so i had my mid-semester (seriously? already??) meeting with my photography professor Hans today. it went well enough…he gave me some much needed feedback and suggested a couple of books and movies to help in my research of suicides.
however, we both agreed that if i want to stress the importance of the media’s portrayel in my series, i need help. the problem is that after obsessing over this very aspect for weeks i have yet to come to a conclusion. i think the tableau aspect showcases the romanticism of suicide by the media, but there’s something missing – that one thing that pushes my work over the edge. i’m thinking of perhaps reshooting the images using models that look absolutely nothing like the person they are meant to portray. if van gogh is suddenly immortalized by a black woman, then it becomes less about the individual and more about the concept. i think that would also enhance the fact that the media doesn’t give two shits about who you are until they can write a 5 page spread about your “tragic demise.”
but then i fear that people won’t understand what i’m trying to convey and instead wash it up to yet another suicide series. i need help. this is why i’m in grad school. any opinion would be much appreciated.
October 17, 2008 at 2:56 am
I think your images are going well, I wouldn’t switch to unrecognizable people. Like I said before the medium vs. the detail of the photo is the only part that I think needs some work. I think you should just keep going, and maybe narrow it to a certain time frame (Cleopatra might be too old). Maybe 20th century, maybe not. That’s all on you.
I like the idea.
October 20, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I am with you about the midterm, I can’t believe it has come up so soon! I would love to see some of your photos you are talking about. Maybe you’ve shown them already and I’m just an idiot, but they sound really great and I doubt they would be categorized as just another suicide series if your focus is on concept rather than a messy portrait of a dead person like I’ve seen a lot of others do.