I go the computer to take periodical photos of me as I was FaceTiming with Shinya. You can tell from my expressions that we are having a very serious conversation.
Rosen, C 2004, Romance in the Information Age, The New Atlantis, vol. 4, pp. 3-16.
This article analyses technology’s effect on courtship and
reveals its negative impact on human’s ability to find and experience love. It emphasises
the fast and transparent nature of online courtship and argues that this desire
for transparency is detrimental to one of the key elements of intimate
relationships: trust. The article criticizes the immediacy of technology as a
communication tool by highlighting the trend toward effective communication over
personal communication. It concludes that courtship facilitated by technology
lacks the boundaries of time and privacy that are key elements of developing
trust within a romantic relationship. The author asserts that traditional offline
methods of courtship should be resurrected.
The author, Rosen, is a senior editor at The New Atlantis,
in which this article appeared. Specialising in the social and cultural impact
of technology, she is also a widely published journalist and an adjunct scholar at the American
Enterprise Institute. Although ostensibly knowledgeable in the field, Rosen
adopts a one-sided argument in this article. It presents a bias against the use
of technology as a tool for courtship and the development of intimacy and fails
to explore any notion that opposes that claim. Therefore, whilst the article is
useful in understanding the negative impact of technology on a relationship, it
is not appropriate as an exclusive source of supporting research.
Murray, C & Campbell, E 2015, ‘The Pleasures
and Perils of Technology in Intimate Relationships’, The Journal of
Couple and Relationship Therapy, vol. 14, no.2, pp. 116-140.
This journal analyses the results of a study conducted on
the positive and negative impacts of technology, as perceived by couples in
intimate relationships. The study was undertaken to fill an existing gap in
this area of research and surveyed 225 undergraduate and graduate university
students at a single campus in America. The results of the study showed that
the main perceived benefit was technology’s ability to enhance communication,
particularly when couples are physically apart. Examples included sending
messages to express affection and using video-based forms of communication to
feel more connected when physically separated. However, the main perceived
negative impact was also in relation to communication, specifically the possibility
miscommunication. A particular challenge that couples face is the lack of
non-verbal cues, which can lead to misunderstandings. The study concludes that
technology can neither be labelled solely as a ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ influence,
and its role in intimate relationships is complex.
Murray is an Associate Professor at the University of North
Carolina, and holds a Bachelor of Psychology and Sociology, an Education
Specialist Degree in Marriage and Family Counselling, and a Doctor of Philosophy
(PhD) in Counsellor Education and Marriage and Family Counselling. She has
published over 65 research papers on topics related to family counselling.
Campbell holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling and Educational
Development, is a licensed professional counsellor, and an adjunct professor at
the University of North Carolina and the Wake Forest University. Both authors
have extensive research experience and the study offers a rounded investigation
of the research question. However, the limitations of this research include the
small sample group, and the fact that the candidates surveyed were all
university students who use technology extensively on a daily basis, causing
them to be more technology-savvy than the general population. This research journal
provides a valuable case study that will be of practical use for my essay.
Additionally, it has caused me to recognise benefits and disadvantages of technology
that I had not previously considered, therefore widening my perspective on the
theme.
Planning for my research essay. Not sure this counts as academic credit…
Doing a little more research on Patrick Tsai’s work. I found an article (1) on Lomography Japan’s website, conducted by Mindy Albert. It gave quite good insight into his practice and mindset. Albert describes Tsai as a photographer who “interestingly and honestly tackles what people are missing out because they are so focused on the big picture. I think it is important as a human being to question what’s in front of you, rather than looking away ahead of where everyone else is going.” (Albert, 2016.)
In the interview Tsai mentions that in his series Barnacle Island (which were taken after the Great Earthquake of Japan occurred), he aimed to capture “the small things about daily life that changed or grew stronger in the wake of the quake,” at a time when “everyone in Japan and foreign news were so busy covering [the disaster.]”(Tsai, 2016.)
I quite liked his comment about his aesthetic, which I feel is very loose and raw…
I found his Flickr account (2) which has a lot more of his work from Japan on it. I particularly liked the four above images because of their geometric framing (the station shot) and the personality that comes through with the homework images.
(1) Tsai, Patrick. Interview by Mindy Albert. ”Bad But Good: An Interview with Patrick Tsai.” Lomography Japan, 02 August 2016 <https://www.lomography.jp/magazine/322705-an-interview-with-patrick-tsai>
(2) Tsai, P 2008, Patrick Tsai, Flickr, viewed 07 April 2020 <https://www.flickr.com/photos/patpat/>
I’ve began to gather some ideas and do a few initial tests for my project. I am planning to explore 4 mini projects within the larger body of work.
The key components will be;
I started documenting my cup every day, and I like the irregularities of the handle placement and the remnants of liquid. I have intentionally made them quite rough in placement (not planning the direction of the handle, for example) because I want to retain authenticity and don’t want to stage these images. These images are mundane and insignificant by themselves, but when shown together, I hope that they express the passing of time, my habitual nature, and also invite viewers to look for differences, similarities or patterns.
Continuing with the sense of time passing, I have asked Shinya to take a photo of the above corner every day when he passes it to go to work. This is a corner about 300m from our house in Osaka, and I would pass it at least twice a day every day when I lived there. Shinya is not a photographer, but he has expressed that he is excited to participate in this project. I think this particular scene will be effective in showing the passing of time as there is a sakura tree in the frame- and these change drastically and very quickly. It is also a symbol of Japan, which I think is important to note.
I want to include visual collateral in this project, and the above is a small photo of Shinya that I keep in my wallet. This was taken in an ID photo booth, which are literally everywhere in Japan (in every convenience store, on street corners, in front of offices and immigration, etc.) What I think is so ‘Japanese’ about this is that it looks like he is photoshopped. These machines always blur your skin a lot and use lighting that makes the subject appear sparkley-eyed, even though it is producing an image that is used for official documents.
The final collection that I have started is screenshots of conversations I have had with Shinya via Messenger. We sometimes speak in English, sometimes Japanese, and sometimes a mix. Most of the above conversations centre around the COVID-19 discussion, but I am not sure if I want to continue with that theme in regard to screen grabs, or be a bit more general.
In an article (1) for e-flux journal online, Hito Steyerl describes the notion of the ‘poor image,’ and makes some interesting and thought-provoking statements. After stating that the ‘poor image’ “transforms quality into accessibility,[…], contemplation into distraction” (Steyerl, 2009), she also notes that “as it accelerates, it deteriorates.”
Steyerl dissects various features of the poor image, including the significance of focus, resolution, circulation, and the ability for anyone to be both a consumer and a contributor to their continued spread. She notes that “users become the editors, critics, translators, and (co-)authors of poor images.” This resonated with me because I believe that the more a viewer can interact with and become part of a project (whether that is through co-creation, submission, or interactive viewing), the more connected they feel to it. This is particularly important in an age where our attention spans are fleeting, and the stream of information and imagery vying for attention is endless. We are able to produce and circulate poor images with ease, thanks to the technology that has become so prevalent in modern life.
On the point of focus, these three points stood out to me;
This article relates to my own folio in that I plan to incorporate secondary visual sources as part of my broader body of work. Some of those images will be created by technology (eg: global imaging satellites or CCTV), and others by my partner. These images will not be of the highest resolution possible. They may not be carefully composed or beautifully framed. They will probably be grainy and dark, and of a quality that could easily be dismissed as amateur. But, if I relate back to Steyerl’s argument, this lack of quality will give the images accessibility. I also believe it adds to the authenticity of the work, a kind of ‘anti-censoring’ or ‘un-filtering’ of the subject matter. As I am working in a diaristic format, I believe this is essential to the success of my project.
(1) Steyerl, H 2009, In Defense of the Poor Image, e-flux, viewed 07 April 2020, <https://www.e-flux.com/journal/10/61362/in-defense-of-the-poor-image/>
(2) Of course in some cases images with low resolution also appear in mainstream media environments (mainly news), where they are associated with urgency, immediacy, and catastrophe—and are extremely valuable. See Hito Steyerl, “Documentary Uncertainty,” A Prior 15 (2007).
I watched the 1995 film, Smoke (directed by Wayne Wang.) Initially I was put off by the “American-ness” of it, and thought I would not connect with the characters or storyline, but it did develop into a well-written film that included thought provoking scenes, and some humour thrown in for good measure. It follows the story of 4 key characters, all of which become a part of each other’s story as the film unwinds. Small things that each character does affects the other characters, and for this reason it reminded me of the 2004 film The Butterfly Effect.
One of the main characters (Auggie) takes a photo outside of his tobacco store every day at 8am, and early in the film he shows these images to another character (Paul), noting that they are “a record of my little spot.” All the images are from the same angle, but they are all vastly different due to the events of the day, the time of year, and the weather. Paul tries to flick through the image quickly but Auggie scolds him, telling him that “You’ll never get it if you don’t slow down.” He notes that “[the images] are all the same, but each one is different from any other.”
I thought this scene related to my work because I am also using photography to depict the passing of time. (For example, with my coffee cup images, and the street shots taken by Shinya.) What is interesting about the repetition of a seemingly mundane scene (or object) is that viewing it invites (or forces) us to draw out similarities, hunt for differences, and create patterns.
Smoke 1995, DVD, Miramax, USA.
I found this flip through of Jan Rosseel’s ‘A Belgium Autumn,’ which I was researching last week. This was uploaded by Tipi Bookshop in Brussels.
Tipi Bookshop, 2015, Belgian Autumn. A Confabulated History by Jan Rosseel, video, viewed 06 April 2020, <https://vimeo.com/132350266>
The My little Dead Dick photo diary lasted from the summer of 2006 to the summer of 2007 - exactly one year from the first day they met. Patrick Tsai and Madi Ju continued working and living together until their break-up which happened on the same day as the big earthquake in Western China in the summer of 2008.
Through my research on photographers that adopt a diaristic approach to their work, I read an article by Cecilie Oedegaard, who mentioned contemporary photographer Patrick Tsai. Tsai collaborated on a body with work with another photographer, Madi Ju, whom he met online and fell in love with. The project, titled “My Little Dead Dick,” was uploaded as it was created, and according to Oedegaard, this project “very quickly got a captive audience following their bitter sweet love affair and the ups and downs that characterize any relationship.” (Oedegaard, 2017.)
The images in this series are relatable as the situations that are depicted are experiences that the broader majority have experienced. They are everyday moments, with a mix of the quirky thrown in for good measure. Palais de
Tokyo describes the images as “a fleeting collaboration of a rare intensity” and
suggests that the images “revisit, not without humour, the legacy of
Walker Evans or Nan Goldin.”
Tsai, P 2006-07, My Little Dead Dick, photographic series, viewed 05 April 2020, <http://hellopatpat.com/galleries/mldd/start.html>
