Photography: A Subjective Representation of Reality
by Sijong Kim
Representation of Painting
Throughout the history of Art, mankind has long endeavored to represent objects and landscapes ‘as we see them’. Various methods to recreate what we see as real as possible were invented, including Ancient Egypt’s painting style, scorcio and the law of perspective. It is well known how the invention of photography and moving images shocked the people. Recording and recreating were mankind’s instinctive desire and challenge.
A Man in the Flower Garden #1
Sept. 2015, 35×23 cm, Photograph
In this work, I expressed only some notable parts of a man, a hat or a pair of glasses in order to represent the reality that was perceived through my eyes.
A Man in the Flower Garden #2
Sept. 2015, 35×23 cm, Photograph
Seeing
Painting had already reached the level of looking as real as a photograph before photography was invented. However, the fact that those who came on later, impressionists and Paul Cezanne, still worked on representing reality rather than portraying abstract concepts, indicates that ‘seeing’ must have been something more than a simple concept. We know that grass is green and apples are red. We know what they look like, but we do not see them exactly as they are. We see them differently depending on various factors such as light, weather, momentary delusion or even mental state. Seeing is not just a process of our eyes gathering light, but a process of our brains perceiving, recognizing and feeling that sight. When we see something, sometimes, it engraves a deep impression in our mind as a freeze-frame and some other times, it merely leaves a blurry silhouette. Sometimes, it passes by without even being recognized as “seen” and some other times, it overlaps with the past. Thus, “seeing” is a very subjective experience that encompasses not only space, but also time, sense and emotions.
A Man in the Flower Garden #3
Sept. 2015, 35×23 cm, Photograph
A Man in the Flower Garden #4
Sept. 2015, 35×23 cm, Photograph
A Woman on the Grass
Sept. 2015, 20×20 cm, Photograph
I represented the destruction of the law of perspective that I felt by a momentary impression.
The woman inside the image is standing outside the boundary line, but also buried inside the grass.
Vision and Reality
Because “seeing is subjective”, a “represented” art cannot be an absolute and objective reality. In particular, I would like to mention Paul Cezanne and René Magritte. Paul Cezanne believed in a world that he perceived through his eyes rather than expressions based on the law of perspective. He was aware that human eyes do not see the world exactly as it is. Cezanne’s unique perspective of the world gave birth to modern painting. On the other hand, René Magritte questioned even the world that he saw through his eyes and tried to reveal what was concealed behind our eyes. Unlike other abstract artists, Magritte did not depend on accidental effects nor did he try to reach the world of unconsciousness. Rather, he deliberately placed objects in irrelevant places to defamiliarize or modify. He also juxtaposed or combined two or more objects to shock the audience. According to his actual comments and various interpretations, Magritte did not believe in reality as we see but believed that artists should reveal what is concealed behind our eyes and visualize their ideas through their “representations”.
Crowd #1
Sept. 2015, 52×35 cm, Photograph
This work depicts people on the street with the same face, in which I wanted to represent the world seen with my eyes instead of the camera.
Crowd #2 Sept. 2015, 41×28 cm, Photograph
Crowd #3
Sept. 2015, 36×23 cm, Photograph
Crowd #4
Sept. 2015, 33×22 cm, Photograph
Photography
In the past, photography was considered a magical representation unattainable with paintings. Nowadays, digital technology allows artists to create photo-like paintings or painting-like photos. Nonetheless, it is interesting that people have different attitudes in appreciating each form of art. They tend to recognize paintings as a “representation” by the artist, but photographs as “something that was actually there as it is” until they find a trace of modification. It seems that the notion of “creating something out of something else” makes people forget that a photograph is also a representation of the artist’s intentions. After all, a camera is merely a tool that was made to mimic the human eye. Although it can perfectly recreate an image according to the law of perspective, it does not capture the reality “as seen” or “as thought” like Cezanne and Magritte tried to portray. Digital modification is needed to express the artist’s subjective perception. The image modified by the artist is an intended representation using the camera as a tool—as a brush to a painter—and the artist’s subjective reality.
Sky Meat #1
Oct. 2015, 42×28 cm, Photograph
Sky Meat #2
Oct. 2015, 42×28 cm, Photograph
Sky Meat #3
Oct. 2015, 42×28 cm, Photograph
Sky Meat #4
Oct. 2015, 42×28 cm, Photograph
Magritte’s way to Photography
I deliberately borrow expressions from Magritte’s paintings to have the audience realize that the photograph in front of them is a representation expressing the artist’s subjective reality. I also want the audience to question the correlation between what we see and the actual reality.
Painter #1
Aug. 2015, 36×26 cm, Photograph
I modeled in the photograph to metaphorically show how my eyes are like a painting brush.
In the image, I am painting a person, which cannot happen in the real world.
I leave a message that the representation of photography is also a subjective reality like the representation of painting.
Painter #2
Aug. 2015, 36×26 cm, Photograph
I take photos and modify them based on the following principles:
1. Believe the camera just as much as you believe your eyes.
2. Do not think that the camera captures the image exactly as you see. If it did, we would not need to worry about what camera and lens to use.
3. You should be aware of what you see, before looking through the viewfinder.
4. Always remember that a camera does not have a brain.
5. Your memory comes first, the records in the camera second.
6. A (digital) picture is a color dot painting. You have control of the dots, not the camera.
7. There is a time difference between the point when you take the picture and when you digitally modify it. The changes in ideas that occur in between are also part of the work.
8. Everyone has their own reality.
9. Do not think a photo is a record of the past.
Reference 윌 곰퍼츠, “발칙한 현대미술사”, 알에이치코리아, 2012 / 조윤경, “보는 텍스트, 읽는 이미지”, 그린비, 2012 / 미셸 푸코, “이것은 파이프가 아니다”, 고려대학교출판부, 2010 / 마르셀 파케, “르네 마그리트”, 마로니에북스, 2008 / 진중권, “미학 오디세이2”, 휴머니스트, 2003 / 유정하, “르네 마그리트의 그림에 나타난 상징에 관한 연구 : 분석심리학 중심으로”, 한일장신대 심리치료대학원 논문, 2014 / 이주형, “포스트-포토그래피 : 실재와 재현의 관계 : 안드레아스 구르스키의 작품을 중심으로”, 숭실대 대학원 논문, 2011 / 김은영, “르네 마그리트와 회화적 재현에 관한 연구”, 조선대 대학원 논문, 2007 / 양초롱, “르네 마그리트의 ‘재현’ 연구 : 말과 이미지를 중심으로”, 조선대 대학원 논문, 2005
