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John Trefethen
CMS Migration
The Third Mind - Burroughs and Gysin
In a movement defined by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin known as the cut-up, a group of writers set out to bring writing up to speed with the rest of the pictorial arts. In the words of Gysin, writing was fifty years behind painting and the cut-up served as a means of bringing writing up to current.
"Though at the very beginning Gysin had seen in it nothing more than a new method of writing that would allow literature to catch up with that of painting." (The Third Mind p.13)
Though Burroughs did not play any part in the original invention of the "cut-up," he understood its importance in revolutionizing literature. At the very beginning the cut-up lacked a system of dismantling the form of fiction. Burroughs and Gysin developed a mechanical method of shredding texts in a ruthless machine. In order to perform this method the following system was used:
"Take a page of text and trace a medial line vertically and horizontally./ You now have four blocks of text: 1, 2, 3 and 4./ Now cut along the lines and put block 4 alongside block 1, block 3 alongside block 2. Read the rearranged page." (The Third Mind p.14)
Final Text:
8 PHOTOGRAPHY AS AN ART
Art-photography, as championed by Rol based on scientific principles. He held was flourishing in England when the effects of nature on the eye, and son himself was still the leader - subs Vinci's Last Supper, and the recent photographs - and the walls of exhibit of Constable, Corot and the Barbizonto ceiling with anecdotal genre scenes, of all times. Trained as a physician, traits, all reminiscent of the most decade von Helmholtz' Physiological Optics.
Against the artificiality of these stiffly on correctness of representation. prints made up of pieces of different neg photography was "superior to etching, with a vehemence which shook the ph, the accuracy of its perspective rend. his own photographs, lectures, articles only because it lacked color and, he to the Camera Club in London on Ph: tonal relationships. Aside John Ruskin as a spasmodic emitted edition Life and Landscape on denied any connection between science actual prints mounted to form a handbook as the quintessence of literary fall had all been made in East Anglia, and laid before his audience a theory of art Libyan life of the marsh dwellers. The that the artist's task was the imitation lumens with letterpress describing the pointed to Greek sculpture, Leonardo and photogravures made directly from paintings of the "naturalistic" school bison and Rejlander in the late fifties, group as the peaks of artistic productiory-plate revolution took place. Robin, he was greatly impressed by Hermannibers still looked forward to his annual which he quoted as the ultimate authoring galleries were crowded from floor.
Emerson came to the conclusion that entailment all and scapes, and weak poor woodcutting and charcoal drawing in mic of paintings. and that it was second to painterly posed studio scenes and patchwork believed, the ability to reproduce exaclatives, Peter Henry Emerson protested.
In the same year he published in a holographic world. His weapons were the Norfolk Broads, a collection of forty and books. In March, 1886, he spoke some folio volume. These photographs autograph, a Pictorial Art. Sweeping presented a record of the strange amp Hegant of art literature," because he publication was followed by similar and art, and dismissing Robinson's manners and customs of the peasants, claques and art anachronisms, Emerson.
Conventional prose is read in a linear fashion, where ideas and information are assembled in a progressive manner meant to inform the reader with certain bits of knowledge or story. Take this article for example, right now you are reading about a method of rearranging text known as the "cut-up." This text is teaching about the process of this method of producing information by two artists/writers. As the information is gathered together in the mind of the author it is then transcribed for you to study and consume for the purpose of learning and understanding the relationship of this form of text as it relates to the greater knowledge of Text and Image.
The cut-up changes the entire mode of understanding information. In theory, Burroughs and Gysin believed that by rearranging two or more texts using the aforementioned strategy, a new text was reveled. For example take the work of Shakespeare and Rimbaud, when combined, they produce a third work that demonstrates the close interdependence of these divergent sources. Furthermore, they believed that the fragment that resulted from the combined texts automatically presented itself as a work of fiction regardless of the nature of the sources, whether they are mathematics and science or news and poetry. Burroughs and Gysin referred to this method of rearranging texts as a machine and through it new books, poems and plays were produced.
The overarching premise behind the cut-up, as described by Brion Gysin, was to allow writers the chance discovery afforded both painters and photographers.
"The cut-up method brings to writers the collage, which as been used by painters for fifty years. And used by the moving and still camera. In fact all street shots from movie or still cameras are by the unpredictable factors of passersby and juxtaposition cut-ups. And photographers will tell you that often their best shots are accidents . . . writers will tell you the same. The best writing seems to be done almost by accident but writers until the cut-up method was explicit—all writing is in fact cut-ups; I will return to this point—had no way to produce the accident of spontaneity. You can not will spontaneity. But you can introduce the unpredictable spontaneous factor with a pair of scissors." (The Third Mind, p.29)Through the possible discoveries offered by the random chance and "happy accident," hope is instilled within the mind of the artist. It is through this practice that the potential lack of new ideas can be alleviated—now even for writers.
by John Trefethen
Creative Exploration and the Generation of Ideas
In terms of new ideas and working projects, artists experience both green pastures, flowing with milk and honey and vast desert landscapes, dry as far as the eye can see. When the former prevails, a great peace envelopes the mind of the artist as he or she works through the ideas that lead to the generation of new work. Artists describe this period of time like a new relationship, full of exciting possibilities, hope, pleasure, and new discoveries. The process of working through this new body of work will naturally spawn new ideas and ways of seeing. The results are often far removed from the original ideas.
When the later, less desirable, of the two options arises, a feeling of loss and uncertainty will inevitably occur. What happens when we run out of ideas? How do we deal with these times of despair?
First and foremost, it is important to keep a journal of ideas. Get into the habit of carrying a journal with you at all times. However, it is what you write in your journal that makes the difference. During those prolific times, when ideas are flowing like an open faucet, you should be jotting down notes about the new discoveries and ideas as they come to you. Even if the notes are unrelated to a current project, write them down under "new work," or another title that makes sense to you. Later, upon the completion of your current project, you will be able to refer back to the notes you have made, then proceed to start the process all over again as you begin working on the new projects that arise from the pages of your journal.
However, there may still come a time when ideas are hard to come by and you begin to feel the despair that comes with the lack of new material. Take heed, the following observations will render new ideas and spawn creativity.
Top of Mind
In an effort to engage your mind in the process of coming up with new ideas and solving problems, you need to keep the topic at hand top of mind. Have you ever noticed that great moments of brilliance often come just as you fall asleep? The reason for this has to do with your state of mind as your begin to drift off. During this time you are less inhibited by doubt and uncertainty, leaving you free to think outside of your own distractions. The information you "load" your mind with prior to going to bed has the ability to shape, not only that moment of brilliance as you begin to fall asleep, but also the dreams you have that evening.
Just before going to bed, spend some time this evening reading up on some of the topics that interest you. Topics like bird migration patterns vs. human migration patterns, Physiognomy/Prenology, or something else. Do this for the next several nights until you feel satisfied with the results. Be sure to set your journal on your nightstand so that when your ideas start to flow you have a place to jot them down.
Thinking Beyond Yourself
How many times have you come up with an idea and in the very next moment you have already convinced yourself that you can not and should not carry it through? All too often, we, as artists, come up with ideas and solutions that we think are too obvious or too easy. We proceed to over-think our ideas and in the process begin to doubt whether we are capable of completing the task or of even coming up with original work.
Stop!
All great work has a starting place. Let your starting place be freedom of thought. If you let your doubts be the end of your ideas then you are never going to reach the highlight of completing great work or moments of new discovery.
READ!
Reading is an important element in teaching your mind to think. This act will also aid in the discovery of new ideas, especially if the books you read pertain to subjects you have an interest in. When coupled with the aforementioned "Top of Mind" technique you are bound to come up with ideas for new work and solutions to new projects. You can become very knowledgeable about a subject by reading just three quality books about the topic? Consider the reading as research for new ideas.
These techniques are useful and have provided me pages of notes and new discovers. Consider practicing them yourself until they become habits. Then post the outcomes her as new work in progress. I can't wait to see what transpires.
Next session the text of William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin
Artist Focus: Robin Lasser
I had the opportunity to interview Robin Lasser for a course that I am authoring for the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. We discussed issues of eating disorders, land consumption, earthwork, body consumption, text in the landscape and several other topics relevant to the notions of text and image.
Walter de Maria - More than an Earthworks Artist
Walter De Maria was born on October 1, 1935 in Albany California. He studied history and art history at University California, Berkeley. In 1960 he moved to New York. In 1969 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship. At an early age Maria was very involved with music, playing for orchestras and jazz bands. In 1963 he co-founded a gallery in Manhattan, New York, having a show of his sculptural work there the same year.
Prior to doing any real research on Walter De Maria, I had always viewed him as an Earthwork artist, one connected with the land and time. I have since come to a different understanding about his notion toward life and the work he produces. I have come to understand that he is not much of an Earthwork artist in the traditional sense at all. By traditional sense I mean one who wants to point viewers towards a connection with the land and an ultimate awareness and protection of our natural resources. Such an awareness as the one referred to in the work by Helen and Newton Harrison. These two artists “promote an ecological awareness through mural sized canvases, photographs, models and other visual material isolating environmental problems and the proposed solutions.” (Auping, Art in the Land, 99). In contrast I propose to present De Maria’s work as not neatly fitting into any single category such as Earthwork, Conceptual or Minimalism. But Rather as an artist “whose integrative approach shows a possible way forward for art production in subsequent years, aimed at a new, integrated experience of self and the world.” (DiamlerChrysler, 2004)
Walter De Maria has been lumped together with the movement titled “Earthwork” since its inception in the early 1960’s. This movement was building in intensity throughout the decade, reaching its zenith in 1969. (Hall, Art in the Land, 8) At this time many of the would-be Earthwork Artists, coming from their various disciplines—painting, sculpture, photography, crossed a common ground. (Hall, Art in the Land, 10) During this period De Maria was assembling his plywood boxes and geometric shapes as well as referencing his music background with the construction of the “Statue” of John Cage. “His work took something of a turn in 1966, however, when he showed Elle, in which a steel ball wobbled down an L-shaped groove.” (Hall, Art in the Land, 17) His work with metal continued into 1968. That year he presented Spike Beds-a grid of steel spikes, foreshadowing his most famous piece, The Lightning Field in New Mexico, 1977. It is at this point I see a divergence with De Maria’s work from that of his contemporaries. Much of their work—Christo, Goldsworthy, Smithson, and Helen and Newton Harrison, focused on the environment, drawing attention to our limited number of natural resources. Much of the work produced by these artists viewed “The land [as] not the setting for the work but a part of the work.” (Artforum New York, 1970) Not to say that De Maria would argue with this statement but it seems his work deals more with the complex issues that come from a zone not accessible to us—the sublime.
In De Maria’s The Broken Kilometer, a work consisting of 500 highly polished brass rods, we begin to see what I mean by this reference to the sublime. In this piece each brass rod is 2 meters in length and 5 centimeters in diameter. If each one of these rods where placed end to end they would equal a distance of one kilometer. The work is installed with the 500 rods distributed throughout the space in 5 parallel rows of 100. Each row is spaced equally apart side to side. From one end of the space to the other the rods are spaced apart increasingly by 5mm. Nearest the spectator the first rods start out 80 mm apart, the last set of rods are spaced 580 mm apart. This same highly acute awareness to detail is represented in Equal Area Series where in this installation, De Maria presents 25 pairs of Circles and Squares. This time the solid stainless-steel plates–a pair consisting of a circle and a squares, increase incrementally by one inch in a progression away from the spectator. In Both installations De Maria is presenting his work in an increasing scale against “diminishing Perspective.” (Govan, 2004) This scale relationship and sense of perspective hearkens back to the ancient Greeks. Seen specifically in their architecture where no two vertical or horizontal lines run perfectly parallel. The columns found in the construction of the Parthenon, for example, are offset the vertical axis slightly so that their axis will cross in space and not run separated into infinity. The Egyptians had similar notions in their construction of the Pyramids and Sarcophagi. In these constructions it is thought that the alignment of the Pyramids has everything to do with the celestial arrangement directly above each structure. Furthermore, the Pharaoh within this great chamber is thereby directly connected with the afterlife and this notion of the sublime and inaccessible construct outside of our natural awareness. Also, “as defined in large part by eighteenth-century artists and writers concerned with reconciling our human-dimensioned existence with overwhelming qualities in the natural world and the greater universe, the sublime is a function less of scale, grandeur, or even beauty, all of which might be measured or comprehended, than of the transcendent implications of the incomprehensible.” (DiamlerChrysler, 2004)
De Maria’s The Lightning Field, probably points most clearly to this zone inaccessible by the human conscious. “His precise design and measure serve, among other things, to channel the sublime cosmic scale and explosive power of the natural environment into the artwork. (DaimlerChrysler, 2004) To give testament to the exactitude of De Maria’s ethic, a description of this grand installation is necessary.
The work is located in west central New Mexico, 2.195 m above sea level. 18.5 km east of the Continental Divide. Four-hundred custom-made, highly polished stainless-steel poles with solid, pointed tips are arranged in a rectangular grid array. They are spaced 67m apart; there are sixteen poles to the width (1km) running north-south, twenty-five poles to the length (1mi) running east-west. Only after a lightning strike has advanced to an area of about 61m above The Lightning Field can it sense the poles. “The experience of the work directly in nature, the effects of the changing light, the shifting space, heat and the sense of waiting for a specific event (the lightning) heightens the viewer’s sense of scale and time.” (Kastner and Wallis, Land and Environmental Art, p.109) Furthermore The viewing of The Lightning Field is a complicated process. Those seeking to visit the field must propose, in writing, to an office in Quemado, owned and operated by the Dia Center for the Arts. Permission granted, one then checks in with the office surrendering their car and all photo equipment into the hands of those running the office. Finally, $85 paid, it is only a short driven out to the site where the visitor occupies a homesteader’s cabin for a minimum of twenty four hours. The way in which The Lightning Field is viewed is dictated by Maria and Dia Center for the Arts, this alone creates an allure of its own. De Maria’s complex involvement with the sublime is further emphasized by the subtle details inaccessible to the uneducated and average viewer. For example, each measure relevant to the placement of the footings for the steel rods where triple checked for accuracy. “Each pole was cut, within an accuracy of 0.0002 of a centimeters to its own individual length.” (Artforum, April 1970) All poles are parallel and spaced apart to an accuracy of .25 of an inch. If each pole where laid end to end the distance would equal 25 km. The accuracy of the tips to one another form a plane level enough to support an imaginary pane of glass. Because De Maria’s central notion of the work is isolation, it is critical that the work be viewed from the ground, experiencing the sky-ground relationship. Furthermore it is essential that the work be viewed with only a few people. In fact De Maria and Dia have put in place a system forcing the field to be viewed by no more than six people at any one time. This measure and high degree of awareness to detail are central to much of De Maria’s work and reach a pinnacle in The Lightning Field. These notions enforce the idea of sublime and an attempt to connect human experience with the “infinitely expanding celestial universe.” The philosopher Immanuel Kant “described the ‘supersen-sible’ quality of things beyond the grasp of the senses and the imagination as a kind of infinity, which he called ‘the mathematically sublime.’” (DaimlerChrysler, 2004)
It is evident that De Maria shares many qualities with his minimalist, earthwork, and conceptual contemporaries. It is also evident that much of his work transcends any medium or category and provides an experience accessible to both the average and informed spectator alike. His work has stood the test of time as well as his title as artist, due in part because of his complex and overwhelming exactitude with a purpose of subtle disclosure. Finally, my notions (as an artist who uses photography as a tool) towards De Maria’s work has changed in that previously, though I have only experienced his work through catalogs and printed images, I saw his work for the photographs I had experienced. Those photographs have informed my work for years. I now understand De Maria’s work to reach beyond the image or installation and into an experience and a connection with a far greater force than conceivable.
~ John Trefethen
"New School" vs "Old School" Journalism
The immediate viral marketing of the blog, YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, Flickr, Wikipedia and other such platforms of online social interaction are sweeping the media space by storm. This relatively new form of information goes beyond the news and enters into the social network at the local level. It is at this level that news takes on a more personal, active, and tactile role. In this session we are going to discuss the role of this new form of journalism and how it differs from the old.
Facebook started out as a site where students could rate or berate the looks of classmates through ID photos that, founder, Mark Zuckerberg lifted off of Harvard's computers while attending university there.1 Since its launch in 2004 it has quickly grown in prominence. As of April 2009, Facebook was up to 200 million active users, up nearly 100 million users from the year prior. The largest growing demographic as of 2009 is the 35 year old and older segment of our population. It is this population that has started to increase the popularity of the site and the role it plays in our media space. According to Lesley Stahl in an interview on 60 Minutes with Zuckerberg, she writes, "So Facebook is changing the way we communicate with our friends, and with our grandparents. It's also changing politics. Every major candidate has a page. Zuckerberg says there seem to be more Republicans on the site than Democrats, and among them, Barack Obama - with his young persons following - is hugely popular."
Journalistic-worthy news of old often takes the shape of newspapers, radio, magazines, television and other one-way-transmission forms of media. Reader interaction at this level usually starts with a call to action, where the media space asks that we call a number, log on to a web page, or visit a local polling station. While powerful and effective, it remains static and dependent on more news of this form to report the effects of the information spread.
With the birth of new "New-School" journalism, information takes on a life of it's own, growing outward as it spirals into new sectors and social networks. As users of the internet pass on the information they consider important or worth sharing, they effectively endorse the information as if it where their own. The power in this type of information sharing and promotion lies at the heart of our human nature and our desire to interact with other like-minded people.
Take this form of information sharing one step further where these web sites take on highly complex algorithms capable of collecting information from us while we interact in the space. In so doing, the sites we visit and interact with, begin to promote certain bits of information to a higher rating as deemed important by our friend's likes and dislikes, by our hobbies and interests, and by the searches we perform. The net result is the presentation of ads specifically targeted to our interests, news specific to our region, and journalism tuned to our particular politic.
It would be safe to say, online social media networks are here to stay and with them come the rise in popularity across a multitude of genres, including Journalism. According to Ryan Sholin, a staff writer for CBS's bNet.com media site, “One thing students can't get at any Bay Area journalism school is the sort of computer programming knowledge necessary to build databases and content management systems for news organizations. For that, they'll have to pay a visit to the computer science department.”2
We accept that the future is not about traditional media vs. new media, about opinionated blogs vs. investigative reporting, about podcasts vs. the nightly news. The future will blend both – the new tools of the trade aligned with the eternal verities of good reporting, writing, critical thinking, values, and ethics.
Considering the power of this type of information gathering and promoting, how do you interact with this form of media? Do you have a Facebook account? How often do you use it? Do you share your photographs across any platforms, such as Flickr, Picasa, your own website or blog?
Style vs. Subject
The subject of flowers does not represent a style. It is how you photograph these flowers and turn them into a visual display that represents your style. If, for example, ones pictures are black and white, color, up close, tightly cropped and or pulled back and centered, i.e. shot in various ways using no single approach or viewpoint, their images are, in essence, without a definable style.
Were each of the same flowers in the aforementioned example captured using a very shallow depth of field, highlighting the reproductive organs of the plant with a tack-sharp focus giving us a sense of life while imbuing some human quality in each of the flowers one would be working within their "style."
What draws us to a particular image?
Once you have mastered the machine, the camera, you are left with understanding the emotional components we are capable of relating to. Think about the images you are drawn to. Why do these images come to mind? Often times we are drawn to images that we ourselves are capable of making within our limited understanding. Other times we are drawn to images that convey meaning through an emotional tie. It is the latter of the two that has any longevity.
What is Landscape
landscape |ˈlan(d)ˌskāp|
noun
1 all the visible features of an area of countryside or land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal : the giant cacti that dominate this landscape | a bleak urban landscape.
a picture representing an area of countryside : [as adj. ] a landscape painter.
What is landscape? This may seem like a question with an obvious answer. However, when polled, random Facebook members came up with the following responses to these questions:
- Would you define "landscape" as open space? 99% YES
- Would you define "landscape" as wilderness? 98% YES
- Would you define "landscape" as any piece of land outdoors? 85% YES
- When you think of artists who work in the "landscape" who comes to mind?
- When you think of "Landscape Photography" what/who comes to mind?
- Briefly describe your notion of "landscape."
- "Landscape is the natural presentation of the earth/land around you." ~ Kimberly Phipps
- "Something that is evocative of landscape, I have photographed rotting food, that I called landscapes, also I have photographed my poison oak so that it resembled a landscape. I have seen images of anatomy and physiology that when it is photographed in such a way it no longer resembles that which it is...and can become a landscape. I think my definition of music is also similar in that respect. I am envisioning vast fields of astroturf, and gigantic foam protuberances. I think that the definition also needs to include the artificial. Consider the man made mountains, beaches, and other simulated natural objects." ~ Kevin Powers
- "An expanse of land that can be seen from a single viewpoint." ~ Jimi Merrell
- "Landscape is the visual beauty of the natural day-by-day allowance provided by God resulting in His perfect creation. With that said, by this imperfect being on this imperfect planet, there is no landscape left -- man has altered the landscape, above and below, beyond our ability to repair it. The same is true of ourselves, at least until we allow the perfect Gardener to renew our landscape." ~ Dave Douglas
- "Landscape is that stuff around my house that continuously grows. I like landscape just as long as I can look at it... but do not have to attend to it." ~ Gregory Phipps
- "Landscape is the image that stays in your mind after being somewhere and then remembering the broad views. When I think of the landscape of here - I think of rolling brown hills in summer and rolling green hills in winter. The draw of Yosemite and Glacier Parks are the incredible landscapes. Tahoe: I think of the view from the Flume trail. The biggest sweeping view that takes in the unique beauty of a place." ~ Tania Smith
- "In my opinion the most effective landscapes convey a journey through the scene, that's why it could just as readily be a cityscape or a tight macro shot of a few rice grains spread across a floor. I remember being amazed at some of Helmut Newton's work on nude landscapes where he used beautiful lighting effects to create landscapes where the "land" was parts of the human body" ~ John Houston
Among the most notable visual representations of "landscape" are the images of Ansel Adams. He became famous through his craft and the images he created of our natural world. The work of Adams represents the denotation of "landscape."
  
We are all familiar with the landscape work of Ansel Adams to a certain degree, his rich blacks and perfectly balanced tones. His work shows the vast open splendor of our natural world. However, there are other notable photographers whose work falls within the genre of "landscape" while blurring its boundary lines forcing viewers to reconsider space and our environment.
Similar to the work of Adams is the work of Art Wolf and Colin Prior. Their work exemplifies the vastness of our untouched world in an elegant display, only their images are filled with color. Their work is also a good example of the denotation of "landscape."

In the work of Edward Weston we see a transition from the more denoted pictures of the land to the abstraction of the human figure in such a way as to resemble the landscape. We also see the images that inspired this perspective of the human form.
 
Edward Burtynsky takes a traditional approach to documenting the landscape, only his images reveal the hand of mankind and his effects on our world. His work is visually stunning and yet grotesque. Viewers are drawn into the work through the beauty of the print and sheer size (30" x 40") while repulsed by the grandness of man's impact on our planet. Burtynsky's work captures mounds of tires as if they were the rolling foothills of the Sierras. He captures streams of nickel tailings as if they were natural lava flows. And he reveals the deconstruction of our open space as man exploits Earth's bounty.

Moving in a direction toward the abstraction of landscape we see the work of Noah Wilson. In his Aberrations Series we see what appears to be mythical landscapes. In these images the viewer is left standing with a certain level of curiosity about what has happened in this "land." In his series titled, Partial Landscapes we see latent images that appear shrouded in a fog, incomplete and hyper real. The images seem too bright to view causing his viewers to squint in an attempt to discover missing information.

In his statement above, Kevin Powers referenced images that he has created where the human body was photographed in such a way as to "no longer resemble that which it is." By isolating the surface of the skin with an extreme close-up photograph, this image titled, "Self Portrait, Poison Oak Blister" resembles active lava flows or the surface of another planet.

In subsequent posts I will continue this dialog regarding the notions of "landscape." In the meantime, what is your interpretation of "landscape?"
Good Friday: In the Place of Christ
The torturous form of capital punishment, crucifixion, was popularized by the Romans. It was reserved for the worst and lowest forms of life—slaves and malefactors. It was such a brutal and malicious way to die that Roman citizens were exempt from it.
Tis the season where many Christians celebrate Jesus Christ's reign over death. What must this time have been like for those closest to Christ? his dearest friends? his family? Torture during the time of Christ was on display for the viewing public, it was made available for all to see, friends, family and enemies alike. The humiliation was a theatrical event, where families would picnic while in observance of the killings.
For some, the crucifixion was a festival, for others it was both a tragedy and means for celebration. For the later group, the sad realization that their decisions ultimately lead to the death of a loved one where transformed into the realization that their faults had been forgiven.
Those of this knowledge become possessed with the desire to spread the profound news that a tragedy had been transformed into a complete phenomenon. So possessed where they, that their passion lead to their demise, but only after igniting a fire that would consume the landscape and spread throughout all nations.
The cross was made a symbol which bore the hope of eternity and was reserved for one man and not other. Peter, one of those who bore witness to the aforementioned events, suffered a similar demise. However, when crucified, he insisted on being hung up-side down as not to occupy the same honored position as that of Christ.
Today, in the Philippines, the cross bears quite a different breed of would-be follower. Here, flagellants whip their bare backs and adorn the place of Christ in hopes of alleviating a child's sickness.
Is the cross reserved for the One? or should it be repurposed as a symbol of forgiveness through suffering?
~ John Trefethen
Filtered Through Association
All of the images we read are presented through the filter of editors whose aim is to present their arguments. From the billboard you see while driving down the highway to the AD you read about the School of Visual Arts, arguments are presented front and center with forethought regarding their viewing audience. Whether these images have been produced by photographers and presented by photographers, as in the gallery installation, or by art directors for consumers, as in the magazine advertisement, these images have been edited, filtered, and purposefully presented for our consumption.
In recent sessions we have discussed the power of the Press Article, Title, Caption and Headline, now let us discuss the image selection process. Due to a photographs inherent nature to have two levels of communication, denotation and connotation, it has, since its inception, been a powerful tool for argumentation. "In a limited way, the camera catches so accurately what's in front of it that you think that's all there is to say" Elaine Reichek.
We relate to a photograph by its natural tendency to present fact and certain aspects of reality. For example, in the AD for Pedigree Dog Chow, we read a cute, innocent puppy sleeping, (Who can't relate to that?). In no way is the dog food directly related to this quality of cuteness or "puppyness." However, by positioning the brightly colored bag of food on a black background in such a way as to draw the viewers gaze back and forth from the puppy to the brand, we are forced to make the connection that Pedigree Dog Chow represents this puppy and therefore all puppies of a similar cuteness. This association informs the viewer with certain qualities, all of which are dependent on our relationship to the photograph of the puppy.
To further emphasize the point about our relationship to a photograph by its natural tendency to present fact, consider this same advertisement where an illustration stands in place of the photograph, hardly the same connection right?
Editors and Image Makers alike, present their slice of reality using the strength and inherent properties of photography along side tried and true techniques that aid in selling their arguments. Such techniques as juxtaposition, where two images are seen side-by-side forcing the viewer to make direct associations with two otherwise unrelated subjects. And others, like closure, where the viewer draws certain parallels as a result of the path we have been goaded into following.
Take, for example, this image of O.J. Simpson. Seen here are two versions of the same image. On the right is the version that was presented on the cover of Newsweek. On the left is the version that was presented on the cover of TIME. Notice the difference between the two images? How do you feel about Mr. Simpson after looking at the image on the right versus the image on the left? What affects do the titles have on you, on the image?
The editors of TIME Magazine purchased the same image from the press as Newsweek but in their interpretation they have chosen to darken the photograph with the obvious intention of making Mr. Simpson appear more menacing. Juxtaposing this image with the title, "An American Tragedy," we are intrigued yet alarmed. Is the tragedy the downfall of a "hero" or is the implied tragedy what O.J. Simpson represents as a member of American Popular Culture?
As photographers we are all editors to one degree or another. While some of the edits we perform on the images we make are compositional choices, others are more about the claims we make and want to reinforce. All of our images are produced through our filters and presented to the community of viewers at large. How we take advantage of this authority is another issue, however it is your responsibility to wield the power of image responsibly.
Science vs. Pseudo Science: Falsification vs. Clarification
Science requires the testing of theories through a control group and a test group. These tests are subjected to the scientific method which states that all test start with a question then proceed through the following steps: Do Background Research; Construct a Hypothesis; Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment; Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion; Communicate Your Results. These steps, when conducted properly, will reveal the validity of the hypothesis that have lead to the investigation of the subject matter.
Pseudoscience makes claims that similar test were conducted using a similar scientific method. Where they depart is when these test fail to render the desired results. Among the list of Pseudosciences are: astrology, palmistry, graphology, phrenology, spiritualism, ESP, UFOs, remote viewing, therapeutic touch, homeopathic remedies, precognition, numerology, fortune telling, psychic detectives, clairvoyance, kirlian photography, and physiognomy.
Often is the case where information is collected then transmitted in such a way as to cause the reading public to believe various falsifications. Artists have been doing this ever since the ability to record visual representation. In some of our oldest depictions of kings and other royalty, we see a commissioned portrait, a panting, of a Venetian sophisticate swathed in furs and toying with a statuette of Diane of Ephesus by a table strewn with antique gems and coins. This image represents cultivated self-indulgence and great wealth. We know this work by Lorenzo Lotto was commissioned by Andre Odoni (portrayed) with the aim of displaying Odoni's self worth.
Many photographers have received similar commissions with the aim of showing their subjects in the best of poses, under the most glorious circumstances, with the softest light possible. Perusing your local magazine rack you will discover exactly this case in point. While the cover of Esquire, Vogue, or Cosmopolitan reveals truly the perfect skin tone, and most glamorous attire, the cover of Star, The National Enquirer, and other tabloids displays quite the opposite.
Robert Maplethorp became famous after a gallery installation displaying his controversial installation was shut down. However, looking at much of the portraiture he did subsequent to the aforementioned controversy we see that many famous people commissioned him to take their portrait. His images, shot against a black backdrop, reveal smooth skin, glamorous poses and exceptional print quality. Each image highlights something of the character as portrayed through the gaze of Mapplethorpe's trained eye.
  
Science and Pseudoscience both attempt to communicate information to the society as a whole. While science has gained credibility for being absolute truth, who is to say that Pseudoscience has no place among our realities. Mass-media aims at garnering our attention, consider the levels of falsification at hand with any given image and set upon yourself the goal of discovering the context of each image; seeking greater clarification.
The presence of today's linguistic message as seen in my own mind's eye.
The captivation of the visual is omnipresent.
My desire to consume is omnipotent.
My strength waxes and wanes.
My fight continues.
desire
righteousness
failure
repeat.
Linguistics, War and Authorship
In response to Edward Bulwer-Lytton's play Richelieu 1839
True, This! —
Beneath the rule of men entirely great,
The pen is mightier than the sword. Behold
The arch-enchanters wand! — itself a nothing! —
But taking sorcery from the master-hand
To paralyse the Cæsars, and to strike
The loud earth breathless! — Take away the sword —
States can be saved without it!
Dis-Contiguous
Our recent economic state, bipartisanship and ever nagging decrees of church and state have led to an examination of the war that is waged within.
This is my response.
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