Photography Forums UK

[Kenny]

Hi guys

I know that there is a massive depth of photographic knowledge on this forum about all kinds of things so I would like to ask for a bit of help if I may. Basically, the situation is that you guys know I am at uni and am now on my final semester. You also know that I recently did a body of work to exhibit in Manchester as part of the degree. Well, there is another show in June and I have to produce a really spectcacular body of work for this. Reason being is that in this semesters exams according to the grade caculator putting in the three B's I got for it gives me walking out of uni with a 2:1. Basically I want more.I want a first and its said that to do that I have to get an A in one of the final modules......


..which is where the problem starts cos I have I think become over ambitious and handed in a proposal yesterday that my tutor went wild for. Basically I intend to take the feel of old masters paintings but put them into a 21st century vibe- if youve seen my lady with the rose and the other work I posted recently you will know the direction I am headed cos these were concept shots for it. One of the images I put forward to do was the last supper but using goth models, steam punk models etc and having them use 21st century items such as a Wii or macbook..

My tutor has daid he wants me to do it and didnt even bat an eyelid but when he asked whom my references were, I had none and this is where you come in. Do any of you guys know who produces work that looks like oldMasters but photographically and if so can you give me some info so I can produce a good reserach journal. I have found one-Joel Peter Witken but I draw the line at contacting local morgues for unwanted body parts as he did for his work.

any help gratefully received

Bessy regs


Kenny

[ahab]

I think that's a brilliant idea Kenny. I think when it comes too parodying religious icons you could be walking into a minefield. I would suggest you take you concepts from the field of popular myth and legend. Your Lady with the rose is a good example and should offend no-one (there's always one ) as would Arthurian, Homeric and Norse tales.

[Kenny]

I kind of thought that myself too Moz but when I said it to the tutor he said it would be okay.Oviously what I think I will do is do five or six and maybe choose the best four themes and use them to print and mount them.Ive just done some reserach and it seems that in the past pastiche's of the last supper image have caused some furore. I know the uni is down on anything to do with discrimination or causing a dismay. I really do fancy doing this though and know I have the technique to do it.

[Bob]

what I think I will do is do five or six and maybe choose the best four themes and use them to print and mount them.

How are you getting on with the mount cutter Kenny?

[Kenny]

Hi Bob

learning to use it and have had loads of failed mounts but some good ones too. My only problem if finding enough room to use it becuase as you know, its massive. When I went to uni and told them you had given it to me they went green with envy and Kate, our Tech said to me they would kill for one but their budget wouldnt stretch to one.

[Bob]

Yes they do take up some room. My business partner, Anne-Marie, used to do all our mounting and she was a wizard with it. I remember on one occasion when it was the wedding anniversary of my friends in Lockerbie, I decided to get them a framed set of all the coinage and notes (including a blue and a white fiver) from the year they were married and Anne-Marie cut the mount to mount the notes and the coins. It's amazing what you can do with it once you get to know it. Especially with double mounts.

[Kenny]

I'll have lots of time to experiment when I leave uni Bob I just need lots of card to play with. There is no doubt that it is a very clever piece of kit and if I manage to gain the correct skills, if I do decide to go pro I could do my own custom mounts for clients.

[Jayne-Yorks]

Didn't you use it for your exhibition prints Kenny?

[Kenny]

Hi Jayne

nope I sisnt. I cut mounts out for them and went for my pre exhibtion meeting with Jim and he said that if I mounted canvas in black mounts he would mark me down. he said to me that in his opinion they needed to be flat mounted onto board and then back boarded so they had a three dee effect coming off the wall. I was gutted cos it took me about six days to cut the mounts and a lot of money on board...and then I had to find 120 quid to have them done as he said to be done. He said to me that the only rpints mounted in board should be printed on paper and if I wanted to do them in black mounts I would have to reprint them on paper. Since I had already printed them out onto the canvas that cost 20 quid a sheet( silver impregnated) I was forced to comply.

having said that, I think it worked out in the end because people went mad over the prints and I got got reviews and people who had mounted theirs on black mounts did in the end get marked down cos their work didnt look right in the frames( in his opinion anyway.) Upshot is that this time I am printing on textured museum rag paper and so I have a chance of using the mounts I cut for them instead. Depends on if I get my HEI bursary in time to do the exhibtion in June If it comes I would really like to mount the images as I did for the January exhibtion cos they really did do a fantastic job....and if I get an A for that exhibtion its a first and not a 2:1

[Jayne-Yorks]

Ahhh right i thought you had used it for your uni stuff