Photospace Gallery - contemporary New Zealand photography
  • Exhibitions
  • Artists
  • About
  • Links
  • Photo books
  • Blog
  • A Month of Sundays - Responses to the Covid-19 Lockdown

Friday photo #11 - one of mine

21/11/2013

4 Comments

 
Cup, from Trophies, series I, 2010 - 4
Cup, from Trophies, series I, 2010 - 4"x5" Polaroid Type 800, unique print. Photo by James Gilberd
Despite many people visiting the Photospace Gallery for the first time (often because they've come upstairs for a passport photo) assuming all of the photos in the exhibitions were taken by me, the vast majority have not been. But here's one that was. Actually, it's still up in the office, lurking by the door through to the stockroom (which is also where I take the passport photos).

This was from the first series of Trophies, all shot on the 4"x5" studio camera (first time it'd been out of its box for a while, and the last time, as it happens).
It was part of the group show VII, in March-April 2010. Trophies, series II was photographed on medium format film and exhibited in 2013.

A third series is planned, as a fresh stock of minor trophies, sourced from opp shops and elsewhere, is accumulating.
In all cases, I've wanted to keep the photography as straightforward as possible; just daylight from a window, and a reflector on the opposite side. This, and indulging in the pleasure of shooting film and using the darkroom, have made it feel different to and separate from my actual photographic work (which is mostly done from behind a digital camera and a computer).

So when people ask, Is this your work?
it's tempting to say No, I just made it for fun. But that's not the greatest sales pitch.

Or is it?

4 Comments
Mary Macpherson link
22/11/2013 01:25:14 am

What attracts you to photographing trophies James?

Reply
James link
22/11/2013 01:54:55 am

Hi Mary.
Here's the original statement, pre-shoot:
This is not really an artist's statement, rather it's the outline of the project written before I photographed anything.

Subject:

Sporting trophies, the more minor and the older and grungier the better. Preferably obtained from charity shops. Breakages, tarnishing, dust etc to be left as found. Trophies engraved with winner's name preferred.

Material:

Polaroid 4" x 5" black & white 800 ISO sheet film for final images. Preliminary photos could be done on digital camera or b/w 35mm.

Theme:

New Zealand is a sporting nation, and we like to think we "punch above our weight" in international sporting arenas. This is debatable. A lot of our identity as kiwis is tied up in our pride in our sporting achievements.

We have many famous teams and individuals, but what about the less famous, the obscure, the unknown sporting achievers? For every Richie McCaw or Valerie Vili the is a Bob Blewitt whose greatest claim to sporting fame was Most Improved Player in his junior cricket team of 1972.

Each trophy meant something to someone at some time, but it has ended up on the shelves of the local op shop. Neglected, forgotten, discarded. Our individual identity is (arguably) built on mediocrity and obscurity as much as talent and fame.

By photographing the trophies in such a way that the personal attributions of each are highlighted, along with the history of the object evident in its decay, I hope to explore the concept of achievement and failure and the human issues involved in competition, the celebration of the elite reflected in the obscurity of the also-rans.

Reply
Robin Wiperi
22/11/2013 03:56:38 am

Thanks for the explaination on the subject, very poignant but touching aswell.

Reply
Mary Macpherson link
22/11/2013 05:13:02 am

Good explanation thanks James.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Photography Matters II
    by James Gilberd, owner of Photospace Gallery

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    October 2021
    August 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Friday Photo
    General
    Historic
    Puff Pieces
    Reviews

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Exhibitions
  • Artists
  • About
  • Links
  • Photo books
  • Blog
  • A Month of Sundays - Responses to the Covid-19 Lockdown