ferndenyerphotops-blog

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Essay

Analyse  why and how Sam Taylor-Wood, John Coplans and Phil Toledano have created photographic/ lens-based work that frankly and honestly addresses issues to do with both ageing and mortality.

 The process of ageing is a natural one and results from the way that time affect both biological organisms and physical, seemingly ‘permanent’ material. The process of ‘ageing’ has many scientific explanations behind it and it has been widely researched in order to understand diseases that are age-related. More recently researchers have been looking into whether ‘life’ and therefore the ‘ageing process’ can be prolonged. Anti-ageing creams and the uprising popularity of cosmetic procedures as led to a rise in people seeking to ‘look’ younger than their years. Diets, exercises and medical procedures have been the topic of discussion in society regarding how we can all look and feel younger no matter how much we biologically age.

 

It could be fair to say that attitudes towards ageing have changed throughout recent years and that ‘respect towards our elders’ has declined. Many people might consider that this situation could have arises due to a rise in social media, arguing that ‘ageing’ is not really presented an overly positive way on most media platforms. In News reports, it is quite common to see that ‘Ageing’ is now often portrayed as a debilitating process and this is presented in a pessimistic way. It could also be argued that women are under far more scrutiny than men when it comes to general attitudes towards ageing i.e. whether they embrace the odd grey hair and wrinkles or choose to use cosmetic procedures to halt these natural signs of ageing. 

  The process of ‘ageing’ brings about a series of social implications for older people such as quality of life and the loss of independence. John Coplans addressed issues such as these in a series of nude self-portraits that have the potential to break down society’s barriers concerning body confidence and pride. John Coplans was born in London in 1920 and served in the army for 8 years before returning to civilian life to become an artist. From his early childhood, he had developed an admiration for his father who regularly took him to galleries which influenced his career in art. 

                            Coplans’ work features a series of nude self-portraits, ‘Serial figures’ (1984-1994) which are presented in black & white and have been taken using a Polaroid camera. Coplans did sometimes use an assistant, however much of the setting-up was undertaken by himself because he liked to be in control of the shots he took and how they were developed.  Coplans didn’t include his face in the photographs because he wanted to create a set of photographs featuring a body with no ‘set’ identity. This corresponds with what Coplans said about the images and how he feels when he is posing for them: “I wanted to be all the people in the world, I wanted to be all the people in the world that have ever been in the world.” (Coplans, 2002) It is clear that the photographer wanted his body to be a universal model to represent bodies that are real and have been through the process of life.   

    

When discussing his body, John Coplans has said: “I don’t really deal with old age, as I say it’s merely a condition that I’m in, that I have to make use with as best as I can. And I pretend that my body is young” (Coplans, 2002). It can be assumed that Coplans believes he can expose the frailty of his personal pride whilst his images display self-confidence.  These photographs are direct, honest and expose the minute details of his body. He is very honest because he admits to his self-perceived ‘flaws’ and welcomes them as part of his body.   It can be argued that this series of work also explores the concept of ‘self-perception’ because Coplans is showcasing his own body in a variety of stances and poses that reveal every wrinkle, scar and varying textures on himself; in this way, he has virtually turned himself into a living piece of art, something to look at and contemplate on.    

  The context in which John Coplans has taken his photographs invites the discussion as to whether there is a current taboo regarding the process of ‘ageing’ through his frank and seemingly provocative approach to photographing his own body: “Even though it’s a seventy-year old body, I can make it interesting. This keeps me alive and gives me vitality.” (Coplans, 2002) Creating his work gives Coplans a new lease of life as he said, the work does not only gives himself self-confidence and pride but gives a strong message to others that they can appreciate their own bodies.  Therefore, it can be argued that Coplan’s work very much advocates the question that ageing can be photographed frankly and honestly because he has been able to create a series of photographs that exactly do this. However, some people may disagree that Coplan’s work is inspirational and change their view point on ageing. Many people develop their own internalized opinions of themselves and regarding ageing viewing somebody else’s body may not be personal enough to change them.

   

Phil Toledano was born in London in 1968 to a French-Moroccan mother and an American Father. He is a socio-political artist and has created work ranging from photography to full-scale installation. His work has featured in Vanity Fair, The New York Time magazine, The London Times and GQ.  ‘Days with my father’ (published 2010) is a series of photographs by Toledano documenting his relationship with his father over a time span of over four years until his death in 2009. Phil Toledano’s father was suffering with Dementia, a degenerative condition resulting in the deterioration of cognitive function most commonly affecting memory. Sufferers of the disease are eventually unable to function and perform basic daily tasks such as remembering to feed and wash themselves. In the later stages of the condition, patients are unable to recognise their loved ones and experience a lot of stress as a result. It could be said that Toledano’s motivation to document his father’s illness was to highlight how devastating the condition is, both physically and emotionally not only for the individual themselves but those closest to them.  Toledano himself said, ‘There are ideas that I find really intellectually interesting, and there are things that are like, my soul, nakedly exposed, right? Like “Days with my Father,” It is clear that for Toledano the project was extremely personal to him and he used it as the opportunity to show the strength between him and his father in such tragic circumstances.

 It is fair to say that the photographs in this series are striking and sad, yet at the same time they are full of strength and love. Tender exchanges between Toledano and his father are captured, freezing them as moments in time forever. The context in which the photographs have been taken is a deep reflection on someone else’s wellbeing. The wider issues that the images address include the social implications surrounding ‘palliative’ and ‘end of life’ care.  This series ‘opens the door’ on both the mental and physical challenges that his father faced in the last few years of his life due to a combination of ageing and dementia.   The image of his father staring in to his own reflection is particularly haunting because the expression on his face is blank and confused. The lighting of the image also creates a crushing atmosphere, Toledano’s eyes look dark and tired.

The image reveals the full extent of his father’s frailty and how the Dementia has ravaged his mind and completely taken over his body.  

  The set of photographs are a personal record of Toledano’s relationship with his father until his death which addresses the social issues surrounding ageing and the acceptance of our own and our loved ones’ mortality in a frank yet sensitive way. Toledano’s work is a documentation, so the images are appropriately presented in real-life ‘colour’ using just the available lighting. It could be argued that this creates a link between the subject and those who view it because the setting in which the photographs have been taken in are familiar as they portray an easily recognisable environment.   

  It could be argued that the relationship between Toledano and his father portrays an immensely strong, unique and irreplaceable bond between them. Toledano reflects on caring for his father and how he sees it as a token of thanks: ‘This is my hypothesis; I think that when I was born, when I was a kid, my Dad decided he was going to be a father and that meant giving up certain aspects of his personality. When my mum died, I think my father reverted to somebody he used to be when he was younger’ (Toledano, 2011) There is an underlying aspect of respect for his father’s sacrifices that he made for him which he cannot now provide because of his father’s dementia. It would be fair to say that Toledano’s father has almost swapped places with his son, reverting to becoming a helpless child who needs to be fed, washed and watched over. His father is a shell of his former self which must been painful for his son to experience daily. It can be argued that the photographs almost became a visual diary which is completely personal to Toledano and his father because it records many emotion and challenges that he had to face both as a carer and son.   

  The following image is particularly poignant because of the context in which the image was taken, days before his father’s passing. The exchange of hands gives an insight into the strong love Toledano’s father has for his close family and friends in his final days. The lighting is very strong in the photograph, the rest of the shot is cast in shadow whilst the hands are illuminated by light, emphasising the lines and wrinkles on is father’s hands. The overall tonality is very quiet and subdued, adding to the somber mood in the photographs.   

     

The context in which Toledano has taken these images is very personal and unique to both himself and his father. When he started taking photographs of his father he did not expect to receive the attention and appreciation for his work as so many people in a similar situation reached out to him as they could relate to his work. ‘I got two emails today from people saying they had just found out their parents had a terminal disease and reading this project had re-orientated the way they were going to approach; they were going to deal with the last years of their parent’s life. So, it’s a real honour for me to have done something so inadvertently but helped so many people.’ (Toledano, 2011). It is evident that Toledano’s work has provided support and triggered a response from the general public to talk and open up about their struggles with ageing parents who are chronically ill.

 The issue of valid consent should be discussed in regard to Toledano’s documentation, he was photographing a very old and frail man who was in the secondary stages of a severe mental disease and it could be argued that he would not be fully aware of what his son was doing. Very intimate and personal moments were included in the project including scenes of him in disarray which are particularly upsetting as well as private situations such as being washed in the shower. If his father was well and younger he may not have given his permission for these photographs to be taken and published for a wider audience. Even though ageing is not addressed enough in the media, it does need to be handled sensitively within the permission of the subjects being used/shown.

 Overall, Toledano’s series of photographs offer a very frank insight into the management and social implications of ageing and ageing related disorders such as Dementia. Although, the consent of the images can be questioned, as a son Toledano created a memoir of his father to highlight both the physical and psychological strains of elderly healthcare and the true extent of Dementia and how it can impact both the individual and their loved ones.    

   Sam Taylor Wood is a film director, photographer who was born in London in 1967. At the age of nine, her parents’ marriage broke down and she moved to a hippie community with her mother and sister. By the young age of 15, she was abandoned by her mother and had to look after her much younger half-brother resulting in a very unhappy childhood. Taylor-Wood was quoted to say that she became an artist to reinvent herself after her ‘restricted’ childhood and she graduated from Goldsmiths in (when) with a degree in Fine Art.

  Taylor Wood's motivation for photography, film-making and other art-based projects is clear from the following quote: ‘I found my voice the minute I started to think in terms of film and in terms of photography and images and people. My work is pretty much about emotions, different states of being that have really preoccupied artists for however long, centuries.’ (Sam Taylor-Wood, 2008).  Therefore, it is fair to say that she is actively motivated by global issues experienced by many people including ageing and mortality.

   

Her short film pieces 'Still Life' (2001) and 'A little death’' (2002) clearly addresses the biological process of ageing, showing the actual decay and the breakdown of animal and fruit flesh.  Taylor Wood herself has spoken very clearly about both of her projects and what they mean: “Still Life conveyed a grace in the decay but with A Little Death it was not only violent, but shockingly violent.’ It is clear that she was aware of how graphic the footage was and the impact that would have on her audience, it was an artistic risk she would take to portray ageing in this light.                                                                                                  

   

 Little Death (2002)

  'A little death' is a time-frame image that involves the decay and disintegration of a hare placed alongside a piece of fruit. As time passes, the subjects begin to change shape, colour and even the texture and are transformed into a completely new image. Mold begins to manifest and grow over the subject matter, creating an image that very much captures the morality of natural things. It would be fair to say that many people would find this piece is very powerful it embraces the power of time and portrays the implications of this as an opportunity for new material to grow and replace what was once there.    

 Still life (2001)

    

Similarly, 'Still life' (2001) incorporates the concept of 'death' into the manipulation of perishable items; however, it is juxtaposed with a ‘Bic’ biro which remains seemingly intact throughout the work. The placement of the biro is believed to have a profound meaning, “Wood included this pen in the frame because it is showing two common objects seen in everyday life that can and cannot be affected by the passage of time. The pen is an object which appearance will not change over time naturally.” (Emberson, 2011). In her work, Sam Taylor-Wood has successfully challenged the constraints of beauty ideals and the process of decay. Creating a moving image and incorporating a fine art into her work enabled her to create a unique and delicate piece of work addressing the biological process of ageing in a shamelessly upfront way.

   Conclusion Question: It could be argued that the process of ageing is a very personal experience; is it possible for any artist or photographer to produce a body of work on this topic that would resonate with a majority of its viewers?  

 My personal connections with ageing have developed as I have grown older, seeing my own grandparents age over the years. My grandmother especially as embraced ageing; filling her time with various clubs and activities, maintaining a positive attitude to her age and making the most of each and every opportunity she comes across to spend time with her family. This made me want to explore ageing differently, embracing the ageing body and shedding light on those who are elderly but live their life to the fullest regardless.

 From research I have carried out, it appears ‘ageing’ is not a topic that is at the forefront of many popular media outlets. A talk was held at Queen Mary University of London in 2015 entitled 'Portraying Ageing: The Cultural Assumptions and Practical Implications' and one of the main issues discussed was the fact that fashion had traditionally been designed and intended for younger people. This can be backed up from the hundreds of magazines bought on a daily basis that that show our preoccupation with youth and the type of beauty associated with it from which people fantasise and internalise as what they should emulate. An implication of this ‘youth obsessed’ media coverage could be the lowered self-esteem felt by of older people who feel ‘invisible’ because they cannot see their body type or fashion style portrayed positively in the media. When older people are featured in the media it is usually in a negative light, for example news outlets often report on the rising demand for social care for the elderly and the crisis in which our country is now in concerning that matter. Another issue for elderly people being represented in the media is that they are normally featured to advertise items such as ‘over 50s life insurance’ or funeral plans, elderly actors and actresses are only considered for this pessimistic and stereotypical jobs.

 When Phil Toledano’s book which documented his father’s terminal illness was published, it compelled hundreds of people to write to him and share their own experiences of caring for elderly and sick parent. I would argue that because this body of work provoked this response from his audience, it does seem to prove the fact that his work has resonated with them. Toledano himself said that people had written to him to say that the images made them feel more appreciative of their own elderly parents and that it encouraged them to visit their parents more regularly. Therefore, it is evident that photographing imagery that is associated with ageing as a concept and a social implication can make people talk and have a connection to the work as the subject matter is personal to us. I think the most important aspect of Toledano’s work is that we, the viewer, understand the context in which they have been taken. His father’s terminal prognosis and degenerative memory issues meant that the photographs have a deeper meaning. The work that he produced is also emotive, the images of his father gazing at himself is upsetting to see because of the nature of his condition. When we can feel an emotion from an image, it will resonate with us and it will stick in our mind for some time. 

 Each of the artists I have studied in this essay have approached the concept of ageing and mortality in a different way which probably has provoked different responses within their potential audiences. John Coplans seems to resist this concept through his raw and shameless self-portraits which shed a light on the type of ‘real’ bodies that make up a huge number of the ageing population, and ignoring any ‘perceived’ rules of physical beauty. I believe this would create a strong resonation with Coplan's audience, by exposing his own frailty and unique body shape to his peers may encourage them to embrace their own bodies and be proud of what their bodies have been through. He doesn't enhance aspects of his body in any way, instead his portrayal is a truthful documentation that successfully breaks the ‘media’ standard of beauty. I believe that John Coplan’s series of photographs has resonated with a potentially wider audience than Toledano because he photographed subject matter that is personal to many ageing people, that is, the truthful appearance of an ageing human body. His self-confidence in taking these photographs and then presenting them to the world would surely evoke a response from his peers because the subject matter is often hidden from us in the media and shamed upon. Also, people may not shame others for their bodies but themselves, which is just as demoralising because they find it hard to accept themselves. I believe it is refreshing to see an artist who is older and who is confident to use his own body to break social stereotypes that can make mature people self-conscious over how they look and how their body is changing as they age. I believe that in contemporary Western media and society in general, the ageing body is often reviled and frowned upon. I am hopeful that Coplan's work has been able to help older people of all

ages to not feel shame on their body but appreciation for what an amazing and complex system it is, helping us to get through our day to day life for many years. 

 Coplan’s upfront portrayal of ageing could have potentially resonated with a wider audience because the experience of the ageing body is universal but may not have had such a deep impact as Toledano’s documentation of Dementia which is a devastating deterioration of the body and mind altogether.

   In contrast, Sam Taylor-Wood’s work is symbolic and harder to decipher, she uses a composition of still life subjects such as decaying fruit and carcasses to create a composition. It is not clear whether her work would gather as much attention as Toledano in the same light. However, her work is very art based and she is very prevalent in the industry, so her work is likely to be viewed critically and to a large audience.    

   There is a stark difference between the work of Wood and Toledano, I would argue that Toledano's work is much more informative and personal to the audience because it is a real-life documentation. Even though Sam Taylor-Wood's pieces show how 'beautiful' and colourful decay and ageing can be it fails to have a personal link with the audience. For many, they may not even be able to identify the purpose of the bic biro being placed in 'Still life' (2001) an ordinary object that fails to disintegrate.     

      During my project, I wanted to explore the fragility of the ageing human body and John Coplans is a strong inspiration because he was fearless with exposing his own ageing imperfections in his self-portraiture work. I have edited some of images with a very high structure to accentuate each and every fine line similar to Coplan’s images that have a high contrast and detail to include these unique textures found in ageing skin and bodies. I believe personally that ageing bodies are much more interesting because they have been used and exactly what they have been through is very clearly documented on them in the shape of scarring and texture. 

  Example of one of my images exploring ageing and texture.

  In my own exploration of ageing, I took inspiration from both Phillip Toledano and John Coplans. Toledano’s meaningful exploration of his elderly father influenced my photographs of my grandparents in terms of soft lighting and effective composition. The ‘Days with my father’ series illustrates and communicates the day to day challenges and insignificant yet special moments that Toledano’s father experienced during his final months. My images include ordinary moments with my grandmother as she continues to lead a busy life. To a certain extent, my photographs contrast to Toledano’s in terms of my subjects who are well and ‘living’, they are not in the final stages of a terminal illness. However, Toledano’s work was appropriate to my project because I wanted to emulate his reflective style and sensitive handling of ageing which I Believe is evident in my photographs. 

    

I also photographed my grandfather and the image of his hand grasping onto his walking stick, it is representative of both his disability but his strength to deal with it each day of his life. The image has personal significance to myself because my grandfather is a very strong-willed person, so I wanted to create imagery that reveal his personality and motivation to continue a normal day to day life. I believe my images of my grandparents are quite reflective, many of them feature a moment of their day or a quiet time of contemplation. 

 Another artist that inspired me to portray ageing was Zoe Barker, she is a small freelance photographer whose exhibition ‘SABA- the rust of time’ explores both the ‘living of life and the passage of time’. Her work has also been shared by news outlets, including her work called ‘The house of two sisters’.

 Barker’s project is called ‘SABA’ which in Japanese translates to ‘The rust of time’, therefore I can gather that the work has a strong message and ethos about how ageing is not only beautiful but essential in change. This theory is backed up by the multiple images that Barker has taken that we can interpret as positive captures of ‘time’ working on physical material and human life. Her work is able to resonate with her audience because she photographs the rust of everyday items and accentuates these natural processes in terms of texture and colour to create ‘beautiful’ final images.

 Saba-Rust of time

 Unlike the work of Toledano and Coplans, the images do not have a personal connection with Zoe herself however it can be argued that the images have a deep connection to the people who lived in the locations many years ago. Ornaments, photographs, clothing and everyday objects give the audience snippets of the lives that were led in each abandoned home. This creates a direct human connection between the audience and inhabitants as belongings that we deem sentimental are left to decay and change form.

 In my own work, Barker’s work inspired me to find ordinary compositions of buildings and windows to create haunting beautiful images of abandoned places. I wanted to use natural light and shadow within this broken down and decaying imagery to highlight the endless detail and natural colours that are created when an object breaks down and decays. In this particular image I was fascinated by the minute detail in the peeling paint and decay of the wood, I wanted to show that these natural processes are interesting and aesthetically pleasing.  

   Example of one of my decaying building images

   

 I do believe all three photographers shed light on the implications and reality of ageing in a productive yet sensitive light. Toledano and Coplans face the harsh realities of ageing on both the body and mind as Sam Taylor-Wood approaches the subject in a more symbolic fashion. It is intriguing to see how each of the artists has interpreted their subjects to convey a deeper message behind their work concerning mortality and age. In regard to the audience, I think that Toledano and Coplans can successfully captive their viewers because the subject that they photograph is themselves or their loved ones and it is easy to apply your own emotions to the images. Sam Taylor-Wood’s images aren’t as personal and more symbolic. Her work is more successful in regard in an artistic way but wouldn’t have the ability to resonate with its audience on a personal level.  

   

Bibliography    

   

Cooper Union Memorial, John Coplans Trust, 2004. John Coplans: An artist biography. 2004. Vimeo. [Online] Date accessed: 14/11/16.    

Available from: https://vimeo.com/184032913    

     Emberson, A. 2011. Sam Taylor Wood (Still life). 21/1/11. Andrew Emberson - Word press site. [Online]. Date accessed: 7/11/16.    

Available from: https://andrewemberson12.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/sam-taylor-wood/    

    

Grammoll, M. 2 2015. Story analysis: Phillip Toledano’s “Days with my father”. 28/9/15. Mckenna Grammoll Word press site. [Online]. Date accessed: 13/1/17.    

Available from: https://mckennagramoll.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/story-analysis-phillip-toledanos-days-with-my-father/    

    

Fox News. 201. Days with my father interview. 1/6/11. Fox news. Date accessed: 7/12/16    

Available from:  http://video.foxnews.com/v/927089568001/#sp=show-clips     

    

Roshdy. S. 2016. The body and shame: An exploration of the progression of John Coplans. 26/9/16. Shajara Roshdy- Youtube. [Online]. Date accessed: 23/11/16    

Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2BJRwbCTCY    

    

Taylor-Wood, S. 2002. Little Death. Sam Taylor-Wood website. [Online]. Date accessed: 9/11/16.    

Available from: http://samtaylorjohnson.com/moving-image/art/a-little-death-2002     

    

Wikipedia, 2016. John Coplans. 6/10/16. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [Online] Date accessed: 14/11/16.     

Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Coplans     

   

WVIZPBS, 2008. Brief applause: Sam Taylor-Wood. 11/2/08. WVIZPBS- Youtube. Date accessed: 9/11/16.    

Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzuWjwcqTcs  

    

Zimmerman, P. 2008. Sam Taylor-Wood: "Still Life" and the acceptance of mortality. 10/4/08. Et Cetera: Publick and Privat Curiosities. [Online]. Date accessed: 7/11/16.     

Available from : https://disembedded.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/sam-taylor-wood-still-life-and-the-acceptance-of-mortality/    

  Age Watch. How is ageing portrayed? Date accessed: 22/4/17  

Available from : http://www.agewatch.org.uk/ageing-why-and-how/how-is-ageing-portrayed/   

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Phillip Toledano Analysis

Phillip Toledano was born in London in 1968 to a French-Moroccan mother and American Father.   Toledano's work was taken fairly recently, with publishing 'Days with my father' in 2010 after 3 years of shooting.  

Toledano’s images are striking and sad but yet at the same time full of strength and love. Tender exchanges between father and son are captured, freezing them as moments in time for the photographer. The context in which the photographs have been taken is a deep reflection on someone else’s wellbeing. The wider issues that the images address include the social implications surrounding palliative and end of life care.   The image of his father staring in to his own reflection is particularly haunting because the expression on his face is blank and almost confused. This reveals further into the mental as well as physical challenges he faced.   The set of photographs are a personal record of Phillip Toledano’s relationship with his father until his death which frankly addresses the social issues surrounding ageing and the acceptance of our own mortality. This links to my questioning of whether or not ageing can be photographed in a candid and honest way.   Toledano’s work is a documentation, so the images are appropriately set in real-life colour alongside natural lighting. This creates a link between the subject and those who view it because the setting in which the photographs have been taken in are familiar as they portray a homely environment. The relationship between the photographer and subjects is an immensely strong, unique, irreplaceable bond. Toledano reflects on caring for his father and how it was a token of thanks, ‘This is my hypothesis; I think that when I was born, when I was a kid, my Dad decided he was going to be a father.’ (Toledano, 2011) There is an underlying aspect of respect for his father’s sacrifices that he made for him which is reversed from his dementia. Toledano’s father has almost swapped places with his son, reverting to becoming a helpless child who needs to be fed, washed and watched over. His father is a shell of his former self which must been painful for his son to experience daily. The photo set becomes a diary which is completely personal to Toledano and his father. It records every emotion and challenges that Phillip Toledano had to face both as a carer and son. The strength of Phillip’s relationship with his father is evident in the image of his father’s hand holding onto his wife’s hand. Toledano also addresses his father’s inquisitive mind, a part of his former self that is still evident through comments he would make, ‘It’s incredible how he can notice the smallest of details. If she’s had her eyebrows waxed, or is wearing a new dress, he’ll comment.’ (Toledano, 2011). The following image is particularly poignant because of the context in which the image was taken, days before his father’s passing. The exchange of hands gives an insight into the strong love Toledano’s father has for his close family and friends in his final days. The lighting is very strong in the photograph, the rest of the shot is cast in shadow whilst the hands are illuminated by light, enabling Toledano to emphasise the lines and wrinkles on is father’s hands. The overall tonality is very faded and subdued, adhering to the sombre mood in the photographs.   The context in which Toledano has taken these images is very personal and unique to himself and his father. When he started taking photographs of his father he did not expect to receive the attention and appreciation for his work as so many people in a similar situation reached out to him as they could relate to his work. ‘I got two emails today from people saying they had just found out their parents had a terminal disease and reading this project had re-orientated the way they were going to approach; they were going to deal with the last years of their parent’s life. So it’s a real honour for me to have done something so inadvertently but helped so many people.’ (Toledano, 2011). It is evident that Toledano’s work has provided support and triggered a response from the general public to talk and open up about their struggles with ageing parents who are chronically ill.

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Sam Taylor-Wood Analysis

Sam Taylor-Wood is  a British film maker, photographer and visual artist whose pieces 'Still Life' and 'A little death' graphically address the biological process of ageing. Her work links to my questioning of whether ageing can be photographed in a meaningful and honest way because her pieces show real decay and break down of bodily tissue and fruit.  

Wood's motivation for photography and subsequent projects is clear from the following that she said, ‘I found my voice the minute I started to think in terms of film and in terms of photography and images and people. My work is pretty much about emotions, different states of being that have really preoccupied artists for however long, centuries.’ (Taylor-Wood, 2008) She is actively motivated by global issues experienced by many people such as Ageing and this is what inspires her work and her intentions behind her images.  

Sam Taylor-Wood herself has spoken very clearly about her intentions with both of her projects and what they mean to her, ' ‘When I have ideas they’re very photographic, they’re very strong and there’s no other way for me to work with them ideas. I have a pretty much a powerful idea that I can’t shake the image from.' (Taylor-Wood, 2008). Wood becomes immersed in her views on the world around her and the issues that people face and translates this into her imagery. 'Little Death' is a prime example of this, it showcases the concept of mortality in an upfront and honest way.  

The themes that Wood's work addresses mortality and the impact of time as her work was taken over a series of days. Mortality is evident from her subject matter decaying before our eyes, along side tones, colours and texture changing as well from the composition of both 'Little Death' and 'Still Life'. The relationship between the photographer and her subject matter is strong because it is clear that she embraces the opportunity to allow the ageing of the fruit and rotting of the flesh to create a completely new image and display this as a 'beautiful' image alongside the original 'perfect image'.  

'A little death' is a time-frame image that involves the decay and disintegration of a carcus placed alongside a piece of fruit. As time passes, the subjects begin to change shape, colour and even the texture is transformed into a completely new image. Fuzz like mould begins to manifest and grow over, producing an eerie image that very much captures the morality of the image. The image that Taylor-Wood has created is a powerful one, it embraces the power of time and portrays the implications of this as an opportunity for new material to grow and replace what was once there.  

Similarly, 'Still life' incorporates the concept of 'dying' into the manipulation of perishable items however it is put into contrast by the placement of a bic biro which remains seemingly intact throughout the work. The place of the biro pen is believed to have a profound meaning, '  Sam included this pen in the frame because it is showing two common objects seen in everyday life that can and cannot be affected by the passage of time. The pen is an object which appearance will not change over time naturally. Where as, the appearance of fruit will dramatically change through time naturally. Theses two contrasting objects, emphasis the point of life and death occurring through natural forms.' (Emberson, 2011).

Some people may find the images quite controversial because they do not hold back in detail and the subject matter is very graphic. This goes against my questioning that ageing can be portrayed in a positive and uplifting way but it is also clear that Wood's intentions behind the photographs to  support this view.  

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John Coplans Analysis

 Analysis Plan (500-600 words)

2 examples of their work  (title and dates) - TO ADD

How does the work relate to personal study question? /

What themes does the work address? /

What is the context in which the photographer has made their work? (Their own personal context /

Can include events in life that prompted work ?

Who/what inspired the photographer- reference ?

 John Coplan’s work features a series of nude self-portraits which are set in black and white and have been taken on a polaroid camera. He used an assistant but alot of the setting up was undertaken by himself because he very much liked to be in control of the shots he took and how they were developed. Coplan never includes his face in the photographs, therefore creating a set of photographs of a body with no set identity. This corresponds with what John Coplan’s said about the images and how he feels when he is posing for them, ‘I wanted to be all the people in the world, I wanted to be all the people in the world that have ever been in the world.’ (Coplans, 2002) It is clear that the photographer wants his body to be a universal model to represent bodies that are real and have been through the process that is living. 

The themes that Coplan’s work explores self-perception because he is showcasing his own body in a variety of stances and poses revealing every wrinke, scar and varying textures on his body. He has turned himself into a living piece of art, something to look at and contemplate on.

Coplan’s relationship between his subject is chequered because the subject of his images is his own body. Talking about his body, John Coplans said,  ‘I don’t really deal with old age, as I say it’s merely a condition that I’m in that I have to make use with as best as I can. And I pretend that my body is young, I mean I’ve got a pot belly.’ (Coplans, 2002)  It can be assumed that Coplans believes he can expose the frailty of his personal pride simultaneously as he trail blazes the way for body confidence amongst his elder peers. This directly links to the context behind Coplan’s work to the question of whether ageing can be photographed in a frank and honest way because the photographs are direct and expose every single part and angle of his body. He is very honest because he admits to his self-perceived ‘flaws’ and welcomes them as part of his body. 

The context in which John Coplans has taken his photographs invites the discussion of whether there is a taboo of ageing through his frank and seemingly provocative approach to photographing his body. He has spoken ‘Even though it’s a seventy-year old body, I can make it interesting. This keeps me alive and gives me vitality.” (Coplans) Creating his work gives Coplans a new lease of life as he had said, the work is not only gives himself self-confidence and pride but gives a strong message to others that they can be love their body. 

Therefore, it can be concluded that Coplan’s work very much advocates the question that ageing can be photographed frankly and honestly because John Coplans has been able to create a series of photographs that go against ‘average’ beauty standards.

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Personal Study Introduction

The question that I am exploring in my work concerns why my artists have taken their images of decaying and ageing subjects and what motivated them to do so. 

I am also questioning how their work frankly and honestly addresses the everyday issues with ageing and what it means to them. The presentation of their work is heavily important in my theme because ageing is not very prominent in any form of media or even if it is featured it will normally portrayed in a debilitating and pessimistic way. 

 The process of ageing can be referred to as a natural process and a main factor from the concept of time on both biological organisms and physical, seemingly ‘permanent’ material. 

The theme of ageing has many scientific explanations behind it as it has been widely researched to understand diseases that are age related and more recently researchers have been looking into whether ageing can be prolonged.

One of the artists that I have researched is Sam Taylor-Wood whose work is ‘Still Life’ and ‘A little Death’ portrays biological decay and decline very starkly and upfront. The biological processes can clearly be seen from the mould and physical transformation of the perishable subjects that almost change state in front of your own eyes. 

Attitudes to ageing has changed throughout the years and it could be said that respect towards our elders has depleted. In more recent years, due to rise of social media, society’s view and perception of ageing has become judgmental towards how we present ourselves and how we look. There are definitely extra issues involving how women over men are more than often scrutinised with how they age, whether they embrace the odd grey hair and wrinkle or choose to use cosmetic procedures. John Coplans addresses this issue in a series of nude self-portraits that break down society’s barriers with body confidence and pride. 

Another artist that I am including in my work is Phillip Toledano whose documentation of his father’s final days relates to the social implications of ageing. Ageing itself brings about a series of social implications such as quality of life and the loss of independence for some elderly people. His work has enabled others to get in touch with him to express their thanks for helping them ‘re-orientate’ the way they are approaching their parent’s terminal diagnosis. 

From the analysis’ of my artists I am keen to explore the underlying motivation of the work they have created that expresses ageing in such a frank and honest way. 

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Phillip Toledano

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Critique

https://mckennagramoll.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/story-analysis-phillip-toledanos-days-with-my-father/

Published on word press by McKenna Grammoll.

Date published: 28/9/15

Date accessed: 13/1/7

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Phillip Toledano- Days with my father

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVvXyUvgcCc

The video consists of Phillip Toledano’s work from his project ‘Days with my father.’ 

Published on Youtube. 

Date published: 24/6/10

Date accessed: 7/12/16

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Interview with Phillip Toledano

Interview- ‘Days with my father’

Fox News Interview with Phillip Toledano

Published: 1/6/11

Date accessed: 7/12/16

 http://video.foxnews.com/v/927089568001/#sp=show-clips

Interviewer- ‘So you went through and chronicled your dad’s life, and like you said there was times when you’ve had to put together the pieces because he is not here to ask him any questions. What was the first thing you found out about your dad that was either something significant, or surprising or interesting?’

Phillip Toledano- ‘Well, when I started taking care of him, this is my hypothesis; I think that when I was born, when I was a kid, my Dad decided he was going to be a father. And that meant giving up certain personalities in a way. But then when my mum died I think my father suddenly reverted to a person he to a person he might have been when he was much younger. So he was much funnier than I ever remember him being, he was incredibly funny. He was also, he sort of sexualised things. As a kid he had never mentioned anything, there was never any kind of whisper of anything sexual ever but then I would take him to the park in his wheelchair and he’d talk about some woman’s  chest and I would be like ‘Dad!, you’re not supposed to..’, I was just so shocked all the time as he had never said anything like that when I was a kid. 

Interviewer- ‘So as you chronicled your Dad’s life, what did you find to be one of the most powerful impacts that he had on other people’s lives separate from yours?

Phillip Toledano- ‘Well um, I guess the thing about taking these photographs and all the writing that accompanies the photographs was that I did it for myself just to remember this experience and I didn’t think that anyone would have any interest in this at all because it was such an incredibly personal experience. But I have gotten so many emails, I mean it’s hard, I get a lot of emails actually from kids which is really surprising, talking about how it’s made them rethink their relationship with their grandparents or it’s made them look at their parents in a different light. I got an email the other day from a guy saying I haven’t spoken to my father in 5 years, 4 months and 13 days saying I’m going to call him up.

I got two emails today from people saying they had just found out their parents had a terminal disease and reading this project had re-orientated the way they were going to approach; they were going to deal with the last years of their parent’s life. So it’s a real honour for me to have done something so inadvertently but helped so many people.’

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Phillip Toledano bibliography and references

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John Coplans source

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Critique

The Body and Shame: An Exploration of the Progression of John Coplans

Published on September 26th 2016 by Shajara Roshdy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2BJRwbCTCY

Date accessed: 23/11/16

Transcription-

“‘Feet frontal’, you see him clinching at his knees, a sign of age and ‘Hands holding feet’,

CONTENT- The feet seem completely detached from the body, held only by the hands both of which are gnarled. These images all create a sense of the body as decrepit and distant.

A quote from Coplan’s himself, CONTEXT- ‘I’m not dealing with a perfect body, I’m dealing with another kind of truth- that is how the body is. And why don’t we accept it because that’s our norm.’

CONTENT- They're full size images split into smaller cube sized sections there taken as individual shots and expanded upwards. And because they don't all align as they’re all individual shots, it pulls your attention to each frame, you can’t discount any one as a continuous shot.

These pictures develop this new meaning, this exploration of himself now becomes a dynamic and a conversation.”

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Photographer’s own words

John Coplans from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Last edited on 6th October 2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Coplans

Date accessed: 14/11/16

His photographs ultimately questions the taboo of age through the provocative and direct style of addressing his body. Copland said: “I have the feeling that I’m alive, I have a body. I’m seventy years old, and generally the bodies of seventy-year old men look somewhat like my body. It’s a neglected subject matter…So, I’m using my body and saying, even though it’s a seventy-year old body, I can make it interesting. This keeps me alive and gives me vitality.”

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Interview

John Coplans: An artist biography (Cooper Union Memorial, 2004)

Rare archival footage and interviews with John Coplans, compiled for his Cooper Union memorial in new York City, 2002

Published a month ago by the John Coplans Trust

https://vimeo.com/184032913

Date accessed: 14/11/16

Transcription for ‘John Coplans: An artist biography’

Opinion on ageing himself-

‘I don’t really deal with old age, as I say it’s merely a condition that I’m in that I have to make use with as best as I can. And I pretend that my body is young, I mean I’ve got a pot belly and you heard when we were shooting yesterday, Deeto would say to me (my assistant), ‘John suck your belly in.’ because she knows I don’t want a big fat belly, I’ll reject the photo.  Yeah, I want to look as young as I can, because I want to be like every man.’

‘I wanted to be all the people in the world, I wanted to be all the people in the world that have ever been in the world.

I want my body to be representative of, of timeless situation.’

‘I’m a terminal man, but

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John Coplans Bibliography & References

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Photographer’s own words

Sam Taylor Wood (Little Death)

Written by Sam Taylor-Wood

http://samtaylorjohnson.com/moving-image/art/a-little-death-2002

Date accessed: 9/11/16

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Interview/Critique

Brief applause: Sam Taylor-Wood

Published on February 11th, 2008 by

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzuWjwcqTcs

Date accessed: 9/11/16

Transcription for ‘Brief Applause: Sam Taylor-Wood’

Margo Crutchfield (MOCA Senior Curator)-

‘You see this gorgeous bowl of fruit disintegrating over time, yet this takes place in a matter of a couple of minutes right before your eyes, so there’s a sense of wonderment there’s a sense of beauty but there’s sense of horror at the same time but what’s so significant what takes you is that you’re confronted with this in the moment, it’s, we all know we live every day we all know time goes on and at some point we’re going to die but you don’t face it, in this work you face it.’

Sam Taylor-Wood (Artist) -

‘When I have ideas they’re very photographic, they’re very strong and there’s no other way for me to work with them ideas. I have a pretty much a powerful idea that I can’t shake the image from and I know if that idea is still there a few months later then I will focus on it more and more and sometimes the gestation of a work of art can be a few years or a couple of weeks or the other day I had an idea and made it about three days later. The immediacy of photography is fantastic but actually most of my photographs take a lot of organisation and there’s some staging involved in some of them not always but sometimes there’s a big production sometimes a much smaller production.’

Reason for work/inspiration- Sam Taylor-Wood (Artist) -

‘I felt like I avoided or tried to avoid being an artist for as long as possible but I kept finding that I was having ideas and they weren’t going away. And I also feel that if I didn’t do what I did, I would probably lose my mind because my mind is brimming with these ideas constantly.’

‘I found my voice the minute I started to think in terms of film and in terms of photography and images and people. My work is pretty much about emotions, different states of being that have really preoccupied artists for however long, centuries.’