LettingGooftheShutter:TheSocialAestheticofContemporaryPhotography MarkStrandquist//2013SECACConferenceGreensboro,NC November2nd,2013

Whydontwehaveamoredevelopedphotographythatexploresinsomedepththemovefrompainto itsresolution,creatingreferencepointsforthosestrivingtomoveforward,ratherthancontinually searchingfor,anddwellingon,thecataclysmremindingusoftraumaticmomentsforthesakeofthe visceralshock?FredRitchin

Torepresentistoaestheticizethatis,totransform.Itpresentsavastfieldofchoicesbutitdoesnot includethechoicenottotransform,nottochangeoralterwhateverisbeingrepresented.DavidLevi Strauss

Ilovethesequotesforsomanyreasons.WhenIreadthemtogetherIcanthelpbutviewthemascall toaction,asablueprintforsomuchoftheworkthatresonateswithme.Togethertheybeckonforth projectsthatgobeyondwitnessingtheworld.Togetheronecanimagineandrecognizeprojectswhose imagesembodyandmakevisiblethesocialprocessesthatgointotheircreation.Togetheronecan imagineandrecognizethesocialperformancesthatgointoproducingandconsuminganyimage,and howthisexpandednotionofaestheticscouldbeusedtotransformthewayinwhichweinteractwith eachother,withthoseinpower,andwiththeworldaroundus.Thispaperrevealsanincompleteyet comprehensivearchiveofcontemporaryimagemakingpossibilitiesthat,ifnothingelse,sharethenotion anddisplaytheimportanceof'lettinggooftheshutter.'Whetherthroughamachinelikesetof predeterminedlimitationsthatproduceanimageoranentirebodyofwork,afocusonarchivingnot producingimages,oravarietyofcollaborativeprocesses,oracombinationofallthreeandmore,many contemporaryimagemakerschampionwhatwillbereferredtoasa'socialaestheticonethatbringsto theforegroundandembodiesthesocialprocessesthatwentintotheproductionoftheimage,aswellas thosesocialinteractionsthatitsexhibitionproducesandinspires.Spanningdecades,andincreasingly prevalent,thesephotographicmethodspresentchallengingalternativestotheproduction,exhibition,and distributionofimages.AfteridentifyingthoseprojectsandideasIseeasuniqueandgenrechallenging,

thepaperwillutilizemyownpracticeasacasestudytoshowhowthesealternativemodesof imagemakingcanplayout,fail,andmoveinwaysthatcontinuetosurpriseandexciteme.

Tobesure,everyimageiscreated,published,andviewedthroughasocialinteraction.Idontassert otherwise.Instead,movingbeyondthepedantic,thispapersourcesprojectsthatmakeinteractions material,thatpresentalternativesandseek,ifnotanswers,toofferalternativestothequestionsmanyof usareaskingamidstanexhaustingnumberofimagesproducedandconsumedeachday,amidst decadesofwar,poverty,famine,massincarceration,climatechange,slavery,andrampant socioeconomicinequality(allofwhichhavebeenendlesslyandextensivelydocumentedby photojournalistsandpublishedincountlesspublications)whatrolecanphotographyplayasachallenge tothestatusquo?Whatcanitteachus?Howhassociallyengagedphotographyevolvedandwhat newformsandfunctionsarebeingrealizedandimagined?

Evenbeyondthesequestions,ifeveryphotographiscreatedanddistributedthroughsocialinteractions, projectsthatmakethoseinteractionstantamounttotheirprocesspavethewayforamorecriticaland reflexivepractice.Inotherwords,themorewethinkabouttheprocess...themoreweconsiderthe how,who,whereanimageiscreated,distributedandexhibited,themoreonecanunderstandboththe potentialandlimitationsofsociallyengagedphotography.Bychampioningthesepracticeswecanview eachpartoftheprocessasanexcitingstaginggroundfortransformingtheworldaroundus.

IllbeginwithfourexampleswhichIbelieveencapsulatetheideasthatinspiredtheethics,methods,and aestheticsfoundinprojectsoftenreferredtoas:PhotographyasSocialPractice,orcontemporary SociallyEngagedPhotography.

Alldealingwithwithwar,eachexampleseeksinuniquewaystobringthewarhome..

WarAgainstWar(1924)maybethefirstexampleofphotographybeingutilizedthroughanexplicitly antiwarlens.Thebook,writesCraigRitchie,seekedtoillustratenotonlythetragichuman consequencesofwar,butalsotheliesandhypocrisyofthesocial,political,andeconomicforcesthat

producedandpromotedit.ErnstFriedrich,outragedbythefirstWorldWar,compiledthevast collectionofimagesfromGermanmilitaryandmedicalarchives.Duetocrosseuropeangovernmental suppressionofmedia,thevastmajorityoftheseimageshadneverbeenseenbythegeneralpublic...so forthebook,nonewimageswerecreated.Thinkwikileaksinthe1920s....Heavywithidealist underpinnings,thebooksoughttoreachaninternationalaudiencethroughthethepurporteduniversality ofitsimagesandbyprintingcaptionsinamultitudeoflanguages.Sotheprojectprofferedtwoideas: thatthereisobjectivetruth(thatwarisbarbaric)andthatimagescanactivateviewersinuniversal ways...thuswhilethefunctionoftheimagesfitswithinanassortmentofutopianphotoprojectssuchas SteichensFamilyofManexhibit,theroleoftextwithinthebook,andthecorrespondingAntiwar MuseumFriedrichopenedthefollowingyear(1925)tooktheprojectastepfurther.Thuseventhen, thereisanacknowledgementthatimagesarepowerful,buttheyarenotenough.LikeLewisHine, WalterBenjamin,andmanyothers,Friedrichbelievedthatimagescouldprovideauniversalentrypoint totheseissues,butthattextandpublicengagementwerenecessarytoinspirecommunitiestofightfor peace.

MarthaRoslersHomeBeautiful:BringingtheWarHome

IfFriedrichbelievedinthepowerofphotographytorevealtheawfultruthofwar,pushingthenotion that,toborrowaphrase,thetruthisouttherewejustneedtocaptureandpresentit,ifhebelievedin thepowerofwarphotographytoinspirepeace,thenMarthaRoslersprojectHomeBeautifulfrom 1967muddiesthatsentiment.Hercollagesappropriatephotographsmadebyjournalistsduringthe VietnamWarandpairsthemwithimagesfromthepagesofHomemagazine.ToRosler,photo journalistsareunableashersubtitlestates,tobringthewarhome.Shewrites,thattheworkstemmed fromafrustrationwiththeimageswesawintelevisionandprintmedia,evenwithantiwarflyersand posters...thattheimageswesawwerealwaysveryfaraway,inaplacewecouldn'timagine."ToRosler theimagesmadeinVietnamfailedtwice.Theyfailedinbringingtheviolenceandatrocitiesofwarinto oureverydayconsciousness(throughthisculturalandgeographicaldistancingmentionedabove),and theyfailedtoacknowledgetheinherentviolenceoftheeveryday.Thustheobjectsweconsume

(whetherimagesofwarordomesticproducts)areembodiedwithaviolencethatisbothinherentand invisible.ForRosler,imagesofwar,capitalism,poverty...areasoppressive,andkeentoalienate products,orcurrentrealitiesfromtheirsource.Inhomebeautiful,thecameraisviewedasacleaver, onethatseparatesinsteadofconnects.Onethatdistancessourcefromsymptom,soldierfromcivilian, consumptionfromoppression.ThustoRosler,noimageorformofdocumentationrevealsanadequate truth.Thewarisalreadyhome.Wearedirectparticipants,butfailtoseeit.

Thatnotionofpersonal/collectiveparticipationinviolenceisexploredfurtherandinmorecomplexand polyvocalwaysinTheAmericanWar,2005,byHarrellFletcher

VisitingVietnamduringanartistretreat,FletcherwascontinuallydrawntoTheWarRemnantsMuseum inHoChiMinhCity.Beforeleaving,hedocumented,withapointandshootcamera,everyobjectand correspondingtextplatewithinthemuseum.Hethenreprintedtheseimagesandexhibitedthemacross theUnitedStates.Ateachexhibition,programmingincludedcommunitydiscussionswhereanyone affectedbytheWar(soldiers,politicians,protesters,familyandfriends)wereinvitedtosharetheir experiences.AftercreatingtheimagesFletcherwrote,Istartedresearchingthewarinanattemptto understandwhyithappenedandwhatitseffectswereontheregionandonU.S.policy.Themuseum andmyrepresentationsofitareonlyshowingoneperspective,therearemanyothers.

LikemuchofFletcherswork,theprojectistechnicallysimple,butcreatesspaceforanimmersive, polyvocal,andchallengingnotionofphotographictruth.ThewartoFletcherbothnevercamehome andhas,atthesametime,alwaysbeenaroundus.Theimageswillneverdotheexperiencejustice. Thismarkstomeahugeturningpoint.PhotographyintheAmericanWarisnotviewedascapturinga rigidorobjectivetruth,norasformorvehicleforalienation,butasanaffecting,yetinadequatetoolfor documentingortransformingtheworld.Imageswithintheprojectareunderstoodthrough performance...thatofthephotographer,andthose,whobyparticipatingintheexhibit,addtotheir meaning.ForFletcherittookgoingtoVietnamtogainabetterunderstandingofwhatVietnameserefer toastheAmericanWar(onecanimaginewhatothersimilarmuseumsacrosstheworldwouldfeellike toexperience).ThoseimageswereobviouslytransformativeandchallengedFletchersknowledgeof

thesixteenyearwar,buttheywerenotenoughforhim,norhebelieves,forhisaudience.Fletcher states,Eventhoughmanyoftheimageswerefamiliartome,seeingthemalltogetherandpresented fromtheVietnameseperspectivewasverystriking.ItmademerealizethatIdidn'tknowmuchabout thedetailsofthewarthathadconsumedtheU.S.formostofmyearlychildhood.

Sotheframeextends.Theimagesdontdefinehistorynoristheirmeaningfixed.Truthiselusiveand requiresmanyvoices,manyperspectives.Theimagesweencounterarenotrepresentationsofreality, butrepresentationsofrepresentations.HisphotosattempttobringanentireWarMuseumhome.But importantly,foraprojectthatseekstocreatespaceforotherphotographicandtextualinterpretationsof theVietnamWar,theadditionalprogramming,wherecommunitymemberssharedtheirexperiencesof theconflict,showcaseamoredynamicnotionoftruth...wheretheimagesembodynotonlythe experiencesofthosetheyrepresent,butallofourexperienceswiththewar.Thisevolving,additive,and humanhistoryaddsmeaningandoralcaptionstotheseimagesthatwearestilltryingtounderstand.

SoldiersStories,JenniferKarrady For the past six years, Jennifer Karady has worked with American veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to create staged narrative photographs that depict their individual stories and address their difficulties in adjusting to civilian life...Karady collaborates with the veteran to restage a chosen moment from war within the safe space of their everyday environment, often surrounded by family and friends (from the artists website).

Whileitmaybethemosttechnicallyimpressiveofthosementionedsofar,itisthesocialinteractionsthat gointocreatingtheimages,theprocessbehindthestunning,unnerving,andattimesawkward photographsthatpresentsasiteandstaginggroundforsomuchmore.Heretomeiswheresomeofthe mostexcitingworkisbeginningtoemerge.LikeWendyEwaldandmanyphotographersthatwork collaborativelywithcommunities,Karradyseemstoviewtheprocessofcreatinganimageasasocial performancethathasthepotentialtotransformthephotographer,thesubject,andthosearoundthem. Karadyrealizestheimagesthroughaseriesofinteractions,dialogues,brainstorming,andcommunity

actions.Spendingatleastamonthwitheachveteranbeforetheimageiscreated,theprojectbrings familiesandfriendstogethertodesigntheimage,andthusgainsinsightintohowthewarhascomehome witheachveteranandhowitaffectstheireveryday.Hereweseephotographyinamoreradicalform. Asastandin,andavehicleforbuildingmoreopen,empathetic,andsupportiverelationships.Wherethe outcomeisfluidandlessmediated,wheretheprocess,theimage,andtheexhibitionallhavethe potentialtohaveimpactsonindividuals,families,andournotionsoftrauma.

BringingtheideasofFredRitchinandDavidLeviStraussbackintothefoldonecanseehowthese projectssupportandcreatevisualsignpostsforvariousdiscoursesonthepowerandlimitationsof photography.Imagescanhaveanincredibleimpact.Weproduceandconsumeenormousquantities everyday...continuallyreifying,beckoning,andtransformingtheworldasweknow,ordreamof.But theyareinherentlylimited,cancreatedistancewherebridgesareneededandpossible.Iwillnevercall fortheendofphotography,oratleastnotfortheendofimagemaking,butmyhopeisthatthere becomesanacknowledgmentthateveryissueistoocomplex,thatallissuesareindireneedofmultiple sourcesofcontext,representation,andaccountability.Thustheanswerisnotmoremedia. Multimediadocumentsofsystemicissueswillonlydigsodeepandoftenexchangeideasintraditional anddisempoweringmethods.Brazilianeducationaltheorist,PauloFrierereferredtothismodeof informationexchangeasthebankingmodelwhererecipientsofknowledgeareviewedasempty vesselsforexpertstofill,andbyproxy...toform.Likewisewedontneedbettertools...butnewways toutilizethem.Newforumsandmodesofexchanging.Itistheprocessthroughwhichthemediais created,howideasareshared,andwhatinteractionsitsexhibitioninspiresthatisofmostexcitement tome.FredRitchincallsforprojectsthatproposevisualmodelsforawayforward,notsimplyanindex ofthepastorreductivetruths......likewise,artistandeducatorTaniaBruguerawritingabouteducation (whichIbelievecanstandinforanypracticeofsharingknowledge)viewstheclassroomasasitefor creatingcollectivelyanddevelopinghumanandsocialpotential,notsimplyacquiringordepositing information.

Buthowcanphotographydothis?Apracticethathastraditionallychampionedsingleauthorship, objectivity,andproblematicnotionsoftruthwouldseemtobetheunlikelytoolforthejob.Butif

viewingandcreatingimagesisasocialperformance.andanyperformancerequiresascript,actors, audience,stage,lighting,eventhemostminimalofeach,thenthatscriptcanberewritten:itsroles reimagined,itsstageexpanded,itsaudienceincluded,allallowingnewoutcomestorevealthemselves allowingfortheprocessofaesthetizationtotransformnotonlyourrepresentationsoftheworld,but howweexistwithinit.

Bringingthesocialaesthetictotheforefrontwillonlyaskmorefromphotography...bemorecritical aboutitsproductionandexhibition.Willdemandmoreintentionality.Wherethehow,who,andwhere arethemessagewherethecamerabecomesatoolfortestingandperformingnewwaysofseeing andbeingwithintheworld...Andlikeanynegativeawaitingtheuniquetouchoftheprinter,eachnew socialorartisticmodeltheseprojectscreatecanbetransposedandadaptedtoworkwithinanylocal context.Thusfocusingonthesocialaestheticdoesntnullifyphotographyspowerofreplication(the abilitytoendlesslyreprintanimage).WendyEwaldhasdoneprojectsincountlesscountries...infact DukeUniversityinstitutionalizedhermethods,wherethoughsheworkedwithinthesamegeographical areayearafteryear,herprocess,onethatisdeeplyinformedanddrivenbyitsparticipants,continuedto realizepowerfulandsurprisingresults.SoifweshiftthefunctionofarttomirrorBruguerasnotionof education...whereartisviewedasasiteforexploringnewsocialrolesandrealities,thenthecamera notonlyprovidesevidenceoftheexperience,butisthetoolthroughwhichtheperformanceismade, andthroughwhichtheperformer,andthosearoundthem,aretransformed.

Whilethereisnorecipeforwhatmethodswillworkbestinanygivencircumstance,apracticethat meaningfullyinvolvesthoseitseekstorepresent,thatisinformedbytheneedsanddesiresofits subjects,willnecessarilymoveinwaysthatreflectlocalcontextsinhopesofbeinganempoweringand transformativeforceforitsparticipants.ArtistLucyLippardhasamantra:Anythingaboutus,without us,isagainstus.Andalso...lessrelevantbutequallyawesome...letssavepessimismforbettertimes.

So,asthesocialaestheticofanimage(thesocialinteractionsthatledtoitsproduction,exhibition, distribution)areforefrontedwhatnewproblemsarise?Whatprocessofvaluationcanbeusedto addresstheselessorintangibleaspectsofcontemporaryimagemaking?Howdowecritiqueit?Isa

projectsimplyasuccessifitmeaningfullyincludesotherswithintheprocess?Asanartistexploringthese ideas,theseandmanyotherquestionscontinuallyarize.

ForSomeOtherPlacesWeveMissed:WindowsfromPrison,eachversionoftheprojectbecomesa personaltestinggroundformanyofthemethodsdiscussedinthispaper.Itwasincrediblyimportant thattheprojectstrivetogenerateanewkindofprisonphotographyandtocreateanexhibitsthatare notculminations,butstartingpointsfordialogue,exchange,andcommunityaction.Inthisinstance,to createnewprisonphotographyrequiredthatnoimagesofprisoners,detentionfacilities,policecars, courtrooms,orexecutionchamberswerenecessary.Norsoughtafter.Theprojectstemsfroma continualbeliefthatphotography,asstatedbefore,isanincrediblypowerful,yetcompletelyinadequate toolforsocialchange.

Therearealreadytoomanyimagesofprisonsandprisoners.Oftenphotographsarenotstating anythingnewnordealingwiththedistancefromsubjectandviewer,orthereificationofstereotypeand socialcausalitythatimagescanunintentionallycreate.

SoifIcouldntgetcamerasintoprisonsforprisonerstouse,andcreatinganotherdocumentaryproject wasnotofinterest,butIstillwantedtoworkwithprisonerstocreatetheirownphotographs,itonly madesensetouselimitations,directives,prompts,etc...toworkwithprisonerstothink photographically.Towritephotographically.Torequestwithwordswhattheywishtheycouldseeif theywereonlyable.Thus,eachparticipantrespondstothepromptIfyouhadawindowinyourcell, whatplacefromyourpastwoulditlookoutto?Participantsincludethespecificaddress(ifithasone) anddescribesexactlyhowtocreatetheimage,wheretostand,whattoincludeintheframe, occasionallywhattheskyshouldlooklikeorwhattimeofdaytheexposureshouldbemadeat.

Theimages(sometimesphotographedbyme,sometimesthroughcommunitycollaboration)arecreated, printed,andmailedorgivenbacktotheincarceratedparticipant.

Limitationssurfaceagainintheexhibition.TheimagesareprintedatthesamesizethatIamallowedto

mailorgivebacktotheincarceratedparticipants.Thischoiceofscalestrivestoreinforcethemicroand macrowaysthatincarcerationconstantlystripsawayaprisonershumanityaswellastocreatean exhibitionexperiencethatrunscountertocontemporarytrends.Iuseda6x7cameratocreatethisset ofimagesinhopesofsharingthehighestqualitythatIcouldaffordtomake.Butitmadenosenseto printhuge.Iwasonlyallowedtosendindividuals4x6prints...whyshouldviewershaveitlarger?I wantedinsteadtopresentanexperiencethatindividualscouldeitherengagewithornot.Ifyouwantto seetheimagethereisnostandingbackorkeepingonesdistance...ofcoursethismadesensewithina gallerycontext...withinalessdefinedpublicspaceitmightmakesensetocreatesomethinginalarger scale,thataltersordominatesspaceinhopesofcreatinganewenvironmentaltogether.

Whenevertheprojectisexhibited,theimagesandcorrespondingwritingalwaysbecomeastaging ground,whatIhopebecomesahumanisticentrypointforasetofpubliceventstoexpandthedialogue, tofillthegapsleftbyanyphotographicproject,andtoinstigatecommunityaction.Programminghas includedfilmscreenings,poetryreadingsfromprison,letterwritingworkshops,protests,andteachins ledbycommunitymembersaffectedbyincarceration.

Forarecentexhibitoftheprojectweprintedanewspaperandplacedtheminbrightorangenewspaper boxesacrossthecity.Expandingtheexhibitbeyondthegallery,thenewspaperreachedoutto communitymemberstofulfilladditionalphotorequestsfromlocallyincarceratedprisoners.The newspaperhadinformationontheexhibit,publicprograming,aneditorialwrittenbywriter/curatorPete Brookonthehistoryofphotographyworkshopswithinprisons,andahousingwantedadvertisement foralocalgroupworkingwithwomenthroughthereentryprocessthatwereinneedofapermanent location.Duringtheexhibitthisgroupbeganmeetingatthegalleryandwhilenopermanentlocationhas beenfoundtheycontinuetoholdeventsthere.

Bytheendoftheexhibitwehadfacilitatedanextensivesetofpublicprogramingthatengagedwith hundredsofparticipants.Still,itiseasytolookbackandpickthingsapart.Toseewhatwasincredible andwhatwasvergingontheparticipatoryartworldsversionofanexpressionisticpaintstroke.Alittle interactivecomponenthere,afilmscreeningthere...andsoon.Anyactisagesturebutitisevidentto

all,whichevents,moments,interactionsseemedtoomediated,reductive,orevensuperficial.

Insimilarwaysthattheanswermaynotsimplybemoremediathesamecan,andshouldbesaidfor photographyassocialpractice...simplyaddingmodesofcommunityengagementisnottheanswer. Tokenavenuesforparticipationwillexpandprojectsonlysomuchandparticipantswillknowwhether theyareabletoparticipateinameaningfulway.Asthesefieldsofpracticecontinuetoexpandand participantshaveanincreasingamountofagencyandpowertodeterminetheformandfunctionofa project,newmodesofcritiquingwillbenecessary.Ifarthistoriansaretodothecritiquing,then perhapstheytoomustexpandtheirknowledgeandexpertisewithinthesocialrealms.

Ifphotographyassocialpracticecancreatemodelsforhowweengagewitheachotherandtheworld aroundus,formsofimagemakingsuchasmetaphotographyandafocusonarchivingorrevealing imagesalreadyinexistencehavethepotentialtoradicallytransformpoliticalandcivicinstitutions. Wikileaks,anonymous,andothergroupsbelongingtowhathasbeendescribedasthe5thestatehave certainlychallengedwho,how,where,andwhyinformationisdisseminated.Likewise,theemphasison citizenjournalismduringtheArabSpring,theOccupyMovement,911andmanyotherssuggestan evolvingandincreasinglyhorizontalmeansofexchangingideas.Itcanbecertainthatimageswillplayan incrediblyimportantroleinourfuture.Viewingphotographyasasocialperformance,onamicroand macroscale,willequipuswithnotonlyabetterunderstandingofthesourceofimagery,butoffer blueprintsforimagebasedprojectsthatcanhelpinstigatelastingsocialchange.

IfRoslersworkshowcasedtheviolenceembodiedwithintheimagesandobjectsweconsumeeach day,manycontemporaryartistsareseekingtoexpandandmovebeyondthatcritique.Byviewingthe photographasaperformativeact,whereasLeviStrausssuggests,oneisinherentlytransformingthe subject,object,andphotographer,thenthatobjectcanembodyadifferentscript,takeonnew functions,proposenewpersonal,social,andpoliticalforms.FredRitchinaskedforvisualreference points.Forartiststopresentwaysforwardnotsimplyanindexofpaststruggles.Asimagesembody andbringtotheforefrontthesocialinteractionsthatwentintothephotograph,wecanbegintoseehow thosereferencepointscouldbecreated.Bychampioningandfurtherinvestigatingthesocialaestheticof

photography,byviewingtheimageasastaginggroundforinteraction,anditsexhibitionasanequally excitingandchallengingrealmfordialogue,exchange,andcommunityactionasimagemakersbecome increasinglyawarethateverycreativechoicecanbeasociopoliticalstatement,thenourimagescan begintocreatethesereferencepoints,canproposeandrealizenewwaysofseeing,understanding,and beingwithintheworld.