S T R A N G E R T H A N F I C T I O N
Joan Fontcuberta
Joan Fontcuberta is a Spanish conceptual artist most renowned for his works 'Fauna' and 'Sputnik'. Within his work Fontcuberta investigates the relationship between 'photography' and 'truth' and raises the age-old question as to whether we should automatically believe something to be true just because we can visually see that truth in a photograph.
I discovered the work of Fontcuberta as I attended one of his photography exhibitions, 'Stranger than Fiction' at the National Science Museum in London.
As I mentioned previously Fontcuberta is an artist whose works test the truth and reliability of photography. His exhibition is essentially a documentation of narratives that combine reality and fiction. His works are an investigation into photography's authority and our natural inclination to believe what we see before us. This specific exhibition showcased six of Fontcuberta's well known studies; Fauna (1987), Herbarium (1984), Orogenesis (2002), Constellations (1993), Sirens (2000) and Karelia Miracles & Co (2002). Out of the above I connected most strongly with both Fauna as I felt particularly inspired and intrigued by this specific body of work.
As I mentioned previously Fontcuberta is an artist whose works test the truth and reliability of photography. His exhibition is essentially a documentation of narratives that combine reality and fiction. His works are an investigation into photography's authority and our natural inclination to believe what we see before us. This specific exhibition showcased six of Fontcuberta's well known studies; Fauna (1987), Herbarium (1984), Orogenesis (2002), Constellations (1993), Sirens (2000) and Karelia Miracles & Co (2002). Out of the above I connected most strongly with both Fauna as I felt particularly inspired and intrigued by this specific body of work.
Fauna (1987)
Fauna documented the zoological studies of newly discovered species. Within the exhibition Fontcuberta questions the authority of the museum display, it can be seen as an artistic fabrication. In 1980 Fontcuberta along with his friend Peter Formiguera were staying in a gloomy mansion in Scotland. They explored the basement and discovered the archive of work of Professor Peter Ameisenhaufen, this work documented his zoological discoveries during his worldwide exhibitions. Ameisenhaufen had been searching for exceptions to Darwin's theory of evolution by looking and studying mutation within animals. Prior to the discovery Ameisenhaufen's work was completely unknown to the scientific community and the general public. The publication of this work provoked controversy however the photographic evidence silenced suspicion. This was Fontcuberta's goal, to use photography as evidence and as a carrier of the truth.
Cercopithecus Icarocornu
Threschelonia Atis
I thoroughly enjoyed Fauna as after viewing the exhibit I honestly felt conflicted, the photographs documented the unimaginable and unexplainable mutation of animals and could I just believe these tales of animal extraordinaire just because I had seen photographs documenting the results. I feel that this truly was Joan Fontcuberta's aim, he wanted people to question the authority of a photograph, to question the truth within the image rather than just believe what we see before us without question.
No comments:
Post a Comment