Still Life Photography: Flemish and Dutch Masters of the 17th Century - Essay Sample

Introduction

Conspicuously, in the modern epoch, it is undoubtedly evident that various components such as dying flowers, human skulls, bottles, mirrors, vegetables, and fruits have been effectively utilized in the works of a still life by an assortment of photographers. Precisely, the majority of these happened to be the archetypal and prominent facets of the paintings established mainly by the Flemish Old Masters and the Dutch around the period of the 17th century. In essence, these two specific cultures conveyed and endure to provide an abundance of vanitas still life. Basically, this is considered to be one of the initial instances of the European painting genre that prompts endless motivation for contemporary art applies and still life artists. Markedly, Vanita is taken to be the aspect of writing in each of those precise artworks that envisions retelling the onlookers of the impermanence of human life, authority, exquisiteness, and prosperity. Besides, it envisions on telling about the irrelevance of the material stuff and achievements. Apparently, it is fascinating regarding this particular genre of painting for the primary rationale that the majority of still life photographers are engrossed in it. Remarkably, it offers an opportunity whereby the photographers can reconnoiter the conformation and lighting, perhaps much more than the facet of vanity itself. Since the medium of photography depends mostly on the component of light so, still life in such an instance offers an enormous arena of practical experimentation.

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Principally, the first piece of art for display ought to be the Last Meal on Death Row by Mat Collishaw. Accurately, this particular piece depicts the aspect of amalgamation in regards to the old techniques with modern-epoch notions appropriately (Gallery & Fama). Even though they seem to be meticulously organized, photography still lifes of food. Markedly, every image is primarily on the basis of death row inmates' last meals prior to them facing execution. Significantly, the images depict a sturdy and dramatic implication through the appropriate utilization of chiaroscuro.

The second artwork is the Contemporary Still Life by Krista van der Niet. In this particular piece of art, the Dutch photographer Krista van der Niet provides for a contemporary feel through the utilization of an assortment of compositions that habitually entail vegetables and fruits with a precise mixture of ordinary stuff such as cloth (Woolley). In this particular artwork, the images depict a certain extent of satire also. Fundamentally, this possesses the reference to the elements of consumerism and conventional ways of life.

Thirdly, there is the New Vanitas by Jeroen Luijt. Specifically, in this particular series, Jeroen appropriately puts into consideration the concept of Vanita, whereby he compares skulls with no concrete arrangements and symmetrical conformations (van Thiel). Else, his conventional food still lifes happen to be sufficiently accurate, prompting individuals to figure out whether there are observing a depiction of an Old Masters painting.

The fourth artwork is that of Political Flowers by Taryn Simon. Even though Taryn cannot be considered to be among the prominent still life photographers, she ought to be gratified of a series she devoted to flowers. For the primary rationale that her works are indicted with the aspect of politics, the flowers had to shift towards that direction too. Consequently, the precise depiction of the bouquets in the new series happens to be on a basis of floral structures existing at the recognized ratifications of dozens of radical and financial treaties involving diverse nations (Fowle). Regarding the specific titles of her photographs, individuals can acquire indulgence about their positions and the moments in the antiquity of multiple countries.

The last piece of art is for the exhibition will be the Exploding Flowers by Ori Gersht. This particular artwork offers a depiction of blown flowers that appropriately seizure the very instant of their annihilation, hence inducing a sagacity of violence and loss. Indeed, through the utilization of a high-speed camera and discovering technology, Ori immortalizes petals wavering in fragments, providing life to one of the entire renowned still life series globally (Wainwright).

Works Cited

Fowle, Kate. "Survival of the Fittest." (2008). http://tarynsimon.com/essays-videos/docs/Survival%20of%20the%20Fittest%20by%20Kate%20Fowle.pdf

Gallery, B. F. I., and Fama Gallery Preternatural. "Mat Collishaw." Art Monthly 334 (2010): 15. http://www.unosunove.com/public/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/cvcollishaw_Apr-2017-.pdf

van Thiel, Pieter JJ. "For Instruction and Betterment: Samuel Ampzing's" Mirror of the Vanity and Unrestrainedness of Our Age"." Simiolus: Netherlands Quarterly for the History of Art (1996): 182-200. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3780837

Wainwright, Jean. "Ori Gersht. Time After Time." Photography and Culture 1.1 (2008): 115-117. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.2752/175145108784861383

Woolley, Dawn. "All coherence gone? historical currents in contemporary still life group exhibition." (2014). https://lau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/17400/