The New Photography of Crewdson, Gursky and Wall
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge University of Kentucky Master's Theses Graduate School 2011 CONSTRUCTING THE REAL: THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHY OF CREWDSON, GURSKY AND WALL Melissa A. Schwartz University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Schwartz, Melissa A., "CONSTRUCTING THE REAL: THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHY OF CREWDSON, GURSKY AND WALL" (2011). University of Kentucky Master's Theses. 97. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/97 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Kentucky Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT OF THESIS CONSTRUCTING THE REAL: THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHY OF CREWDSON, GURSKY AND WALL A new class of photographs that relies on digital processes, best exemplified by the works of Gregory Crewdson, Andreas Gursky and Jeff Wall all exhibit a ‘not quite right’ quality that calls into question some of the most closely held truisms of photographic thought. Through novel technological processes combined with the elements of the new photography—new scale, fabulist imagery, and implied narrative—these images challenge the nature of photography as a documentary process and, beyond that, the nature of what we understand to be ‘the real’ that is supposedly documented. A visual analysis of these images through the lens of Roland Barthes’ and Susan Stewart’s scholarship reveals truths about these images and about photography as a medium. What these elements, this ‘lack of rightness’, can tell us about photography and its position as documentary medium can help us better understand the nature of contemporary photography as a truly creative medium rather than a documentation of the real. These artists are engaging in a discourse of artifice, questioning the position of photographs as documents of how it was, revealing that not only is their work not a documentation of the world as it is, but that photography never was. KEYWORDS: Digital Photography, Roland Barthes, Gregory Crewdson, Andreas Gursky, Jeff Wall Multimedia Elements Used: JPEG (jpg) Melissa A. Schwartz March 08, 2011 _ Constructing the Real: The New Photography of Crewdson, Gursky and Wall By Melissa A. Schwartz __Robert Jensen_______________ Director of Thesis _Dennis Carpenter____________ Director of Graduate Studies _March 08, 2011 _ RULES FOR THE USE OF THESES Unpublished theses submitted for the Master’s degree and deposited in the University of Kentucky Library are as a rule open for inspection, but are to be used only with due regard to the rights of the authors. Bibliographical references may be noted, but quotations or summaries of parts may be published only with the permission of the author, and with the usual scholarly acknowledgements. Extensive copying or publication of the thesis in whole or in part also requires the consent of the Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky. A library that borrows this thesis for use by its patrons is expected to secure the signature of each user. Name Date ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ THESIS Melissa A. Schwartz The Graduate School University of Kentucky 2011 CONSTRUCTING THE REAL: THE NEW PHOTOGRAPHY OF CREWDSON, GURSKY AND WALL _____________________________________________ THESIS _____________________________________________ A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Kentucky By Melissa A. Schwartz Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Robert Jensen, Professor of Art History Lexington, Kentucky 2011 Copyright © Melissa A. Schwartz 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis would not have been possible without the support of a number of wonderful people. Firstly, I would like to thank my thesis advisor Dr. Robert Jensen. No one could ask for a more insightful and exuberant mentor. Committee members DGS Dennis “Bones” Carpenter and Dr. Ania Brzyski came together with Dr. Jensen to form my dream team of three who both individually and collectively, provided me with insights that challenged my thinking, substantially improving not only this paper but also influencing my approach and attitude towards life. I also want to thank so many other fabulous friends, and colleagues, including Dr. Benjamin C. Withers, Dr. Jane Peters, and Cynthia D. Clark for providing answers to questions I didn’t know to ask. I cannot forget the always-lovely Fine Arts girl gang comprised of Joyce Rife, Jane Andrus, Tonya Brooks, Lesley Chapman, Susan Hemmingson, and Rebecca Amsler for without their witty banter I’m not sure I would have made it through the insanity. In addition, my dear friends Gwenda Bond and Christopher Rowe have always provided that proverbial port in the storm. Thank you. I would also like to thank my family: my parents, Mary Ann Koropchak and Arthur E. Schwartz; my extended parents Marilyn Gilroy, Thomas J. Koropchak, Glenda Moorer, Dr. C. Alan Moorer, and Dr. Sally Hamilton; as well as, my sister and brother-in- law Vanessa and Max Flannery, and brother Josh Koropchak for helping me formulate this creation known as ‘me’ and for the encouragement to see this project to fruition. My partner, Melissa Moorer, provided on-going support throughout this process, as well as thoughtful quality control essential for completing this project. As always, she is truly my inspiration and no, Melissa, you will not have to read this one more time. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... iii List of Figures.......................................................................................................................v I. Introduction The trouble with some photographs.............................................................................1 Current literature..........................................................................................................3 Nostalgia ....................................................................................................................15 II. This image is not a photograph ......................................................................................21 New scale...................................................................................................................22 Photography’s evolving practices and the new scale........................................25 Technology—evolution of process as integral to the new scale.......................28 Fantastical / fabulist imagery.....................................................................................36 We’re only after one single perfect moment.....................................................37 Implied narrative........................................................................................................44 III. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................55 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................57 Vita......................................................................................................................................60 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure II.1, Gregory Crewdson, Untitled, (Figure II.2) 1998-2002, ‘Twilight’ Series, Shown as processed through an ASCII filter (http://www.glassgiant.com/ascii/). http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lJX6gvbjS- 0/TKqZeEo7f6I/AAAAAAAAAHA/SfMoFpXiw_A/s1600/Gregory+Crewdson+2.jpg……….51 Figure II.2, Gregory Crewdson, Untitled, (Figure II.2) 1998-2002, ‘Twilight’ Series, http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lJX6gvbjS- 0/TKqZeEo7f6I/AAAAAAAAAHA/SfMoFpXiw_A/s1600/Gregory+Crewdson+2.jpg……….51 Figure II.3, Gregory Crewdson, Untitled, 2003-2005, ‘Beneath the Roses’ Series, 144.8 x 223.5 cm, Digital C-print. http://www.fotomuseum.ch/presse/0606_GC/04.BeneathTheRoses,300dpi.jpg………………...52 Figure II.4, Jeff Wall, A View from an Apartment, 2004-2005, 167 x 244 cm, Transparency in lightbox. http://www.tate.org.uk/images/cms/12851w_wall1.jpg……………………………………...52 Figure II.5, Jeff Wall, In Front of a Nightclub, 2006, 226 x 360.8 cm, Transparency in lightbox. http://db-artmag.com/archiv/assets/images/561/34.jpg Collection of the Pilara Family Foundation………………………………...……………….53 Figure II.6, Andreas Gursky, 99 Cent., 1999, 207 x 337 cm. http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2001/gursky/images/99cent_pop.jpg………….53 Figure II.7, Andreas Gursky, Kuwait Stock Exchange, 2007, 295.1 x 222 cm. http://static.royalacademy.org.uk/images/width270/screen-shot-2010-11-09-at-12-39-32-