Shilpa Gupta Someone Else

   On the same day I visited Sophy Rickett's 'To The River' I also went and saw Shilpa Gupta's exhibition 'Someone Else', which is split up in to 5 rooms with in the Arnolfini Gallery.
   In the first room titled 'Someone Else' 2011-12, and is based on the idea of a library of books that have either been written anonymously or under a pseudonym, for example there are books by; Emily Bronte (aka Ellis Bell), Herman Hesse (aka Emil Sinclair) and Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr Seuss). The reason there is a uses of pseudonyms and just not using any name is due to failure, judgement, gender, and persecution. Which offers an insight in to the social prejudices in different cultural contexts. Instead of the actual books there are 100 covers fabricated out of stainless steal, some of which are exact scaled replicas of the first editions, all stating the name of the book and the author as well as the reason for the authors anonymity which also appears on the spines of the books, the reason for the books being empty is perhaps to represent the the lack of the authors real identity. These book replicas are presented on shelves mounted on wall, just as you enter the first room.

Shilpa Gupta - 'Someone Else' 2011-12

Shilpa Gupta - 'Someone Else' 2011-12

Shilpa Gupta - 'Someone Else' 2011-12

   In the second room of Gupta's exhibition there was a big cloud like shape hanging from the ceiling, which are in fact 4000 microphones and it is duly named 'Singing Cloud', and was developed in collaboration with Magzarin Banaji (a professor of psychology at Harvard University). Interestingly the microphones had their functions reversed, so instead of them being used to record sound, they actually emit sound, specifically a 9 minute and 30 second soundtrack of a woman whispering, singing, speaking "I want to fly, high above in the sky, don’t push me away, we shall all fly, high above in the sky, I want to fly high above, in your sky, can you let it be, only your power, and not your greed, a part of me will die, by your side, taking you with me high high, above in the sky, while you sleep I shall wake up and fly." Which creates for an eerie cacophony.

Shilpa Gupta - 'Singing Cloud' 2008-09

 

Close up of 'Singing Cloud' 2008-09 by Shilpa Gupta

   According to the exhibition guide that I acquired from The Arnolfini Gallery 'Singing Cloud considers the psychological impact of today's highly mediated information landscape, be it individual or the nation state,where fear and suspicion are cultivated'.

'Untitled' (Motion Flap board) 2008-09 by Shilpa Gupta

 

   Room Three (really the same room as 'Singing Cloud') which was produced at the same time as 'Singing Cloud', and is in the form of a flap board, (similar to that of a train station which announces arrivals and departures) and is on a 20 minute loop. The motion flap board consists of 29 characters which change rhythmically, yet not randomly. Every line occurs for a few seconds and then changes. The numbers relate to time yet turn in to years, distances and tallies of people migrating and those lost in these movements, and are in fact exchanges that Gupta has had with philosophers, scientists and historians concerning the nature of the information media.

'Untitled' (Motion Flap board) 2008-09 by Shilpa Gupta

'Untitled' (Motion Flap board) 2008-09 by Shilpa Gupta

Everything that is written on the Motion Flap board

00:00 I SWITCHED ON
00:02 MY WIRELESS
00:09 AND THE SEA
00:00 AND THE SEA SANK
00:06 ONCE AGAIN
00:12 AND UP FLOATED
00:15 PEPPER TEA LEAVES
00:15 SOME SLAVES
00:00 NO LONGER ALIVE

00:18 I SWITCH
00:19 I SWITCH OFF
WHY DO I REMEMBER
THE WORST OF IT ALL?

I DISEMBARK HERE
I NEED TO TRAVEL
TO MOVE
BIRDS FLY
MEN FLY
AGE SEX RELIGION FLY

TIME RUNS EDLNEES
ENDLESS

0001944 TWO TWINS ARE AT WAR
0001944 IPANKIDSIATAN
0001944 PA KI S TAN
0001944 I N D I A
0000000 TRAIN 1 ON TMIE
0000000 CARRYING
1000000 DAED FROM PK TO IN
1000001 DAED FROM IN TO PK
0001946 TICKETLESS
0001947 BREATHLESS

ON LNAD ON WTAER ON SKY
WITH ME YOU DROVE
ON ME YOU MOVED
WITH ME YOU GROOVED
WITH ME YOU MET
WITH ME YOU KILLED

I NEED TO GO WIRELESS
I WANT TO FLY HIGH WITH YOU
ACTUALLY JUST A BIT HIGHER

POWER IS STRONG
GREED IS STRONGER

IT IS PERFECTLY HEALTHY
TO BE AFRAID
IT KEEPS US SAFE

I WANT TO STOP COUNTING
YOUR
YOURMINE
YOURMINEOUR
DEAD
000052 LONDON
001000 MUMBAI
002976 NEW YORK
060000 IRAQ
125000 KASHMIR
CAN YOU BE DEAD
AND STILL
HAVE A RELIGION
HAVE A SUB RELIGION
HAVE A RACE
HAVE A COLOUR
HAVE A CUOLOR DAED
HAVE A CASTE
HAVE A CTSAE SUB
HAVE A CASTE SUBSUB

I HEAR THE DEAD TRAVELING
FROM INTERIORS TO THE CENTER
BORDERS TO THE CENTER
OLD ROUTES TO THE CENTER
OLD ROUTE BANDIPORE
OLD ROUTE BASRA
OLD ROUTE SRINAGAR
OLD ROUTE KHAMMAM
OLD ROUTE NAGALAND
OLD ROUTE SONARI
OLD ROUTE CHAMPARAN
FALLING ON A
NEW ROUTE
NEW ROUTE CITY CENTRE MUMBAI
NEW ROUTE CITY CENTRE NEW YORK
NEW ROUTE CITY CENTRE PARIS
NEW ROUTE CITY CENTRE LONDON

20:30 TIME FOR NEWS
I SWITCH ON THE TV
I SEE A BOMB FALL
AND CAN FEEL NO PAIN

THOU SHALL NOT KILL
USLENS RQEUIERD

HNIUDS
HINDUS
HNIUDS MUSLIMS
HNIUDS MILSMUS CHRISTIANS
HNIUDS MILSMUS CHRISTIANS
HNIUDS MILSMUS CRHSITAINS
BIHARIS
BIHARIS SUNNIS
BAIRHS SNUINS

QD VD MNR XDS VDKK L QJDC
ARE WE NOT YET WELL MARKED

EVERYONE IS EQUAL
BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE
MROE EUQAL TAHN OHTERS

2000 YEARS AGO JESUS
1300 YEARS AGO MUHAMMAD
2509 YEARS AGO RAM
WALKED THE EARTH
SO SHE SAYS

WE FOUND TWINS
WE RAN TESTS
POSSIBLY FEAR IS GENETIC
AM BORN TO FEAR
YOUR CFEEDQDMBD
YOUR DIFFERENCE
YOUR COLOUR
YOUR COLOUR YES
YOUR COLOUR YES OR MAYBE
YOUR RACE MAYBE
YOUR RELIGION
YOUR RELIGION NO
DE SAID

YOU ARE BORN WITH A MEMORY
AM BORN WITH A MEMORY
200000 YEARS OLD
THAT KNOWS MORE
AM UNABLE TO CONTROL IT
AM UNABLE TO KNOW IT

MY MEMORY EXCLUDES ME
IN ITS CONVERSATION WITH
BLINKING LIGHT BOXES
WIHT WIRES
TRANSMITTING SECRET MESSAGES
WITH VOICES WE VOTE
WITH VOICES WE CHOOSE
OR NOT CHOOSE
TO KEEP US SAFE
UN SAFE
THEY CARE
SCARE

BUT NC SAID
BELOW THE SURFACE
DUDQXNMD V MSR OD BD
EVERYONE WANTS PEACE

Shilpa Gupta - 'Untitled' 2006

   Room 4 consist of 4 unframed (keeping the work fluid and unconfined) photographs which are from the series 'Don't See Don't Hear Don't Speak', and are portraits of Gupta (I actually thought the were of a young boy/man, showing how androgynous the images actually are) wearing military clothing. The work reminds me of the see no evil hear no evil speak no evil monkeys, yet with in the images I get the feeling that there is some underlying traces of evil, seeing as she is in military clothing and in some of which she is using her hands to pose as if using a gun, with hands also covering her eyes, as if these people (army, military, or even terrorists?) are actually unaware of what they are doing, or the harm they are causing others. Reflecting the violence with in society and ultimately the repression of knowledge and dialogue.

Shilpa Gupta - 'Untitled' 2006

Shilpa Gupta - 'Untitled' 2006

Shilpa Gupta - 'Untitled' 2006

Shilpa Gupta - 'Untitled' 2006

  

Shilpa Gupta - 'There is No Border Here' 2005-06

   Room 5 is named 'There is No border Here' (2005-06) and it takes the form of a flag made up of yellow tape, which is stuck directly to the wall of the gallery (giving a very permanent feel to the piece). The flag to me symbols a nation, but according to the artist it means, "The flag is typically an emblem of nationhood, while considering the construction of national borders", which seems to be a recurring theme among Gupta's work. Printed on the tape is the phrase (and the title of the piece) THERE IS NO BORDER HERE which is repeated along each strip. and overall the flag says;
'I tried very hard to cut the sky in half, one for my lover and one for me, but the sky kept moving and the clouds from
his territory came into mine. I tried pushing it away, with both my hands, harder and harder but the sky kept moving
and clouds from my territory went into his. I brought a sofa and placed it in the middle, but the clouds kept floating
over it. I built a wall in the middle, but the sky started to flow through it. I dug a trench, and then it rained and
the sky made clouds over the trench. I tried very hard to cut...'

Shilpa Gupta - 'There is No Border Here' 2005-06 (Close up)

Shilpa Gupta - 'There is No Border Here' 2005-06 (Close up)

Websites 

Arnolfini

Shilpa Gupta

Art of Arrangement - Photography and the Still Life Tradition

   'Art of Arrangement' is an exhibition currently being held at 'The Holburne Museum' in Bath, it focuses on how photographers have explored the Still Life tradition which has captured photographer's and artist's imaginations form as early s the beginning of the 19th century, and often full of symbolic depth and meaning. Photographers have also used Still Life to capture and document scientific purposes and for the development of inventories and catalogues, as well as a channel for their own creative representation.
   The exhibition is split up in to seven sections of work, these are;

• 'On Close Inspection'
• 'Still Life in Camera'
• 'Reflection on Light and Dark'
• 'Order and Disorder'
• 'Still Life with Figure'
• 'The Submersive'
• 'Movement and Stillness'

 each of these sections hold works from relevant photographers ranging from William Henry Fox Talbot, Ansell Adams, Chris Killip, Philippe Halsman and many more photography geniuses.
   I felt very much in awe throughout this exhibition, as I was surrounded by some of the greatest photographers original prints, which doesn't happen often.

First view going in to the exhibition.

   There were two images that I found my self most drawn to were 'Insect wings, as seen under a solar microscope, c.1840' by William Henry Fox Talbot and 'Frosche in Bauch-und Ruckenlage' 1896 by Josef Maria Eder.

William Henry Fox Talbot - 'Insect wings, as seen under a solar microscope', c.1840

   I find the detailing captured in this image by Fox Talbot of the insect wing, to be truly stunning, how he has captured the intricate and delicate nature of each wing. I find it astonishing, considering that this image was taken during the early days of photography. I even went on to by a postcard depicting this particular image, and it is now proudly stuck on my wall.

Josef Maria Eder - 'Frosche in Bauch-und Ruckenlage' 1896

   I'm not sure what drew me to this image by Eder's image of the frog x-ray, I think maybe its my curiosity of what goes on underneath the surface, and how things look, beyond what you can actually see. Again like Fox Talbot's image to achieve something like this in the early years of photography is amazing, with the first x-ray being produce by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen a year previous, and the first published in a newspaper in 1896, which is said to have shocked and fascinated the public.
   Eder's image reminds me of the work by Nick Veasey, and i will go in to more detail about him and his work in a later post, but for now here is one of his images to feast your eyes upon.
  

Nick Veasey - 'Fish'

   Overall I would highly recommend that you go and see this show, as it may be the only chance you get to, get up close and personal with these original prints. The show runs at The Holburne Museum Bath until the 7th March 2012, so get going!


Websites
www.holburne.org

Taylor Wessing

 On the 31st of January myself and my fellow photography degree students went and saw the prestigious 'Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize' which is the leading international photographic portrait competition and offers you the chance to see sixty pieces of work by some of the most exciting contemporary photographers from around the world. With works ranging from editorial to advertising to fine art. The photographers are asked to interpret 'portrait' in the widest sense of ‘photography concerned with portraying people with an emphasis on their identity as individuals.’ with the winner receiving £12,000 and open to anyone 18 years or older.

   Jooney Woodward won this years coveted award with her portrait of 'Harriet and Gentleman Jack'

Jooney Woodward 'Harriet and Gentleman Jack' 

 This image was shot on film using a Mamiya RZ medium format camera using a tripod, and was an opportunistic shot and was the first of the photos she took. Woodward states 'I prefer the quality and depth you get from using film; unfortunately it’s a dying art. I don’t mess around with Photoshop so what you see is what you get. Enhanced images can portray a false sense of reality, whereas my work celebrates the people and places as they appear every day.' Woodward's image has caused a bit of controversy within the competition due to the fact of the winning entry by David Chancellor
in the 2010 'Portrait Prize' called 'Huntress with Buck' from the series 'Huntress' which also depicts a young sullen red headed girl posing with an animals. Despite this I rather like the Woodward's image as the young girl's hair complements the colouring of the fur on the guinea pig, there is however a down side to this piece and that is of the lack of emotion within, making it difficult to relate and connect with the subject. Woodward states the she finds the image 'unsettling' but i find this hard to see what is so unsettling about it.

Second Prize

Jill Wooster - 'Of Lili' 2011

Third Prize

Dona Schwartz - Christina and Mark, 14 months, 2011  

 Fourth Prize

Jasper Clarke - Wen, 2011

Fifth Prize

David Knight - Andie, 2010

Websites
National Portrait Gallery
Jooney Woodward
Jill Wooster
Dona Schwartz
Jasper Clarke
David Knight