Project 3 Emulating Arno Rafael Minkkinnen

Photography by: John Steffey & Amanda Emmett

Self Portrait

        

        

For our second assignment in my Photography I class, we were assigned to take portraits using interesting lighting.  For my pictures, I was intending to show the contrast between being a kid and an adult.  Currently, being in a sort of middle ground between the two, I feel myself pulled in one direction and than the other.

             

            

 

           

        

Photographs by:
Amanda Emmett

Daniel Joseph Martinez

   I was not sure what to expect going to see Daniel Joseph Martinez speak.  I had heard from numerous people it was going to be a great experience.  Upon sitting there waiting for him to start speaking, I wondered if I was going to be able to stay awake.  Once Martinez started speaking, I immediately felt enlivened.  He touched on many topics that have been on my mind within the past couple of months.  I agreed with him when he was discussing the relationship between artists and museums/art dealers.  In the past, artists were put up on a pedestal.  The artists would create and then the museums would cherish what was created.  Now, it does seem that these roles are slightly reversed.  I feel that a lot of art is created for the consumer.  I’ve had many discussions with friends that are artists about the creation of art.  If we were all to create paintings of sunsets, forest scenes, and flowers – we would be able to sell the pieces and make money.  However, in my opinion, being true to our selves as an artist is more important.  I want to develop my work into something I love – not something I can make a few dollars on.

         

Martinez also touched upon what art is.  He stated that art is the last line of defense for our species.  That art creates a unique experience to help us remember who we are.  In my philosophy class, we had discussed what makes us human in comparison to animals.  I believe that it is our ability to create and think creatively.  So, as artists – ones that think creatively to create stuff – I can totally understand why art is our last line of defense for our species.  Creating is one of our most fundamental abilities and the more we step towards technology and away from nature, the more we need to be reconnected with our natural way of thinking.

I really enjoyed Martinez’s way of presenting his ideas.  By using numerous references from our culture to explain his thoughts helped me relate to a lot of what he was saying.  By going through numerous images and numerous topics, it stopped my mind from drifting away.  He did not stumble around on what he was trying to say.  He stated his ideas very sharply.  Sure, there were some things he said that I disliked or did not necessarily agree upon, but overall, his thoughts and ideas were very captivating.  The few pieces of his own work that he presented seemed very interesting.  The use of robotics is something very foreign to me but also very appealing.   

Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is a name that is familiar to us all.  She has photographed magazines including Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair.  One of the most recent photographs that obtained attention from the media was a photo that Lebovitz took of Miley Cyrus.  The photographed showed 15 year old Miley Cyrus with her back exposed and covering her front with a bed sheet.  Leibovitz stood by her work saying, "I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted...The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."  The media interpreted it very differently.  Overall, I think her work is absolutely lovely.  Her portraits show not only what a person looks like but also seems to capture their essence and personality.

Here are a few examples of her work.

       

   

 

 

Arno Rafael Minkkinen

For our latest assignment, we were asked to pick a photographer and to emulate their photos through their style and subject matter.  After going through the numerous books at USF's library on photographers, there was one that stood out immensely.  I had never heard of Arno Rafael Minkkinen, but his timeless photos truly reached out to me.  He often uses his own body to show the similarities and harmony between us and nature.  He shoots in film and does not manipulate the film to create 'trick' photos.  I personally enjoy his theme because I feel that as our society keeps growing, we will keep growing farther from nature.  I believe having photos of this connection will help reconnect 

the two for many people.

Here are some examples of his work.

     

John Cage's Rules

Now, I'm sure at one time or another every artist has seen this list of rules for students and teachers created by John Cage.  I've gotten them a couple of times from professors - and somehow always misplace the paper that has them.  However, I finally have a copy taped up to my wall where I can see it everyday.  I've decided to post this up here so all of you can have a copy as well.

RULE ONE:  Find a place you trust, and then try trusting it for awhile.

RULE TWO:  General duties of a student - pull everything out of your teacher; pull everything out of your fellow students.

RULE THREE:  General duties of a teacher - pull everything out of your students.

RULE FOUR:  Consider everything an experiment.

RULE FIVE:  be self-disciplined - this means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them.  To be disciplined is to follow in a good way.  To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.

RULE SIX:  Nothing is a mistake.  There's no win and no fail, there's only make.

RULE SEVEN:  The only rule is work.  If you work it will lead to something.  It's the people who do all of the work all of the time who eventually catch on to things.

RULE EIGHT:  Don't try to create and analyze at the same time.  They're different processes.

RULE NINE:  Be happy whenever you can manage it.  Enjoy yourself.  It's lighter than you think.

RULE TEN:  "We're breaking all the rules.  Even our own rules.  And how do we do that?  By leaving plenty of room for X quantities." (John Cage)

HINTS:  Always be around.  Come or go to everything.  Always go to classes.  Read anything you can get your hands on.  Look at movies carefully, often.  Save everything - it might come in handy later.

New Art Blog

Yes!...Rabid Rabbit Studio has officially started their new portfolio art blog.  You will see photography, printmaking, sculpture, drawing, and painting throughout it.  This first post is of Amanda Emmett's work.  Currently, she is working on finishing her BFA at University of South Florida and this work is from her digital photography course.  These pictures are some of Amanda's favorites for that project. 

Here is a few sneak peeks at her new photos for her self-portrait series.

Photographs by:

Amanda Emmett