after constructing my virtual gallery thought it would be apt to create a Gallery Pamphlet in indessign, in order to do this looked at other photographers gallery pamphlets to get ideas about the structure and formatting my pamphlet should follow.

I discovered I was very drawn to portraits in a circle/oval frame, My original thought was too present these images :

in a similar way, however when I presented them with a white background it took away from heir intensity

so I decided my pamphlet would be entirely black based in order to preserve the images intensity.

I noticed most successful pamphlets include things such as

• title
• price
• information about the art work
• information about the artist inspiration

so I have included these points of notice throughout and within my pamphlet.

most notable pamphlets include quotes either from the author/artist or artists that have inspired or supported the exhibition I any way, so I will be including quotes to personalise myself to the imagined viewers.

And finally I need to consider an eye-catching front cover for my pamphlet, preferably one that includes a human face.

These images are probably my favourite throughout the collection, however there is still room for improvement the photo on the left is a little dark in comparison to the one on the right, to improve this is could either increase the ISO when taking the photo or when in Lightroom lighten the image further, I believe the image on the right is the more successful of the two when experimenting with merging alike photos to recreate the surrealist uncanny, dream like effect.

the images presented above are strategic collage intended to create a blend between the outside natural world and the human experience. I wanted to create a feeling of nostalgia throughout the photographs by using old secondary source family photos and having a model pose with them, I think two out of the three were incredibly successful however the photograph presented on the bottom left is the one I feel requires the most improvement. the aim was to have the stone gate replace the shoulders of a modern age appearing women in colour and the same women who appears from an earlier time in black and white, however I feel that although I achieved this the composition of the photograph could have been more seamless.

i believe the photomontages above are very successful my personal favourites from the set of images are the image on the bottom right and the top left.

I believe the image on the bottom right is very successful because through overlaying the images I managed to get the colour grading throughout the image very vivid without completely obscuring the centre figure and focal point of the image.

the image on the top left is inspired heavily by Dora mar and her believable surrealist photography and I consider this image very successful because I think I have emulated the atmosphere of Dora Maars photography well within it.
the compositions appears like it could potentially appear without extreme editing, via perspective, whilst also appearing uncanny.

In this set of photo montage and editorial images i am drawing influence from Stezakers ‘mask series’ using abstract and unassuming photos to complete the image with layering photos.

I believe I was most successful in recreating Stezaker’s signature Style in this image, combining both coloured images with black and white and alluding the the framing of the ocean view finished the models faces.

In this photo I attempted to recreate a similar effect but overall found it less successful, the combined photos feel less harmonious although the photo does create the effect of the gate pillars finishing the models arms i fell overall it is a slightly less successful image.

This series of photo edits was inspired by Dora maars photomontages combining childhood photos with recent modern photos and laying to create an old and weathered yet visually interesting effect

Edit 1

Edit 2

Edit 3

Edit 4

gallery mock up

when considering Uelsmann’s photography I found most inspiration in his images were a face emerges from the hands

Edit one

to begin i used two images, one a close of of a neutral face thee other with hands pressed across the face, in Uelsmanns photography he covered the entire face with flat hands in front of it, instead I opted to round the hands round the face and leave some centre features of the face revealed.
I did this in order to align the two photos and create a sense of unity between them.

In order to combine the two photos I used Adobe Photoshop to create a layer mask in order to remove the excess from the photo, removing hair, neck, ears, background and clothing.

I then transferred the image on top of the unedited photo and adjusted the opacity accordingly so both layers were visible.

then using the tab ‘blending options, i went into more detail efficiently blending the two photos using the blend mode ‘light color’ to soften the layered image.

This resulted in my final image, although i am pleased with the outcome, in this image the edges and visible and harsh and create a masking effect, despite this being a diversion from Uelsmanns work I believe it aligns well with my project as I am investigating how people change over time and this represents the inner self being hidden and the outward mask being visible

Edit Two

I then repeated this process and refined it with my second attempt.

I believe this image the more successful of the two, because of the aligned jaw line and seamless blending towards the forehead

The renowned British artist John Stezaker Known for his idiosyncratic approach t photography through collage and his manipulation of secondary source photographs (as I will attempt to draw keen inspiration from throughout this project).  

Stezaker is best known and most acclaimed for his remarkable ability to re-contextualise and mold recognisable images to fit his specific and surreal artistic vision. 
Stezaker’s work is cryptic and obscure, he is often challenging the viewers perception of passing time, identity and memory, and effect I am hoping to recreate throughout my personal photography and photomontage, Stezaker’s artistic expression is tightly connected and inspired by the surrealist movement; in specific his interest narrows into the unconscious, juxtaposition and subversions of reality. 

Stezaker was born in 1948 in post world-war two England, this in particular has a notably strong impact on the photography he later went on to produce as British society was undergoing significant social and cultural changes throughout Stezaker’s younger years that would motivate and inform his interest in the intersection of history, memory and identity. 

 
Interestingly Stezaker’s early education was primarily focused on the fine arts, which in turn created the groundwork for his later incredibly successful career in photography and collage.
 
Stezaker studied in one of the most esteemed art schools in the United Kingdom, Slade school of fine art In London which is known for its emphasis on conceptual thinking and building fundamental and refined fine art techniques in order to build and strong technical foundation in drawing, painting , here he competed an undergraduate degree in the late 1960’s, although he carried this fundamental fine art technique and refinement throughout his lifetime, his later artworks and take a unexpected experimental turn n collage and photography, this unusual approach is what I find most intriguing when using Stezaker as a key inspiration for my photography. 

In the 1970’s Stezaker became increasing interested in the avant-garde movement of the 20^th century including both Dadaism( a movement in art and literature based on deliberate irrationality and negation of traditional artistic values) and surrealism(a style in art and literature in which ideas, images and objects are combined in a strange way, like in a dream), this sparked an interest in the unconscious mind, dreams and the irrational which fuelled Stezaker as he began his mission to construct and re-imagine images from popular culture and history in his own work.  

To imitate this in a way that is personal to me and my project I will be using personal childhood photographs instead of popular culture to represent personal history and bonds instead of worldly history. 

Stezakers artistic practice uses careful and deliberate cutting layering and juxtaposition of photographs, many of which were found in post cards, film stills and old portraits photographs. These re-crafted and original images often included obscured or fragmented faces which create eerie compositions that delicately combine the human form with natural landscapes and architecture or other obscure and seemingly random yet specifically chosen elements. This approach produced compelling and disconcerting photographs that create mystery and evoke depth of thought and questioning regarding the human experience. 
 

In stezakers ‘portraits’ series he cuts and rearranges old photographs that are both alien and familiar. 
Stezaker is also known for his “mask series” which he began in the late 1990s and is a significant body of work where Stezaker focuses on  faces often obscuring the eyes or mouth in order to disrupt recognisable identity and highlights that personal identity is shaped by external elements and inferring that the face is both a window and mask to the self by obscuring the face he draws attention to how it effects our perception of a person. 
 

In another series “Movie Star” (1970s-1990s)  Stezaker began experimenting with overlaying portraits of glamorous actors like Greta Garbo and Cary Grant from old vintage films with landscapes or other images to partially obscure or combine the faces of the actors, this created a disorientating effect by disrupting the viewers perception of both the recognisable Hollywood actor by  calling attention to the tension between the public and private identities, fame and anonymity and the fabricated nature of the media image, and the landscape (a representation of the world around us).Stezaker defamiliarizes iconic images, in order to create new meaning and emotional depth. 

As Stezaker began to shift away from traditional media he began to engage with photography as an artistic medium both technically as discussed above but also conceptually, he began to recognise the power art and photography has on public opinion and politics and that cultural and historical artifacts could be repurposed to create new meanings. 
 
Stezaker decided to work with secondary source images in particular post cards, film stills, and portrait photographs pronounced his direct departure from conventional and traditional artist values and practices, this indicates his infatuation with the role of photography as not on a form of recording and capturing reality but as a malleable medium that he could shape to capture his mind and his self-expression. 
 

This explains the philosophical underpinning of Stezaker’s work as he often engaged with the ideas of Jacques Derrida ((1930–2004) was the founder of “deconstruction,” a way of criticizing not only both literary and philosophical texts but also political institutions.), Sigmund Freud ((1856-1939)known as the father of psychoanalysis and one of the most influential figures in psychology with theory’s about the unconscious mind, childhood experience, defence mechanisms and human behaviour that shaped modern psychology, literature and in this case art.) and Michel Foucault((1926-1984) a French historian and philosopher best known for his analysis of power, knowledge and discourse. He was critical of power and led to the concept of ‘disciplinary power’, which examines how institutions exert control over individual’s trough disciplinary practices). He creates rich and multilayered works that follow his fascination with identity and memory as he explores broader existential questions about the unknown and known self its interconnection with the presented external image and representations.

 
Stezaker uses collage as a metaphor for an individual’s fragmented identity that reflects the convoluted ways in which people begin to understand themselves on an introspective and deeper level and how people perceive others in shallow and presumptuous ways through the media and how perception of others can infect the understanding of the self. 

In addition Stezaker used portraits intentionally as portrait is one of the most personal types of photography, it captures the human identity and memory, by altering and reshaping these portraits Stezaker’s emphasises the fragility of a person’s identity, the ever moving passage of time and how memory can be distorted changed and reconstructed through physical and surface level alteration. 

Throughout Stezakers career he gained significant recognition, his work was exhibited in major galleries and museums across the world like the Whitechapel Gallery in London, the Tate Britain, and the British Museum. His individual approach to photography and collage earnt him a title as one of the most important contemporary artists working within the medium because of this in 2011, Stezaker was honoured with the Deutsche Brose Photography Prize, which is one of the most prestigious awards in contemporary photography, his work has an incredible capacity to evoke memory, identity and emotion, his mind enriching and thought provoking work continues to resonate with themes involving the fragmented self, the uncanny and the nature of visual culture as well as inspire important conversations about the nature of visual representation and the power of transformation. 

In conclusion John Stezaker’s background (his extensive education, his vulnerability to the zeitgeist of the time and his evolving artistic vision) played a decisive role in shaping his approach to collage and photography. He draws evident inspiration from the avant-garde movements in particular surrealism he uses photography to explore themes of identity, memory and the passage of time.

Stezaker created a unique niche in contemporary art, his work continues to challenge traditional notions of portraiture and image distortion that invites the viewer to properly consider how images shape our understanding of the world around us  

Jerry Uselmann was born on June the 11^th and is an American photographer known for is individual and unique woke in surrealist photography. He is best known for pioneering darkroom techniques and image manipulation, his photographs combine multiple exposures, photomontage all done by hand to create dreamlike and often wonderous landscapes the challenge the public’s perception of reality

Uelsmann was born in Detroit, Michigan and developed an early interest in art, in particular photographer and as he grew up, he later went on to study at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Indiana, there he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. 
Uelsmann’s academic background in photography, in combination with is innate interest in surrealism (artists like Salvador Dali-a Spanish surrealist painter and printmaker renowned for exploring subconscious imagery) laid out the groundwork for his innovation within the medium of photography and darkroom craftsmanship. 

His career lasted over six decades, and his photographs have been exhibited across the world in museums and galleries. His work has had an incredibly notable influence on contemporary photographers, and he has been noticed for his mastery of both technical and conceptual aspects of photography. His works continually inspire artists over many decades and will continue to inspire many in the future to push the boundaries of photography, surrealism and visual story telling. 

Uelsmann’s work developed when photography was considered a medium for recording the world around through photo documentation, despite this he ignored the conventuall limits of photography using the dark room for personal exploration and experimentation instead of technical execution.  
he combined multiple negatives into one combination, and he created photographs that aligned better within the expected realms of painting and surrealism not traditional photographic expectations. 

He creates wonder throughout his photography and captures a sense of mystery with landscapes that include disorientating elements with floating objects, dreamy juxtapositions and altered perspectives. 

Some of Uelsmann‘s most notable works include: 
”double exposure “(1974) which is a surreal image where the subjects face merges into a vast background, 

” The Bus” (1967) which is a photo of a large, impending bus in a large and empty landscape with surreal elements  

“Hands” (1980) this incredibly impactful image shows and holding various natural elements, blending the human form with nature in a beautiful and serein way  

And finally, “untitled” (1969) a photo featuring a man’s face merging seamlessly with the natural elements like trees, rocks and water. 

The face is both a central focal point of the photograph and a part of the wider landscape this technique creates a dreamlike effect and otherworldly aspects that is completely characteristic of Uselmanns work.  

Surrealism  emerged in the 20^th century and was primarily driven by Salvador Dali, Max Ernst and Rene Margritte, it aimed to explore the unconscious mind, dreamlike states and irrational and often uses juxtaposition of objects and altered perceptions of reality. They were not trying to depict the world as it is and as it is perceived but to challenge traditional forms of art and provoke new ways of thinking. 

Despite Uelsmann using photography as his chosen medium rather than painting embraced surrealisms ethos by using refined techniques that pushed the boundaries of the medium to is limits “untitled” (1969) is an extremely useful example of why his work decisively belongs within the artistic subcategory of surrealism. 

One of the most important characteristics of surrealism is the juxtaposition of ostensibly unrelated elements, this a key feature within Uelsmanns work as discussed above in my analysis, in “untitled” (1967) the face appears organic yet disembodied and this suggests a deep connection between humans and the world around us. 

The dreamlike aspect of this photograph draws heavily on surrealist inspiration and its use of contrast to inspire new interpretations   
the surrealist movement frequently revolves around the examination of the unconscious mind and logic where societal conventions are not adhered too, in the relevant art work the seamless transition between the presented elements mirrors the fluid sifting of nature in dreams. The face merges with the surrounding landscape suggests consciousness and nature are fundamentally inseparable yet the fusion between them is unnatural and unusual and this creates a sense of disorientation throughout the image. 

Uelsmans work often delves into metaphysical and psychological themes as many surrealist artists work does. 

The surreal quality of “untitled” (1969) creates a sense of mystery and a foreboding atmosphere, the unsettling quality of this work is a recognized Hallmark of Surrealist values that draws the viewer into a psychological space where boundaries are no longer clear. 
This work creates questions with the viewer ‘what happens when becomes intertwined with the world around us? Are humans simply products of nature? Or is there for to humans’ consciousness that is not replicated in nature? These questions mirror the unsettling exploration found within surrealist art. 

Henriette Theodora Markovitch, known as Dora Maar, was a French photographer and painter. Maar was both a pioneering Surrealist artist and an antifascist activist. Maar was depicted in a number of Picasso’s paintings, including his Portrait of Dora Maar and Dora Maar au Chat. 

the 20th-century French photographer and painter Dora Maar whose work in many ways defies explanation. Almost all of her artworks capture a certain uncanniness in their surroundings, bringing to light the strange in the mundane. 

‘One of Maar’s most famous works—the 1936 photograph Père Ubu—is as excellent example of her ability to capture the unknown. It is the kind of art that requires a deeper analytical eye and all perspectives and opinions yield new outlooks. There’s something inscrutable about the subject’s scaly body, its one slightly open eye, its barely outstretched claws and its ear flaps clouded by shadows. The viewer is left to question whether the figure is alien or something found in nature; they want to know more, but at the same time, they’re slightly disgusted’ says Andrea Nelson, an associate curator at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C. Donors gifted a print of the Surrealist image to the museum in 2021. 

During the 1930s, Dora Maar’s provocative photomontages became celebrated icons of surrealism. 

Her eye for the unusual also translated to her commercial photography, including fashion and advertising, as well as to her social documentary projects. In Europe’s increasingly fragile political climate, Maar signed her name to many left-wing manifestos – a radical and brave gesture for a woman at that time. 

Her relationship with Pablo Picasso had a significant effect on both their careers. She documented the creation of his most political work, Guernica 1937. He painted her many times, including Weeping Woman 1937. Together they made a series of portraits combining experimental photographic and printmaking techniques. 

In middle and later life Maar transitioned from photography to painting and found stimulation and peace within written literature, poetry, religion, and philosophy, and then finally returning to her first artistic love, the darkroom only in her seventies. 

Man Ray’s depiction of Dora Maar

Maar has been portrayed by the very renowned photographer (throughout the 1930’s) Man Ray many times, this is in light of the fact she worked as an assistant for him and they stayed in close contact afterwards when she opened a photography studio with Pierre Kéfer at 29 Rue d’Astorg, Paris. 

Although Marr often worked commercially her surrealist influence often snuck through into her ls experimental work as she danced mentally on the fragile line between fantasy and reality, a good example of this is her advertisement for a bottle of Petrole Hahn hair oil, in what should have been a simple and unassuming advertisement the bottle of hair oil positioned on its side does not spill air oil as would be conventionally expected but instead a bundle of wispy sliver hair flows out of the bottle in dreamlike waves and assumes the focal point of the advertisement.

Social Engagement to Surrealism

In 1933, Maar visited Barcelona and the year afterwards London, where she photographed and researched the effects of the economic depression following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 in the United States. Being a woman with a wealthy background, who had little perspective towards the suffering people with less fortunate backgrounds had to endure, she was shocked and horrified when she saw the miserable living conditions of the public and the approach of fascism. 
It was these experiences that triggered her involvement in left-wing politics at that time ( as many surrealist artists did) Maar was part of several ultra-leftist associations and often participated in demonstrations and café conversations, together with other Surrealist artists. 
At only 25 Dora Maar then became very politically active. 

This inspired Maar to start experimenting with surrealistic photomontages. This technique is frequently used as a means of expressing political discontent: It was first used by the Dadaists in 1915 in their protests of World War I. 

In the 1920s, it was adapted by the Russian Constructivist Aleksander Rodchenko as a protest against social imbalance in his country.

Even today, artists such as Peter Kennard use photomontages to express their distaste for economic hardship and the nuclear arms race. 
In fact, photomontage is such an important tool because by cutting and pasting images together and assembling images in unconventional ways to transform the original images in order to present challenging and thought-provoking concepts, the significance of the result is often totally different from the meaningless original images. 

However Dora Maar’s photomontages are different from those that started from Dadaists inspiration and even by some Surrealists such as Georges Hugnet.

usual photomontages are quite absurd and unattainable in a real life environment, Dora Maar created scenes that could almost have taken place, yet again dancing on that line between reality and fantasy. The woman wearing a star-shaped hat is a useful and interesting example, seen from the back, the star could simply be a hat, but at the same time, the image fits perfectly into the iconography and Surrealist ideas of unconsciousness, sleep, and dream as faces are often obscured in dreams as the mind struggles to recreate faces to the exact. 

Europe’s Political Climate

It is clear that Dora Maar felt very at home in the company of the Surrealists. Her group of friends included writers, photographers, and filmmakers who all had the same points of view in life. 
Thanks to her connections she was able to participate in various international exhibitions and publications between 1933 and 1938. 
Maar created the photomontage Le Simulateur (The Faker), inspired by the photographs she took a few years earlier in Barcelona. 
She recycled the photo of a young acrobat and placed him upside down in a winding road with architecture that is bending unnaturally and disturbingly. 
By representing his body like this, the acrobat seems to be somewhat deformed and unnatural, it can be assumed this is Maar making a brave and political reference to the arduous social conditions of the 1930s, which prelude World War               
The European political climate was extremely unnerving at the time, this may be represented by the building in which the acrobat performs his stunt as the setting also seems strange and creates an unnerving atmosphere. in order to see the truth behind the stting of this image the photograph has to be viewed upside down. Dora Maar placed a picture of an attic upside down and has drawn the bricks on it by hand. Even though it looks like a dream, the separate elements fit together seamlessly. This may be a comment on her belief that the social and political climate at the time as ‘upside down and masked in strategic disguises. 

Monstre sur la Plage (Monster on the Beach) also explores the anxieties surrounding the deteriorating political climate and the promise of war. The disturbed figure is staring at the sea, waiting for some upcoming event.
in the current zeitgeist this photomontage may seem strange because when you see a picture related to World War II and the sea, you might instinctually think of D-Day and the battles on the beaches of Normandy.
This provokes an intriguing though with Maar being French, she might have pictured a German soldier on the beach. On the other hand, she probably applied a common use in Surrealism by depicting the monster in an ironically idyllic setting such as a calm sea.
It also may reference the unknown as the sea is one of humans greatest mysteries and is largely unexplored, picturing a great sense of rising tension pictured in the rising waves and the large sense of ambiguity people at the time were feeling about the security and safety of their futures.

Monstre sur la Plage (Monster on the Beach) also explores the anxieties surrounding the deteriorating political climate and the promise of war. The disturbed figure is staring at the sea, waiting for some upcoming event. 
In the current zeitgeist this photomontage may seem strange because when you see a picture related to World War II and the sea, you might instinctually think of D-Day and the battles on the beaches of Normandy. 
This provokes an intriguing thought that because Dora mar was French, she might have pictured a German soldier on the beach. On the other hand, she probably applied a common use in Surrealism by depicting the monster in an ironically idyllic setting such as a calm sea(utilizing juxtaposition as many surrealists do). 
It also may reference the unknown as the sea is one of human’s greatest mysteries and is largely unexplored, picturing a great sense of rising tension pictured in the rising waves and the large sense of ambiguity people at the time were feeling about the security and safety of their futures. 

Definition:

a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.

‘Surrealism originated in the late 1910s and early ’20s as a literary movement that experimented with a new mode of expression called automatic writing, or automatism, which sought to release the unbridled imagination of the subconscious.‘

_{^{Voorhies, J. (2004). Surrealism - The Metropolitan Museum of Art. [online] Metmuseum.org. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/surrealism.}}

The term and style of surrealism first began to gain notice in Paris,1924 after French writer and poet, Andre Breton (1896–1966),, the co-founder, leader, and principal theorist of surrealism published the Manifesto of Surrealism.

manifesto stated : it was the means of uniting the conscious and unconscious realm

• the world of dream and fantasy would be joined to the everyday rational world in a “surreality”
• emphasis on psychic automatism: artist using the interplay between free creation and unconscious control

Surrealist poets were at first unsure whether to align and associate themselves with visual artists because they believed that the time consuming and tiring processes of painting, drawing, and sculpting did not encourage spontaneous uninhibited expression.
However, Breton and his followers did not altogether ignore visual art. They held high regard for artists such as Giorgio de Chirico (1888–1978), Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), Francis Picabia (1879–1953), and Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968)‘ because of the analytic, provocative, and erotic qualities of their work. For example, Duchamp’s conceptually complex Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) (1915–23; Philadelphia Museum of Art)’ was admired by Surrealists and is considered a forerunner to the movement because of its bizarrely juxtaposed and erotically charged objects. In 1925, Breton substantiated his support for visual expression by reproducing the works of artists such as Picasso in the journal La Révolution Surréaliste and organizing exhibitions that prominently featured painting and drawing.

Surrealism aims to revolutionise human experience. It creates balance between a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. The movement’s artists find magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional. At the core of their work is the willingness to challenge imposed values and norms, and a search for freedom.
Many surrealist artists have used drawing or writing to construct ideas and images from their unconscious minds. Others have wanted to depict dream worlds or hidden psychological tensions.( this is why you may often see a lack of faces/ recognisable facial features throughout surrealist painting, drawing, photography ect..) Surrealist artists have also drawn inspiration from mysticism, ancient cultures and Indigenous art and knowledges as a way of imagining alternative realities.

The movement’s aspiration towards the liberation of the mind as well as the freedom of artistic expressions has also meant seeking political freedom. In many instances, these artists have turned to political activism. In this way, the revolutionary concepts encouraged by Surrealism has led the movement to be seen as a way of life.

Since its inception, the ideas and art associated with Surrealism have been disseminated, embraced and re-imagined through international networks of exchange and collaboration. Surrealism’s core ideas and themes have been adapted and deemed relevant to different historical, geographical and cultural contexts, enabling it to be expressed through plural voices.