"Photobooth" by Babbette Hines (2002)

Hines' beautifully nostalgic book, containing nothing but images taken in photobooths, led me to consider the state of the subjects during exposure in this way. The majority are alone in that small space, isolated from the outside world for just a few seconds. This appears to give them a sense of freedom to do what they want, to be portrayed in a way they alone want to be seen.

With the vision and instruction of a professional photographer removed, these images often provide us with a clearer insight of the sitter's character, in a far more intimate setting.

Since this publication's release in 2002, there has been a noticeable increase in the use of the photobooth in modern media, with users craving the sense of nostalgia and lack of pretension which images of this type entail. For example, this music video by rock band The Dead Weather, demonstrates the contemporary use of the photobooth, as well as the freedom of expression encountered when utilizing it.

"Hang You From The Heavens" - The Dead Weather, 2009

"Indeed, the sitters are orienting themselves towards a future, composing themselves (in fact, they are gauging their own reflections in the pane of glass that intervenes between themselves and the camera), beholding themselves, looking at how they will be seen. They try on this pose and then that...addressing first themselves (there in the mirrored glass) and beyond that the intended other (girlfriend, boyfriend, parent, sibling, penpal, bureaucrat), but beyond that, well, something like the undifferentiated future - the faceless prostperity - us!" - Babbette Hines 

Dale Chihuly's Glass Sculptures

Diverting from photography for a while, I couldn't go without posting about the beautiful glass-work sculptures I encountered at the Halcyon Gallery in London. Built by Dale Chihuly, these pieces are truly awe-inspiring, creating a peaceful and fairytale-esque feel within the space. 


Here are some photos I captured of Chihuly's work - 

Chihuly's love for vibrancy and nature shows through in his many botanical sculptures. In the photo below, you can get a feel for the detail within these, as flecks of gold highlight the shape of each glass petal.

To view a short video on the opening of the show, as well as the gallery itself, click here! http://www.halcyongallery.com/news/dale-chihuly-opens-new-halcyon-gallery-144-146-new-bond-street

Orlan's Controversial Art

French performance artist Orlan designs pieces based around the developments of her own body through constructive surgery. Here are my thoughts on her graphic and controversial works -

I find Orlan’s ideas about changing the “ways to think about one’s body and one’s beauty” interesting, as through this work we find questioning what we ourselves find beautiful. While doing so, she puts forward ideas about how culture - be it paintings, photography, music, cinema, etc – are able to so easily change who we are, whether we're aware of it or not.

However, she obviously takes this to the extreme by physically & permanently altering her appearance through surgery, or later on, through the digital manipulation of her own face. While her message is valid, I don’t believe this means of communicating it is at all necessary.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/video/2009/jul/01/orlan-artist-interview


During an interview with the Guardian (shown in the link above), Orlan seems to place far too much emphasis on the fact that she was the first artist to venture into this sort of work, which makes me wonder whether she just disguises an incredibley extrovert publicity stunt as art; just a way of spreading her name around, and provoke discussion of her work purely due to it’s controversy.

Personally, I believe that this work’s intended message is over-looked purely because it is so shocking. Does it need to be this extreme? Would viewers have a clearer understanding of the work’s message if they weren’t simply blinded by how shocking (& sometimes disturbing) Orlan’s artworks are?