Artist Analysis #9

Gregory Maiofis

Taste of Russian Ballet

Gregory Maiofis is a Russian photographer known for his modern surrealist photography that emulates the old style not only in subject but also in process. Every image he shoots has a deep meaning behind it and usually focused on various russian fables or fairy tails. Gregory shoots on black and white film and develops on Bromoil giving his images an old style feel. He revives not only the old method of printing but also the old mechanism for creating meaning in everyone of his works.  

This image is from a series of other bear and ballerina photos and one of his more humorous series. Showing a ballerina dancer performing in front of an attentive grizzly bear. This was not Photoshoped or manipulated in anyway. It turns out that he knew an animal trainer from the circus and convinced him to let him bring a 400 lb grizzly bear into his studio. It must have been a fast shutter speed knowing how fast things change when working with animals and the dancer is completely in focus while moving. The lighting is very dramatic, looks like only one main light is set up to the left and maybe a dim fill off to the right. I think its fascinating that he still uses such only technology for his work, it gives it a sort of timelessness that is further strengthened by this old look.

Chair Gif

Artist Analysis #8

Richard Prince

Richard Prince, "Untitled (Cowboy)" 1989

Richard Prince is a well known photographer, known for rephotographing found images and collages. He began his career as a painter, and making a living by working for TimeLife Inc. clipping articles for staff writers. At the end of the day he would end up with tons of torn out advertisements on his desk. During this time, he became extremely fascinated and repulsed by the images presented in these magazines, mostly focusing on advertisements. He saw them as trying to portray or evoke "hallucinatory fictions of society's desires". What he would do is crop out the text in order to remove the context of the original photo, and sometimes he would cut them up and adding drawings or other photos to them. Some of his works included cowboys, gangs, celebrities, car hoods, and nurse paintings. Prince's main influence was Jackson Pollock, not only based on his abstract paintings but also because he was fascinated with Pollocks loner lifestyle. His work has been viewed as very controversial over the years, because some people see it as a form of steeling or copying. Although because he takes the photo out of its context and re purposes them in a way, his work now days is considered original.  

This particular work the "Untitled (Cowboy)" was originally an image taken from an advertisement for Marlboro cigarettes taken originally by Sam Abell. This series in particular clearly highlights American's dreams and desires and looking at societies attraction to watching others rather than experiencing something themselves. It was printed using the chromogenic printing process, and is 50 by 70 inches.