Biography Andreas Gursky

Andreas Gursky

Andreas Gursky Paris Montparnesse 1993

http://www.c4gallery.com/artist/database/andreas-gursky/andreas-gursky.html

Andreas Gurksy a German Photographer born in Leipzig East Germany in 1955.  He came from a photographic background, as his father Willy Gursky was a commercial photographer.  Andreas Gursky studied under the class of Bernd Becher in Dusseldorf in 1981 until 1987.

When I think of Andreas Gursky I think BIG is too SMALL, it's ENORMOUS in size and scale.  My favourite image is of Paris, Montparnasse 1993 a chromogenic colour print on paper and Perspex size 134cm x 319cm. To create this image Gursky used digital montage for it to work visually.  The building was too big to take in one shot so he merged two separate images digitally together to create one.  In doing this the image became sharper and the wide angle distorts the camera stand point, where is it?

Andreas Gursky images are extra large, huge, majestic and examines the relationship of the mass and the individual, interest in a global cultural and the aesthetic contrast between a painting and his minute detailed photographic method. Gursky is looking at human behaviour in a monumental arena in great detail, but with a cold detachment.  People in his images are tiny dots which fade into the background.  We as the viewer cannot connect with the people, only the mass architecture and space.  His images are stunning to view and  they look like collage of abstract colour.  His images are also digitally manipulated and takes months to finish and get just right.

His photographs are considered Art as the attention to detail can pass as a painting, one of his photograph titled The Rhine II fetched 2.7 million at action and is the most expensive photograph, its beautiful, vibrant and memorable.

Andreas Gursky Pans, Montparnasse 1993 reminds me of the painter David Hepher’s Beautiful Tower Blocks.

Albany Flats' (1977-79) 

Camberwell Nocturne Painting oil on canvas 1984

http://transpont.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/david-hephers-beautiful-tower-blocks.html

This painting depicts the Bradenham Block on the Aylesbury Estate.  It is part of a series depicting tower blocks in South London, others include Stockwell flats, Walworth flats and Peckham flats.  The detail in both painting and photography is amazingly detailed and interesting to look at.  It like living, breathing visual art.  To quote David Hepher: ‘ I like best to work from council blocks, preferably stained and eroded by the dirt and the weather, where the facial appearance is continually changed by the people who live there, their comings and goings, and the changing decor. I would like to think that the pictures could make people look differently at the flats around them, to see beauty in objects that they normally dismiss as ugly.’

This is a video on Andreas Gursky life it's very interesting, enjoy watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK9Vzeks35Y


References

Golden, R., (2008) Masters of Photography. Classic photographic artist of our time, London Carlton books.

Hacking, J., (2012) The Dusseldorf School. London Thames & Hudson.

 Jeffery, I., (1997) The Photo Book. London Phaiden Press .

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK9Vzeks35Y (Accessed 23/4/13)









http://mylens1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/andreas-gursky.html

Core Topic Semiotics

HAND GESTURES

How would you interpret these hand gestures of my children and my niece?  

             Naughty       OR     Nice    

            Rude            OR     Innocent         

            Political       OR     Radical

            Peace           OR     Love

So many hand gestures with variety of different meanings home and abroad by Caroline Small.

 

Caroline Small Theory is not about Art

http://hoodedutilitarian.com/2011/04/theory-is-not-about-art/

Black-Power-Fist

http://madamenoire.com/45706/study-finds-black-proud-happy/black-power-fist/

This hand gesture to me represents Black Power, which I associate with the Black Panther movement.  To others it may represent Power, Peace, Strength, Unity and solidarity.

A gesture is a movement that shows a persons expressions or an act of goodwill.  Gesture is Latin and means gestus an action, which is a way of standing or meaning.  Gestures are from the subject of Semiotics, which is the theory of signs and what they mean.  Semiotics is all about communication in a variety of different forms through signs, gestures, body language and much more, also how we interpret and understand in different ways.  Semiotics was introduced by swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913)

Hand gestures are universal and we all use our hands to supplement or speech, mostly without realising.  Hand gestures are spontaneous and individual to different people.  It is most likely that you today used your hands when you spoke, think about it.

Kenneally writes, “If you have human language, you have gestures" (Kenneally 123)

An example of hand gestures used in advertising is This Diesel advert.

http://georginejoneslevel4.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/semiotic-compositional-and-content.html

A hand gesture of a clenched fist is used for Diesel aftershave, it is the focal point of the advert and yours eyes are drawn immediately
to the masculine shape and colour of the product.  As well as the masculine, brave, strong, cool pose and his body language which oozes power and strength.  His fist in the shape of the product adds to the advert.  The font on the advert is bold, rough and masculine and is not just informer the viewer, but making a statement buy me if your brave.

According to Barthes (2000.p. 21) 'I was interested in Photography only for "Sentimental reasons; I wanted to explore it not as a question (a theme) but as a wound: I see, I feel, hence I notice, I observe, and I think.

 References

Barthes, R., (20000 Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, London:Vintage

Barthes, R., (1972) Mythologies, London: Cape

Berger, J., (1972) Ways of seeing, London: Hamondworth: British Broadcasting Corporation: Penguin

Hall, S., (2007) This Means This This Means That, A user Guide to Semiotics: Lawrence King

Kronenberg, J., (2011) Semiotics and Mediation: Do our hands help us talk. [Online] Available at: http://pages.vassar.edu/semiotics/2011/02/22/do-our-hands-help-us-talk/ (Accessed 03.04.13)

L & Strurken, M., (2001) Pratices of Looking: An Introduction to visual culture, Oxford: Oxford University Press.


http://mylens1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/semiotics.html

The Windrush Story

THE WINDRUSH STORY

The Empire Windrush in 1954. Photograph: Hulton Getty

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/25/bank-holiday-celebrate-windrush-generation

                                         

                                 © Joseph Haywood Magee / Getty Images, 1956, West Indian Arrivals

http://www.burnedshoes.com/post/43513872763/josephhaywoodmagee

On 24^th May 1948 the Empire Windrush set off from Jamaica and arrived on June 22^nd 1948 at the Tilbury Harbour, Essex in London.  The cargo was four hundred and ninety Jamaicans from the West Indies, seeking a new life in Britain.  The fare was £28.00 and 10 shillings one way. 

The immigrants settled in areas like Kensington, Manchester, West Midlands and Birmingham, but accommodation was in short supply and many British nationals resented the influx of immigrants.  Many were turned away from lodgings, shared and were crammed into one room.  The sign  
    “SORRY NO COLOUREDS, NO IRISH, NO DOGS” was displayed on the doors.

West Indians faced extreme racism and race relations politically, culturally and socially was unstable.  John Richards who came over in the Wind rush Era said" They tell you it is the 'mother country', you're all welcome, you all British. When you come here you realize you're a foreigner and that's all there is to it” (Richard, J. 1948) 

The windrush photographs were taken in order to document and record for historical purposes, by government agencies and the world media.  These images are an important part of the British Empire and how the caribbean immigrant arrived via the windrush.  The windrush photographs are part of an important time in British history as it was document what was happening at the time.

The contents of the photos shows this brought with it an artistic period of caribbean poets, writers, musicians and artists.  A period of mass migration from the new commonwealth countries.  West Indians were the first group of non-white immigrants to settle in Britain after world war two.

Wedding Day March 13th 1965

My Mum and Dad came to England in October 1961 on the ship called the Surrenter, which docked in Southampton.

The journey lasted Ten days and the fare cost $365 Eastern Caribbean dollars.  My parents remember how cold and white it was, as they had never seen snow before or thick black fog.

My parents settled in East London, Hackney and accommodation was difficult as my mum had to share with all men as women were not allowed, she had to hide from the landlord.

Jobs were easy to find in the Transport Industry and the Hospitals, but the people were hostile and unfriendly and they experienced racism.  My Mum remembers Teddy boys causing trouble and picking fights on the streets, just because of the colour of your skin.  However it was not all bad there were some friendly people in London. 

References

BBC- History (2011) BBC- History in depth: Windrush -Arrivals. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/arrival_01.shtm (Accessed 270313)

BBC-Home (2008) Birmingham Your Community. [Online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2008/06/19/windrush_60th_anniversary_feature.shtml [Accessed 27/03/13]

Phillips, M., (2011) Windrush -The passengers. [Online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/windrush_01.shtml (Accessed 27/03/13) 

http://mylens1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-windrush-story.html