For the amount of Images I took, I find it will be to much of an investment of my time to sort through, rate and flag my images. It is for these reasons, I wish to only display my collection of images I produced into their allocated photoshoots to show the extent of my work.

Photoshoot 1 –

Due to the images being intentionally blurry it is hard to assess which are either good or bad, with the majority of the images being ones that I would or wouldn’t use. For this reason I will instead just display my contact sheet images.

Photoshoot 2 –

Due to the extent of images I took, and the Same factors of the images above, I chose these depending on what I thought looked unique and did not seem too similar to each other in appearance.

Photoshoot 3:

For my social realist images, I took these images in town, capturing the different environments and people as well as using a variety of camera angles and techniques to produce, what I find some interesting images. A small inclusion into this was some blurry photographs such as the intended ones above.

Photoshoot 4:

For these images, I decided to produce a mix of impressionist and social realist inspired images with both blurry and sharp outcomes. With the aim for these images to be turned into magazine pages, a mix of image types would create an impressive composition and show a variety in the mise-en-scene of the magazine.

Photoshoot 5:

Along side other images I produced that explored more-so into the fashion aspects of what union can define, I wanted to produce images about another subject I found can unite people, Music. With this shoot, It primarily focuses on music and how it can define identity, another subject I chose to explore Union’s definitions.

Photoshoot 6:

This shoot was also made to explore music, as within this shoot I chose to take pictures at Noirmont to recreate an album cover. However I also took some more photos to cover identity and fashion as spare images I could implement into my work.

Photoshoot 7:

Taking some photos down at the harbour, I wanted to produce some more blurred images as I felt I had become distracted by doing fashion-inspired social realist photos and wanted to bring a balance with some more work inspired by impressionism.

Project plan:

For my project, I want my work to focus on presenting the theme of ‘union‘ through a blend of Impressionism and social realism inspired images. Although different, similarities can be found between the 2 ‘Isms’ with that being of documenting an experience: Whether it be a memory such as with Impressionism or a point in time like with social realism.

I also wish to take on some creative influence from my artist studies into collaging and montaging and create some images inspired by artists I have studied in those topics.

Outlined structure:

Statement of intent:

For my project, I want to present the theme of ‘union’ through the subject-matter of Youth culture, identity and fashion. With photography being a way to present creativity and identity, I want to show this through images of things I associate to or present myself through things that inter-cross with each other, such as with clothes, music, etc. With the art movements of Impressionism and social realism, being my chosen studies, I will create images, inspired by how my artist studies created their takes on both movements. From the Impressionist paintings that inspired the blurred images from Kyohyun Nam and to the skate culture of LA that started Robert LeBlanc’s photography career of environmental documentation. With the subject of Identity being able to be expressed through many outlets, such as with fashion and music, these can unite people like the youth for example, to associate their identities through trends and styles.

It is from this I find that focusing on Youth, identity and fashion, I can create what will be an interesting synopsis of what ‘union’ can define. Another source of inspiration for this project comes fashion and Skate magazine brands such as Carhart WIP. In their magazine series, they offer a good example of what I’d like to replicate in my own work: combining artistic elements of both ‘isms’, they provide a voice to young artists and hobbyists to express their own experiences whilst also incorporating other topics I have mentioned: identity and youth culture. By presenting my work in a magazine I feel this will be a good way to form an organised representation of the Identity, Fashion choices and youth culture I align myself with. Through this I find I will be able to effectively depict the theme of ‘Union’ in my own way.

Carhartt WIP Magazine:

Other Magazine influences:

skate/fashion brands –

e.g. – Always Do What You Should Do, Palace, HUF, Supreme, Vans, Adidas, etc.

Photoshoot plan:

Looking at these magazines, I will aim to create images, inspired from how they are taken, edited and organized on a page to create an effective magazine layout which will look good when presented. For my photoshoots I wish to photograph in areas usually associated with youth culture such as car parks, outdoors, bedrooms, cars, etc. Taking from other sources of inspiration such as music albums, I wish to incorporate this into it as well through recreating album covers or featuring them within my work.

With magazine pages I have looked at for inspiration having varying design aesthetics and contrasting colours, I wish to incorporate this into my work.

1st Artist Studies:

Impressionism – Kyohyun Nam:

Social Realism: Robert LeBlanc:

To create the affect of my impressionist artist study’s images, when taking photographs of myself, I will have assistance by someone who will shake the camera for me, whilst I have the images set on a timer. For other images where I am not needed to have a blur effect on the images, I will use a timer to take images. The same applies for social realist images I wish to include myself in.

2nd Artist Studies:

Collaging and Montaging: John Stezaker, Christian Marclay, Rafal Milach:

For these style of images, I will produce regular portrait shots and alter them through editing with photoshop to create or replicate a piece of work that is inspired by their work. Other aspects from the influence of collaging and montaging will come from image placement.

What is union?

Union is the act of joining two or more things together to form a single entity. The end goal of union is to often achieve strength, harmony, or a shared purpose that may be difficult to attain individually. There are two main types of union:

• Personal union – two people may come together in marriage, representing the union of their lives and combining them into one.
• Social union – signifies mutual cooperation, where individuals or groups work together for collective benefits. Social union focuses on emphasising commonalities over differences from people who may share a similar belief, value or goal.

Symbolism of unity:

The idea of union often symbolises harmony and peace, strength through togetherness and the formation of a single entity from multiple parts.

The etymology behind union:

The word “union” comes from the Latin word “unionem” which means “oneness, unity or a single entity”.

Initially, the term “union” referred to the state of being united or combined into one. However, over time, the definition expanded to describe specific forms of unity such as political unions or labour unions. Despite this, the root idea of the word has remained consistent throughout its history, and is known as the concept of oneness and joining.

Mood board of union in photography:

Mind map of union:

Art movements & ‘isms’:

In order for me to gain a deeper understanding on the theme union, I decided to research some of the most known art movements for union throughout history. They refer to styles or trends in art that are defined by specific approaches or ideologies.

1. Renaissance (14th – 17th century)

This movement focused on realism, perspective and human anatomy. Artists aimed for realistic depictions of the human form and everyday life using careful observation, as well as using light and shadow to create depth and volume in their work. Some key artists featured in the movement are Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelango and Raphael.

2. Baroque (17th – 18th century)

This movement was involved with emotional art with strong contrasts of light and shadow. It has been described as “grand” and “dramatic”. Some key artists featured in this movement are Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Peter Paul Rubens.

3. Romanticism (18th – 19th century)

This movement was focused on emphasising emotions, nature and individualism. Artists such as Fransisco Goya depicted the power and beauty of nature and often portrayed it as overwhelming or spiritual.

4. Fauvism (Early 20th century)

This movement primarily focused on bold and vibrant colours and simplified forms to convey emotions rather than to accurately represent reality. A key artist from this movement is Henri Matisse – leader of the movement.

5. Pop Art (1950s – 1970s)

Mainly celebrated popular culture, mass media and consumerism using imagery from advertising and celebrities. It aimed to blur the boundaries between “high” art and “low” culture, making art more accessible and reflective of contemporary life. Artists used bright, flat and vibrant colours to mimic the aesthetic of advertisements. The most famous artists from this movement are Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

Other examples of isms:

I decided to research the following 3 “isms” in more depth and detail as I am most intrigued by the concepts behind them. I would like to touch on these three, as well as the isms I listed previously, in my project of union as I understand that they provide cultural and historical contexts, and they will help ground my project within a broader historical framework. I can also engage with the philosophical ideas that shaped artistic movements, which I think is an important element within this project because it will also allow the viewer of my work to think critically about how specific concepts influence artistic choices as well as cultural narratives.

Minimalism (Mid 20th century – present):

Minimalism in photography is an artistic approach that focuses on simplicity and clarity within an image. It emphasises the idea of “less is more”, and aims to create powerful imagery with minimal components such as space, colour and shapes. The ,main goal of minimalism is to evoke emotions in the image by highlighting a subject and convey a sense of tranquility. Some key principles of minimalist photography are

• simplicity – reducing visual clutter to keep the image pretty empty and only including a few key elements.
• negative space – helps isolate the subject which enhances its visual impact.
• use of lines and geometry – the use of clean and geometric lines add a structure to the image and excentuate the minimalist aesthetic.

Some famous minimalist photographers:

• Michael Kenna – known for his minimalist black and white landscapes with haunting compositions that create a strong contrast and add a dramatic mood to his work.
• Edward Weston – captured organic forms and natural objects in a minimalist style with dull settings in order to emphasise the objects.
• Fan Ho – celebrated for geometric urban photography in Hong Kong.

Expressionism (Early 20th century – present):

Expressionism is an artistic movement in photography where the photographer seeks to convey emotional experiences and subjective perceptions rather than depicting objective reality. Rooted in the broader Expressionist art movement in the early 20th century, this approach focuses on using photography as a medium to express mood, intensity and personal interpretation for the viewer to engage with. The origin of expressionism emerged in Germany in the 1900s, influencing the art and literature in response to rapid urbanisation and the anxieties of modern life. It aims to emphasise personal and emotional depth by manipulating light, composition and perspective.

Some key characteristics of expressionist photography are listed below:

• emotional intensity – artists convey loneliness and existential fear through their images
• experimental techniques – double exposure, photomontage and unconventional cropping enhance emotional depth as well as ambiguity
• symbolism and metaphor – expressionist photography often uses things like broken mirrors, decaying structures or dark landscapes to represent their personal psychological states.

Conceptualism (1960s – present):

Conceptualism in photography is where the idea behind the photograph takes precedence over its aesthetic. In this specific style, the photograph by the artist will serve as a means of conveying an intellectual message, rather than being an aesthetically pleasing image. This concept challenges traditional notions of representation, instead, it focuses on how thoughts and feelings are communicated to the viewer through the image.

Some core ideas of conceptual photography:

• The meaning or emotions behind the image outweigh the visual appliance – encouraging the viewer to interact with with the image deeper
• Photographers often use symbolism or staged scenes to express abstract ideas or emotions
• The process of creating the photograph is often just as significant as the final image itself

Union:

According to Oxford Languages the definition of union is the following:

1. action of joining together or the fact of being joined together, especially in a political context.
2. a society or association formed by people with a common interest or purpose.

Synonyms For Union:

Joining, Uniting, Merging, Association, Combine, Mixture, Blending, alliance, group, club, society, partnership, combine, pairing, wedding, marriage, protests, agreement.

Antonyms Of Union:

Seperation, Parting, Divorce, Discord, Conflict, Rivalry, Isolation, Disintegration, Division.

Initial Mood Board

Above is my initial mood board, I commenced with finding images which show Union. I was looking for images which showed connection, culture, relationships, groups and identity, when selecting which photos to use in my mood board I carefully chose photographs which had symbols of union, like holding hands and crowds / protests and images which aesthetically just appealed to me. This mood board is a good starting point for my project as it helps me decifer which category of union I want to choose narrowing it down to a smaller group of ideas. From this mood board I will go on to find a main focus point and create a more specific mood board, targeted to the theme of choice, gathering more inspiration.

Mind Map

Once I had completed my initial mood board, I then went onto making a mind map which was narrowed down to 3 sections, narrowing down my choices from the initial mood board. The three sections which I branched out to when making my mind map was: Relationships, Cultural Union and Fashion & Identity. These 3 topics stood out to me when looking at photographs of all kinds of union in the initial mood board. Relationships was one of my first ideas when I initially found out the theme was union, it sprung to mind quick because relationships wether they are friends, family, teams or a romantic relationship, they are appparent and clear aspects which show unity and fit in perfectly with the theme of union. Even though relationships is an interesting path to go down, I want to focus on something more abstract and experimental, challenging views and provoking thoughts. So the other two themes under the category of union which stuck out to me were Fashion & Identity and Cultural union, these categories stood out more to me, as I could explore how fashion can be used for self expression including cultural backgrounds and etc. In conclusion, I have decided to combine both Culutural Union with Fashion & Identity because I think that they perfectly blend, showing how cultural expression can be shown in fashion and how they both work together to showcase a persons identity and unity in the world.

Final Mood Board

Above is my final mood board, this mood board is focused on fashion & identity as well as cultural union. In the centre of the mood board, in big, I have 2 main images which are what style and theme this project will mainly consist of. These two photos are taken by photographers: Hassan Hajjaj and Omar Victor Diop, these two photographers are a huge inspiration for this project and I will take my own images inspired by them. In this mood board you can also see cultural patterns, I have included this in my mood board as an idea of what patterned clothing the models could wear or for any shots of just the cultural pattern. I also have included photos of modern, streetwear clothing because I could show the difference between the past and present or even blend both of the cultural clothing pieces with modern clothing pieces, blending culture with modern fashion showing off diversity and unity. In conclusion my mood board is a great visual representation of my ideas and inspirations of how fashion can join with cultural influences, allowing people to express their identity.

cubism

Cubism is a movement that was originated by artists such as Pablo Picasso. It presents photos in unique and abstract ways by breaking objects down into geometric shapes. Cubism is able to show multiple perspectives where it is able to give many viewpoints to the photo giving the viewer an opportunity to interpret the images in the way they think is correct for them. The movement steers away from realistic views and creates images you wouldn’t be able to capture without further disfigurement and so it mostly focusses on shape and structure. Cubism was mainly famous within art however it can also be used in photography in many ways. You can take a singular photo and edit in at a later time using apps such as photoshop or you can take your images in fragmented sections and put the images together in a printed form of multiple images. This would be a collage or montage idea where multiple images are placed down together in a way that isn’t exactly neat to create the effect of fragmentation. photographers such as David Hockney has taken on this cubism approach where he creating collages of multiple photographs that reflected a cubist approach. Within photography, using the camera to create this effect can be very helpful. For example, using multiple exposure can be used to overlap images to show different angles within a single frame to create the fragmented view. Using reflections can also be a key feature of cubism within photography by using mirrors windows or water to create images that show more than one view of the same object.

suprematism

Suprematism was a movement discovered by Kazimir Malevich. The focus is mainly on geometric shapes shown above. (Lines, circles, squares). Suprematism was not a movement that focussed on a traditional focusses of art and photography like objects or people they mostly focussed on abstract forms of photography. One obvious theme in this move,ent was the use of bold and primary colours which can be used to grab someone’s attention and draw the viewer the images. Suprematism is usually referred to the ‘Zero-point’ meaning: representing the void, a state of pure abstraction beyond visual representation. Like Cubism, suprematism is usually associated with art and not generally photography, however there are ways that you can like suprematism with photography. You can frame your images in ways that create compositions between certain shapes the image if framed correctly. The images need to be fairly simple and not overly confusing (eg too many shapes in one image) the use of blank spaces are important so that the images does not become too full or confusing. Using different colours within the photographs will link to the idea that suprematism using bold primary colours. The colours could work to repose the certain strong emotions through the photograph making the viewer feel more attached to the image as they may feel a certain way towards it. Ways to use suprematism through photography’s is to seek out geometric shapes in your usual day so that it becomes more of a natural occurrence and still links to suprematism.

Dadaism

Dadaism was a movement that originated in the early 20th century. Influence for the Dadaism movement was from World War I. Dadaism rejected the usual ideas of art forms where it enhanced ideas on Chas and non traditional art normalities. The movement focusses on random ideas of art where unusual pieces are made from different techniques. This movement had its own influence on photography as well, it was popular as it was a movement that drove away from traditional pieces of art and representations. Rearrangement and disfigurement of images to create the final images is important in Dadaism as it ultimately ends up creating surreal and absurd effects. Dadaism also uses a secondary approach where they take already existing photos from sources such as magazines or newspapers and experiments with them in ways that create unusual but interesting outcomes. Ways to incorporate Dadaism into photography’s is by taking a usual photo yourself or an already existing photograph and then creating a collage effect by cutting up the image into pieces and then rearranging them again. Of you wanted to take more of a digital approach, you can take the image and then edit it on apps such as photoshop where you can copy and paste parts of the images and rearrange it that way.

surrealism

surrealism focuses on dream like imagery where the photograph would show something that wouldn’t be an everyday occurrence. Surrealism was influenced by Sigmund Freud theories and understandings of the unconscious mind wher he explored the meanings of dreams and thoughts that are in people’s head and ultimately down to the unconscious are cannot be controlled. Surrealism works to challenge the boundaries between dreams and realities creating images that may come across as disturbing to the viewer and overall creating engagement and interest. Juxtaposition within this movement is importantly when artists link unexpected objects together which make an unsettling sense towards the image. Incorporating surrealism into photography can occur in many ways. For example, combining scenes with object that would be unusual. Photograph an ordinary object in an unusual setting to create a sense of confusion to the viewer. As shown in the mood board above, the images that link with surrealism don’t involve pop colours like a movement such as suprematism. Instead it focuses more on black and white or low light settings. If the images involved bright colours and objects that it wouldn’t provide the sense of unsettlement as well as it does with the dark and dull theme. Symbolism in surrealism is also important. For example, in the image above, there is an image of an eye. Using an eye in an image it’s important for creating different symbolisms and metaphors as it can suggest deeper or psychological meanings to the images. When creating your own images that link to surrealism, the setting is very important as some environments will work better than others. For example, something like an empty forest would create a more unsettling feel than a busy restaurant.

expressionism

Expressionism is an art movement that originated in the early 20th century. Its aim is to portray emotional experiences of the photographer or the subject rather than just taking images of the natural world. This meant that these photos were able to have deeper meanings and be more engaging. The movement of expressionism include moving away from straightforward photos of reality to a different approach where the viewer is able to have more of their own interpretation where the photographer’s feelings and thoughts played a crucial role.

Definition in dictionary:

UNION
noun: union; plural noun: unions; noun: the Union

1. the action of joining together or the fact of being joined together, especially in a political context.“he was opposed to closer political or economic union with Europe”
   Similar: unification uniting joining merging merger fusion fusing

Examples of some types of unions that could be used in photography:

Elaboration on points on the mind map:

Human relationships: This type of union would be examples of connections between other people. this could be holding hands, family moments and groups of friends. To involve this in a photoshoot you could take portrait images of certain subjects together or get in the moment shoots of people interacting together naturally.

Historical Unions: This type of union would be examples of historical buildings, objects or places. This can be used in a photoshoot by focussing on one historical movement and capturing photographs of everything that relates to this moment of time. For example taking photoshoots of the castles around jersey.

Unions between opposites: This type of union shows how opposites are united together and paired together. for examples light and dark are seen as a pair as they are the opposite of each other. This can be used in photography by creating juxtaposing images of both sides of the opposing words and showing how they are able to work together though being complete opposites.

Old and New: This type of union is similar to the opposites as old and new are opposite to each other. This shoot would focus on factors such as buildings where you can photograph old buildings compared to new buildings. This shoot could also be applied to people where you can photograph old photographs and compare them with the person being older in a newer photograph.

Natural Unions: This type of union is a relationship with nature such as plants of animals. This can also be applied to the relationship between human and nature and how the interact.

Ism I am considering to study:

• Social realism
• Symbolism
• Emotionalism
• Humanism

the action of joining together or the fact of being joined together, especially in a political context.

synonyms to Union:

• abutment
• accord
• agglutination
• agreement
• amalgam
• amalgamation
• blend
• centralization
• combination
• commixture
• compound
• concatenation
• conciliation
• concord
• concurrence
• confluence
• congregation
• conjunction
• consolidation
• correlation
• coupling
• fusion
• harmony
• hookup
• incorporation
• intercourse
• joint
• junction
• juncture
• meeting
• merging
• mixture
• seam
• symbiosis
• synthesis
• tie up
• tie-in
• unanimity
• unification
• unison
• uniting
• unity

Using these synonyms I may be able to formulate different ideas. Just from reading this, I’m already thinking about team sports from the word ‘connection’, as well as items that work well together like certain foods, the environment/ecosystem working together, family and relationships.

Mood Board:

Above I created a mood board with a few Ideas I’m having to do with union. I used a few Ideas given from the exam paper and a few of my own to create it.

For the theme of union, I first thought of things such as relationships and friendships, however after doing research I may focus on one of the isms. I may also look at things like collages and the union of different objects creating a new piece. To get a deeper understanding of the word ‘union’, I have created a list of all similar words, this will hopefully also inspire new ideas.

Union: the action of joining together or the fact of being joined together, especially in a political context.

Here are some other words for union which inspire me:

Similar, joining, merging, merger, fusion, fusing, combining, combination, blend, blending, mixture.

Movements and isms

Aestheticism:

The Aesthetic Movement in Britain (1860 – 1900) aimed to escape the ugliness and materialism of the Industrial Age, by focusing instead on producing art that was beautiful rather than having a deeper meaning – ‘Art for Art’s sake’.

Pictorialism:

For the pictorialist, a photograph, like a painting, drawing or engraving, was a way of projecting an emotional intent into the viewer’s realm of imagination. Pictorialism as a movement thrived from about 1885 to 1915, although it was still being promoted by some as late as the 1940s.

Romanticism:

Romanticism began towards the end of the 18th century and was a reaction to the industrial revolution. It emphasises on emotion and the sublime (great beauty) within nature.

Union in Relationships

Another idea I had for the theme of union is the union of people, the idea of relationships and friendships.

Collages

After doing research and looking for ideas of what to produce for the theme of union I thought of collages, combining images. I thought of this as it is something I have done in a previous project in response to the theme of Anthropocene.

What is Impressionism?

’A Literary or artistic style that seeks to capture a feeling or experience rather than to achieve accurate depiction.’

– Oxford dictionary.

History –

Sunrise, Claude Monet, 1872.

With its origins found in paintings from France in the 1860s, the movement was intended as a visual impression of what was in the moment, altering what was present such as light and colour to the artists own choice or interpretation. Founding artists of the movement included the likes of Claude Monet and others like Pierre Renoir, Alfred Sisley and Frederick Bazille. Being unique in its approach to art, it was initially critiqued as in contrast to other art movements at the time such as Romanticism and Realism which were detailed in depicting reality accurately, Impressionism differed in its fast brushstrokes and unfinished sketch feel.

Impressionism – ‘The Skiff’, Pierre-Augusta Renoir, 1875. + Realism – ‘Self Portrait at an Early Age’, Rembrandt, 1628.

Applied within photography –

With photography’s essential purpose to capture details accurately, Impressionism within photography is difficult to be applied however with the practice of impressionist paintings being performed spontaneously and within a moment I find it can be associated to the ‘snap-shot’ style of photography, were capturing memorable points in time or a ‘decisive moment’ as street-photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson states can be an art form in itself.

‘Tarascon, France’, Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1959.

To replicate the unfinished and hastily constructed aesthetic of Impressionism paintings within photography, slow shutter speeds and a direct centre focus on the scene are the common practice found within Impressionist photography. Using the camera like a paintbrush, an impressionist photograph can create a hazy blurred effect, similar to what we associate with picturing something in like a dream-like state.

Moodboard:

With Impressionism being a modern concept for its time, I find its relevance as a unique art form still is present today in a variety of applicable uses. With most frequent I have seen be in the form of branded fashion advertising, Album covers and contemporary photo projects of young photographers.

Fashion advertising: Carrhart WIP magazine –

Album Covers: Daniel Caesar –

Canadian artist Daniel Caesar makes use of a surrealist style of photography with his 2 albums.

Case Study 01, 2019 –

Never Enough, 2023 –

Contemporary young photographers: Finn Flint –

Instagram: Finnflint –

Within his social media page, Finn flint creates a merge of impressionist and social-realist images that merge in a creative aesthetic.

Impressionism – Artist Study:

Kyohyun Nam –

’Impressionism was formed in the late 19th century, just when photography was starting to find its place in the world. Impressionist paintings can sometimes give the effect of motion. These artworks portray a feeling than a clear or crisp likeness.’

– Lomography website, interview with Kyohyun.

Kyohyun Nam, a South Korean photographer, first tried long-exposure photography from the suggestion of his wife when talking about the Impressionist Artist, Claude Monet. Using his camera he has since been able to capture moments of an atmosphere, in a similar manner through photography.

‘I thought, “Could I create photos that resemble Monet’s paintings? And if so, how?” The idea of using long-exposure photography came to mind. I realized I could use the movement and vibrations of my hand to render light in a way that mimics oil or watercolor paintings. As a result, I was able to create painterly photographs.’

– Kyohyun Nam.

To create his photographs, Kyohyun uses a 50mm lens with an ISO of 100. With the long exposures of light on his images, he makes use of filters to compensate for the large amount. With his images usually taken on the go and of random people, I find his work can conform to other photography elements I’m familiar with, such as Street-photography.

Kyohyun Nam Moodboard:

Image Analysis:

What is Social realism?

‘The realistic depiction in art contemporary life, as a means or political comment.’

– Oxford Dictionary

History:

’Wounded American soldier’, 1918. + ‘Women Workers’, Margaret Bourke-White, 1943.

Social Realism as a movement saw its beginnings between the two World Wars. This came at the response to the build up of social and political turmoil and hardships of the time. Within this time, artists turned to realism as a way for art to be easily accessible and able to be seen by the wider public. Within social realist art, the anonymous everyday person became the subject, being presented in a symbolic sense of persistence and strength in the face of adversity. With subjects often being in the poor conditions and in the working class, the art aimed to challenge the systems of responsibility such as the government and society.

Artists such as Jacob Riis photographed the poverty and poor conditions of those within the American class. His work contributed massively to the cause of urban reform within the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Other artists included Walker Evans, who documented the American life spanning the years of the Great Depression in areas deeply effects such as agricultural lands in Alabama to the busy and crowded streets of New York.

‘How the other half lives’ NYC, Jacob Riis, 1890. + ‘Woman in Cloche Hat and Pedestrians, Fulton Street, New York City’, Walker Evans, 1929.

Moodboard:

Nowadays social realism remains rigid to its origins of documentation of life, however with the emergence of mobile phones and social media, it has seen a significant increase in people participating in photographing what goes on around us. With social media able to capture and document everything within a persons lifetime, social realism has been adapted into unique sub-genres amongst generations to conform to individual artistic choices.

Examples of this I find can, again, be found in fashion magazines who are representative of a diverse age range, documentary films and again also contemporary artists.

Fashion advertising: Carrhart WIP magazine –

Carhartt WIP gives underground artists such as ‘Jail time records’ a platform within the global community of art appreciation. Being a record label formed within a Cameroon jail cell, challenges the norm of how and where music can be made.

Documentary film-making: Sisters-in-law –

Documentary films such as Kim Longinotto’s ‘Sisters-In-Law’ shows the real societal issues faced by women due to cultural traditions clashing with modern societal values within the underdeveloped Kumba Town, in Cameroon.

Contemporary artists: Barklem Biggs –

Actor Barklem Biggs documents the behind the scenes of his time with his fellow cast mates of SAS Rogue heroes. This to me shows the often undocumented moments of making other form of art such as cinema and television.

Art Magazines: The Face –

The Face magazine.

Elaine Constantine, ‘Seagull (sarf coasting’), 1997.

Jake Chessum, ‘Normand Anderson aka broadcaster Normski’, 1992.

Sean Ellis, ‘My Beautiful medieval fantasy, The dark knight returns’, 1998.

Social-Realism – Artist Study:

Robert LeBlanc –

’Supported by  Fahey/Klein Gallery and the adventurous spirit of Arc’teryx, LeBlanc’s body of work is a harmonious collaboration between artistic vision and wanderlust. In the realms of Tin Lizards, dreams collide with reality, memories are etched in silver halides, and the world becomes a canvas for contemplation and wonder. This body of work invites us to embark on a poignant voyage, one where the soul of the country reveals itself through the gentle embrace of train travel and the monochromatic magic of the photographic lens.’

– Tin Lizards, LeBlanc Website

Based in Los Angeles, Robert LeBlanc is a self-taught documentary photographer who first got into photography with in 2003, by using a 35mm point-and-shoot to share and document skate culture. Since then, LeBlanc has become dedicated in capturing and documenting day-to-day life. His first work to do such was ‘Unlawful Conduct’, a documentary photobook, covering 6 years of “a beautiful dark view of the modern world around us”. This book has since been released in a book worldwide, including some notable places such as MoMa PS1 Bookstore and the Frye MUSUEM store.

LeBlanc’s projects, such as ‘Moon Dust’ embody the idea of social realism through captivating images of the often overlooked moments and people within society. As his website states “His projects capture non-traditional communities, including hotshot firefighters, hurricane survivors, and Holiness snake handlers. Through raw, unguarded images, he offers a glimpse of daily life into otherwise rarely-pictured social spaces”.

With LeBlanc’s project, ’Tin Lizards’ similar in aesthetic to another social realist photographer I have studied, Robert Frank and his project ‘The Americans’. I have found an interest into the modernistic approach Le Blanc has taken on producing his own work, yet still seeming to have the same premise of documenting the unseen segments of America.

’Tin Lizards’, 2023, Robert LeBlanc.

In comparison to:

‘The Americans’, 1958, Robert Frank.

Overall, I find that Robert LeBlancs is an interesting artist to study as through his unique approach to documenting often ignored elements of society, there is a creative and individualistic aesthetic to what he aims to create. As his website quotes, “In a time of great social upheaval and escalating environmental consequences, his work contributes to a broader understanding of the contemporary human experience”.

Image Analysis:

Artist Comparisons:

Between both my artists, I find that despite their different styles they both feature similar elements. With one similarity being the use of motion blur. As seen in these artworks, both are used to convey motion, whether it be someone quickly walking or trees passing from the window of a train.

Kyohyun Nam

Robert LeBlanc

One difference however can be seen with the subject focus, with LeBlanc focusing on the subject of travel and America’s unseen locations. This differs to Nam who instead focuses on individuals as his subject, capturing them in a bright and contrasting unfinished look such as with Monet’s impressionist paintings. Despite this however, both can be seen as a form of documentative photography in a way, capturing a person, place or moment in time, either artistically or candidly.