DUANE MICHALS'S WAY OF ART
Introduction
Duane Michals is one of the biggest photographers of this era and century. He has an admirable talent for photography and he knew that he was going to do something about it so, at the age of 14, his art journey started with some classes he had at the Carnegie Institute. And then he received his bachelor of arts from the University of Denver. He wanted to become a graphic designer but he couldn’t end his education, so it didn’t happen. His first exhibition was at the underground gallery in New York City and it was about a trip that he did when he was 26 years old to the USSR. 1
 |
| Cr: samys.com |
He doesn’t like to use a studio or made-up scenes in his works. He likes to photograph people in their places and their habitat. Maybe that can be the most important thing about his art, he pictures people in the most authentically way that he can do. He has so many artworks we should talk about but if I start talking about them right now, it would take me weeks to write this article. So I am going to talk about top three of them today.
 |
There are Things Here Not Seen in This Photograph
1977
Gelatin silver print with hand-applied text
9 3/4 x 10 7/8 inches
My shirt was wet with perspiration. The beer tasted good, but I was still thirsty. Some drunk was talking to another drunk about Nixon. I watched a roach walk slowly along the edge of a bar stool. On the jukebox Glen Campbell began to sing about ‘Southern Nights’. I had to go to the men’s room. A derelict was walking towards me to ask for money. It was time to live.
Commentary
As I look through this picture, I can feel the wind, smell the alcohol and hear the sound of the music playing in the background. Also when I see the writing that he wrote at the bottom of the picture, I can understand what was happening at that time at that bar’s corner. Who walked through the door when it opened in the morning, the cat passing outside the empty bar and the peace the place has. So I can surely say that this artwork is a perfect example of a narrative picture.
 |
1967-74
Gelatin silver print with hand-applied text
4 5/8 x 6 7/8 inches
This photograph is my proof. There was that afternoon, when things were still good between us, and she embraced me, and we were so happy. It did happen, she did love me. Look see for yourself!
Commentary
Two lovers, in the bed, hugging. These are the words which comprise the picture. I can see there is something memorable about that moment. We can understand from the writing above that this is a moment happened in the past. When I look at this artwork, I imagine the things I love and admire and remember how much they are important to me as the woman in the picture is important to the man near her.
 |
| Cr: dcmooregallery.com |
Black is Ugly
1974
Gelatin silver print with hand-applied text
6 5/8 x 10 inches
All his life he believed all the lies white men had told him. He believed that black was ugly and a punishment from God. But he had no idea why he should be punished. So he spent his entire life being hungry when white men were fed, and being cold when white men were warm, and it seemed to him to be the natural order of things, although he could not guess what his sin must have been. And later when I told him it was not true, he did not believe me. It was too late.
Commentary
When I look at this picture, I see a man who doesn’t want to accept the life he has but he thinks that he should accept it regardless. I can see that he is clenching his hand over his leg. Maybe he thinks about life, his problems or memories with his family. Or maybe he thinks and tries to understand ‘why black is ugly?’
Conclusion
Duane Michals’s art always fascinates me and takes me to different places all the time. If you want to see, smell, hear and feel at the same time then you should look into Duane’s artwork or you can live your life not knowing what it feels like. It’s on you.
1 Cr: en.wikipedia.org
Hiç yorum yok: