Research Point – Sequence

A sequence of images is one that shows images that are linked in time or concept. My research started with looking at the work of Eadweard Muybridge, Dueane Michals, Keith Arnatt Self Burial (1969), John Hilliard, and Ed Ruscha’s Every Building on Sunset Strip (1966). Each of these artists uses sequence differently. As most of these images are copyright I have referenced the sources and provided a link in the text.

Eedweard Muybridge (1830-1904), is well known to horse lovers as the man who first showed the moment of suspension when a horse is cantering and all four legs are off the ground. He is famous for his work studying human and animal motion. Using a series of cameras and triggers (the shutter was triggered by a thread as the horse went past) he took images of a horse, and other animals in motion An online resource created by Kingston University and Kingston Museum (Animals in Motion) provides a resource of his work and collections for researchers. Muybridge uses the images to show the sequence of the movement over a period of time

Duane Michals (b.1932) uses sequences to create a narrative, often with an unexpected twist. There is a playful and unexpected element to his work, which makes the viewer look twice. Images are often described with hand written text on the border of the print, sometimes just to indicate a number or a more descriptive paragraph. This is an inventive and thought provoking use of sequences (Oxford School of Photography, 2011)

O Hagan (2015) describes Keith Arnett (1930-2008) as a mischievous artist. His work Self Burial was created in 1969, uses sequence to highlight the disappearance of the artist or artwork in the natural world. In this work he is seen over a sequence of 9 photos gradually sinking in to the ground until nothing is left. The work was originally shown on German television with one photo shown each day for approximately 2 seconds. There was no explanation. This is a good example of conceptual art where the idea behind the image is more important than the final image. The following two photographers’ work could also be described as conceptual art.

John Hilliard (b.1945)  has an approach to photography that has been described as rigorous and systematic (Saltoun, 2019).  This can be seen clearly in series such as Photographing Out (1971) (Hilliard) , where the subject reduces in size, and Camera Recording its own Condition (7 Apertures, 10 Speeds, 2 Mirrors)(1971) (Hilliard) where the same subject is shown at different exposures. In the latter image, Hilliard uses light and shade organising the images diagonally creating a more interesting result than a standard horizontal sequence of lines.

Ed Ruscha’s, Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1966) used sequence as a type of  visual record of a journey with images stitched together of the Sunset Boulvard. It could be thought of as creating a visual map. Opposite sides of the street are shown at the top and bottom of each page with the white space in between creating a road like space.

Bibliography

Animals in Motion [Online]. Eadweard Muybridge Collections. Available: http://www.eadweardmuybridge.co.uk [Accessed 8 Oct 2019].

Ed Ruscha’s Every Building on the Sunset strip [Online]. Kopeikin Gallery. Available: https://www.kopeikingallery.com/exhibitions/ed-ruscha-s-every-building-on-the-sunset-strip-1

[Accessed 9 Oct 2019].

HILLIARD, J. Camera Recording its own Condition (7 Apertures, 10 Speeds, 2 Mirrors) (1971), 2013 [Online]. Available: https://www.richardsaltoun.com/artists/182-john-hilliard/works/11043-john-hilliard-camera-recording-its-own-condition-7-apertures-10-2013/ [Accessed 9 Oct 2019].

HILLIARD, J. Photographing Out, 1971 [Online]. Available: https://www.richardsaltoun.com/artists/182-john-hilliard/works/12122-john-hilliard-photographing-out-1971/ [Accessed 9 Oct 2019].

O’HAGAN, S. 2015. Keith Arnatt is proof that the art world doesn’t consider photography ‘real’ art  [Online]. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/aug/27/keith-arnatt-photography-exhibition-spruth-magers-absence-of-the-artist [Accessed 9 Oct 2019].

Oxford School of Photography. (2011). Duane Michaels Sequences [Online]. Available: https://oxfordschoolofphotography.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/duane-michals-sequences/ [Accessed 8 October 2019].

SALTOUN, R. 2019. John HILLIARD biography [Online]. Available: https://www.richardsaltoun.com/artists/182-john-hilliard/biography/ [Accessed].

 Self- Burial (Television Interference Project) [Online]. Tate. Available: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/arnatt-self-burial-television-interference-project-t01747 [Accessed 9 Oct 2019].

Last updated 9 October 2019