A film by The Photography Collective for The Collectives Encounter at Format International photography Festival 2011.
"The work is a catalyst for discussion on the validity, identity, reality and role of the Flâneur in society and the world today. Focused around a central thoroughfare for pedestrian in Birmingham UK, the work combined the photographs of 13 photographers in a wide variety of flâneurial guises. However the photographic work arguably only comes into its own as an edited film - creating an disorienting orchestra of the cycle of modern life that the editor chooses to conduct, or not."
Susan Sontag wrote that the flâneur 'is gazing on other people`s reality'
The format festival was a great source of inspiration. This piece was one which I couldn't stop watching, I don't usually engage with pieces which include video, maybe because I mainly deal with the still image. But this piece challenged my idea of what the still image can achieve, when combined with space and media.
Created by The Photography Collective a group of 13 photographers who`s main aim is the challenge the concepts within photography and the format in which we exhibit them. Firstly the Flaneur relates to how we understand urban phenomena and modernity. These still images have been brought together and are presented as moving ones. With sound and movement the viewer is indulged with juxtapositions, I found this very engaging and an unusual experience. I think the group have definately achieved a piece that is disoriatating. I wonder what effect these images would have if they were placed in frames on a wall.
The question arises when we think consider the aura of these images, if alone would they have have the same effect? Barthes notion of the Punctum comes to mind here, and the question of the ability of these images to communicate actual events. He reflected upon the relationship that the obvious symbolic meaning of an image (studium) and that which was purely personal and dependent on the individual (punctum) Barthes considered the photograph to have a unique potential for presenting a completely real representation of the world, or here create an alternative reality. This piece implies a naturalistic truth to the viewer, that the cycle of modern life is something that can be experienced, however what is most interesting is how it manages to create a new reality, one in which allows us to question the cycle of modern life, day to night, the cycle of people. This representation is made even more real with the use of non-diegetic sound establishing an eerie atmosphere. The fact is, even without the sound, the movement the images still hold the aura to represent the world around us. Very fascinating Indeed.
"The work is a catalyst for discussion on the validity, identity, reality and role of the Flâneur in society and the world today. Focused around a central thoroughfare for pedestrian in Birmingham UK, the work combined the photographs of 13 photographers in a wide variety of flâneurial guises. However the photographic work arguably only comes into its own as an edited film - creating an disorienting orchestra of the cycle of modern life that the editor chooses to conduct, or not."
Susan Sontag wrote that the flâneur 'is gazing on other people`s reality'
The format festival was a great source of inspiration. This piece was one which I couldn't stop watching, I don't usually engage with pieces which include video, maybe because I mainly deal with the still image. But this piece challenged my idea of what the still image can achieve, when combined with space and media.
Created by The Photography Collective a group of 13 photographers who`s main aim is the challenge the concepts within photography and the format in which we exhibit them. Firstly the Flaneur relates to how we understand urban phenomena and modernity. These still images have been brought together and are presented as moving ones. With sound and movement the viewer is indulged with juxtapositions, I found this very engaging and an unusual experience. I think the group have definately achieved a piece that is disoriatating. I wonder what effect these images would have if they were placed in frames on a wall.
The question arises when we think consider the aura of these images, if alone would they have have the same effect? Barthes notion of the Punctum comes to mind here, and the question of the ability of these images to communicate actual events. He reflected upon the relationship that the obvious symbolic meaning of an image (studium) and that which was purely personal and dependent on the individual (punctum) Barthes considered the photograph to have a unique potential for presenting a completely real representation of the world, or here create an alternative reality. This piece implies a naturalistic truth to the viewer, that the cycle of modern life is something that can be experienced, however what is most interesting is how it manages to create a new reality, one in which allows us to question the cycle of modern life, day to night, the cycle of people. This representation is made even more real with the use of non-diegetic sound establishing an eerie atmosphere. The fact is, even without the sound, the movement the images still hold the aura to represent the world around us. Very fascinating Indeed.
Great blog Aaron - thanks for the positive feedback and response on the video. Glad that you enjoyed it
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