Week 8 - Photography, at the end of photography [Presentation Notes]

Photography, at the end of photographyPresentation by Micheál O’Connell

How do artists and critically engaged practitioners respond to ubiquity of tools, techniques, and media now available and a situation which is always in flux? Today's craft skills are out-dated tomorrow; interesting materials can be found rather than made, the range of specialisms is vast and variable. Does tradition have any relevance when you can invent your own craft? 

Micheál O'Connell (aka Mocksim) responds to these questions with reference to his work with reappropriated photographs (namely a series which was eventually nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2012) and past usage of 3D modelling and simulation techniques.
Link: www.mocksim.org

Introductory Comments
-What is education for?
-Especially at a Masters level 
-You are not me
"I'm unique, you're unique, we're all unique" - Life of Brian quote
Art may be the arena to concern yourself with

Skills
- Why laud them anyway
- 'Fun' yes perhaps, or for critique, but not to be take too seriously, except for maybe:
Skill-skill, meta-skill and acquiring skills.

Examples of Replacement
Painting and art have been taken over, eradicated and replaced by photography by appropriation in the contemporary digital era.

Diane Arbus - Identical Twins
Conceptual photography, almost philosophical in some sense.

Image of Illegally Parked Cars --> Contra-Intervention
CCTV and artificial intelligences show such an interest in our human activities. We are observed by machines that can be seen as amusing and obtrusive.

Parking issues and fine was a hot issue in Brighton which Micheál O’Connell produced.
He did this by using found/used photographs taken by traffic wardens of illegally parked cars in Brighton. The images have been blown up to their actual size but given a minimalist style when presented in a gallery.

I could've rented a car, parked it illegally, got a fine and then take a photo of the car with the fine but this would of been very time-consuming and not cost effective. If he had the numbers of the parking ticket fine, he could find the link online and download the images of the illegally parked cars. He found out that you could download such photos off the database by finding ripped up tickets on the floor around Brighton and researching the fine registration number.
- Caravaggio style photos with their dark, night time settings with extremes in contrasts.
- He took photos of traffic warden taking photos of cars, documenting and copying their actions.
- Wardens also take a form of 'selfies' when they take photos of illegally parked cars. These wardens take photos of their reflections in the window of the cars.

To advertise the show, he created flyers in the form of a parking ticket.
Search: Contra-Intervention

Photography
- Understanding relationships between aperture and shutter speed to acheive the best exposure, controlling the depth of field.

Craft Skills and Bodies of Knowledge for Contra-Intervention
- Realising that images might be accessible as machines and systems are impossible to design perfectly.
- Finding cars with tickets on them
- Using mobile devices 
- Catalogue production
- Locating suitable printer
- Managing press
- Numbering the series for exhibition





Watch Louis Theroux's documentary on Scientology
Here the camera is a media that takes on the form of a weapon.