Category: Theory and Concepts
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Origins of the Picturesque and aesthetic consumerism
In the second half of the eighteenth century, definitions of types of landscape or view, seen from an aesthetic or artistic point of view distinguished between: the sublime (awesome sights such as great mountains) the beautiful, the most peaceful, even pretty sights. See discussion in Part 1 Beauty and the Sublime In between came the picturesque, views…
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The Beautiful and the Sublime
“The Sublime” radio 4 podcast In our time Concepts of beauty “Beauty and art were once thought of as belonging together, with beauty as among art’s principle aims and art as beauty’s highest calling” Beech 2009 p12 “Why is form beautiful? Because, I think, it helps us meet our worst fear, the suspicion that life…
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Eugene Atget
The French photographer Eugène Atget (1857–1927) produced documentary photography that was far removed from the frontier of photojournalism. During a working life that lasted from 1890 to 1927, Atget produced 10,000 images of Paris, working with a large format 24x18cm wooden camera and making and coating his own large glass plate negatives. Atget cared deeply…
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Frank Newbould
One of the most striking campaigns in relation to the developing mythology of the British rural landscape was a series of posters painted during 1942 by Frank Newbould (1887–1951).The resemblance between Newbould’s posters and travel advertising of the time is also worth noting. Substituting strap lines encouraging would be holidaymakers to explore their country with a command to…
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Matthew Brady
Mathew B. Brady (ca. 1822 – January 15, 1896) was one of the most celebrated 19th century American photographers, best known for his portraits of celebrities and his documentation of the American Civil War. He is credited with being the father of photojournalism. short documentary film on Brady Brady was born in Warren County, New York, the youngest of three…
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Jo Spence
Jo Spence (1934–92) had a highly politicised approach to photography, creating photographs that run counter to the idealised imagery offered by advertising. Spence often worked collaboratively and sought alternative distribution models, laminating work for durability and renting out her photography to conferences, libraries, universities and public spaces to broaden its audience. She also documented her own struggles…
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Simon Roberts
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Clive Landen
Clive Landen is a British wildlife photographer concerned with our relationship with animals. His pictures are quite explicit and upsetting to view, but he photographs horror with profound sensitivity and an almost painterly quality that makes us really look at the subject matter. The Abyss series about the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak (only one photograph now available on…
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Ingrid Pollard
Website Through her practice, Guyanese-born artist Ingrid Pollard addresses her feelings towards the rural countryside as a non-white British subject, articulating her profound sense of being an outsider to these spaces. In some of her projects, Pollard hand tints black-and-white prints. This strategy has a dual purpose: firstly, it is a play on the idea of ‘colour’ in terms…