Context and meaning

July 2016

Although you are not expected to produce any kind of installation or exhibition of your projects at Level 2 (HE5), there is certainly no reason why you shouldn't be thinking about where you could present your work, and the meaning of your photographs could be strengthened or expanded by their physical location. Think about whether there is a particular place where you could install your work for Assignment 5. Perhaps it is the same place that you shot the project, or somewhere that contrasts it somehow. Make a very rough sketch of how the prints could be hung, their scale and anything else that might be incorporated into an installation.

Read John A Walker's essay "Context as a determinant of photographic meaning", first published in 1980. The text is not devoted to site specific work in particular; however, it addresses the themes encountered in Part 5. Summarise Walker's key points and note down your personal reflections.

Source: Walker, J. (2009) Context as a determinant of Photographic Meaning.[online]. Available from: 
https://www.academia.edu/11911020/Context_as_a_determinant_of_photographic_meaning [last accessed 03/08/2016]

(Scribd uses a 30 day free trial before charging $8.99 per month to access documents) 

Main points from essay:
Location
"With each shift of location the photograph is re-contextualised and as the context changes so does the meaning." (p.1)
If my work was displayed in a gallery within the location as opposed to a book looked at in someone's house, the viewer would have a different understanding of the work. Gallery  - open to distractions, may be noisy, book - one to one viewing, read when time is available. May take different memories away from different viewings.

Frame
"The frame of the photograph encloses a space, a world, which we can enter in our imaginations. This space appears self contained and therefore it is natural for us to mentally place in brackets the context in which the photograph is viewed, even though that context is one important determinant of photographic meaning." (p.2)
The context in which we are viewing the image never disappears. This could be the fact that we have gone to an exhibition, or sat at home comfortably viewing a book, or outside in different weathers viewing an outdoor installation.

Re-contextualisation
"Re-contextualisation does not generally produce a radical transformation of the photographic denotation." (p.2)
If the photo is moved from one context to another (such a gallery to a book) the image or the meaning of the image does not change. Therefore the context needs to be qualified e.g historical, social.

Juxtaposition
"When a photograph - considered as a single unit of meaning- enters into a montage relationship with either a caption, text, another picture or a particularly potent display context, then a "third effect" meaning can be generated from that juxtaposition which was not inherent in either of the terms seen in isolation." (p.2)
The whole meaning can change, be given a new significance or be modified because of where the photograph or text are place. It may not be intentional so the artist should be mindful of this when displaying their work.

Mobility of the image
"The mechanical reproducibtility of photographs means that the same image can appear in thousands of settings simultaneously and in a variety of sizes and media". (p.3.)
The internet can send images across countries and cultures which in turn lessens the impact of what is seen. It also means that images can be studied at home, on phones, magazines, newspapers etc rather than having to visit the gallery.

Reality
Media image in a newspaper surrounded by text is different to that in a glossy art magazine. The newspaper is seen as a documentary and "real" whereas the art photograph may have been an made for a specific purpose.

Currency
Consider what was happening outside of the image at the time the image was made. Image viewed in different places at different times in socio-historical context. Photograph's meaning is subject to change as it is circulated and goes out of circulation. Circulating image is current, archived image may be used later in books etc in it's afterlife.

Mental context
"People have different relations with the same image according to the different places they occupy in society, determined by such factors as gender, race, nationality, class, age, education, kinship, etc." (p.8)

Commonality
Everyone is different and so sees the same images differently. However, there is a language which is common to social groups by which the media communicate. This includes desires, values, experiences and appall. It is only when social values change that selected mass imagery is defaced or destroyed, e.g revolt, revolution, sexism.

Control 
For an artist, most of the aforementioned is out of their control.

In summary, an artist has to do their best to ensure context and meaning stay as true to their intent as possible; however change is inevitable.

Reviewing Assignment 5, I based this around the history of the local landscape. My intent is to produce it in book form which acts as a guide book. I could look into using the "classroom" at Sherwood Pines to display images at a re-enactment event, although these only happen periodically. For this I would print with a white margin around the images and pin onto boards/use magnets directly onto the wall in conjunction with the rangers.

Another alternative is to use display boards to mount the images on which is a temporary solution as it would only be up for 2 days. Could glue metal strips to the display board to mount the photos.

Cylinder magnets - 2 types - magnetised through diameter (end to end) or length (side to side). (As seen at the Hepworth Gallery, Wakefield) 

Mansfield Museum - ? cost, ?insurance - programme put together up to 2 years in advance. Needs to be stimulating though so would have to work around making it interactive. At the Hepworth, there were kids worksheets around Martin Parr's work. This could be useful.

Mansfield library - 10.3m linear metres of wall space. H track hanging system to hang double strung 2D work. 3 x display cabinets (tall and thin) £45 for 3 weeks. Work can be mounted on foam boards with Ryman command adhesive strips at a cost of £3.49 for 12 Need £5million public liability insurance. (£44 per year)

Sherwood Pines classroom £80 per day. Seats 40 people. No dimensions online. Would need to look at building.

Museum is the cheapest option although needs further investigation.

Rough layout of wall space