Robert Frank - The Americans

Robert Frank’s ‘The Americans’ has been hailed as the most important photography book since World War II. Frank took the images for this book while travelling around America with his family from 1954 until 1956. His images look deeper into American life, looking at the segregation and loneliness of the American people during that time. His images often confront subjects such as racism and politics. The style of his images caused as much controversy as the subject matters as they were often blurry and out-of-focus.
In the image below the composition is everything and gives the image a real story and meaning. The use of semiotics in this image comes across through the sign and idea of culture of the American flag covering the women’s faces. When I first saw this image it felt to me as though Frank was trying to show us how America overpowers and dictates to its people. The politics of America and the fact that it believes it holds so much power means that the American people themselves are being overlooked. The symbolism of the flag covering their faces shows that America has taken over their own identity, and that they are seen as part of America and not as individuals. The image is all about identity and how we perceive theirs.

The next image below also confronts the idea of America controlling its people. I believe that the two young girls running into the American flag is a strong factor in the image as it shows how America wants to control the minds of its people from birth.
This book was disliked by a lot of American citizens when it was first published and this alone shows that they were not happy with the rest of the world seeing what America is really like.

I really like Robert Frank's images, especially all the photos in this book. I love the way they are shot, the composition, and the controversial thing he chooses as his subjects.

Eileen Perrier

Eileen Perrier is an English photographer, born in London in 1974. She comes from a mixed cultural background of Ghanaian and Dominican descent, which is strongly reflected in her work. She has held many exhibitions of her work, including exhibits at The Photographers Gallery and Tate Britain in London. Most of her works are series of portraits of people who are all linked in some way. One of her series included people who all have a gap between their teeth, the images were shown at Piccadilly Circus underground station. The two images that I have shown are from Eileen’s series named ‘6-8’ which she started in 2000 and still adds images to today. The series includes portraits of cleaners photographed outside the offices that they clean. I like the ideas behind Eileen’s work of photographing people who all have one common link, even if they have no others. It gives me a sense of community and bringing people together. Although I like her ideas I don’t like her images as much. They are well constructed images but I just find them slightly boring.
Her most recent body of work took place in August 2008. She set up a portable studio in Petticoat Lane Market and in Denning Point tower block. Using a headrest device, a 5x4 inch large format camera and a black and white Polaroid instant film she asked local residents and workers to pose for portraits. This series explored her common theme of community and identity. Perrier commented, on her artist statement on her website, “Being of Ghanaian and Dominican descent, I have been presented with questions about placement, cultural identity and diversity.” I think she does successfully display her message in her images, and that works well. I would like to see more going on in the images and maybe a bit more of the subject’s personality.

www.eileenperrier.com/
http://www.culture24.org.uk/art/painting+%2526+drawing/portraits/art18072
http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/eileen-perrier-wentworth-street-studios