The Guardian

Forgot to say in my previous blogs that I've been reading about The Arts in the media. In particular an article in The Guardian about "The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize'. The article was about an image through to the shortlist for the prize by Panayiotis Lamprou. It's caused a stir because of its explicit nature. It shows his wife sitting on a chair with her genitals showing beneath her short dress. It's now on display with the other shortlisted images in the National Portrait Gallery.
I guess this raises questions over why images that show someones genitals are viewed as sexually explicit? Do we have to consider this to be sexual rather than just a woman who feels free enough to sit with her genitals on display in the comfort and privacy of her own home? Apparently the image was never intended to be published but his wife consented to him entering it for the Taylor Wessing Prize. This was an intimate moment in their lives that they have chosen to make public but I don't view it as sexual but for what it is, a piece of art. The Guardian also questions whether it is voyeristic of us to be viewing this image? Perhaps some might see it that way but surely it is not voyeristic to view something which is in the public domain? It's there for all to see. So why not look at it and see it for what it is an intimate portrait of the photographers wife?

PCAD100

Had the first lecture for PCAD100 today which was very interesting. I need to start thinking about what I might do after the course which isn't easy considering I won't be finished for another 4 years! Initially I took up the course just because I'm interested in photography. It's been my hobby for the last 4 years or so and after a few evening classes I still wanted to learn more and so enrolled on the Foundation Degree in Photography. Due to my health I hadn't thought any further than just getting through the course week by week and certainly hadn't considered what I might do once I've finished. 

Todays lecture has opened up many questions for me. Yes the next four years are taken up at college but what am I going to do after that? I guess initially I'm hoping to continue on the the BA. I'm not sure I will ever be able to take up employment given the varying nature of my health problems so now I'm thinking maybe I could be an eternal student? Perhaps do an MA after? If I'm doing all this part time I guess that's 8 years taken care of! What I feel at the moment is that I would like to make a name for myself as a photographer, perhaps as a fine art photographer. I would love to exhibit sometime.

I do know that my many life experiences will influence my work. There is one main them I would like to follow for my work initially although quite how I will portray this at present I have no idea. Having had very little knowledge of art previously the few lectures I've had so far are making me look much deeper into my creativity in the hope of producing some meaningful work. Let's see where this takes me......

My first two weeks at college...

Well that's my first two weeks at college nearly over. I'm really enjoying it so far and I'm learning so much. Every lecture opens many questions and so many ideas for research it's hard to know what direction to go in or what to do first. Every day I leave college and can't wait to get home and read around what I've learnt.  Roll on next week!