It is generally agreed that photographs determine what is later remembered of an event, Sebastian Salgado and Richard Mosses both aim to address their viewers on a new level. Realising 'shock' isn't making society think about images to the same extent anymore, they rely on beauty - a concept that has been discussed since John Berger and Susan Sontag.
After looking at the work 'The Enclave' by Richard Mosses more closely in the past, I took some time to compare his work to those of Sebastiao Salgado in 'Genesis'. While Mosses focuses on documentary using fine-art equipment, Salgado approached his long time project, spanning five continents from a similar perspective however with a very different methodology and series outcome.
In 'the Enclave' Mosses created bright coloured landscapes and documentary portraits covering the conflict of the Congo region. Salgado uses Black and White to create dramatic and powerful imagery often in forms of panoramic landscapes.
While Salgado focuses on visualising movement and climate refugees he also uses his techniques to display the scale and enormity of the problem by including large groups of tribes or animals in wide angled overview shots. Before focusing in on the details where he uses fine contrasts and displays of light to create graceful images transporting tragedy through the beauty of the image.
Mosses work is full of vibrant colours appealing to societies general perception of beauty especially in his landscape imagery. The pink and turquoise tones create a dream-like or other worldly setting before challenging the viewer to accept the truth behind the beauty in the following images.
Both Salgado and Mosses use unusual colouring in their work to create documentaries that at a glance appear to be fine art images, analysing the story however they both address tragic events. Contradicting the general assumption that fine art equals beauty and beauty can't be brutal, both artists lure the audience into their story before unveiling the harsh truths of conflict.
In 2014 I visited the International Centre of Photography in New York to see the Genesis exhibition myself and Salgado's use of contrast, lighting and perspective made me fall in love with the images. The series features wildlife, landscapes and portraits taken all around the world. In the exhibition they are presented in groups, covering different parts of the world and telling you stories about that specific area, the culture and daily life; Planet South, Sanctuaries, Africa, Northern Spaces and Amazonia and Pantanal. Salgado addresses the global issues the world is facing in the 21st century by presenting everything there is to lose. He photographs the desserts and oceans, the arctic ice and African tribes, the land and the sea, Antarctica and Africa in a way that you are enchanted by magnificent landscapes and surreal seascapes, unbelievable wildlife and old cultural tribes.
'So many times I've photographed stories that show the degradation of the planet. I had one idea to go and photograph the factories that were polluting, and to see all the deposits of garbage. But, in the end, I thought the only way to give us an incentive, to bring hope, is to show the pictures of the pristine planet - to see the innocence.' (S. Salgado on Genesis)
Presenting a crucial global problem this way, Salgado uses the beauty of his images to ensure that the audience takes a closer look and intrigued to find out more ultimately wants to save the photographed places to ensure that the unique landscapes across the planet don’t disappear further.
When previously especially documentaries relied on 'shock images' to gain attention and raise awareness for a greater cause, in the last years ongoing debates have concluded that society at this point no longer reacts to 'shock' the way it is expected. Looking at one of the first images using 'shock' for awareness the 'Napalm Girl' was published globally and resulted in a public outcry to stop the Vietnam War.
While recent images of drowning or starving children are still published and discussed in the papers, their effectiveness is smaller with the faces and names being forgotten by the next news cycle.
Looking at the images presented in news coverage, these documentaries needed to be shocking, bloody and gruesome apparently to gain a reaction, but perhaps the fine art beauty approach will be more effective to cause a lasting impression and provoke actual change.
In recent years audiences seem to be more open to the concept of beauty. Through digital photography especially fine art landscapes are often displayed and used in advertisements which could be another reason why audiences are so open to fully understand these types of images. Expecting a new advert for mobile phones, HD TVs or similar electronics they don't assume a tragedy to unfold in the beauty of a photograph. By the point they realise they are too invested, not to care.
The concept of Beauty to address tragedy has been successfully used by Salgado and Mosses in different ways. For my further research I'd like to now take a look at the display of beauty in photography in the past to better understand how I can use this concept successfully for my own practice to create a lasting impression.
Bibliography:
Artsy Editors (2013) Interview: Richard Mosse on his Moving Images of Congolese Rebels. artsy.net 30 May 2013 Available at: https://www.artsy.net/article/editorial-interview-richard-mosse-on-his-moving-images [Accessed on 30 March 2019]
Cumming, L. (2013) Sebastião Salgado: Genesis – review. The Guardian. 14 April 2013. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/apr/14/sebastiao-salgado-genesis-review [Accessed on 10 April 2019]
ICP (2014) Sebastião Salgado: Genesis. International Center of Photography New York Exhibitions. Available at: https://www.icp.org/exhibitions/sebastião-salgado-genesis [Accessed on 10 April 2019]
Sontag , S. (2003) Regarding the Pain of Others Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, New York
Images:
Genesis Exhibition Images taken by the Author. New York (2014)
Mosses, R. (2013) The Enclave. [Online Image] Artists Offical Website Available at:http://www.richardmosse.com/projects/the-enclave [Accessed on 27 March 2019]
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