DOI article:
Michałowska, Marianna: Nowoczesność i eksperyment w wybranych realizacjach fotografii artystycznej po końcu ponowoczesności
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14575#0265
NOWOCZESNOŚĆ I EKSPERYMENT W WYBRANYCH REALIZACJACH FOTOGRAFII ARTYSTYCZNEJ PO KOŃCU PONOWOCZESNOŚCI 255
MODERNITY AND EXPERIMENT IN SELECTED REALISATIONS OF ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY
AFTER THE END OF POSTMODERNITY
Abstract
The article is an attempt to examine the conséquences which a renewed interest in modernity had for contemporary art of
photography. What could be seen in artistic practice is that after the period of fascination with Baudrillardian simulations artists
again are inspired by Dadaism, Surrealism or Constructivism. And although the achievements of modern photography and such art-
ists as Z. Dłubak, Z. Beksiński or J. Robakowski have never been actually called into question by successive générations of artists,
undoubtedly they have became a part of what is considered to be dead classics now. The article juxtaposes the works of art of some
of the artists active in the field of art at least sińce the 1960s (A. Miiller-Pohle, W. Prażmowski, J. Lewczyński) with the photo-
graphie test pièces of a new génération of artists (among others P Orzechowska, T. Sikorski and A. Szwinta). Such a confrontation
allows to see which trends of avant-garde art could still be attractive to contemporary photographers.
The text is divided into two parts. The first one détermines the extent of theoretical références within which photography could
be analysed. The scope is defmed by the concepts of 'photography as art' (in the ideas of, among others, L. Wells and A. Solomon-
Godeau), avant-garde (with référence to the ideas of P. Btirger, R. Poggioli, R. Krauss and A. Erjavec) and modernity (Ch. Baudelaire,
W. Benjamin, J.-F. Lyotard). The offered depictions of art présent the avant-garde movement as the reaction to narrowing down of
a field of expérience due to mass popularisation and technologisation of culture. The purpose of photography (and especially of
photomontage) in Dadaism, Futurism or Surrealism is both to act counter to the absorption of art by capitalist society and to defence
the right to individual artistic expression.
The second part of the text analyses three aspects of contemporary photography which refers to modernity on the example of
the selected photographie réalisations. The aspects are: the role of artistic expérience, relationship between 'novelty' and 'historic-
ity' of a photographie picture, and a depiction of modem subjectivity.
The text emphasises the two pôles of modem photography: a pole of affirmation of the future (related to the conviction about
necessity of expérimentation) and a pole of melancholy (referring to both the Benjamin's belief in the necessity of progress and to
sublimation of the past). An example of a créative expérimentation is the activity of Andréas Miiller-Pohle, a German theoretician
and practitioner of photography. At the same time his works could serve as the example of artistic practice representing Baudelaire's
postulate of photography as a form of scientific cognition and Burger's example of social criticism. The relationship between novelty
and historicity of a picture is analysed on the basis of the works by J. Lewczyński, W. Prażmowski and T. Sikorski. Thèse artists
belong to the pole of modem melancholy, represented by the figure of Benjamin's 'Angel of History' and his category oîJetztzeit
(Nowtime). In the context of Benjamin's reflection of spécial interest is the programme of 'archaeology of photography' carried out
by Lewczyński. The last part is dedicated to the contemporary continuation of the topics of Surrealism which referred to the consti-
tution of subjectivity (in the works by G. Przyborek, P. Orzechowska, A. Szwinta and N. Jagodzińska). Неге, the key is a depiction
of modernity as a 'model for a surrealistic way of thinking, the mobile centre of which is continuously changing "I" or "multiplied
I" (W. Benjamin).
The examples provided in the text show an incessant inspiration derived from the avant-garde trends and their postulate to
experiment. The contemporary photography, 'Old Modernity' returns not only as another costume for modem artist, but also as the
concaténation of technological, économie and social development, concurrent fear of and admiration for changes. Also nowadays,
in constant announcement of the death of the old era (photochemical photography) and arrivai of the new one (digital photography),
we remain totally modem; we turn to the future, but our eyes are fixed on the past.
Translated by Grażyna Waluga
MODERNITY AND EXPERIMENT IN SELECTED REALISATIONS OF ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY
AFTER THE END OF POSTMODERNITY
Abstract
The article is an attempt to examine the conséquences which a renewed interest in modernity had for contemporary art of
photography. What could be seen in artistic practice is that after the period of fascination with Baudrillardian simulations artists
again are inspired by Dadaism, Surrealism or Constructivism. And although the achievements of modern photography and such art-
ists as Z. Dłubak, Z. Beksiński or J. Robakowski have never been actually called into question by successive générations of artists,
undoubtedly they have became a part of what is considered to be dead classics now. The article juxtaposes the works of art of some
of the artists active in the field of art at least sińce the 1960s (A. Miiller-Pohle, W. Prażmowski, J. Lewczyński) with the photo-
graphie test pièces of a new génération of artists (among others P Orzechowska, T. Sikorski and A. Szwinta). Such a confrontation
allows to see which trends of avant-garde art could still be attractive to contemporary photographers.
The text is divided into two parts. The first one détermines the extent of theoretical références within which photography could
be analysed. The scope is defmed by the concepts of 'photography as art' (in the ideas of, among others, L. Wells and A. Solomon-
Godeau), avant-garde (with référence to the ideas of P. Btirger, R. Poggioli, R. Krauss and A. Erjavec) and modernity (Ch. Baudelaire,
W. Benjamin, J.-F. Lyotard). The offered depictions of art présent the avant-garde movement as the reaction to narrowing down of
a field of expérience due to mass popularisation and technologisation of culture. The purpose of photography (and especially of
photomontage) in Dadaism, Futurism or Surrealism is both to act counter to the absorption of art by capitalist society and to defence
the right to individual artistic expression.
The second part of the text analyses three aspects of contemporary photography which refers to modernity on the example of
the selected photographie réalisations. The aspects are: the role of artistic expérience, relationship between 'novelty' and 'historic-
ity' of a photographie picture, and a depiction of modem subjectivity.
The text emphasises the two pôles of modem photography: a pole of affirmation of the future (related to the conviction about
necessity of expérimentation) and a pole of melancholy (referring to both the Benjamin's belief in the necessity of progress and to
sublimation of the past). An example of a créative expérimentation is the activity of Andréas Miiller-Pohle, a German theoretician
and practitioner of photography. At the same time his works could serve as the example of artistic practice representing Baudelaire's
postulate of photography as a form of scientific cognition and Burger's example of social criticism. The relationship between novelty
and historicity of a picture is analysed on the basis of the works by J. Lewczyński, W. Prażmowski and T. Sikorski. Thèse artists
belong to the pole of modem melancholy, represented by the figure of Benjamin's 'Angel of History' and his category oîJetztzeit
(Nowtime). In the context of Benjamin's reflection of spécial interest is the programme of 'archaeology of photography' carried out
by Lewczyński. The last part is dedicated to the contemporary continuation of the topics of Surrealism which referred to the consti-
tution of subjectivity (in the works by G. Przyborek, P. Orzechowska, A. Szwinta and N. Jagodzińska). Неге, the key is a depiction
of modernity as a 'model for a surrealistic way of thinking, the mobile centre of which is continuously changing "I" or "multiplied
I" (W. Benjamin).
The examples provided in the text show an incessant inspiration derived from the avant-garde trends and their postulate to
experiment. The contemporary photography, 'Old Modernity' returns not only as another costume for modem artist, but also as the
concaténation of technological, économie and social development, concurrent fear of and admiration for changes. Also nowadays,
in constant announcement of the death of the old era (photochemical photography) and arrivai of the new one (digital photography),
we remain totally modem; we turn to the future, but our eyes are fixed on the past.
Translated by Grażyna Waluga