Isolation

An exploration into the theme of Isolation, beginning with the photographer Ben Zank

[charlottecrawford]

Wim Wenders’ Polaroids 

Wim Wenders is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, photographer, and a major figure in New German Cinema. I became interested in Wenders’ Polaroid images depicting friends and family, behind-the scenes, still-lives, street-photography and landscapes. The images are an intimate portrayal of Wenders’ interests and fascinations, taking us on a journey through Europe and the U.S. Polaroids have a slightly blurred and nostalgic quality, capturing a moment which can not be replicated or repeated and making it into something tangible. Wenders recognised that his daily perceptions would become a way to document the past, which create a ‘romanticism of alienation’ and portray ‘the anxious heroic grasping for beautiful moments slipping just out of reach’. 

In the above Polaroid a car with it’s front door swung open sits before a vast and sprawling landscape. I imagine the lone driver has suddenly pulled over to capture this beautiful landscape and in anticipation for the image he wasn’t concerned in closing the car door. It captures a sense of excitement and appreciation for fleeting moments in life, but also a sense of loneliness in such a huge environment. As soon as the photo is taken, I imagine the photographer to have a sense of longing for this past moment, a desperation to preserve what he cannot, and a fear of change. But ultimately, life is full of change and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it. 

[charlottecrawford]

Photograph from ‘The Teenage Gaze’ by Petra Collins

Petra Collins images from ‘The Teenage Gaze’ capture the space between childhood and adulthood, capturing teenage life in which subjects are endlessly waiting for one thing or another. Collins captures this in-between phase with an aesthetic beauty, but still portraying this emptiness, nervousness and isolation which many teenagers feel, regardless of gender. The series questions the over glamorised expectation of teenage life of discovery and exploration, showing both the good and the more mundane reality of it all, consisting of car rides, spots and persistent waiting. The images hold a dreamy aesthetic, reflective of Collin’s nostalgia for the past, and reminiscent of the atmosphere created by Wim Wenders Polaroids. 

The above image shows a young girl resting her head against a car window and gazing out. Lights in the distance are out of focus, creating a dreamlike haze. Low key lighting and a cool, blue toned colour palette creates a sombre tone to the image, evocative of the troubles the subject is likely facing throughout her teenage life. Growing up, we have a vision in our heads of how teenage life will be, inspired by the media’s idealistic portrayal of it. However, we soon find out that being a teenager is nothing like how we hoped it would be. We imagined late nights out getting drunk, meeting new people, being daring and disregarding rules; we wanted to feel alive and free. Instead, we are stuck waiting on lifts, waiting to legally be able to buy alcohol, waiting for someone to like us back, just waiting. The subject of the image has probably come to this harsh realisation as she stares out the car window, wishing that things were easier. 

[charlottecrawford]

‘Untitled’ (Trailer Park), 2007, from the series ‘Beneath the Roses’ Digital carbon print

Gregory Crewdson 

Crewdson’s images can appear very ordinary upon first glance as there isn’t much action taking place. For example, the above image is simply a girl sitting on the swings at a trailer park. However, upon further examination, we look closer and begin to build a narrative around what we see. Crewdson doesn't want to know his subjects well, he wants a certain distance to remain between them and gives them basic physical instructions such as “just open your mouth a little bit”. It is in this way that Crewdson captures these frozen moments in time, making it easier for viewers to project their own narrative onto the picture. We notice a woman peering through a window of a trailer in the background, who we assume is the girl’s mother. The trailer has a faint white mist above the roof, giving it a somewhat ghostly yet ethereal look. Crewdson has stated that he tries to show “the sense of longing that exists in isolation and loneliness, and capture the search for something greater,” which is clearly evident in this image. The way the mother stares out the window perhaps suggests a resentment that her daughter has a chance to change her situation in the future, whereas she will likely remain trapped in the trailer park. The situation of the trailer park being on the edge of what appears to be a forest adds a deeper meaning to the image. Forests are suggestive of an unexplored realm full of the unknown, whilst they are known to stand for the unconscious and it’s mysteries.  Forests have also been used as symbolism of the mother, however this contrasts with the bleak image we see before us. 

[charlottecrawford]

‘Hartford’, 1979 

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

In this image a man dressed in a shirt and tie gazes out an upstairs window as he smokes a cigarette. We imagine that the man has just finished another 9-5 day at work, probably in a busy office environment with little to no reward. I imagine he feels like this is his only option, a way to make ends meet, always wishing for the next weekend or holiday to get a momentary escape from a mundane reality. The only warm light source is the lighting from within the room, besides that the frame is composed of predominantly cooler, darker tones. A bleak atmosphere is created through the use of lighting and composition, by placing the man in the right third of the image a sense of the outside space is exaggerated making him small in comparison.The subject looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders and could be described as ‘melancholic’. 

[charlottecrawford]

‘Red Desert’, 1964

Directed by Michaelangelo Antonioni 

Antonioni explores post war Italy through architecture, urban space and the sculptural presence of objects, shapes and emotions through camera movement and depth of focus. His aesthetic films, created during the period of Neorealism, approach the unseen nature of human life, with his protagonist’s often having empty and purposeless lives aside from the desire for material wealth.  He often used objects as a way of mirroring a characters psychic state, freeing them from narrative constraints. 

In Antonioni’s film ‘Red Desert’, a depressed young mother begins an affair with the friend of her successful but neglectful husband, as a way of coping in this industrial society. The film’s setting starkly contrasts to the image we expect to see when we think of Italy, instead we are faced with a grim and unsettling industrial landscape of modern wastelands and toxic factories. The protagonist’s alienation is evident through the use of framing and composition, unusually cropping her in the frame and partially obscuring her through objects. Long shots engulf the characters, factories and pylons looming in the distance. This portrayal of isolation in such a harsh and cruel environment, in which people are more interested in wealth than each other, provokes the viewer to question their own subconscious. 

[charlottecrawford]

‘Hutchinson Home Video’ 

Oil on wood, 2016

Liam Symes

Based in Plymouth, Symes paintings evoke a feeling of nostalgia and focus on the themes of memory, isolation and serenity. He is often inspired by the past, particularly childhood memories, short films and home videos. He experiments with different mediums to created a blurred effect, creating the effect of an old forgotten photograph. 

The above image primarily consists of dark tones of blue, green, navy and black. Large brush strokes of oil paint create a distorted and blurred effect, making the subject’s features difficult to distinguish. Aside from the little boy, there aren’t any other factors to suggest the environment he’s in. Blocks of colour and diagonal lines split the image into sections, with the boy positioned in the bottom half of the frame. Personally, this image creates a sadness, a longing for the past which can never be replicated. It may be indicative of the artist’s dissatisfaction with his current life.  

[charlottecrawford]

Top image taken from Nguan’s ‘Singapore’ series.

Bottom image taken from Nguan’s ‘How Loneliness Goes’ series.

Nguan’s images encapsulate the detachment of an extinct Singapore, having given way to urbanisation, and it’s forgotten inhabitants. The subjects rarely connect with the camera, instead they stare into the distance with blank expressions or even frowns upon their faces. The subjects often stand before grubby 50s and 60s constructions, neglected in favour of the sterile malls and offices. The people themselves appear trapped in time themselves, clad in dress-shirts, airy blouses and dresses. Disconnection between the people accompanied by vacant gazes represents the themes of detachment and urban loneliness, whilst the pastel tones evoke a feeling of nostalgia.

In the top image, a man sits on a red plastic chair, with white washed buildings in the background. Several other men are around him but all are preoccupied with their own activities, as one man reads the paper. We are drawn to the man in focus, who is staring into thin air and seems completely inaccessible to those around him. It is evocative of the sense of ‘feeling alone in a crowded room’. In a modern age, people are much more concerned with communicating via technology than with the people standing before them.

The bottom image deals with the same theme as the top image, but with an enhanced sense of loneliness. The woman dines alone, at a round table with empty chairs accompanied by similarly empty bowls, highlighting the absence of companions. She stares down at the table, her body hunched over, making her appear withdrawn from society. Overall, there is a sense of sadness. The people appear accustomed to this aloof life of detachment and it feels as though it will never change.

[charlottecrawford]

‘Lost in Translation’

2003 

Directed by Sofia Coppola 

Lost in Translation is a film about the bond that forms between two unlikely strangers in the metropolis of Tokyo. The two protagonists share a similar dissatisfaction with life, having conversations about their lives and relationships as well as their hopes and dreams. The films suggests a connection which is not necessarily sexual, instead focusing on the characters lives and the meaning of it all. Coppola, along with the film’s cinematographer Lance Accord, uses a combination of creative lighting, composition, lens filters and angles to convey the emotions of the characters and the beauty of Japan itself. 

The use of wide shots effectively conveys the lonely and isolated existence of the characters, often shown to occupy a a small space alone in the frame or similarly in a large space surrounded by thousands of people. The contemporary setting of bustling Tokyo is used as a visual representation of the character’s emotional states; chaotic and unbalanced. There is a sense of irony with the thought that these two people could feel so alone in such a heavily populated city. The hotel in which the characters are staying becomes a sort of prison, a comfort zone in which it’s occupants avoid actually experiencing their lives outside of it’s walls. 

[charlottecrawford]

‘Untitled 2009/10′

 Inkjet print

Bill Henson 

Over a forty-year career, Henson’s cinematic images study the human condition through portraits, nudes, museum interiors and landscapes. Chiaroscuro lighting is used to selectively obscure and reveal various aspects, particularly in Henson’s portraiture and nude photography, to heighten the sense of uncertainty. Interested in how various individuals will interpret the aesthetics of his images, Henson’s works propose open-ended narratives open to subjective analysis. 

The image above, unlike the works I have studied previously, lacks any human presence with no sign of life in the distance beyond. It is difficult to distinguish whether it is a large area of rock or a mountain which sits emerged from the vast body of water, but either way it is the only one of its kind in sight. This creates a sense of desolation along with the cool tones and bleak setting of an island completely surrounded by water.  

[charlottecrawford]

‘Woman at Sink’, 2014 from the series ‘Cathedral of the Pines’                    Digital Pigment Print                                                                                 

Gregory Crewdson

Gregory Crewdson is an American artist known for his elaborate photographs of American Suburbia at twilight which are often surreal, dreamlike and haunting. The subjects of the images are often turned away lost in thought, ‘isolate and inaccessible, both to each other and to the viewer’. Crewdson uses Hollywood-scale production techniques in order to create these images, which resemble film stills, holding a narrative restraint allowing them to be interpreted differently depending on each individual. 

"I am fundamentally interested in the uncanny, which is almost by definition like trying to find an unexpected mystery in everyday life," says Crewdson. "It's important to me that the setting for my pictures feels familiar. The settings, the props, the costumes, the subjects, they are supposed to feel ordinary, but then I use light and colour and mood and atmosphere to charge it in some way."

The image lacks a literal narrative, like the title suggests, it is merely a woman standing by a kitchen sink. However, there is a greater psychological depth beyond these everyday settings. This allows the viewer to immediately feel a connection with the image as it’s something we can relate to. The view from the window shows a snow covered house, beyond which a forest sprawls into the distance, immediately evoking a harsh and cold atmosphere which is reflective of Crewdson’s use of lighting.  The woman appears disconnected, a look of dissatisfaction with life as she stares downwards, but also as though she has resigned to it. She has accepted that this is her life, with no energy left to turn the ordinary into anything more than that.  

[charlottecrawford]

‘Automat 1927′ Oil on canvas, 71.4 x 91.4 cm 

Edward Hopper 

The main theme of Hopper’s work is loneliness. The subjects of his paintings often appear far from home, gazing out a train window, drinking alone and reading a letter beside a hotel bed. We sense the figures and their alienation within a foreign environment. ‘Automat’ was created during the ‘Roaring Twenties’ but this is rather ironic to the image of the woman drinking alone in the dead of night, therefore highlighting urban alienation in the city as well as the stresses of everyday life in America. The use of an automat furthers this isolation, as by definition they are self-service restaurants where the food and drinks are dispensed through vending machines, thereby avoiding any unnecessary human interaction. 

The young woman stares into her coffee cup without companionship, the chair opposite tucked firmly into the table, seeking refuge from the city streets. Her green fur-collared coat contrasting with the yellow hat, gives us the sense that she isn't quite fitting into the Jazz Age. The ceiling lights are reflected into the window so that they appear never ending as they disappear into the dark abyss of the night. We are invited to question why the woman is in the automat and what is on her mind. Has she just finished a shift at a job she hates? Is she visiting the city or is this her home? Or is she just tired and exhausted by a mundane existence? The possibilities are endless, the only thing we are certain of is that we have no idea what the woman will be returning to as she steps out into the night. 

[charlottecrawford]

‘Iolanda, 2011′; from "East of Eden"

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

diCorcia’s images are poised between the realms of documentary and staged photography, creating more complex compositions out of seemingly ordinary and banal settings. 

This image is taken from diCorcia’s ongoing photographic series “East of Eden”, the title of which is taken from John Steinbeck’s seminal Depression-era novel. The images themselves are related to the Book of Genesis, borrowing their titles from the biblical characters and stories. The predominant themes of the story are guilt and redemption, but it also self-destruction resulting from a hunger for greatness and good versus evil. Upon first glance, the image appears to have no connection with it’s Biblical inspiration. However, after examining the main themes of the Book of Genesis, I find many suggestions of them through diCorcia’s use of props and the overall composition of the image.  The tornado pictured on the TV screen serves a metaphor for the self-destruction as well as a sense of punishment for wrong-doings, whilst the low key lighting and use of shadow along the bed creates a contrast between good and evil. The woman is clothed in white, surrounded by white walls and curtains and sits on a white bed, creating a sense of spirituality and purity throughout the image.  This purity becomes compromised, threatened by the woman’s reflection, likening an evil doppelganger or the personification of an individual’s dark inner thoughts. 

There is a sense of isolation, the woman is disconnected from the world around her, the TV continuing to play despite it’s absent viewer. We imagine her to be completely lost in her own thoughts, looking out the window, but not actually seeing. 

[charlottecrawford]

Ben Zank’s surreal photography explores the theme of human isolation along with the ongoing struggle of life. His most recent work represents his “longing to connect with another human being”, depicted through figures, often facing away from the camera, with their bodies contorted into shapes which in a way which merge with the surrounding landscape. He pays particular attention to geometry and colour, the subjects themselves often sharing the primary colour within their surroundings. 

The above image shows a suited man submerged in water with tin foil wrapped around his head. Cloudy, grey water expands into the horizon to which it joins with an overcast sky, engulfing this faceless man. Tin foil is often used as a metaphor for paranoia, which heightens the existing isolation. The subject is not only physically isolated in his surroundings and by this tin foil encasing , but also mentally through this self imposed paranoia.