Topic 9 - Nature and Culture - Reflection

What is your understanding of the word ‘nature’. How is this term problematic?

-       I believe the word nature to be complex especially when it comes to images. The word Nature is regularly linked to the environment and the global goal of reducing impact on the rising global temperature. I think that nature can be further reaching than this and could consider the idea of human nature or the nature of an object (for example the two-dimensional nature of a photograph).

-       When it comes to images I think that Dorothea Born’s writing in Source accurately describes the nature of photographs, particularly when focused on a climate change or from a more generic activism standpoint.

-       ‘So while they are effective in creating awareness, catastrophic images can also have a demotivating effect and not necessarily foster individual engagement to counter climate change.’ (Born, 2019)

-       I think it is important to try and point out natural disasters of any kind, but photographers need to have the understanding that they can instigate a dialogue on the subject and are not going to change the world.

-       It is also important to realise that images could turn people away from the problem or discussion. It is not possible to force the audience to view and understand an image in a particular way and oversaturation of a style or concept could lead to disengagement.

How does location and environment feature in your work? 

-       As I am exploring and examining a specific place and groups of people within this place the geographic features and environmental elements are key.

-       The environment elements of Reading will be featured through different places in the town and the places people consider to be unique. This will cross a range of different areas and varying conditions.

-       I have focused on Reading as a location because of its reputation and the continued reinforcement of negative rumours towards and about the town. In his book Perspectives on Place Jesse Alexander writes:

-       ‘Perhaps the enhancement of the edgelands is not so much because they are closer to an idea of wilderness or sense of isolation but rather because they make up the least well-documented and most ignored bits of the country.’ (Alexander, 2015).

-       I feel Reading fits with this and the town whilst not on the edge of anything, could be considered an outsider when compared to the closest two big cities, Bristol to the West and London to the East. This has meant it has gone undocumented and ignored in the most part by modern audiences.

What is the relationship between your practice and human consumption?

-       I want people to consume my images and build a relationship with Reading to the point where they feel they could explore outside of their usual surroundings and areas.

-       Alexander also writes about Keith Arnatt’s A.O.N.B (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), 1982 – 1984 project:

-       ‘Arnatt’s photographs stubbornly resist conventional notions of beauty and representations of this part of the country’ (Alexander, 2015).

-       I’d like my work on reading to resist conventions when it comes to the representation of place. This could be in terms of concept and the style of the images I use to communicate my ideas. I want to avoid the potential mocking nature of Arnatt’s photographs and have a more positive but questioning relationship presented in the work.

-       I also plan to involve the communities of Reading in my project. I am doing this through a survey but feel that there might be space to further this collaboration by including residents’ photographs in an exhibition of work to promote the project and its ideals.

-       Penelope Umbrico explores the inclusion of other photographer’s work in her projects, particularly Suns from Sunsets from Flickr.

-       ‘The artist’s preoccupation with photography lies in the idea of the medium as a collective practice, something we can all contribute to and to which individual authorship has no relevance.’ (Alexander, 2015).

-       I believe this is partially true. Whilst I agree that photography, especially when people are involved, is a collaborative format there is still the curator or a photographer leading the project and concept.

Alexander, J.A.P. (2015). Perspectives on place : theory and practice in landscape photography. London: Fairchild Books.

Born, D. (2019). Nature Gone Wild? Source: the photographic review, 99(1369-2224), pp.22–25.

ROBERTS, Michael Symmons and Paul FARLEY. 2011. Edgelands Journeys into England’s True Wilderness. London Jonathan Cape.