24 April 2008).
2. Gursky, A. (Unknown). Unknown. [Online image]. Available at: http://vgzh.dtdns.net/mt/images/99_cent.jpg (Accessed: 24 April 2008)
3. Prince, R. (1989). Untitled (Cowboy). [Online image]. Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pcgn/ho_2000.272.htm (Accessed: 24 April 2008)
3. Prince, R. (1989). Untitled (Cowboy). [Online image]. Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pcgn/ho_2000.272.htm (Accessed: 24 April 2008)
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