New Work

The above images “Jeff Wall, Insomnia, 2009” & “Jeff Wall, Passerby, 2009” © Melinda Gibson are a couple of my new works.

My initial starting point for this new body of work was the book by Charlotte Cotton, "The Photograph as Contemporary Art". This is an introducery text that every Photography student is given, to learn inside out. Through reading and observing the images you can never truly take part.

 The importance of the canonisation within the education system becomes apparent as the same names, images dominant our institutions. For me taking this book apart helps to question this images, far more than when they are within the constraints of a book. By slicing, cutting and de-contextualising the images you start to gain a greater appreciation of the works, start understanding why and how the these images have been created.

Photomontage

Further research I have undertaken to aid and inform the new collage works that I am currently putting together are the photomontages of the Dadaists. The Berlin Dadaists are of particular attention for me as described by Dawn Ades, they “used the photograph as a ready-made image, pasting it together with cuttings from newspapers and magazines, lettering and drawing to form a chaotic, explosive image, a provocative dismembering of reality.” Pg. 12-13, Photomontage, 1986.

 What is very important to me is the idea of dismembering reality through photography, using resolved images and cutting, slicing parts out then resembling those parts with other to create new images. Both Hannah Hoch’s and Raoul Hausmann’s photomontages are very useful and have given me great inspiration, but I have researched the Dadaists many times before as I am a great fan of their work.

Works above from left to right are, © Hannah Hoch "Da Dandy" 1919 and  © Raoul Hausmann "The Art Critic" 1919.

John Stezaker

I am currently putting together a collection of new works associated with the re-appropriation, authorship and canonisation of imagery in contemporary Photography books. Through the medium of collage, mixed with experimental Polaroid’s I hope to put forward new questions surrounding Institutional Education, memory and reality.

John Stezaker’s collages are fundamentally important to my new work as he uses found imagery and builds fresh and exciting works that are skillfully sliced together using two separate images. This forging of two different photographs creates a new space worth investigating.

Image above is  ©  John Stezaker, “Marriage (Film Portrait Collage) XXXI”, 2007.

Flowers Autumn Selection 2009

A collection of my Monochrome Portraits has been chosen for a group show at Flowers East opening 11th September until 10th October 2009. The show presents a collection of artists that have an experimental approach to photography including works by Julie Cockburn and Max Kandola.

Image above is  ©  Melinda Gibson, "Charlie_ Monochrome Portraits" 2009.

http://www.flowerseast.com/

The Impossible Project

Finally there is hope for Polaroid.......... A collection of wonderful Scientists, inventors and previous employees of Polaroid have joined ranks to reintroduce instant film. Below is their mission, in their own words, read it, enjoy it and more importantly support it! 

"Polaroid is transforming itself from an analog Instant Film Production Company to a global Consumer Electronics and Digital Imaging company.

Production of analog Instant Film stopped in June 2008, closing the factories in Mexico (Instant Packfilm production) and the Netherlands (Instant Integral production).

Impossible b.v. has been founded with the concrete aim to re-invent and re-start production of analog INTEGRAL FILM for vintage Polaroid cameras.

Therefore Impossible b.v. has acquired the complete film production equipment in Enschede (NL) from Polaroid, has signed a 10-year lease agreement on the factory building; and has engaged the most experienced team of Integral Film experts worldwide.

The Impossible mission is NOT to re-build Polaroid Integral film but (with the help of strategic partners) to develop a new product with new characteristics, consisting of new optimised components, produced with a streamlined modern setup. An innovative and fresh analog material, sold under a new brand name that perfectly will match the global re-positioning of Integral Films."

http://www.the-impossible-project.com/