A Photography of Belonging
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Dominican Scholar Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship Faculty and Staff Scholarship 2014 Gelang: A Photography of Belonging Chase Clow Department of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Dominican University of California, [email protected] Survey: Let us know how this paper benefits you. Recommended Citation Clow, Chase, "Gelang: A Photography of Belonging" (2014). Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship. 125. https://scholar.dominican.edu/all-faculty/125 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty and Staff Scholarship at Dominican Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Dominican Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GELANG: A PHOTOGRAPHY OF BELONGING by Chase M. Clow A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of California Institute of Integral Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Transformative Studies California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco, CA 2014 UMI Number: 3680156 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI 3680156 Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346 CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL I certify that I have read GELANG: A PHOTOGRAPHY OF BELONGING by Chase M. Clow, and that in my opinion this work meets the criteria for approving a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Transformative Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies. David Peat, Ph.D., Chair Adjunct Professor, Transformative Studies Program Daniel Deslauriers, Ph.D. Professor, Transformative Studies Program Judy Halebsky, Ph.D. Dominican University of California © 2014 Chase M. Clow Chase M. Clow California Institute of Integral Studies, 2014 David Peat, Ph.D., Committee Chair GELANG: A PHOTOGRAPHY OF BELONGING ABSTRACT Gelang: A Photography of Belonging proposes a new category of landscape photography, one that moves away from emphasis upon imagery of particular kinds of landscape (such as wilderness, topographical, or wastelandscape) and also away from genres of photography (art, documentary, or scientific) and instead investigates the shared values and ethics among landscape and nature photographers and the kinds of awareness and knowledge that arise through outdoor, field-based photographic practice. An analysis of the writings of photographers and their published interviews, as well as the author’s own photographic experiences in the field, reveals a common core of life-affirming values predicated on a heightened sense of belonging to the land and a corresponding sense of communication with and responsibility toward the other- than-human beings, forces and forms that together with humans co-create our shared world. The work argues for photography as phronesis—knowledge acquired through practice that leads to wise, practical reasoning—and the importance of photography as a highly mobile, poly-sensual, and immersive experience of place that leads to increased ecological knowledge; expanded iv understanding of the relationship between human action and environmental response; heightened awareness of cyclical changes and patterns; a better understanding of oneself in relation to others, both human and other-than-human; a sense of connection with the Cosmos; expanded self-awareness; and an increased respect for all of life. Four kinds of photographic vision are explored in this work—looking, seeing, witnessing, and reflecting—all of which foster different types of awareness and responsibility. Keywords: photography, landscape, art-based research v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS One cannot undertake such sustained work without the encouragement and help of many. I especially wish to thank: Dr. Ali Kianfar and Dr. Nahid Angha, without whose kind prodding I would not have dreamed of pursuing doctoral studies. Susan Merwin, whose love and enthusiastic support of my intellectual and artistic goals has been unwavering throughout my life and whose willingness to think with me through this project has been indispensible. Lorin Spaulding, who has listened patiently and graciously to my ideas and whose willingness to give up weekend hikes and vacations has been essential. Rabea and Ameneh McCullough, whose sweet affection sustains me. Dr. Harlan Stelmach and Dr. Philip Novak, who as my early academic mentors gently pushed and guided me toward sustained intellectual pursuit. Dr. Leili First, whose advice throughout this process has been invaluable. Dr. Nicola Pitchford, who has unwaveringly supported my research goals. Finally, my students, whose love of learning is palpable and who therefore inspire me to continuously improve my knowledge. I am especially grateful to my dissertation committee: Dr. David Peat, whose exploration of the interrelation of art, science and the sacred inspires me to pursue a similar interdisciplinary inquiry; Dr. Daniel Deslauriers, whose creative academic spirit and interest in arts-based research opened the doors to this dissertation; and Dr. Judy Halebsky, whose ever-upbeat manner and no-nonsense, practical advice kept me firmly grounded and on track. vi DEDICATION To my mothers and daughters Susan B. Merwin, my biological mother Nahid Angha, Ph. D., my spiritual mother Rabea McCullough Ameneh McCullough Your keen intellects and compassionate hearts are pure inspiration to me. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract.................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements................................................................................................ vi Dedication............................................................................................................. vii List of Figures......................................................................................................... x Introducing.............................................................................................................. 1 Unpacking Terms and Photographic Genres ............................................. 3 Nature and Landscape..................................................................... 3 Photographic Classifications........................................................... 8 Review of Critical Literature .................................................................... 12 Conversation, Community and Embodiment ............................................ 17 Defining Gelang........................................................................................ 21 Question and Method................................................................................ 23 Delimitations............................................................................................. 27 Theory and Intention................................................................................. 28 Summary of Chapters................................................................................ 31 Emerging............................................................................................................... 34 Early Western Landscape Photographers ................................................ 45 Art Photography, Pictorialism, and Modernist Landscape...................... 47 Twentieth Century American Landscape.................................................. 54 Journeying............................................................................................................. 61 Looking................................................................................................................. 83 Seeing.................................................................................................................. 102 Witnessing .......................................................................................................... 127 Reflecting............................................................................................................ 154 Belonging............................................................................................................ 175 Works Cited ........................................................................................................ 184 9 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Summer storm approaching, Southeastern Colorado, 2011 ................. 60 Figure 2. Sacramento River, Redding, 2012........................................................ 65 Figure 3. Morning light on the roadside, Cayonlands, 2013 ............................... 69 Figure 4. Young black tailed buck, Novato, 2011 ............................................... 74 Figure 5. Sotol, Eastern Utah, 2013..................................................................... 77 Figure 6. Marijke #1, Miwok Park, Novato, 2013............................................... 82 Figure 7. Marijke #2, Miwok Park, Novato, 2013............................................... 83 Figure 8. Marijke #3, Miwok Park, Novato, 2013..............................................