Title: Cleaning
Size: 110 cm x 83 cm (each)
Medium: Photography
Date: August 2019
Exhibition Text
"Cleaning" is a photographic piece inspired by Jacques-Henri Lartigue's photo "in my room." More than just the similarity of being "in my room", this piece represents my past. As the pictures progress, the things in my room slowly start to disappear. With maturing and becoming an adult, many people forget about the quote on quote, "childish things". This series of photographs represents this idea, while also showing that the childish things may be forgotten but they cannot be lost.
"In My Room, Paris, 1905" created by Jacques-Henri Lartigue. Retrieved by https://www.ggibsongallery.com/jacques-henri-lartigue-2/#jp-carousel-6311.
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Inspiration / Research Jacques-Henri Lartigue was a French photographer and painter who was known for his joyful, life-capturing artworks. He is now considered "The French Father Of Modern Photography". Born in 1894, and beginning his career as a boy, he would make artworks during WWI and WWII. His popularity grew through these times as his artwork would still reflect happiness and joy. To a world at war, these artworks would be rejuvenating, and would restore hope that in the end things will become better.
In one of Lartigue's earliest photographs, "In My Room, Paris, 1905" (also goes by "In My Room, My Collection Of Model Race Cars") he displays his room in Paris with a collection of race cars lines up against his table. These race cars give the piece a childish tone, to a room that; in my opinion looks more mature. This idea of having these model race cars as a memory created the idea of my artwork. And even though in 1905 there wasn't any cameras that took pictures in color, this photograph looks so polished. The blacks, and the whites, and the gray's all balance out the piece. I wanted to use this same idea in my artwork because of the fact that my walls are bright green. |
Experimentation My original plan was decently thought out, and so I didn't need to change it much during the process. After I took each picture I used a value system to find out what was to be removed next. I knew the first things I wanted to do was clear up the floor, and next was the stuff on the desks. It was only during the editing process did I make some adjustments to the photographs.
When editing the photographs I decided to make all of them black and white at first. There was just too much color in my room, even when all the stuff was removed from the corner. Since my walls are split up between the hues white, and lime green, I decided that making the photographs black and white would allow still a decent amount of variation between black, white, and grey. Also, the plain hue would add to the negative meaning of the piece, representing forgetting the past. I then decided to add the process picture that I took of all the stuff laying on my bed. I added it to the piece to signify the "forgotten" things still being present and still having an impact on your life. |
Technique The techniques I used were based around basic photography. Being able to change the filter in which you take the picture, and being able to take the picture in the first place. I didn't use a tripod or anything to hold the camera in place, I instead placed a piece of tape on the wall where my right elbow would be located in order to get close to similar photos. I used Adobe Photoshop Express to change each picture to have a B&W (black and white) filter. I also created a system of value in my room for the items that were in the photograph. I determined this based on importance to the piece, and size. For example, the chair would have a value of 10 because of how big and insignificant it was. However the dresser would have an 2 because it may be big, but there are many things of different values located on and around it. This value I gave the items would allow me to determine what would be removed from the photo first.
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Planning
I planned this photographic series to show how as we mature, we often forget about the smaller things in the past. And when we do that, we slowly forget about it all. However, just because it is forgotten doesn't mean that it is lost. All the experiences and past memories you have are shown in you. This would be shown two different ways. The first way is through the photographs themselves, as they start with a load of things all over, clothing, papers, and other random things people have in their rooms; and slowly everything disappears and you are left with a room with nothing. This shows the more negative side of things, until you see the center picture which has all these things located in a central location. Another way I show this idea in this artwork is through the choice of filter. The subtractive photographs all have the (B&W) black and white filter which creates the feeling of gloom. While the more positive picture located in the center of the others has no filter. Due to the bright color on my wall, and all the other things, this picture brights up so much more than the other ones.
Process First I took a normal picture of my room, I did throw some clothes on the ground and I pushed my TV a little more into frame. After that picture was taken I removed the things I decided needed to be moved based on the value I gave it. So the chair was removed, and the floor was cleared for the next picture. Then came the footstool and eventually the backpacks and tennis ratchets. After came the things located on the dresser, and then the dresser it's self, along with the mirror. This process was pretty basic, it really just consisted of the repetition of the same steps.
After the pictures were taken, I went through the long process of adjusting all the pictures. For every photo I used a B&W (black and white) filter. Each photo uses this filter to 100% percent. Lastly, I took off the filter I had just put on for the middle picture. This is so the colors and brightness can show through. The process of creating these photographs wasn't difficult, and it didn't take very long to do. This was the simpler step of creating this photographic series.
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Reflection
This project went relatively well, although I do feel like I could've planned this out a better. First, the whole value of each item process did work, but it became confusing after a while. I believe that I could've went without that process, because it just made things a small bit more confusing. I also feel like these pictures were a small bit off from the same position. Although for the process I used, things went pretty well. It was a very inconsistent, and though it required a small bit of though, having a tri-pod or stand would of made the process perfect.
I would say that in transitioning my ideas from "In My Room, Paris, 1905" I used as much as I could from this artwork. I am really proud of how I saw that the black and white filter could be used to relax the picture from it's the highlight of my wall. I was also very proud that I was able to take this idea of what a room is supposed to be, and add to it rather than challenge it. Everyone knows rooms hold memories, that's why when we move, we give our hollow room one last glance. I'm proud that I was able to show that even when memories are forgotten, they live on in you.
I would say that in transitioning my ideas from "In My Room, Paris, 1905" I used as much as I could from this artwork. I am really proud of how I saw that the black and white filter could be used to relax the picture from it's the highlight of my wall. I was also very proud that I was able to take this idea of what a room is supposed to be, and add to it rather than challenge it. Everyone knows rooms hold memories, that's why when we move, we give our hollow room one last glance. I'm proud that I was able to show that even when memories are forgotten, they live on in you.
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
After looking at Jacques-Henri Lartigue's photograph, "In My Room, Paris, 1905" I see that his piece had a huge impact of the creation of my artwork. Lartigue used his room and and race cars to show a joyful, somber artwork. I used my room, and the stuff I have in it to show a visual representation of losing your memories. Lartigue also took this picture in black and white because he had to, but I did it because it adds to the negative tone of losing your memories. It strips my room of it's color, and provides my wall with balance to the rest of the piece.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Jacques-Henri Lartigue was a child when he photographed, "In My Room, Paris, 1905" and yet this artwork seems so polished, pristine, and packs such a heavy meaning. A maturing boy, showing his race car collection isn't all this photograph shows, it shows memories, and how pictures can preserve them.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that people look at bedrooms in many different ways, so they will interpret this collage differently. Some my agree with my meaning, and some may believe that this artwork simulates a prison. There are many different ways to interpret this piece.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
The idea when researching was searching for an artwork (preferably a photograph) that took place in a bedroom. I liked the idea of a bedroom being your own home. Most bedrooms house lots of memories, and things that show who a person is. I decided through research that I wanted to take this idea of memories in a bedroom, and remove them.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The inferences I made are that everyone that will see my artwork will have different memories, and different experiences, but all should understand what this collage means by my meaning. I also figured that everyone that see's my artwork either has a room, or had previously has a room sometime in their life.
After looking at Jacques-Henri Lartigue's photograph, "In My Room, Paris, 1905" I see that his piece had a huge impact of the creation of my artwork. Lartigue used his room and and race cars to show a joyful, somber artwork. I used my room, and the stuff I have in it to show a visual representation of losing your memories. Lartigue also took this picture in black and white because he had to, but I did it because it adds to the negative tone of losing your memories. It strips my room of it's color, and provides my wall with balance to the rest of the piece.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Jacques-Henri Lartigue was a child when he photographed, "In My Room, Paris, 1905" and yet this artwork seems so polished, pristine, and packs such a heavy meaning. A maturing boy, showing his race car collection isn't all this photograph shows, it shows memories, and how pictures can preserve them.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that people look at bedrooms in many different ways, so they will interpret this collage differently. Some my agree with my meaning, and some may believe that this artwork simulates a prison. There are many different ways to interpret this piece.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
The idea when researching was searching for an artwork (preferably a photograph) that took place in a bedroom. I liked the idea of a bedroom being your own home. Most bedrooms house lots of memories, and things that show who a person is. I decided through research that I wanted to take this idea of memories in a bedroom, and remove them.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The inferences I made are that everyone that will see my artwork will have different memories, and different experiences, but all should understand what this collage means by my meaning. I also figured that everyone that see's my artwork either has a room, or had previously has a room sometime in their life.
References
Szarkowski, John. “Jacques-Henri Lartigue.” Atget Photography, Photography & Photographers Directory, https://www.atgetphotography.com/The-Photographers/Jacques-Henri-Lartigue.html.
“Jacques-Henri Lartigue.” G. Gibson Gallery, 13 July 2019, https://www.ggibsongallery.com/jacques-henri-lartigue-2/#jp-carousel-6311.
“Jacques-Henri Lartigue.” Howard Greenberg Gallery, http://www.howardgreenberg.com/artists/jacques-henri-lartigue.
“Jacques-Henri Lartigue.” G. Gibson Gallery, 13 July 2019, https://www.ggibsongallery.com/jacques-henri-lartigue-2/#jp-carousel-6311.
“Jacques-Henri Lartigue.” Howard Greenberg Gallery, http://www.howardgreenberg.com/artists/jacques-henri-lartigue.