The work of Aziz and Cucher definitely has had an enormous impact on my psyche when I think about how digital manipulation has changed each generation, set impossible standards, and has probably been the root of a lot of mental and eating disorders in the world, today. Just from the first images alone that I saw in the “Collision of Two Worlds” lecture, from the Dystopia Series, I was both disturbed and reminded of the lengths that photographers and advertisers have gone to in order to fool the public into trying to achieve some Adonis-like level of perfection.
Aziz and Cucher’s photographs in their Dystopia Series of 1994-95 all touch on the issue of digital manipulation being used to change what people see and therefore what they are influenced by in society. Through the elimination of the eyes and mouths of the figures in their photographs, the viewer is left with the chilling image of a shell of a man or woman that seems to lack a soul of their own. I interpret this as communicating the message that the masses are manipulated into no longer being individuals with hopes and dreams, but instead they have become mannequins with no treasured thoughts of their own. The eyes are a window unto the soul, and in these photos, the soul has been removed. Is there anything left? Was there ever even a soul to being with? These are questions that the viewer may be left with and they remain unanswered no matter how long one stares at the images.
In my opinion, as far as digital manipulation is concerned, there are definitely two sides to the controversy. On the one hand, it can be used very productively in movies. We all loved the jet scene in the most recent Diehard film. We all know that wasn't real, right? Unfortunately, while it can be quite obvious that the Statue of Liberty has not really been covered in ice as in The Day After Tomorrow, it’s not so obvious when the editor of Vogue Magazine takes a model who is already breathtakingly beautiful by societies standards and enhances her… “assets”, nipping and tucking with that magic digital airbrush and molding a very beautiful woman’s picture into something that is so perfect that we, the consumer, place it on the highest pedestal of our daily existence. Then the self-doubt comes into play. How does one look so perfect? What can I do to achieve that kind of perfection? What am I doing wrong right now?
With all of this self-questioning, we seem to miss the bigger picture, and the most important question: Do we know that we’ve been fleeced?
Aziz and Cucher’s photographs in their Dystopia Series of 1994-95 all touch on the issue of digital manipulation being used to change what people see and therefore what they are influenced by in society. Through the elimination of the eyes and mouths of the figures in their photographs, the viewer is left with the chilling image of a shell of a man or woman that seems to lack a soul of their own. I interpret this as communicating the message that the masses are manipulated into no longer being individuals with hopes and dreams, but instead they have become mannequins with no treasured thoughts of their own. The eyes are a window unto the soul, and in these photos, the soul has been removed. Is there anything left? Was there ever even a soul to being with? These are questions that the viewer may be left with and they remain unanswered no matter how long one stares at the images.
In my opinion, as far as digital manipulation is concerned, there are definitely two sides to the controversy. On the one hand, it can be used very productively in movies. We all loved the jet scene in the most recent Diehard film. We all know that wasn't real, right? Unfortunately, while it can be quite obvious that the Statue of Liberty has not really been covered in ice as in The Day After Tomorrow, it’s not so obvious when the editor of Vogue Magazine takes a model who is already breathtakingly beautiful by societies standards and enhances her… “assets”, nipping and tucking with that magic digital airbrush and molding a very beautiful woman’s picture into something that is so perfect that we, the consumer, place it on the highest pedestal of our daily existence. Then the self-doubt comes into play. How does one look so perfect? What can I do to achieve that kind of perfection? What am I doing wrong right now?
With all of this self-questioning, we seem to miss the bigger picture, and the most important question: Do we know that we’ve been fleeced?
5 comments:
Wow I think you and I had the same idea about this weeks topic. BUT you seem to be able to express yourself in much deeper terms than I think I even know how to use in a sentence!!!;-) You had me rethinking everything that I had written previously and forced to me to look at everything in a different perspective. You are awesome thank you
Definetly times have changed since the invention of photography. I thought that it was kind of bizarre the Dystopia series. For a moment I thought it was a "real skin condition"....What you said it makes a lot of sense, 'they don't have eyes, so the soul has been taken away...
Now that I know about "airbrushing", I don't feel bad at all about "looks". The models in the magazines are all "airbrushed", even if they are pretty already. One day I would like a photography session and have it "airbrushed", I'm just curious to see the results.
I agree with you 100% on the use of digital manipulation. It definitely has its use in movies and in certain things in life, but not so much on models in magazines. Its hard enough for young people and others not comfortable in their own skin to have to look at models who are so perfect; but to manipulate their beautifulness which should be good enough and make them unreal is just insane.
I felt the same way when I was looking at the dystopia pictures, it was like I wanted to keep looking at the blank faces to try and find someome there but no matter how long I looked I couldn't see a soul. I also agree with your take on the media and photo manipulaiton, I say keep it to blockbuster movies and lesser on the side of the more self-conscious side of sexual representation.
Hi Nicole...great post and, while I'm here, I'm delivering a nudge for being tardy with the Conceptual Art post. This nudge will result in a 5 point deduction when the blogs are graded after this week. To avoid further point deductions, be sure to get caught up. Thanks!
Michelle
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