Why Chosen:
I chose this photographic duo as they experiment with surrealism in reference to manipulations of size but also the combination of different photographic styles together in one. The pair combine food and surrealism through the implementation of small figurines to create landscapes within everyday situations. The website called "Minimiam" meaning "mini yum" explicitly states their style of photography and its interpretation of surrealism through change of scale. These are the only duo of photographers that I have studied and I believe that their dyptich style is almost a metaphor for the team. The duo met in Paris at an art school where the Frenchman Javelle studied and met Japanese born Ida who work well as both creators and photographers due to prior experience working in professional food shoots for magazines and cookbooks.
Examples of Work:
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts. The lighting and colour gels create a supernatural atmosphere which ties in with the use of a UFO prop.
Connotation: Scully is a character from the hit sci-fi TV series called "The X Files" about the investigation of supernatural life. This image takes the audience back to a time of childhood adventures tied to shows that many grew up with based around space and aliens. The idea of children playing with their food and having adventures within their imagination is also implied and could infer that as adults we can learn through the reminiscence of a simpler childhood.
Context: These photographs are called "Scully's Pistachio" and are from 2006 in the "food/ sweet" category.
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts. The lighting is very reminiscent of the other work created by the pair in the mode of food advertising such as recipe books.
Connotation: This image shows repair workers fixing a road after an event such as an earthquake. It takes on a more serious note than the other works which focus on ideas such as childhood fun and innocence.
Context: This photographic series is under the title of "La Coupure" and is an early 2004 image from "food/ sweet". This image was created when Ida and Javelle were scouring local Parisian patisseries for ideas and discovered the eclair which when bit into appeared like the ground after an earthquake. The reason this may have been seen as the direction to take the photograph is that 2004 witnessed a huge earthquake and tsunami off the coast of the Indian ocean which tolled up 250,000 deaths.
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts.
Connotation: The lifestyle of American society is implied through the multitudes of techniques in this image. The use of the hamburger as a staple of the American diet and fast food industry implies the obesity of the population and the consumerist capitalist nature of their society. Additionally, the use of the blue tablecloth with the red and white starred napkin again links to the materialistic consumerism of the country. The figurine used is Captain America who is a vital figure in reference to American Patriotism and could convey the extreme patriotic nature of society.
Context: This dyptich is entitled "Bonbek Hamburger" from the 2013 instalment in "food/ salty".
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts.
Connotation: This image seems to be about the business world and advancements within building work. The composition of this particular image appears to link back to Lewis Hine's work studying the building of the Empire State building focusing on the workers of the great depression sat upon an iron bar eating lunch. This therefore, links to the themes of food and to size and scale within the frame of a photograph.
Context: This final outcome is named "Express Bento" and was captured in 2009 within the category of "food/ salty".
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts. The lighting and colour gels create a supernatural atmosphere which ties in with the use of a UFO prop.
Connotation: Scully is a character from the hit sci-fi TV series called "The X Files" about the investigation of supernatural life. This image takes the audience back to a time of childhood adventures tied to shows that many grew up with based around space and aliens. The idea of children playing with their food and having adventures within their imagination is also implied and could infer that as adults we can learn through the reminiscence of a simpler childhood.
Context: These photographs are called "Scully's Pistachio" and are from 2006 in the "food/ sweet" category.
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts. The lighting is very reminiscent of the other work created by the pair in the mode of food advertising such as recipe books.
Connotation: This image shows repair workers fixing a road after an event such as an earthquake. It takes on a more serious note than the other works which focus on ideas such as childhood fun and innocence.
Context: This photographic series is under the title of "La Coupure" and is an early 2004 image from "food/ sweet". This image was created when Ida and Javelle were scouring local Parisian patisseries for ideas and discovered the eclair which when bit into appeared like the ground after an earthquake. The reason this may have been seen as the direction to take the photograph is that 2004 witnessed a huge earthquake and tsunami off the coast of the Indian ocean which tolled up 250,000 deaths.
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts.
Connotation: The lifestyle of American society is implied through the multitudes of techniques in this image. The use of the hamburger as a staple of the American diet and fast food industry implies the obesity of the population and the consumerist capitalist nature of their society. Additionally, the use of the blue tablecloth with the red and white starred napkin again links to the materialistic consumerism of the country. The figurine used is Captain America who is a vital figure in reference to American Patriotism and could convey the extreme patriotic nature of society.
Context: This dyptich is entitled "Bonbek Hamburger" from the 2013 instalment in "food/ salty".
Denotation: Food is used as a landscape with toy figurines employed to create a surreal element in the change of size. The composition is of a diptych format in that the photograph is in two parts.
Connotation: This image seems to be about the business world and advancements within building work. The composition of this particular image appears to link back to Lewis Hine's work studying the building of the Empire State building focusing on the workers of the great depression sat upon an iron bar eating lunch. This therefore, links to the themes of food and to size and scale within the frame of a photograph.
Context: This final outcome is named "Express Bento" and was captured in 2009 within the category of "food/ salty".
good work here, good analysis.
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