You enter via an innocuous small door leading from the main courtyard at Somerset House. Into an immaculate small room occupied by a Lancaster bomber which although is in a compromising position seems to have made it through the brickwork unscathed.
The room is inspired by the opening scene from the brilliant British film A Matter of Life and Death by Powell and Pressburger. In one image a lady in uniform sits in a chair staring into space mostly unperturbed by the seismic crash that must have occured, alluring to the idea that she is reflecting on something or someone. It's then that you realise this is not a reality, you've entered a fantasy world and Tim is narrating it to us.
The room is inspired by the opening scene from the brilliant British film A Matter of Life and Death by Powell and Pressburger. In one image a lady in uniform sits in a chair staring into space mostly unperturbed by the seismic crash that must have occured, alluring to the idea that she is reflecting on something or someone. It's then that you realise this is not a reality, you've entered a fantasy world and Tim is narrating it to us.
I arrived at the same time as a herd of art school students that had turned up bubbling with excitement and threatening to pop this bubble of fantasy. They didn't, they dispersed into the spaces inside. Enchanted perhaps by the novelty of each room and the diversity of work on display. From delicately crafted and complex scenes to intimate and often touching portraits of the brightest and greatest brits in popular culture (of which he's done them all, from Vivienne Westwood to the surviving cast of Monty Python).
At one point I stopped to read a line from Tim's narative which really grabbed my attention, he talked about creating moments. Moments are talked about across the whole spectrum of photography but which I had never thought applied to fashion photography. It seemed such a manipulated and directed form that I suppose I felt it didn't deserve to share language with greats like Cartier Bresson (interestingly also on show at Somerset House) I guess I had always felt photojournalism was selling us fact whereas fashion was selling a fiction, so for me they couldn't be from more different ends of the scale.
London for some time has been re-calibrating this idea for me slowly, from shows at the National Gallery to the V&A. Galleries are discussing photography's role in art and culture. In particular questioning a photo's truthfulness. It is this that his exhibition illustrated for me: that no matter what area of photography you are in your image is always going to be your opinion. A photo is completely subjective, like any art. fact or fiction doesn't come into it anymore. It is what you choose to believe.
"Tim's photos consistently illustrated how
complex it was to successfully craft a
moment that has never existed."
As the exhibition ushers you around it's labyrinth of rooms and passages you realise how it has been curated with the style and slickness of a fashionable high street store. bleached boxes stacked in a stylised heap housing perhaps just one portrait photo is something you accept walking around. Or at least you temper your feelings towards it's unnecessary use because at least there is no one trying to sell you anything.
In some ways its a shame the work can't simply speak for itself without the gigantic dolls and pools of sand. It makes you wonder if I would have left with the same impression, if the stage tricks had not been present. I guess the truth is I liked the extras, the artifacts of his discoveries and the evidence of his eye for detail. They play a huge part in the whole experience. Proof of their use in the shoot and not added at the last by post production, much to his credit.
But it makes so much sense that the fashion industry would want to associate with this style of fashion photography. effectively branding an idyll into our minds. Associating our favorite and most comforting fantasy stories with big high street brands. Projecting the incredible, somewhere only our dreams take us, but making it within everyones reach... and sometimes for an affordable price. The fashion houses hope to capture the imagination and appeal to your 'individuality'. But these photos are taken out of this context. No brand names on display here. So you are able to appreciate them more than you might anticipate because of this. Focus on their brilliance and not what they are trying to sell you.
This exhibition invites you to question photography as you know it. He does it all with a British flair, precision and sense of humour. They are bold and honest productions that deserve the all the praise they are getting. Simply go and see it.
Somerset House
Exhibition runs til 27 January 2013
Free admission
Daily 10:00 - 18:00
London for some time has been re-calibrating this idea for me slowly, from shows at the National Gallery to the V&A. Galleries are discussing photography's role in art and culture. In particular questioning a photo's truthfulness. It is this that his exhibition illustrated for me: that no matter what area of photography you are in your image is always going to be your opinion. A photo is completely subjective, like any art. fact or fiction doesn't come into it anymore. It is what you choose to believe.
"Tim's photos consistently illustrated how
complex it was to successfully craft a
moment that has never existed."
I'm always a little skeptical when it comes to reading artists exhibition supplements. They have a tendency to over complicate the simplest of ideas, to the point where you feel you are being lead down the garden path.
With Tim, he talks easily and fluently. Perhaps at times you want to believe what is being said, mainly about him going on these solo journey's with a camera, but in the end a good shot often comes down to the roles that others play. The set designers, the models, the clothing, a striking body position... there are so many people involved in making a good fashion photo that it can't always be him fetching the credit. There isn't enough made of that, perhaps on purpose. To cement the legend that is undoubtedly Tim Walker.
"Such a big time photographer must have
dozens of minions chirping in his ear,
I guess what we must really give him credit for,
is the ability to say no."
As the exhibition ushers you around it's labyrinth of rooms and passages you realise how it has been curated with the style and slickness of a fashionable high street store. bleached boxes stacked in a stylised heap housing perhaps just one portrait photo is something you accept walking around. Or at least you temper your feelings towards it's unnecessary use because at least there is no one trying to sell you anything.
In some ways its a shame the work can't simply speak for itself without the gigantic dolls and pools of sand. It makes you wonder if I would have left with the same impression, if the stage tricks had not been present. I guess the truth is I liked the extras, the artifacts of his discoveries and the evidence of his eye for detail. They play a huge part in the whole experience. Proof of their use in the shoot and not added at the last by post production, much to his credit.
But it makes so much sense that the fashion industry would want to associate with this style of fashion photography. effectively branding an idyll into our minds. Associating our favorite and most comforting fantasy stories with big high street brands. Projecting the incredible, somewhere only our dreams take us, but making it within everyones reach... and sometimes for an affordable price. The fashion houses hope to capture the imagination and appeal to your 'individuality'. But these photos are taken out of this context. No brand names on display here. So you are able to appreciate them more than you might anticipate because of this. Focus on their brilliance and not what they are trying to sell you.
This exhibition invites you to question photography as you know it. He does it all with a British flair, precision and sense of humour. They are bold and honest productions that deserve the all the praise they are getting. Simply go and see it.
Somerset House
Exhibition runs til 27 January 2013
Free admission
Daily 10:00 - 18:00
No comments:
Post a Comment