Robert Lenkiewicz is a painter who paints about life. He first started painting the homeless but then went on to painting about mental illness. He painted images called 'Mental Handicap' he looked at the disadvantages that these people had within society, this sort of painting had a powerful message in when it came into society and he portrayed this through this particular image.
Lenkiewicz wanted individuals to see them as 'These are people. These are part of our society. They are ourselves.' Each family contributed to the survey their response to a short questionnaire about the impact of their child’s condition on their lives.' I feel that documenting this and even though its not mental illness such as depression or self harming but its still affecting someone's life and can cause mental illness such as depression and self harming because they feel like an outsider, so I feel that painting someone who is handicap is good, as the quote above says they are individuals just like the rest of us.
These individuals in the painting are Barbara Bridgeman and Caroline Young (painted in 1976)
George Harding is another artist who suffered from mental illness and painted images of mental illness. He quoted that' These paintings are of self portraits, portraits of artists, friends, family and mental health professionals who have guided and helped me through my mental health problems'. He has gone a different route of portraying mental illness, instead of painting these dark and worrying paintings he has decided to show a positive side of mental illness that there are people out there who are willing to help such as friends and family and mental health professionals, quoted again 'The work encourages people to look at ‘us’ in a way that is celebratory, unconventional and can teach us something about different ways of being.' He wants people to see mental illness as something which can get better not something which is looked down upon and something where no one can get better from it, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
I like this idea which George Harding has approached and I feel that I would love to approach this kind of thing, by making mental illness into a positive thing and not this scary disease which can't be beat as many people believe this is true. I would like to still focus on someone harming themselves or being depressed but somewhere in the image be it on their arm or the floor or someone in the image positive thinking words such as Hope, Faith, Loving, Caring, Kind, because this is showing good things about a particular individual and its giving others who are suffering a sense of Hope.
Not only have I have been looking at photographers who are capturing the true essence of mental illness in a way which is so powerful and real it touches you. I have now moved on to look at artists who capture mental illness. The reason behind me looking at mental illness through an artists point of view is they would be able to draw/paint something which is much more raw than a photograph, in a painting or a drawing you have to use your imagination to capture and get a grasp of the picture.
An artist which I have found appealing and interesting is Clare Lieu, she looks at mental illness but in painting form. One piece of work which I was most drawn to is her paintings on 'Falling' she quoted while on this project "This project is a visualization of personal experience with depression and anxiety. The condition brought on frequent episodes where I felt emotionally and physically out of control. Unable to “release” myself from these episodes, I waited for the physical limitations of my body to end them. Recounting the affected years, I realize how accustomed I became to depression’s influence; many emotions and feelings belonged to it and not my own personality. After an extended, untreated struggle, a diagnosis brought relief, and the process of unearthing myself from the disease began." She is talking about her struggles with depression which I feel is really raw and real, she has opened up about it and created art work to help explain to others what she felt like on a day to day basis.
Here are some of her painting of 'Falling'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoelangham/
this is the link to my flickr with all my photos. :)
Not only have I been looking through books to find photographers but I have also been looking at other students work from different places and one which has court my eye is a tumblr account by a student from London who is also looking into mental health and they are taking pictures which are representing this.
What I think has really touched a soft spot with me was this wasn't just fantasy for them it was actual reality as they go on to explain that their mother suffered with mental health and they were expressing the affect it had on their relationship but also the affect they were going through as well growing up with having to deal with that. The pictures this individual has put up wants to show others the sad realisation and show the emptiness and sadness which the photographs are giving off.
I want this to happen within my photographs, I want to create this sadness and emptiness within the photo to get the same effect that these individuals having over there own audiences.
While researching and reading through depression and that mental illness tag which comes along with it. I have come upon a photographer who is called Christian Hopkins. He captures images which create emotive towards the image which helps cope with depression. He has been battling with major depression for the past four years and many of his photographs are a reflection of the dark thoughts and feelings swirling around in his mind.
What I like about Christian Hopkins is the fact that he has never taken a photograph class before in his life yet and produced some amazing and beautiful images. There is one image which has really stuck in my mind was a photography of a bare back with what seemed like hands coming out of his back, its sending this message that someone is trying to get out but actually to me its very moving.
I am going to be taking parts of Christian Hopkins as well as C Paige. The part I am taking from Hopkins is the bare back but from C Paige I am taking is the writing on the body, he writes around the body as well as on the body but I feel that writing on the body is much more powerful and creates this meaning without pushing it in front of people.
Larry Clark was my inspiration behind this photograph which I have taken, even though his photograph is graphic and you can truly see the pain in the young person's face I am unsure if I want my subject to have the same reaction.
My image at the moment is just someone thinking about self harming, this image is work in progress and I will be taking more photographs of this and changing it around, I want to go a different route than just the normal seeing someone self harm but I feel due to speaking to individuals I need to go more dark and create the moment which this individuals are in and portray to the audience exactly what they are feeling at that particular moment in time.
I feel that black and white photography will help this image as I feel even though black and white is elegant its still showing this dark side of a picture which self harming is exactly that.
Larry Clark is another photography who has inspired when it comes to mental illness. I personally think that self harming is a mental illness and Larry Clark portrays this in his images.
It has inspired me due to his photographs showing individuals self- harming and showing people the amount of suffer and struggle they go through each and everyday of their lives. Even though I don't want to do down this route his most common subjects is youth who casually engage in illegal drugs use, under age sex and violence who are apart of a particular subculture such as surfing, punk rock an skater.
Even though I think that would be really interesting to look into, I think I'm just going to focus on the self harming aspect of his photography.
Finding C Paige really influenced me into looking at mental illness. He has a photograph of a 'mental ill individual' with comments which people had made to her or how she is feeling at the time written all over her, these have become a negative effect on her.
I have currently taken a photograph of someone who is portraying this 'mental illness situation' but what I would like to change and what has inspired me from C Paige photo is to do something similar as I feel it would bring more meaning behind my image.
I feel it will grasp the true element of mental illness and light it up in a sophisticated way.
As in my last post I mentioned about love and how everybody once in their life and how it can be a struggle throughout. But one thing I feel has been the most struggle is same sex relationship/marriage. Equality of same sex relationship hasn't been excepted in today's society and everybody has a bad vibe about the whole thing which I find very strange and I'm glad that same sex relationship is becoming more expectable in society and all individuals are able to be happy with whoever they want to be.
My photograph of these two girls are showing this equality of same sex relationship, they are embracing the relationship and happy with that certain individual, just because they are same sex doesn't mean that they aren't happy, they are just like any other relationship.
The way I have taken the image I wanted to create something so natural and so normal when it comes to a relationship that both sexes can do. This is where the idea of the holding hands and facing away. I find this pose loving and strong but also caring and showing a unity between two individuals who are in a relationship.
Love is a struggle within life. Everybody at some point as been in love and sometimes love yes is a great thing but its also a struggle as well due to may be your other half working away or your relationship is long distance and it puts pressure on your relationship and causes you to stress more than you normally would.
With my photography when it comes to love, I wanted to create something which had meaning but without being too obvious. I was able to inform my models to do a heart shape, one half was one person and the other half was of the other person, I liked this idea which I thought of because when your in a relationship two halves make a whole and in a relationship it includes two individuals and they both bring qualities which the others don't have.
Even though I know a heart represents love I didn't just want to just photograph a red heart, I wanted to represent love which I have done, but in a creative way which I feel that I have done in a way which makes people understand that its about love but think more about it than just a red heart.
As I have spoken about mental illness I wanted to create something which represented mental illness and create a moment of upset but also frustration towards it.
This photograph is a image of someone who is suffering from a mental illness . I didn't want to create an image of taking advantage of drugs but I wanted to grasp the idea of perscription drugs. The image is showing someone considering/taken perscription drugs and taking advantage of them . They have locked themselves in the bathroom to get away from the world outside. This is something so personal to someone and many people are unaware that taking perscription drugs is actually a illness and individuals need to get help for it. Not only that but its something that individuals don't think as a struggle due to people not broadcasting it daily, but also you are able to not see straight off if someone is has an issue or not which is why I find this topic so interesting and powerful.
The camera angle I thought was very important due to the fact I wanted my subject to be vulnerable and lost and low with life. I have done a high angle looking down at the victim as this sort of angle makes the victim/subject more vulnerable and powerless but is also creates the moment as more dramatic.
Mental Illness has always been topic of conversation and it is still in society. Bill Clinton once said that 'Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.' which I believe is true, I do think that a lot people don't get the full understanding of an illness and people are scared to support someone with mental illness just in case it reflects back on them but the only thing which is shameful is the fact we don't do enough to help these people.
While researching into mental illness and looking at photographs it came to a bit of a surprise to me its such a shocking thing to have to go through some photographs are just disrupting but not only that but they are also so real and that is quite scary that an individual goes through that, even though I know what mental illness is, it is still shocking to see images which represent that and show you what individuals go through on a daily basis.
Homeless Big Issue man: A lot of people struggle through life and homeless people are just a minority of people. This homeless guy who I have taken a photo of is trying to better his life by working as a big issue man, he told me that he doesn't want to go back to being homeless and living on the streets like before hand, he said he used to be on drugs and was just a right state ( his own words ) this is a typical struggle which many people go through daily, there isn't that much support out there for individuals who are on drugs or are homeless, I feel that someone who is selling a big issue and trying to better themselves is a positive outlook.
I have titled this work in progress due to me editing it. I have decided to edit this photo into black and white the reason behind doing the black and white effect was because black is a form of elegance, mystery but also dark and death, black is also associated with fear and the unknown, where as white contrasted the black due to white connotations representing purity, innocence, safety and cleanliness. I feel this will work well with my photos due to majority of them bringing in this element of darkness but then the white connotations as there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
I have taken everyday life to a different level, due to be inspired by a certain photograph. I have been looking at struggles in life and everybody is used to seeing day to day struggles such as a homeless person, or someone who is selling big issues these are the individuals who people would represent with having struggles within life.
But I have decided to look more into struggles and go if I may say personal with subject. Being able to look at different struggles has been really interesting for me and has caused me to be more creative with my work. While understanding the whole concept of struggles in life I came across a lot of categories which could be consisted struggles, this includes : Love, Relationship, Friendship, Depression, Mental Illness, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Death, Loneliness etc. I will be using and incorporating some of these certain struggles within my photography work.
Mobile Phones are consuming our everyday lives. Every single person has a mobile phone which they use everyday, if its used for emails, social networking, taking photographs or for just personal use, everyone is using the technology of a mobile phone.
These individuals are using their mobile phones for taking images of a concert which they have attended, before it used to be a camera but due to technology we are able to do pretty much anything on our phone without having to bring a camera with us.
I have learnt that not everyday life can consist of routine which people are in daily. I have found out that daily life and also everyday life can consume beauty of everyday life through flowers or arrangements of a certain shop window which people find beautiful.
The blog which I found this on goes by the name 'artsy ants' I'm going to be stereotypical due to the photographs which are apparent on the blog they are very feminine. They talk about the photos which they have taken and the reason behind it, sometimes they don't post anything for a while because everyday life (as they say) and made them unable to grab the time to do so.
These are two of the photos which I like the best :
These photographs are my favourite especially the first one due to the shallow depth of field which she has used it really captures the essence of the flower and even though it focuses off the flower you are still able to notice the colour and the shape which it is showing.
The second photo I also like because to be it looks like nature vs nurture because she is a mum and she has a cup of tea in her hand but there is also a presence of a plant in the background which is of course likes to nurture herself. I also like how she states that everyday is different and has its own beauty.
The reason why I have picked these particular photographs is because I feel they represent everyday life very clearly, the ups and the downs of everyday life.
The first image is very touching as your a little unsure what is happening it makes you question is this person sad or fed up, but that is what goes on in everyday life because people do get fed up and sad and I feel its a true representation of feelings.
The second image is more of an up that happens in everyday life, sharing a family and having happy times with loved ones and creating memories which will live on, I also feel that this is a true representation of feelings and emotions which people give off in everyday life.
I love this quote as I feel you should live everyday to the fullest and not just wish it away.
The other quote is also a great one to look at as it is very true, you are making your history through your everyday life, so if you want to sit back and remember in 10 years time about what your life consisted of then your able to and think that it was amazing and your life was fulfilled.
Birthday Parties are also a way of socialising. Every single day somebody in the world is celebrating their birthday with their loved ones and on most occasions they party which invites a lot of individuals which is making you gain that socialising skill and giving you a boost to get to know people.
Even though socialising can be awkward its only awkward for a while and then your able to come out of your shell. I feel that events are the best ways to get involved with individuals are majority of the time they are in the exact same boat as you.
#Hereismybirthdaycake #21
This is another photograph of socialisation with my friends this time these are my house mates, which is a different group than my other friends which I socialise with. Being able to socialise with a variation of different individuals has really made me understand people and their needs a little bit more and not be selfish. Being in university has really made me independent in being able to socialise with people from different walks on life which I'm proud that I've done just that.
This photograph is also a long wide shot your able to see all the individuals which are in the photograph but also the surrounding and atmosphere which we were in. I personally think its a really magical photograph especially with the fairy castle in the background lit up makes it so special and romantic.
Socialising is a key thing within everyday life. On a daily basis you are socialising with individuals from a different walk of life through work or university but then you are also socialising with friend and family when you can is also everyday life.
I feel that socialising can link in well with everyday life in the 60s and 70s because they socialised as well on a daily basis just like us in the 21st century do.
This picture is of my friends and I socialising at a meal which we do all the time to catch up and have a girly night. The photograph is a long wide shot due to individuals being able to see the entire object/ human figure, you are able to see what sort of clothing we have on, the drinks on the table but also the surroundings in which we were featured within, your able to see its in a restaurant due to the lighting and the sitting arrangement. Socialising is always a fun thing to do and sometimes it can be exciting to meet new people.
Still on the idea of the 60s and 70s of photography. I do think looking at these images which were taken they are elegant and they look really smart.
The photographs which were taken are by a photography named Paul McDonough, they are taken in the hustle and bustle of New York city in the 60s and 70s, they were taking in black and white which I feel is sophisticated but also got a sense of timeless feel to them, as you would have to be told what century the photos were actually taken in as they are very well presented but also the fashion hasn't changed that much, because many of the fashion which was popular back then is starting to come into the 21st century and is worn by many of the younger generation.
While looking through McDonough items most of the photographers are representing everyday life, but a lot of them can also represent everyday life the 21st century way, due to the black and white pictures but also to the things individuals are getting up to. Even though a lot has changed over the centuries due to equal rights, fashion, construction etc everyday life still is the same in many ways.
For example this photograph of individuals in the park with people riding on bicycles, couples sat on the bench and children playing on a tree arm, this is what happens on a everyday life basis, I feel that everyday life hasn't changed much since the 70s until the 21st century apart from more individuals are working and earning for themselves.
And this photograph as well is representing everyday life in the 70s and I feel that this is also happening in the 21st century not much of everyday life has changed very much, and I am starting to see this while researching into daily life.
While looking into everyday life I thought it would be a great idea to look into everyday life in the 70s and see how times have changed throughout the centuries. Exploring everyday life is exciting and a new thing to be investigating.
I looked at a photographer Joel Meyerowitz who has taken a number of photographs in the 70s and the everyday life which they consumed. Meyerowitz photographed all over the U.S and the globe to get an insight into everyday life which is great, to get an over view of things.
This image which Meyerowitz has taken is very elegant and sophisticated I feel due to surroundings which the individuals he is photographing they are well off individuals due to the 'Gucci' shop which is present in the photo. I also feel that the smoke coming I'm guessing from a car makes me feel that it is from a Hollywood film/setting and even though it's in New York and that is Hollywood in away I still find it magical.
I love Halloween, and especially when I was a kid purely for trick or treating. Dressing up in a witches costumes and going round knocking on people's doors and having sweets at the end, I thought it was brilliant. As I am starting to get older the fun is slowly dying down but you can never be too old to design a pumpkin and create something with it.
I feel that even though Halloween does not happen every single day I do still feel that leading up to Halloween is in every bodies daily life especially if they have children as children get really excited about dressing up and having treats at the end of the night, so it does consume a lot of people's daily life when Halloween is approaching.
I can tell you now that it consumed most of my everyday life due to the Halloween party we were going to throw for people making that as creative as we could possible get it but also by creating the pumpkins that's what got us in the true spirit of Halloween.
