What Is the Grey Area?
In everyday life we tend to associate the term The Grey Area with ambiguity, and unclarity; an enigma. In terms of photography, The Grey Area refers to photos taken within the blurred boundary between fact and fiction therefor they tend to posses an element of confusion as they bypass the focal point of the photographer's investigations. In Jack Latham's work, he tends to evade the central subject of the inquiry instead prioritising neighbouring themes as demonstrated in his works The Parliament of Owls and Sugar Paper Theories.
"WHILE THE NOTION OF A DOCUMENT IS HISTORICALLY TIED TO IDEAS OF CERTITUDE AND CONFIRMATION AND IS PRIMARILY USED IN THE LEGAL REALM, THIS CERTITUDE HAS ALL BUT VANISHED FROM CONTEMPORARY CONSCIOUSNESS. THE EXPERIENCES OF THE 20TH CENTURY, ITS LARGE-SCALE ENTERPRISES OF PROPAGANDA AND DISINFORMATION, HAVE CREATED AN ATTITUDE, WHICH COULD BE CALLED HABITUAL DISTRUST AS WELL AS ADVANCED MEDIA LITERACY. DOCUMENTARY MODES STILL APPEAL TO INSTITUTIONAL MODES OF POWER/KNOWLEDGE AND CITE THEIR AUTHORITY, BUT THE EFFECT IS RATHER A PERPETUAL DOUBT; A BLURRED AND AGITATED DOCUMENTARY UNCERTAINTY..."
-Maria Lind and Hito Steyerl, 'The Greenroom: Reconsidering the documentary and contemporary art'.
Documentary photography refers to the means of taking photos in order to cite events that are happening. The quote refers to the idea that photos can be unreliable as they may capture material in a false or biased light. They draw focus only to the information that the photographer wishes to convey, likewise they may present a distorted version of reality to the disinterested viewer. Photographs are used in everyday life such as as in photojournalism, magazines and in court, yet we can recognise that they are not always reliable as they often present a deceptive perspective on reality. Many artists and photographers such as Maria Lind and Hito Steyerl have a skepticism regarding photos birthed from circumstances whereby the images have been misleading such as photoshopped women in magazines and political propaganda.
Jack Latham - Operating in the Grey Area
Jack Latham - Parliament of Owls
'BOHEMIAN GROVE IS SHROUDED IN SECRECY, IT DOESN'T SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC ITS EVENTS... THIS VACUUM ON INFORMATION CREATES AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS TO PROJECT NEW MEANING, DISINFORMATION AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT THE EVENTS INSIDE.'
-Jack Latham on Bohemian Grove
Jack Latham's Parliament of Owls chronicles the Grey Area surrounding San Francisco based Bohemian Grove, owned by the elite gentlemen's club, Bohemian Club. with no access permitted besides under invitation, Latham was unable to photograph the actual retreat, by rather the surrounding areas and motifs such as the clubs mascot, the owl. Within the book, there are half hidden pages of writing and photos, imitating the investigations that Latham underwent whilst alluding to the many conspiracies and beliefs about the club, thus allowing the viewer to interpret the book in their own way. some information displayed is hard to read due to the format of the publication which reflects the ambiguity ad secrecy of Bohemian Grove.
Latham talks about the confidentiality of the club via through which many conspiracies- such as a claim of human sacrifice- were conceived. This however didn't prohibit him from taking his investigations further on the topic. Inspired by the clubs secrecy, Bristol based photographer operates in the Grey Area to present a perplexing documentary of Bohemian Grove.
Taken from the book and publication Parliament of Owls, this portrait depicts a masked woman standing amongst her possessions in a forest. Interestingly, unlike a typical portrait, the photo is taken from a distance as opposed to prioritising the bust, with the distance from the subject highlighting her small size in relativity to the forest. Even so, the stern and assertive stance eludes the sense of inferiority that we may otherwise receive from her. The busyness of the plants and trees in the background and foreground work against the assured woman as she attemps to elucidate the complicated scene, her clothes being the central focus of the image and perhaps the plainest aspect which again draws some clarity to the photo. My attention is first drawn to the center of the image as it is the easiest to comprehend before moving on to the background and finally the belongings to the right of the image. The photo, being monochrome leaves a grey area as to what the site of the photo actually looks like, as Latham withholds the colour from viewers.
Jack Latham - Sugar Paper Theories
Jack Latham's Sugar Paper Theories inexplicably tells the story of two men falsely accused of within the midst of perhaps the most well known homicide investigation in Icelandic history. Latham investigated cases of false confessions whereby victims were led to believe they committed a crime when in fact they didn't, due to mental deterioration as a result of vigorous interrogation. He also consulted with conspiracy theorist as well as people with involvement to the investigation. The lack of colour in the series embodies feelings of confusion and withheld information whilst the bleak still style alludes to the murders of which the book is revolved around due to the sense of isolation. The overpowering bright white hints at a somewhat heavenly setting, yet the absence of life reminds us that the photos hold a darker and more complicated meaning, something we are implored to find throughout the book.
This photo from the series encompasses the leitmotif of lifelessness prominent throughout the rest of the book. It stands out is it a strong elucidation that the central theme of the book regards a murder - indicated by the body [clothes] on the floor; and a subsequent investigation - indicated by the pragmatically placed numbers in the scene. The snowy scene insinuates preservation whilst sublimely juxtaposing the bloody and gory reality that we'd expect from a homicide.
An introduction to working in the Grey Area -
As a first response to Jack Latham's work in the Grey Area, I took a series of photos of which I then edited and documented as a sequence. When sequencing my photos I payed attention to the leading lines of the images in order to arrange them in such a way that the eye easily reads them as a story from left to right. I made the decision to edit the photos to be monochrome as I felt that this better fit the theme of the Grey Area much like the works within The Parliament of Owls. This is because it leaves much of the picture open to interpretation as viewers are not given all the information from the photos taken; I believe this is why Latham chose to do the same within the Bohemian Grove Collection. For me, the school - where the photos were taken - is much like a grey area as it is unexplored territory which reflects the ambiguity of Bohemian Grove. Another parallel between mine and Latham's works is still life, a genre within we both worked.
Grey Area - Photoshoot
My aim for this photoshoot was to document the Grey Area with influence from Jack Latham and his work within Parliament of Owls; skirting around a central theme and portraying it inexplicably. For this I chose to look at Belmarsh Prison as I knew that I would not be able to see inside the prison so I felt this mimicked Bohemian Grove. My plan was to work with landscapes, bending the typical rules of the genre much like Latham employs such as evading the rule of thirds, withholding information and inserting obtrusive elements in the way of scenery. I also had the intention to work in monochrome as I felt by doing this, I would create another grey area as I am withholding facts regarding colour.
Upon visiting Belmarsh Prison and being told '[I] will be arrested if [I] take photos of or around the prison', I realised that the grey area would not be inside the prison, but in fact the prison itself. This fabricated complications as I was unsure of what to do next in terms of chronicling the area, yet I discovered that this hinderance simply further related to the theme as I was completely in the dark as to what I was attempting to take photos of. I decided to explore the surrounding area including taking photos of guards and policemen that came from inside. I also made sure to capture signs of the prison before moving on to work with neighbouring areas and similar motifs; by working under the lexical field of law enforcement and surveillance, I felt I captured what I was unable to see at Belmarsh itself. By following this brief, I got many photos of gates and walls using foreshortening to draw upon the sense of entrapment and achieve a feeling similar to what an inmate of the prison might feel. Upon reflection, I made the decision to have the photos in colour but decrease the saturation, unlike what Latham did. This was so I could interpret and respond to his work but in my own way, so only taking certain elements. I also deviated from typical rules of landscape photography so as to match the work I have been studying whereby these rules are bent.
Aaron Schuman - Slant
Within his book Slant Aaron Schuman draws parallels between the photos he has taken, and snippets of the local newspaper of his hometown - Amherst, Massachusetts - whereby he accessed inspiration. The snippets are typically obscure or documented as 'Suspicious Activity', yet as Schuman advances with his investigations, he develops upon the idea of fake news and distrust within the media; this is reflected throughout his work as the idea of the photos represent reality, which is vastly more mundane than the shocking nature of the news articles. Throughout this series, the photographer was heavily influenced by the 19th century poet Emily Dickinson whose work embodied 'slant rhyme', a device typically employed to evoke unease and uncertainty.
'The Fire Ghost' - Photoshoot
For this photo shoot I am visiting Trafalgar Avenue, Peckham. I aim to explore the road of which many accounts of a poltergeist have been reported by the Stringer family from the years 1958-1962. Within these four years, there was supposedly paranormal entities that ignited fires every Easter causing no injury, but damage to the property of the Stringer family. My intentions for this shoot are to document the road and surrounding area whilst trying to work within a gothic genre, perhaps with a subtle, recurring motif of fire and destroyed property.
From this project, I gained an insight into the neighboring area to Trafalgar Avenue by speaking to two men working on the road [as pictured]. They pointed out to be an otherwise unknown house that appeared derelict and followed the characteristics of my studies. As I did not know the exact address of the house I was investigating, I captured other derelict houses, some of which had actually been destroyed by fires therefor creating links to Latham's work with Parliament of owls - the actual house of interest being the grey area. My work also resonates with themes inspired by Schuman as I drew connections, some inexplicit, to the news story that fueled the study. The most successful photo for me is of the two workmen as it proposes a subtle reminder that there are actual people behind the news we read online; they are not just stories. For the editing of the photos, I increased the saturation of reds and made them warmer; I did this to allude to the article as the warmth of the images resemble the colours of fire.
Fire Ghost Exhibition -
For my exhibition I decided that I wanted to incorporate the themes of my photoshoot with physical processes that I could carry out; the recurring motif in the shoot was fire so to take this further I planned to burn the photos once printed out. I first printed the photos in black and white onto acetate before melting the edges and burning holes into the sheet. After this I made negatives of them in the dark room, the result being almost incomprehensible black and white negatives. I selected the six best quality and most relevant prints and set them up on a white wall to create a sleek look in heavy contrast with the messy acetate prints and colourful original versions. To further hint at this story of arson, I placed a match box on a plinth alongside the burned plastic to indicate that something has been destroyed in the news article upon which I based my work. To mimic the repetitive nature of the 'paranormal' phenomenon, I burnt several matches and lay them out in order of size to allude to the fact that this events worsened with time and hints at the possibility of something foreboding.
Based on the feedback I received from my classmates, I can decipher that the prints evoke a feeling of discomfort when viewed, and possess an almost alien-like quality. The matches confirm suspicions of a story of arson whilst the acetate symbolises that the fire has had a direct effect on something else and has subsequently destroyed it. In hindsight, I would have liked to have a more immersive exhibition, perhaps where the audience entered a dark room, or was able to burn the acetate themselves so they could have a deeper understanding of the events that occurred, whilst still being in the dark as to what actually happened.
Morgan Ashcom - What The Living Carry
Morgan Ashcom's What The Living Carry features photographs reminiscent of his childhood in Virginia, USA. The readers are presented with Hoy's Fork, of which the Ashcom has made up, and we follow the lives of the small town's citizens as well as the areas neighboring forest. Alongside the photographs come several letters and documents all of which have been created to portray Hoy's Fork as a real place; these include requests for a DNA analysis as well as several responses from 'Center for Epigenetics and Wellness of spirit'. The work dwells on the natural beauty of the forest whilst touching on the juxtaposing themes regarding the gritty lives of the people there.
This photograph strikes me as the startling orange where light is reflected off the water is unlike a typical lake. As well as this the green of the trees and water smoothly complements the brighter section which makes the outcome very aesthetic. In the foreground the view is obstructed with trees that are shrouded in darkness - at the opening however we catch a glimpse of something much more pleasant, perhaps mimicking how the photographer endearingly looks into his past throughout the project. I like the photo as it is a refresher from darker motifs in the book such as the blood stained mattress of which a person is carrying through an otherwise tranquil scenery.
A response to Ashcom -
In response to Morgan Ashcomb's What The Living Carry, I intend to take a series of photos that portray a made up place. My initial thoughts were to create a town consisting of just lilac buildings and places yet I abandoned this idea upon realising that Guy Fork's was very believable, and I want to take inspiration from this. Next I considered an area, such as a small city, resembling North Hampton as I have an interest in shedding light onto the reality of living in an urban area- there is a bottom of the power. For this project I will visit East London as well as places local to me, that convey this particular feeling.
Upon evaluation, I would say that my photoshoot accurately encompasses a sense of community whereby the trace of people is evidenced through graffiti, rubbish and a carwash. Although there is a lack of people in the photos, the photos taken at various locations in East London can be strung together to create an imaginary place such as Hoy's Fork. For me, a key element in the shoot is the graffiti that makes its appearances throughout; the tags and figures are like the signatures of of people living in the area so creates personality in an otherwise run down looking area. To further draw upon the believability of this being a real place, I will need to take more photos that have people in, such as the photo of the boy with spray cans, to get the idea across that this place is actually lived in. To take inspiration from Ashcom, I could find or make documents and maps of the area which will add to its credibility.
Trip to Bristol -
For the trip to Bristol, we had a list of photos that we needed to take such as the wheel of the coach, a portrait of a stranger and the underneath of something. Below are some of the photos I took as well as additional ones I took of the area we visited. This set excludes those taken specifically at the Sugar Paper Theories and The English Seen exhibitions. My favourite photo is the portrait of a stranger as not only am I happy with the result but I enjoyed taking it the most. I also like the photos taken of Bristol from a high up view because they portray the edge of the city in a way that is very different from the areas I am used to. This can also be said for the photos along the motorway as the countryside is almost like a grey area for me.
Sugar Paper Theories - An exhibition by Jack Latham
The English Seen - Tony Ray Jones
Isle of Wight photoshoot
The intention of this photoshoot was to capture the atmosphere of a typical British seaside town; visiting a fish and chip shop, an icecream parlour and an old sweet shop. This would link to my theme as I would work with these mundane places whilst skirting around the commonality each of these towns have - the sea. Although not confirmed by photos of the sea, viewers would be able to interpret that that is the kind of area at which the pictures are taken. I have taken inspiration here from the works of Martin Parr and Tony Ray Earl - whose work I have seen at the Martin Parr foundation - whereby the photos possess an element of a scenic misery portrayed to us by the subjects and features of England. A photo that I find successful is the photo of two men in a cafe as not only does it encompass the ideas I set out to achieve, but are taken in reportage much like many of the works of the documentary photographers I have studied.
Documentary and Storytelling : David Bate -
As mentioned in the text, there is an impression in the modern world that photography is much more than just the photos being taken. Instead it makes use of captions, titles, photo selection and editing to allow for a coherent narrative; or in fact whatever it is that the photographer wishes to display. Throughout the 20th century as photography was emerging as a device used by police or accompanying a story in the newspaper, photographers were often limited to the message they wanted to convey as they had little control of the editing. This could arise the issue of fake news or a distorted media outlet. More recently however, photographers have been able to piece together all the important elements in the making of photography, such as in published books, to be able to tell the full story. Bates comments that documentary photography is often employed to inform regular people about other regular people with a way of living that might be unfamiliar for them. It can also be utilised in order to spread a message such as within photojournalism.
Final Piece -
For my final piece I initially intended to compose a collection of photos of which the Grey Area is the sea yet upon the selection of photos I realised that a significant and more relevant theme was emerging; the idea of detachment. For example the division between the land and the sea, the sense of defending from the castle on the beach, even the division between a pavement and the side of the road. All of this examples call out to the very much ongoing and important event in the country - Brexit. I am taking inspiration from the isolation from the rest of Europe and conveying it through my work via imagery associated with a divide, with the enigma being how blindly the country is heading towards a decision whilst emphasizing the disparity between countries. Along with the photos I had taken, I chose to use old postcards from a vintage arcade on the Isle of Wight to make reference to the past when the island was rich with forts and defenses that separated it from outsiders. The decision to photocopy some was made so I could blow them up in size and serve as a background that ties the themes together. Alongside the photos that show the ideas of severance are images that embody the British island to give the piece a sense of place and therefor relevance in regards to politics.