teks_space

Critical Diary Report 2

I have chosen to focus my next critical diary report on Jorg Sasse, when i first found his work in the photographers gallery, in the Deutsche Borse Photographers prize I was immediately drawn to the style of photography.

Sasse focuses on finding photographs from photo albums, rubbish bins and flea markets. Then Sasse digitalises the pictures, later cropping, modifiying and adding items. This style of found photographs with added elements is an intriguing way to begin the image process. The results are often soft, regular images with a sense of pattern.

“The final result is an artificial product cleansed of all material contingency, offering the illusion of reality, a picture that we can presume is a photograph”

http://deutsche-boerse.com

I find these images although often regular forms contain an element of intrigue, they draw any viewer in, the way Sasse uses line and color to create interrelating conceptual pieces which on first glance appear as snapshots from often poor quality images is as interesting as the image its self. Using subtle modifications of color balance and line Sasse creates formal compositions.

Each image is given a random four digit number, followed by the year of completion the above being 2075, 2003.

My opinion on Sasse's work improves everytime I see a new piece, initially the work is abstract and captivating but as you realise the process followed to reach the end result, you suddenly develop a strong admiration for the artist and the effort involved. I find the images although digtially modified contain a strong sense of realitly as Sasse works hard to use subtle variations. Sasse says its "always about the proportion of form and content."

The photographs are intangled in the arguement of photography as photography, as if the artist is using found stills, but creating photographs is he really a photographer? In my mind yes because although he doesn't take the photo, he instead works like a true phoographer in making the photo.

My favourite images are the more abstract pieces, like this one named 2268, 2001. For me these contain compeling mixtures of colour and texture. Many may find these images repeatative any with no real focus, which I understand as they aren't photographs of anything in particular. But well as I keep saying they intrigue me and by having no main subject and background they become simply what they are; fascinating compositions. The photograph below appears very different to my other choices and appears as an example of his other stlye of work.

As i mentioned at the begining Jorg Sasse was shortlisted for the Deutsche Borse photography prize 2005, but failed to gain the prize. Instead this was won by Luc Delahaye, a frenchman who focused of scenes of polictical importance and contempary wars. Here is an example of his work showing US bombing on Taliban positions.

The information used here was gathered from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A3872829
http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/D/deutche_borse_photography_prize/delahaye.html
http://www.c42.de/

posted by Miss Kelly @ 12:56 AM