Photography has always been inclined with a sense of realism. It began during industrialization when photography was used as a tool of documentation intended as a form of record and witness. Susan Sontag (Photography: A Critical Introduction) defined photograph as a ‘trace’ directly stenciled off reality, like the footprint or the death mask. She explained that a photograph has the aptitude of freezing a moment in time which provides evidence of the real (pp. 40). It functions to stop time and space and creating a series of essay enacting historical products and nostalgia. Thus, this produce a strong referent since photography best presents the everyday and the familiar (Roberts, 1998) .
It is believed that photography is an important study of how space and spatiality transformed by visual images affects the way we understand and negotiate with the world. Thus it becomes a cultural and social instrument of critique.
This week’s entry, I was asked to capture a series of photographs and provide a cultural critique on it. (I apologize in advance for the photographs are not of good-quality.)
As I was having a walk around the neighborhood in Kg. Mata-mata, I came across a place where the construction workers were assembling parts as they work their way on building the unfinished two-storey house. I decided to capture these moments as it best shows a good example for cultural critique. The reason why I chose these photos is because I wanted to adopt a revolutionary approach.
Max Dortu’s poem characterized the revolutionary approach. It is believed that this approach extols the use of camera for its ability to photograph all strata of society as well as bringing people together to work towards a revolutionary victory. (Wright, pp. 138)
“We must take photographs wherever proletarian life is at its hardest and the bourgeoisie at its most corrupt: and we shall increase the fighting power of our class in so far as our pictures show class consciousness, mass consciousness, discipline, solidarity, a spirit of aggression and revenge. Photography is a weapon; so is technology; so is art!” (Hoernle, 1930:49)
Edwin Hoernle described it as the working men’s eyes: the idea that the workers world was invisible to the bourgeoisie. This is quite true according to my account. If it was not because of the noise pollution from the construction site, I would not have notice them. The other passerby however did not bother to take a glance at all; instead, they just walk ahead treating the workers as being invisible. Thus, I believe these pictures exude the culture of capitalism. The capitalist society oppresses the marginalized group through exploitation of labour and for being disregarded.
And as for that, Hoernle stated that photographers must break away from those representations that are set against the background of bourgeois culture. (pp.138)
I believe by adding captions onto the photographs, it completely reframes the whole meaning of an image. I will now make an attempt to one of the photos above.
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End wage exploitation now. They have a family, just like you do. |
As you can see, it acts as an anchor. The image together with the caption gives a stronger impact which will leave people thinking twice about this.
In conclusion, photography creates an estrangement between human perception and our surroundings as it provides us a new way of seeing. In fact, i believe photography is a powerful tool to influence one's opinion so as to change social condition.
Works Cited
Roberts, J. (1998). The art of interruption: realism, photography and the everyday . Retrieved october 23, 2010, from screening the past.media.latrobe.edu.au: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/screeningthepast/shorts/reviews/rev0300/srbr9a.htm
Sontag, S. (1997). Photography: A Critical Introduction. In L. Wells, Thinking about photography. (p. 40). London.: Routledge.
(1999). Photography handbook. In T. Wright, Photography as a cultural critique (pp. 135-151). London: Routledge.
