I'd bet that most
people would not purposefully frame or compose a scenic photograph to
include the insides of their car. Influential American
photographer-artist Lee Friedlander (born in 1934)
does not ignore the “plastic, glass and
metal forms....in which come clearly into clever play.” (B.G) The
picture above is representing, in a nutshell, a big slice of American
culture. The clarity definition of the tree may be in part attributed
to the dry atmosphere of the desert, in which enhances a majestic and
futuristic sense of a surreal composition. Friedlander's art turns
into metaphors; the front window headed towards the dark
mountains and the side-rear-view mirror narrows into the sun’s
reflection in a black space. That black space is a phenomenal trick
adding dimension to context by suggesting cosmic space, another
American frontier. The biblical-named Joshua tree mimics a greeting
hand in its authentic natural beauty and offers the only detailed
texture; it seems restrained in a concrete ring. The modern man
invention, the automobile, frames the scenic subject exposing two
contrasting visuals worlds. The car is not only a reality in the
voyage to reach this Mars-like-landscape; it is the only form
revealing the strength of the sunlight (seen in the sharp edge shadow
on the door). The thick creamy car-forms create perspective for a
depth upon the sparse landscape, the background. The car is an
integral part of the composition and we get a sense that it is a
fantastic and deliberate prop. Furthermore, the vehicle looks like the inside of a spaceship or that the car-paneling is really attached to
the camera, like a new kind of space-aged camera accessory and
invention! Wow! If so, I know who the operator is and its inventor.
Cheers to Mr. Lee Friedlander!
Here
is a classic style example of Lee Friedlander's mastery in new art of
photography. It is a unique and revealing self-portrait. His
shadow-figure portrays movement (he had to be still for this shot),
created by the diagonal lines of his bent left arm extending to his
right-arm elbow, and in contrapposto (looks like a fine archer's
stance). The shadow of his left hand infused to his odd-shaped head in which repeatedly tricks the viewer's eye. Is he scratching his head? Is he
looking through a telescope? As our eyes slide down the silhouette we
can identify his photographer-bag, and we are assured that he is
truly the hunter, in quest to capture thee shot. In front of
Friedlander's lens, there is a boring mess of dry and dusty rocks and weed. He
casts his shadow upon this dullness to conjure a bright framing background
and a foreground of wacky internal organs. His head is crowned like a
trophy. “Some of Lee’s shots fills the frame with stuff, but it’s
controlled chaos, there is a thread holding everything
together.”(V.G.) This fine visual self-representation with
the bag-form, along with the significance of his artistic
contribution to photography, suggests to me that the trekking Lee
Friedlander is the Johnny Appleseed of photography. The best part is, that we find delight in the quirks of his compositions, which reveal that he truly
enjoys it. Thank you Mr. Friedlander.
Work Cited
Goldberg, Vicki. "Lee
Friedlander's Driving Vision." Vanity
Fair 538 (2005): 166. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.
Gognik,
Blake.washingtonpost.com. Oct. 31, 2010. Web. Jan. 23, 2014
The-Photographers.atgetphotography.Web. Jan. 23, 2014
André Kertesz's
(1894-1985) pictures are romantic in the sense that they idealize the reality
of everyday life while stirring passion. Although distinctly different, both of
the two photographs above (urban-figure and the still-life) invoke peaceful
intimate space in tune with repetitive linear curves (a visual accent of
nurture). In concept they both prompt enquiry. Is the poor old and maimed man always alone? Does somebody
care for him? In the other picture where a staged looking potted flower and a
high hung male hat nudge the viewer to wonder if the lovers are home? Are they
upstairs resting? Kertesz draws the viewer in his world to delve in compassion for the
subject, within a mastery of visual aesthetic.(B.B) “His lyrical, spontaneous pictures of everyday life...focused on capturing the essence of a moment.” The pot-and-stairs picture is
theatrical, dramatized by high contrast. The urban photo is candid although it was
taken 2 years before Kertesz got a hand held small camera (a Leica 1 the first
35mm). Kertesz was able to embody the spirit of his subjects including those that
are absent from his pictures but part of the concept.
Works Cited
Kertész, André. Britannica
Biographies (2012): 1. MasterFILE
Premier. Web. 22 Jan. 2014.
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