Kirsten Bosma

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Allah in Europa

src: https://www.vpro.nl/programmas/allah-in-europa/kijk/afleveringen/aflevering-1-bosnie.html

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Conversations - Nicholas Blechman & Christoph Niemann

This is a booklet about the communication of images. Over a period of four months, the authors exchanged drawings and photos using their smart phones. Nicholas Blechman used black ink and Christoph Niemann used blue. The only rule was that the conversation be non-verbal.

What I like about this work is that when you stop using words to communicate you need to find the visuals or composition for it. As you can see in my collection of images I am mostly interested in the way Blechman and Niemann perceive daily observations. Through the combinations of images are ideas/concepts arising. For example the upper right one could be perceived like the world is build on nature but today nature is dropping out of the urban world and taking back their dominate position. This can refer to natural disasters. Very funny, yet interesting work!

src: http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/christoph-niemann-nicholas-blechman-conversations-publication-illustration-030717

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NRC checkt: ‘Helft van de mensheid woont op 3 procent van het aardoppervlak’

src: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/08/21/nrc-checkt-helft-van-de-mensheid-woont-op-3-procent-van-het-aardoppervlak-12618708-a1570636?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1503386086

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Incoming - Richard Mosse

‘At a moment when the world is facing the world’s largest refugee and migration crisis since the Second World War, the latest deeply inspirational publication by Irish photographic artist Richard Mosse named ‘Incoming’, deals with this contemporary major humanitarian and political plight, the displacement of millions due to war, persecution and climate change.’ Blind to skin color, this camera technology registers only the contours of relative heat difference within a given scene, foregrounding the fragile human body’s struggle for survival in hostile environments, resulting in imagery that leaves an everlasting impression on us.

This work is, in my opinion, very important to the world. We have all seen horrific pictures of the refugee crisis but because of the “photojournalistic aesthetic” which is very familiar to us, we (or at least I) was never really able to connect with the victims because the distance was noticeable. But this movie/photographs gave the documentation of the refugee crisis a new aesthetic, which connects us to the victims. We no longer see victims but living people of flesh and blood. Human beings seeking for a home and warmth in their lives. This is something all most everyone is seeking. 

To me, it is very interesting to see/notice the influence of how my mind is ‘programmed’ in reading images and aesthetics. By using a whole new aesthetic  Richard Mosse changed the way I look at images of the refugee crisis. 

Another thing what I like about this work is the metaphor the work holds. The used camera captures warmth. We associate warmth with a home feeling which is exactly what these people are seeking. 

src: Les Rencontres d’Arles

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‘Thomas Albdorf is “shifting perceptions” of contemporary photography’ 

Confusing or “shifting perceptions” of photography is a regular theme in Thomas’ work as his “main interest focuses on photography and sculpture – in particular, the intersection area between both practices,” says his bio. Using objects in a sculptural context is a key subject in the photographer’s most recent series and subsequent publication, General View.

I really like how Thomas Albdorf plays with the perception of photographs. His definition of an image is rather interesting: “The basic photograph doesn’t officiate as an enclosed image rather than a space of possibilities and probabilities,” Foam Amsterdam’s curator Hinde Haest puts it, “stretch traditional photographic genres and form a commentary of the changing role of the image”. I think it is very important, as a photographer, to realise how images work and what they are. In each image is a sense of surrealism but still, there are recognisable elements that brings his images back to earth. Maybe this is also the case in modern society where we still walk and live on earth but by all kinds of technologies we are placed in “other platforms” which changes our perception of the world we live in. (These are just some random thoughts.)

src: http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/thomas-albdorf-general-view-photography-190717

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‘ECAL photography graduate Cécilia Poupon elevates everyday beauty’

‘Another Hydra is a personal overview of the consequences of contemporary society on the definition of our identity. We tend to become fragmented individuals, displaying our multiplied identity on an ever-growing number of surfaces around us, like screens, for instance. Never too opaque nor transparent, this work constantly confronts characters who resist the idea of image-altering surfaces. The recurring fragmentation of our lives and of our identity becomes visible through technology, architecture and our everyday life arrangements.’

What is interesting to me is her concept: The influence of contemporary society on our identity. “We tend to become fragmented individuals, displaying our multiplied identity on an ever-growing number of surfaces around us, like screens, for instance.” Still, I am having a hard time reading her images which also makes it interesting.

src: http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/cecilia-poupon-photography-270717

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‘De Joods-Nederlandse identiteit was geen toonbeeld van integratie’

src: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/07/28/ontdaan-van-valse-romantiek-12271603-a1568126?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#link_time=1501268923

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Arles 2017: The Parallel State by Guy Martin in the New Discovery Award

src: http://www.bjp-online.com/2017/07/guy-martin-on-shooting-the-parallel-state-in-turkey/

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The Live Wild Collective

src: https://www.thelivewildcollective.com/homepage-artists

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Daily observation no.4

This is an image my dad took today in Sao Paulo, Brazile.

What I find interesting about this image is the flash in the image. My dad is an absolute amateur in photography but he takes a lot of images with his phone, like this one. All settings are done automatically, the flash as well. When he took this image the flash went off but because the images was taken trough a window, the flash is reflected on the image itself. This often creates a distance in the image because there is something in between the camera and the photographed object(s). Nevertheless, in this case the flash actually looks like the sun! This is a very funny fact and outcome. Officially, people would call it a fail, but this time it is interesting and I might use it on purpose as well. 

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‘Why Artist-photographer Joachim Schmid loves Photographic garbage’

This is a short interview with photography Joachim Schmid who only works with found photographic material.

I think the thoughts about “photographic garbage” by Joachim is very interesting! He sees society and photography being closely connected. According to Joachim he photographs reflect what’s going on in photography. I am now researching the role and function of photography within society so this is a very interesting source. What does the photograph still mean? Can we still “own” images? Is there anthropological rhythms visible in todays amateur photography? All questions which are very interesting to me. Personally, I really like to work with found footage but I now want to develop my own “photographic” skills. 

src: https://www.lensculture.com/articles/joachim-schmid-celebrating-photographic-garbage

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‘Erik Kessels Celebrates the Mistakes of Amateurs’ 

This is an article about Erik Kessels view on photography and his ‘ideology’ about failure. Kessels uses failures to create, is convinced in the positive outcome of failures and therefore praises the mistakes. “Kessels is flirting with failure”.

I think the way Erik Kessels treats images and failures is very inspiring. I also read the book ‘Failed it!’ which was very interesting. At the moment I am very interested in the place of photography in society, especially amateur photography. Therefore I really like ‘In almost every picture’ by Erik Kessels (http://www.kesselskramerpublishing.com/in-almost-every-picture/). The most interesting parts of the article to me are the thought of Kessels on failure. I can definitely learn from that since I am quite a perfectionist. 

src: http://aperture.org/blog/erik-kessels-celebrates-amateurs/

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Faking it, approximately - James Reeder

‘Limited by light sensitivity in early emulsions, most landscape photographs had clear white skies. These images are vague approximations processed with a smartphone image edition app, rephotographed and printed as gelatin silver prints.’

To me, this work is very interesting because it is about an inability of the camera in the early years of photography. The camera’s were unable to catch the sensitivity of the sky and therefore often became completely white. I do wonder why he used analogue images, edited them in a smartphone app and subsequently printing them in a traditional/analogue way. This is interesting to think about since he connects two very different periods of photography; from luxury product to mass media. 

src: https://dergreif-online.de/artist-blog/faking-it-approximately/#content-slider

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‘Can the sun lie?’ - Susan Schuppli

This is an Essay by the British artist and researcher Susan Schuppli. The essay is about the question ‘Can the sun lie?’, first questioned by the Albany Law Journal in 1886. It starts by describing the function of the sun in photography and then talks about an example of the sun who is lying to people. 

I think this is a really interesting essay because nowadays truth is what we question a lot. I really like the combination of historical facts and the “modern” issue climate change. I am definitely going to watch the documentary where the essay is partly about. The subjects that Susan address are very interesting and also the central question ‘Can the sun lie?’ is truly intriguing because we often take facts about the sun for granted. Very nice!

src: http://www.susanschuppli.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Can-the-Sun-Lie.pdf 

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Why all world maps are wrong

This is a sort video explaining that all maps are distorted.

I think it is interesting that we trust this ‘fact’ that the world looks like what we see on a map even thought it actually turns out to be distorted. If we see a world map we recognise it and say this is what the world looks like. Nevertheless, we have no idea how it really looks because it is not possible create an objective/factual world map. Still, we trust it because we like to have things understandable, visual and approachable. Very interesting!

src: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIID5FDi2JQ 

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Miss Albino

‘In Tanzania albinos represent one in every 1429 births. A much higher number than in any other country. Based on the belief that certain body parts of albinos can transit magical powers, people with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered. People affected with a genetic disorder are often seen as outcasts in the society. To give awareness to the community, to honor the rights of people with albinism and to promote their talent and to courage them to show their abilities Miss Albino contest was held for the first time in Dar Es salaam on 27th of November 2015. The film portray a minority that suffers from myths surrounding their appearance and discrimination based on them. The video shows their dreams and their struggle of becoming accepted and equally represented with the majorities.’

I think it is very interesting to see that the inhabitants of Tanzania use a very western event, Miss Contest, to create awareness to the community and to make albino’s count. In African culture albino’s are rejected but nowadays they want acceptance and no discrimination which is also based on the western ideas/culture. It is interesting to see this big influence of the western world in Africa which at the same time makes me worry about the worlds reduction of diversity. Of course I encourage events against discrimination but I also think it is important to cherish diversity in cultures. 

src: https://vimeo.com/161002147 

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‘How to avoid the cliches of traditional travel photography’

‘The disposable cameras that were once ubiquitously used to document holidays of yore have been replaced, for the most part, by limitless filtered and hashtagged images shared via Instagram. But in spite of a drastic shift in medium, travel photography remains more or less the same; we ritualistically document the places that we visit. With such a wealth of aesthetic possibility, how do you choose what to record on your excursions to unfamiliar terrains?’

To me, this is an interesting topic. Travel photography is the “kind” of photography which exist since the camera became portable and the aesthetics of travel photography stayed more or less the same. It is interesting that the medium photography changed so drastically but this kind remained. When we travel, we like to capture the identity of the country and of course document what we did. It is saving memories but the action of taking a photo often distances us from the moment. This is interesting to research further and also kind of connect to an other post on this Tumblr called ‘Hunters in Africa’. 

src: http://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/gallery/8775/travel/12