Chapter four looks primarily at how
everyday objects, often ordinary objects can be turned into subject matter for
photographic artworks, through the accidental or physical placement of objects
and scenes.
We often see these objects everyday
around the house or in the world around us but we pay no attention to them "because we may ordinarily pass these
objects by, or keep them at the periphery of our vision, we may not
automatically give them credence as visual subjects within arts lexicon." (Charlotte Cohen, 2004, pg.60). By taking a
photograph of usual everyday objects, it forces the audience to take a closer
look at what they are seeing and look deeper into a narrative or meaning behind
the photograph. Whereas one would usually pass on by the object without giving
it a second thought, the artists have prescribed a meaning to the object by
taking a photograph of it. This typical style of photography is said to break
down the boundaries between the artist's studio, gallery and the world around
him.
This style of photography usually
relies on the artwork formed by nature or humanity without realizing it, the
artists then take this imagery and by photographing it, turn it into something
that people are required to give deeper thought into. Objects that are placed
by accident next to one another but yet form an unusual visual bond with each other.
The photographs in this chapter are described as an "attempt to shift our perceptions
of our daily lives." (Charlotte
Cohen, 2004, pg.66).
Chapter four also looks at how some
photographers, namely James Welling have realized that the possibilities of
photography are infinite and he has begun taking photographs of the same scene
or situation but from different angles in order to show the audience that from
a different perspective, the object can appear to be completely different and
convey a completely different meaning to what it previously did.
Resources : Charlotte Cotton (2004): The Photograph as
Contemporary Art; Thames and Hudson World of Art.
