Cindy Sherman

Recently we watched a video of  Cindy Sherman video in our discourse class, and found out more about her life and what she does as a photographer. She dresses herself up does her make up and takes photograph of herself portraying to be different character. She said ''some people use the camera to straight on document exactly what they see but what might be interesting is to show what you might never see...showing somebody imagination'' BBC Arena(1994). She makes a totally different looking characters, and adds life to them by having the lighting and everything so perfect. She photographs a role on a women and many more. She was born in 1954, in Glen Rdge, New Jersey,

 

Cindy Sherman (2004)

In 1992 she did series of close up and extreme close up of her dolls, which is now known as 'sex pictures' shown as picture above, her photograph has that feel a image of being used and how hard it can be for being an women you can see that sadness in her photograph. Her image has that power to make one feel somewhat sorry for them, even if its lifeless. She sets up her lighting in a manner that gives power to the image.

BBC Arena. (1994). Cindy Sherman - Nobody's Here But Me (1994).Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXKNuWtXZ_U. Last accessed 10th May 2014.

Cindy Sherman. (2004). Cindy Sherman Biography. Available: http://www.cindysherman.com/biography.shtml. Last accessed 10th May 2014.

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz

He is an known for his social documentary photography of people's living condition in less developed countries. He grew up in Guayama, Puerto Rico, so he has experienced the hardship in one being poor. His work has been exhibited collections of George Eastman House International Musesum of Photography and Film. His work is also found at Columbia University. He is also founder of The Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation from Documentary Photography and Film, which supports and encourages emerging and established photographers and film makers to engage in social documentary projects and issues.

City Dump, Yamuna River Slum, Delhi, India 2005, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz (2013).

In the photograph above shows the deprivation and the hell they have to go through everyday only because they are poor, it shows as if they are so used to the smell and the gutter they no longer care, the fact that the little boy is smiling so unknowingly to the camera. I think this photograph adds up meaning because of it's black and white photography, if it was colour it would not have been as powerful because colour could be an distraction, whereas here the black and white photograph makes us concentrate on each and every detail. What I love about this image is the fact there is a car and person turned away from all the problems, like they are so used to it. Personally, having lived in one of the poorest country in the world I can look into the picture and understand the pain of the person standing there. Also for me picture like this are very inspirational as it gives opportunity for everyone who has house to live in to feel more fortunate and we have so much more to give to the ones less fortunate then us help bring together the world and value to humanity. 

Manuel Rivera-Ortiz. (2013). Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Biography. Available: http://rivera-ortiz.com/. Last accessed 9th May 2014.

Barbara Kruger

She was born in 1945,New Jersey. She studied at the Syracuse university, the school of visual Arts, she started doing a design job at Conde Nast Publication. She also has worked as graphic designer, art director and image editor at house and garden, aperture and many other publications. She layers founds photographs from existing sources with aggressive and powerful text.  Her work has appeared on billboards, bus cards, posters, a public park, train stations and many other public places.

Barbara Kruger. (2003)

She expresses feminism through the posters, like in the poster above she is trying to tell the society about women not having a voice, we as a women are silent. she conveys the message through irony and a black and white image in the background, so it does not disturb the text at the front. She usually has a black and red bold writing, that gives 'in your face' sort of idea. this poster speaks about not being heard in the society, and also if we get angry it is not very 'ladylike' to be angry or express any anger.

Barbara Kruger. (2003)

Here is yet another work of her, which is very similar to what she was trying to convey of women not being in power to speak up, 'silence is bliss' but having an women in the image rather then men gives out the meaning that women are the one being questioned if spoken and that women should keep silent most of the time. I think her work gives an powerful question to think about.  

Barbara Kruger. (2003). Barbara Kruger. Available: http://www.barbarakruger.com/biography.shtml . Last accessed 2nd May 2014.