Genre & Urban Landscape

These paintings are by the artist known as Canaletto, 1697 – 1768. What genre of paintings are they? The genre of landscape painting (or urban landscape)

Expressionist, Impressionist How many different genres of painting can you think of? Discuss We can have different genres based on the different type of subject matter: Landscape (natural and urban) Portrait Abstract And we could also talk about different styles of painting as representing different genres: Expressionist, Impressionist Cubist, Surreal, Etc.

Photographic Genres We have seen that there are several different genres of painting. Similarly, there are a few genres of sculpture. The medium of photography is somewhat different because it has many, many different genres! Look at the following images, make notes as to possible names for the different genres of photography which you see

Simulated scene

How many different categories – or genres of photography did you spot?

Here are just a few of the different genres of photography Which did you spot? News Portrait Editorial Architectural Landscape Sports Abstract Vernacular Fashion Identity Street Photography Holiday ‘snaps’ Advertising Product Fine Art Documentary Medical Forensic Candid …………………. And more!

As we have seen, photography’s versatility means it has many different genres. Consequently, photography is very hard to ‘pin-down’ as an artistic medium – it has so many different uses, styles, categories, types …. genres! In effect, photography sometimes seems to have no style or characteristics which are unique and specific to the medium itself – its sheer adaptability and versatility seems overwhelming. Partly because of this, there are some people who argue that photography is NOT a true artistic medium. What do you think about this argument … can photography be an art? Discuss.

Objectives Learn about the next mini project entitled ‘Landscape’. See examples of Landscape photography from photographers such as Beate Gutschow and Joel Meyrowich Learn about exposure, depth of field and composition. Have an opportunity to go out taking shots of various environments which relate to the photographers you have researched as well as being informed by your research on exposure, depth of field and composition Print out contact sheets to be annotated. Learn to develop your research to produce your own response to ‘Landscape’

When we think of landscape we probably first think of paintings or photography that includes fields, trees, plants and so on … what we might call rural or countryside images 17th century Landscape paintings by Claude Lorrain

Fay Godwin

Charlie Waite

But landscape in its wider context or meaning can include views within towns and cities … Such as these picturesque views of London and Venice by Canaletto (1697-1768)

Beate Gutschow is a contemporary photographer producing images of our modern urban landscape

Remember: when analysing art it is helpful when to think about: content, form, process and mood Look again more carefully at Gutschow’s images and this time jot down/discuss anything which you notice about: The medium in which she is working Her subject(s) Her style of working – the way that she photographs the urban landscape Mood – Do you like the images, how do they make you feel?

But what do you think? One critic wrote … “Beate Gutschow’s photographs denote the impersonal nature of much of today’s modern architecture. Her concrete buildings stand alone within a post-apocalyptic wasteland. By implication her images connote a bleak message about our dysfunctional and alienated lives; buildings stand sadly alone as a metaphor of our lonely and purposeless existences. Hers is a rather depressing view of both modern architecture and the human condition in our post-industrial Western world”. CJM 2011 On the other hand, that opinion could be utter rubbish … her images might be about space, light and the freedom which the modern city affords its inhabitants - the freedom to be anyone you want to be. But what do you think?

Joel Meyerowitz

Discuss how you might compare the urban landscape work of Joel Meyerowitz with that of Beate Gutschow (compare and contrast). You might want to start by considering their treatment of people, distance of camera to subject, medium and use of space) Think about: Medium, Subject(s), Style, Feelings

Prep work Photograph a building in the style of Beate Gutschow: Produce 3 stunning images, download and mount into your sketchbook with annotations. Remember – to get 3 great images you may need to take considerably more! Printing and mounting from your shoot plus evaluation in your sketchbook. Plus produce a research page on Beate Gutschow – use the notes you have taken during the lesson to help you write about her work.