The Photograph as Contemporary Art: Chapter 7 Response

   Chapter 7, 'Revived and Remade', delves into a recent trend in photography that makes use of our pre-existing knowledge of certain imagery and media as a whole in order to trigger subconscious emotions or shift the way we understand the world around us. This can be achieved through a revival of old photographic techniques, the archiving of photographs, or the recreation of well-known images. Despite the inevitable critique of originality and authorship when recreating or mimicking established photographs, the artists in this chapter might argue that the value of their works is inherent in their place within their cultural context and the references they make to that culture.

   One such photographer in this chapter whose work relies heavily on an appeal to culture and the mimicking of other photographs is Trish Morrissey. In her Seven Years project, Morrissey, along with her sister, recreates the atmosphere of her own family's personal photographs by using props and clothing found in Morrissey's parents' attic. The images are reminiscent of family photographs that we all can relate to, but they also work by exploring the nuance of the relationships that can be found in this domestic photography. The images are brilliant allusions to the idea of the America family snapshot that most of us have prior experience with.

   Personally, I am very interested in the idea of recreation in terms of recreating drawings and paintings as photographs. Specifically, the process of appropriating my own work into a different medium is exciting because it shows me that my ideas can transcend medium. Sketches in a sketchbook don't have to end there; they can become a beautiful photograph or an experimental film.


   Rush, Michael. New Media in Art. 2nd ed., New York, Thames & Hudson Inc., 2005.