Why Chosen:
I chose Sarolta Ban as they have explored art through multiple mediums before deciding on photography. This photographer focuses on photo manipulation and is a pioneer for the open meaning artwork that can be understood in many different ways by different audiences depending on context of reception.
Examples of Work:
Denotation: The composition of the photograph is within a square framing as opposed to the often used landscape layout. The image can easily be divided into the compositional grid with three diagonal and horizontal cross-sections; the human subject falls at the third line of the grid which is why the audience eye is immediately taken to him. The border creates a finalised style to the piece with the vignette and black and white cross sepia colourisation and lacking saturation adding to the atmosphere of the piece. The change in scale is also vital to the surreal nature of the work.
Connotation: This photograph, from my understanding, connotes death; the crows/ ravens symbolise many different things in various cultures although within my beliefs they are cohesive with death and darkness due to their natural instincts to find food from morbid circumstances such as death. Therefore, I believe that this image is conveying the short lives we live as insignificant and small entities on this world through the crows/ ravens and the elderly man who is having his materialistic possessions stolen by the birds.
Context: Contextually speaking the above birds symbolise various meanings in different belief systems. In Native American beliefs the bird is respected as the bringer of light and creation. Although, other Native American's believe the bird to be a trickster or shape-shifter due to its smart nature which also lead to others believing it like a bad omen in the same way that an owl is. In Celtic beliefs the bird has supreme visionary powers and is associated with the Halloween-like celebrations. In most western cultures the birds are associated with death and bad luck due to their dark feathers and nature of finding food at battlefields. However, it is hard to say what the photographer herself intended the meaning to contextually be due to the subject of the birds meaning different things although the photographer is Hungarian. Moreover, Ban said that the meanings of her works are nebulous so that audiences can make their own understandings from the pieces.
Denotation: Again the composition of this photograph is within a square framing which is a stylistic choice employed by the photographer. The subject is almost central to the photograph with the props including a trumpet and multiple chairs. The vignette adds to the dark atmosphere of the work alongside the sepia/ black and white colouring.
Connotation: The ape as the subject could connote humankind and the instrument and chairs could imply formality of our breed. Instruments are often a symbol of class status and prestige within society which also links to development and evolution whilst the chimp could link to Darwin's theory of evolution. Therefore, the overall combination of the subjects and props could imply the true nature that we, as humans, are still as primal as our beginnings no matter how advanced we believe ourselves, our minds and our systems.
Context: Ban said that she enjoys combining everyday "ordinary elements" to create stories and "personalities". The chairs and trumpet could be considered ordinary but the chimp more unusual.
Denotation: Framing is within a square, the image is more multi-tonal than the above two, the eye is taken on a journey due to the triangular composition of the person, the birds and the top of the stairs. The vignette, another stylistic choice of the photographer adds to the darkness of the image whilst the contrasting light from the clouds add to the juxtapositions.
Connotation: The birds again appear to symbolise death with the light through the clouds and stairs implying the stairway to the afterlife. The landscape is barren and appears to criticise the world which we live in.
Context: Each image takes around 50-100 layers which are composed either over many hours or many days. Therefore, everything small detail chosen in the photographs are vital. The smaller details which could easily be lost are emphasised through tools such as black and white. The dark nature of Ban's work is reinforced by her answer to the question asking if she would like to live in her surreal works; her reply was "No, I wouldn't, because it's really frightening. I might visit that world, but I wouldn't want to live long in there".
Denotation: Framing is again within a square, the photograph is a mixture of tonal greys and dark blues which work in contrast to the light and yellow of the central segment of the image. The eyes are taken up through the photo due to the horizontal lines of the ladders leading to the subjects of the crows/ ravens.
Connotation: The birds once again symbolise death with the yellowing light through the clouds and ladders implying a world distant from the living world. The landscape is barren and appears to criticise the world which we live in.
Context: The grainy nature of the photographic final outcomes are partly due to stylistic choices but also because of the costly nature of most cameras. Ban uses a 5 megapixel point and shoot FinePix S5600 and Photoshop to make her creations.
Denotation: The composition of the photograph is within a square framing as opposed to the often used landscape layout. The image can easily be divided into the compositional grid with three diagonal and horizontal cross-sections; the human subject falls at the third line of the grid which is why the audience eye is immediately taken to him. The border creates a finalised style to the piece with the vignette and black and white cross sepia colourisation and lacking saturation adding to the atmosphere of the piece. The change in scale is also vital to the surreal nature of the work.
Connotation: This photograph, from my understanding, connotes death; the crows/ ravens symbolise many different things in various cultures although within my beliefs they are cohesive with death and darkness due to their natural instincts to find food from morbid circumstances such as death. Therefore, I believe that this image is conveying the short lives we live as insignificant and small entities on this world through the crows/ ravens and the elderly man who is having his materialistic possessions stolen by the birds.
Context: Contextually speaking the above birds symbolise various meanings in different belief systems. In Native American beliefs the bird is respected as the bringer of light and creation. Although, other Native American's believe the bird to be a trickster or shape-shifter due to its smart nature which also lead to others believing it like a bad omen in the same way that an owl is. In Celtic beliefs the bird has supreme visionary powers and is associated with the Halloween-like celebrations. In most western cultures the birds are associated with death and bad luck due to their dark feathers and nature of finding food at battlefields. However, it is hard to say what the photographer herself intended the meaning to contextually be due to the subject of the birds meaning different things although the photographer is Hungarian. Moreover, Ban said that the meanings of her works are nebulous so that audiences can make their own understandings from the pieces.
Denotation: Again the composition of this photograph is within a square framing which is a stylistic choice employed by the photographer. The subject is almost central to the photograph with the props including a trumpet and multiple chairs. The vignette adds to the dark atmosphere of the work alongside the sepia/ black and white colouring.
Connotation: The ape as the subject could connote humankind and the instrument and chairs could imply formality of our breed. Instruments are often a symbol of class status and prestige within society which also links to development and evolution whilst the chimp could link to Darwin's theory of evolution. Therefore, the overall combination of the subjects and props could imply the true nature that we, as humans, are still as primal as our beginnings no matter how advanced we believe ourselves, our minds and our systems.
Context: Ban said that she enjoys combining everyday "ordinary elements" to create stories and "personalities". The chairs and trumpet could be considered ordinary but the chimp more unusual.
Denotation: Framing is within a square, the image is more multi-tonal than the above two, the eye is taken on a journey due to the triangular composition of the person, the birds and the top of the stairs. The vignette, another stylistic choice of the photographer adds to the darkness of the image whilst the contrasting light from the clouds add to the juxtapositions.
Connotation: The birds again appear to symbolise death with the light through the clouds and stairs implying the stairway to the afterlife. The landscape is barren and appears to criticise the world which we live in.
Context: Each image takes around 50-100 layers which are composed either over many hours or many days. Therefore, everything small detail chosen in the photographs are vital. The smaller details which could easily be lost are emphasised through tools such as black and white. The dark nature of Ban's work is reinforced by her answer to the question asking if she would like to live in her surreal works; her reply was "No, I wouldn't, because it's really frightening. I might visit that world, but I wouldn't want to live long in there".
Denotation: Framing is again within a square, the photograph is a mixture of tonal greys and dark blues which work in contrast to the light and yellow of the central segment of the image. The eyes are taken up through the photo due to the horizontal lines of the ladders leading to the subjects of the crows/ ravens.
Connotation: The birds once again symbolise death with the yellowing light through the clouds and ladders implying a world distant from the living world. The landscape is barren and appears to criticise the world which we live in.
Context: The grainy nature of the photographic final outcomes are partly due to stylistic choices but also because of the costly nature of most cameras. Ban uses a 5 megapixel point and shoot FinePix S5600 and Photoshop to make her creations.
a very good level of research here, well done, there is a very good level of contextual analysis which has aided your ability to analyse the images and create meaning..
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