Tate Modern Trip - Signage

Guy Tillim

Compare and contrast the ways in which the photographers from the exhibition and the painter John Martin depict destruction.


Composition and viewpoint
You feel as if your actually there living in terror and fear, you are put in the rioters perspective making you feel you have sided with them. Even though the riots contain masses of people it still manages to show failure and loss? Quite helpless. The fact that these images are so detailed you can imagine the sounds and almost the smells, Guy Tillim really has captured every detail of that scene.
Colour, Lighting, Tone
Dark and gloomy, high contrast, darker colours nearly always signify negativity. Although the colour of the fire and the redish top are the only colours that stand out to me, the photo is almost greyscale and again red can either be referred to as love or danger, and this case it's obviously danger, quite significant colours.
Subject matter
Rioting in South Africa 1962 - Calling for a boycott for elections. A political war.
Materials, Techniques and Styles
Captured the movement, real in depth shots full of detail.
Messages, Morals and symbols
Showing the point of view of the rioters show the emotions that are going on, you manage to side with the rioters even if you didn't know the history behind this. Shows that contrast between lifestyles and culture. Different beliefs. I saw this as quite shocking and felt quite sad and helpless but I'm sure the people there felt the need to do so and don't feel sorry for themselves? Just a thought.
The difference between the paintings and these photographs are the fact that this is real destruction whereas paintings are usually fiction or fantasy and in this instance they are. John Martins are his perception of destruction and what would of been classed as horrific and terrifying when they were painted. The question discussed in class was is it art or is it news? I saw it as art until this question was raised I then I questioned myself and thought this is nature in a way and if you were there you would definitely would not class it as art? They are great photographs but now I feel slightly guilty that I went to a gallery and viewed them when this was an actual disaster.

Composition and viewpoint
The idea behind these paintings is to show heaven and hell and the power of god and nature. In all of John Martin's paintings the people are always small/insignificant and the surroundings have a such an impact on them. Martin's paintings are biblical, in 1800's people thought the apocalypse was reality, so this would of been frightening to see as they were in ore of god. Shows hierarchy between god and people.
Colour, Lighting, Tone
Fiery red colour, dramatic lighting and gushing water, what I would connote as destruction if some told me to picture it. Lighting bolts feature in almost every painting showing that hierarchy again.
Subject Matter
War, contrast between heaven and hell, 
Materials, techniques and styles
In John Martin's paintings there is high contrast and the lighting is dramatic creating lots of shadows and dark areas, he also like Guy Tillim catches the motion, the clouds and gushing water look of a high speed this again lets you imagine the sound and atmospere. Rarely uses any bright colours, only the use of red which signifies danger and evil.
Messages, Morals and Symbols
I think the morals shown when this piece was released would of been the truth or concept behind heaven hell, the definition of good and bad people and what happens to you, how horrifying it is. Bad things happen to bad people, judgement.

In what ways do museum labels impact on your understanding or impressions of the works?
I found the signs gave you the facts of where the photo was taken and dates etc. Although there isn't much information make an impact on your impression of that photo, there isn't enough information to gain an opinion, leaving the rest for your imagination. Less information will be read more than a lengthy statement, we all have a short attention span although we are interested in the photo and the exhibition, it's something about being text heavy just puts people off.