#photographsasobjects

[kongostories]

Photograph a Photograph

It’s a weird concept really but it is also the easiest (at least one of) forms of reproducing a photograph which already exists.

These were taken really quickly before my next tutorial. I also didn’t much enjoy looking at the photographs on screen. The edges curled too much and the contrast faded. Maybe its because I was in a hurry.

I was between shooting these and urbanscapes and figuring out what the “missing link” was. As well as working, travelling to and attending uni.

Faces are my main thing, well people. For me at least, it makes photographs more relatable/ personal. So including portraits would surely be my addition to the project. I say this because the album/ family images are from other people (although I included my parents family albums); then the urbanscapes were the community’s overall contribution. I just happened to be the person behind the camera. But the styling and addition of portraits are from me. Portraiture and documenting people, life and events is what gets me going so that’s my contribution.

A round start to a lifetime project. I believe I have found my calling...

[kongostories]

Almost a year ago today I started looking into how/ where to begin. The thing that I love most about archival/ old images are the paper and quality of the image itself. In today’s photographic industry, it is almost impossible to replicate what those photos.

The materiality and object of the photo holds as much history and importance as the contents itself. I want to recreate at least one, just one photo that will look as similar to its original as possible. I’m sure that is doable. Right?

The two years before starting my MA, I was occupied with learning more about my Congo and struggling with starting a project, let only getting out and about to do much. #lackingmotivation

In 2013, I lived in Brussels for 3months. I was there to find and record what was/is already out there in the hands of the ‘coloniser’ and experience just how accessible it is to anyone. The one place who were open and happy with little to no restrictions to viewing and such were Les Soeurs de la Charite de Jesus et de Marie (Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary) in Ghent. Such loving and helpful women, I pray to go back for a refresher and to show them what has come from my visits to their archives. Maybe there could be a collaboration of sorts.

None of the images within Kongo archives were taken or recovered from the missionary as copyright laws...

Photographs as objects was just one of many texts that resonated with me prior and during the building of Kongo. Archive Fever and Black Skin, White Masks were others which opened and continues to broaden my thinking. [should you require a bibliography, I’m more than happy to provide them]

Importance of the photograph is bestowed onto it by its owner; you and I; and with this history and a multitude of stories are unconsciously embedded into them. Each time the owner [you] remember that day/ scenario a little bit of memory is erased/ replaced or simply added into the frame through the act of remembering alone, and even more so through speech between each other. This does not mean that its stories are fake, just many in my eyes.

Recording stories is one of the ways I believe stories can remain as true as the day the event occurred. I would like that [recording stories] to be another factor of the Kongo archives as recordings become objects which can be handled similar to photographs.

*linked the amazon page for the book, in case you want to buy it.*