Exam Paper Discussion

Considering my options and finding a good artist to research

Possible Ideas

Circles and Curves: 01

"Many photographers and artists have used circles or curves to produce imaginative and powerful work. Josef Sudek photographed shells, egg,s glasses and balls chosen for their distinctive shapes and forms, in his series of still-life arrangements. Round hats, mirrors and lenses act as frames or foal points in the portraits of Vivian Maier. Yayoi Kusama has used complex and intense patterns of dots and spots to produce startling installations. Produce your own response, making reference to appropriate work by others."

Settings and Location: 03

"The locations chosen by numerous filmmakers and photographers have often proved critical in creating mood or establishing meaning. The director Yasujiro Ozu used the interiors of Japanese homes to reflect the formality of domestic and family relationships that interested him. When photographing objects, Walker Evans emphasised the context of the room or street in which they were located. Irving Penn severely limited the space available for his models when creating his Corner Portraits series. Produce your own response, making reference to appropriate work by others."

Shops and Shopping: 05

"Shops, shopping, buying and selling, in high streets and markets, can offer dynamic and engaging opportunities for photographers and artists. Robert Adams observed customers, shelves of goods and shopping trolleys in his project 'What We Bought'. Jim Dow's 'Corner Shops Of Britain' recorded the distinct colours of the interiors and exteriors of traditional family businesses. The Tate's Prunella Clough archive shows how the artist used photographs of multiple and repeated objects in shop window-displays as inspiration for her paintings. Produce your own response, making reference to appropriate work by others."

Project 01

For Project 01, I have a very wide area which I can research. I feel like I would excel with Josef Sudek, as he takes a very muted style to the table. Furthermore, after a quick search over the internet I can find a plethora of items which match my photography style. I believe I could do quite well in this project due to its ambiguity and flexible guidelines. 

Project 03

Project 03 is a bit of a confusing one for me, as I feel like I'd be able to do it, however it also feels a bit too out there for the style I am going for. The project would focus on setting a scene with a multitude of variables changing how the piece might work. In the project, it's described as if we take photos of specific places, or scenes, like how Ozu has taken photos of family homes in Asia. This could be quite a good way of showing the reality of family life behind closed doors. The peaks and lows, laughter and heated debate. Or it could show stereotypes and the disproportionate reality of arguments and debates between different ethnicities, cultures, genders, sexualities, etc. 

Project 05

The third and final option I've decided could potentially work is Shops and Shopping. As shown, it is portraying it as if we are supposed to go into shops and take photos of the interior, or get photos of close outside said shop. I believe this could be a very efficient way of portraying British culture through corner shops, or of course consumer culture via larger superstores, like Tesco or Asda.

In summary, I believe the most likely one would be Circles and Curves, a.k.a Project 01. It matches the criteria of what I will most likely excel in, due to how I am able to capture scenes where there is a significant amount of muted imagery (other than Yayoi Kusama) which matches the photography I'll be able to take. In instances of 03 and 05, they are both around equal potential in joint 2nd choice for photos. I'm not quite sure on either of them at the moment, but am able to switch to them if need be.

Definitions
The exam paper states we must choose one of the five options given, which were Curves, Writing, Settings, Sky, and Shopping. Each gives a moderate description of the choice, with three artists in each for researching.