Side Article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/sep/05/guardianobituaries.obituaries
announced after Coplans death, small summary of his life etc.
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The book is full of many articles written by Coplans, so some research before hand was necessary:
Source art.net: http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/index/fyfe/fyfe8-17-01.asp
"spent time with the photographer Lee Friedlander and began to take his own photographs"
interesting how all these artists are connected
"It
functions as both a look backward at some of his best essays and a look
forward to how some of his analyses of other art anticipate his own
work"
"An
interview with Jasper Johns, for example, is a series of questions
about process that subtly coaxes Johns to reveal his esthetic values."
"Our
familiarity with Coplans' own photographic output resonates in his
description of a Weegee photo of a nearly naked man sleeping on a fire
escape, who is "transformed by Weegee's merciless lens into the image of
an aging helpless child," "
"or
when he notes that Brancusi often appears in his own photographs "as if
to say for a work of art to exist, there has to be a maker, an artist
imposing his will." "
"The
book's chapters are sequenced in such a way that two of the last
essays, on Watkins and Philip Guston, seem to launch him into his own
project, a dark burlesque of the body's natural architecture."
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Provocations: Writings by John Coplans
Edited by Stuart Morgan
p. 1996 by London Projects
1-900602-00-8
Sections to read:
p7 Introduction by Stuart Morgan
p115 Interview with Jasper Johns (1972)
p205 Weegee the famous (1977)
p231 Brancusi as Photographer (1980)
p213 C.E. Watkins at Yosemite (1978) *
p227 The private Eye of Phillip Guston (1980)*
p237 Epilogue: A letter to my Son Joseph (1995)
INTRODUCTION BY STUART MORGAN
Coplans had been a solider in the past p7
then painter, teacher, founder/editor of artforum mag
1962-1980 wrote art criticism - voice was informed and independent
one of coplans strengths - empathy
his interests are his own p8
referring to: Watkins at Yosemite: rediscovery of an ignored 19th c. photographer, opportunity to reinvisage history, ruminate over photography and landscape in 19th c.
disregards the term 'conceptual art' p9
When is the painting finished, would have answered never, having the last word
mentions weegee p10
referring to Branchusi: argues he was "pursuing a continuously renewing potential." p11
IF I NEED: three principles of serial imagery (plus a generous 3 more) p11
May re-read if necessary... probably not terribly relevant to my dissertation.
INTERVIEW WITH JASPER JOHNS (1972) p115
according to Johns
discussing his lithographic series Fragment - according to what
consists of several linked panels - 5 or 6
Upon reading, I found it doesn't seem very relevant.
WEEGEE THE FAMOUS (1977) p205
"It has been said that' not he who is ignorant of writing but ignorant of photography will be the illiterate of the future.' But isn't a photographer who can't read his own pictures worth less than an illiterate? Will not captions become components of pictures? - Walter Benjamin p205
"The images Weegee brought back from another world would deeply trouble us. A gritty, raucous and self-advertising voyeur (who called himself "the famous") ..."
Weegee - Ouija board , prediciting of events, phonetic
"In a photograph shot vertically from above, a flabby and nearly naked man sleeps on a mattress on the fire escape below. He is transformed by Weegee's merciless lens into the image of an ageing, helpless child." p209
Interesting, if I was to introduce weegee into my dissertation, but really the focus should be Coplans
"Finally, our awareness of Weegee's excitement promotes these images of ostensibly banal horror which is capable of moving us. Weegee does not apologise. The private eye had a vital insensibility that is precious. This is his fascination" p212
BRANCUSI AS PHOTOGRAPHER (1980) p231
Sculptor, used photographer by end of the century
Though by 1918 was very influential artist, but merely competant as a photographer
"for all are to a greater or lesser degree evidentiary: they record the specific appearance of things or people at a given moment." p231
light crucially affects sculpture
documentary used in relation to his photographs p232
"the photograph speaks of the past, of things completed, of those set aside for the time being, of actions about to be taken, and of a range of thinking going on" p233
Two views of Bird in space
he bends photography to his will p234
continuously renewing potential
"Brancusi often appears in his own photographs, as if to say for a work of art to exist there has to be a maker, an artist imposing his will." p235
C.E. WATKINS AT YOSEMITE (1978) p213
THE PRIVATE EYE OF PHILIP GUSTON (1980) p227
"The brushwork and drawing imparts a feeling of his persona" p227
EPILOGUE (1995) p237
This letter is about the disposal of my body after my death... p237
what should be done with my ashes
interesting, great sense of personality, humor... consideration etc...
SERIAL IMAGERY: DEFINITION (1968) p77
might be worth reading later... if the self-portraits are seen as a series of work...
Simon Johnson
www.thephilosophicalphotographer.co.uk
John Coplans - Provocations
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