Jim Goldberg - Deutsche Börse Photography Prize Winner

Jim Goldberg's section of the exhibition.

I went to see the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize Exhibition on Tuesday in Baker Street.  We weren’t allowed to take pictures but my classmate sneakily took a picture of Jim Goldberg’s section posted above.  I can see why he won the prize looking at his work amongst the other nominees in the exhibition. Not to say that the other photographers weren’t as good. They were good too. Some more than others but that’s just my opinion.  What made Goldberg’s work stand out though was his experimental storytelling technique shown through his images from Polaroid’s to large and medium format cameras to video. The writing on the photographs really gets the viewer drawn into the subject which i think is simple yet effective. The fact that the person photographed has written on images themselves makes the experience even more personal which i really like. I heard someone recently say Goldberg’s work was not very original and how its has all been done before in trying to capture us by our sympathy for the subject. I suppose he’s not the first photographer to document people from strict and economically wrecked countries such as parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. But i think Goldberg is successful in portraying the experiences of these people having immigrated to Europe presenting their pain and suffering shown in their images and their text.. 

I suggest anyone go see the exhibition as soon as possible since its finishing this week!

 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize Webpage

Jeff Wall

Insomnia, 1994, Transparency in lightbox, Cinematographic photograph 

Jeff Wall has been credited to have introduced the world of photography to the contemporary Art field from the early 80s.  His work appears to be documentary photography when in reality it is usually set up through actors, props, sets and thought out lighting giving him the role of director as there would be for film making. This approach is successful as it signifies the theme of tableau photography of displaying a narrative within the photograph. He also covers urban environments in his work and these themes are often presented in a size and manor a nineteenth century painting would be.

His image ‘Insomnia’ shows a set replicated to look like Jeff Wall’s kitchen in his studio. The composition is reminiscent to a renaissance painting as the angles and positioning represents the narrative.  The composition and tight clumsy positioning of the furniture suggests the man’s state of discomfort and physiological condition as well as showing signs of the characters previous interaction with the set.  

 Wall’s signature is images printed on transparencies over light boxes, it apparently was inspired by back-lit advertisements which echo his style of directing his images as are advertisements directed.  I like how his images suggest a situation and the circumstances that led it to be are based on the audience’s imagination. 

Yohji Yamamoto - Fashionably Limitless

Yohji Yamamoto, 2001-02, fall/winter ready-to-wear collection

I went to see his exhibition at the V&A this week with an old friend from London College of Fashion. It was good i have to say, i love how he never produces collections according to popular present trends and how he usually follows an avant-garde style constructing abnormal and fascinatingly weird garments that really capture your attention. His unique style often mixes old and new trends together and the use of draped black silhouettes echo throughout his collections creating a sense of surrealism. There’s no doubt about it he’s good at designing let’s say, ‘different’ garments no matter how impractical they are.

To be honest, no matter how much I admire his style. I just don’t see how anyone can be seen walking down the street wearing one of his garments without getting a few glances. I actually see his items as pieces of artwork. Something to be looked at behind a glass cage or to be photographed and exhibited. Don’t get me wrong, I love how some people really like to express themselves through what they wear totally standing out from the crowd. It’s just a sad thing that not everyone appreciates that and its designers like Yamamoto that encourages people to think outside the box because the reality is that there doesn’t seem to be much of a line between fashion and art anymore and to be frank, I like it.
The exhibition finishes in early July so i recommend anyone go see it in their free time.

Salazar, L. (ed.) (2011) Yohji Yamamoto, UK: V & A Publishing.

Yohji Yamamoto's Website