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Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1

WEEK 3 / PHOTOGRAPHY IN LONDON

What is the photographic series of? (Concrete subject: this is what you see in the image)

The photographic series is of regular patterns composed of lines and arcs. All these images are symmetrical and well-regulated, and are in black-and-white, which forms a sharp contrast.

What is the photographic series about? (Abstract subject: this is how you interpret what you see in the image)

To be honest, I thought that the photographic series is about the repetition of lines to present a sense of simplicity at first. However, I later found that it is actually about the movement and rhythms of signal voltages, which is really interesting and creative. No wonder I felt familiar with this series at first glance. The electrical currents can been clearly seen and they, with different intensity, frequency, distortion and amplitude, reflect the electrical microcosm. Since I majored in physics when I was in senior high school, I think such images are quite interesting.

What unities these photos as a series? What choices has the photographer made to make this work?

The photographer uses oscillography, which is now called oscilloscope, to observe the signal voltages and capture what he sees. Through the photos, he presents us the beauty of currents and of the patterns they create. The “currents”, therefore, unit all the six photos together.

The Photograph I choose:

Alexandre Vitkine 1910-2014

Untitled c. 1960

Identify and describe one compositional aspect or photographic attribute (e.g., framing, point of view, shapes, lines, use of light or b & W etc.)

The constant “waves” of lines reflect the vibration of signal voltage, and we can see that the vibrating range gradually expands from left to right, showing that the currents get stronger. Besides, the photographer makes the photo black and white to clarify the lines, highlighting the patterns created by the currents.

Explain how you think that your chosen compositional aspect/ photographic attribute influences the meaning of the photo.

The use of repeated arcs and lines greatly simplify the contents of the photos. Instead of capturing the lightning in the sky or other forms of currents, the photographer shot what he saw through an oscilloscope. Such images allow us to have a closer observation and deeper understanding of the currents and to feel the beauty and simplicity of the microcosm of currents.

Do you think this photo was taken with a big or small aperture (e.g. F12 or 16)?

As far as I am concerned, the photos are of 2-dimensional signals, so it is hard to tell which kind of aperture the photographer used.

#photography #graphic #tate modern #shape of light #geometric #Alexandre Vitkine