A Report on the Ansel Adams Exhibition @ Modern Art Oxford (MAO), UK

[leica007]

The Ansel Adams Exhibition has opened in the Modern Art Oxford (MAO), UK, from 2nd April. I went there during my lunch break on the very first day. Here is a quick proto-review:

1. There are (about) 75 original prints of photographs taken by Adams, starting from the early 1920s, and spread around chronologically on the walls of three rooms, ending with a full portrait of Adams. Most of the photos are – my guess – either A3 or A4 in size, bearing his signature in pencil on the right hand corner of the frame.
2. The best of the show are
a. Dawn Autumn, 1948
b. Clearing storm, 1951: a misty mystic shot
c. Redwoods, 1960: plain vertical trees, absolutely simple and beautiful, you wonder, “May be I can also do it, but why didn’t I do this before?”
d. Mount Mckinley and Wonder, 1947: a magisterial vista
e. Sand dunes, 1948: approaches to an abstract form, with black and white and a brief tonal gradation in between.
f. Tetons and Snake River, 1942: master , classic one . This had to be there. But I wonder why did they put in one corner and some charm is lost in the process.
g. Moonrise, Hernandez, 1941. Next time I know I can keep 2/3 of the frame completely dark and have the lit up subjects on the rest. It works. I won’t follow the “balance the weight” rule.
h. Dogwood, 1938. Observe the highlight details. Simplicity of the composition comes through, a primer in pattern/arrangement and texture.
i. Winter sunrise, 1944. Superb theatrical lighting, adding drama. Adams was either too patient or just lucky.
j. Moon and Half Dome, everyone likes, except me.


3. I think, gleaning from the exhibition, that Adams was at his best in between 1930-1967.
4. The early period covers his expedition to (Taos) New Mexico, and this phase is strongly influenced by Alfred Steiglitz’s artist approach. The first photograph of the exhibition is the only one where Adams experimented with soft focus, etching, etc.
5. After this brief period, there is a strong influence of cubism. I detected this first and then this was confirmed by the blurb on the exhibition, which informs the viewers that Adams was influenced by the post-cubists like Andrew Dasburg and John Marin, with especial emphasis on the “geometric interpretation of form.” The 1929 photo of “Winnowing Grain” is a good example.
6. Later, Adams was influenced by Paul Strand, and hereafter, one sees the use of sharp and deep focus and more realistic approach to the world. This seems to me is correlated to the beginning of the “deep focus” movement in cinema.
7. There is a steady development in his style, retaining the residues of influences by others in his career: eye for forms, realism, and emphasis on the darkroom craftsmanship to overcome the allegation that photography is a mechanical output, hence not art.
8. The study of form remains constant, only technique changes.
9. At times, he pushed formalism too far, resulting, in my view, unpleasant photos, example, Grass and Pool, 1935.
10. I am no expert on Adams and have never read any quality book or article on him. But looking at those original prints, I now know where does this “zone system” come from. It was definitely inspired by Stieglitz’s “equivalent” approach: try to portray, transfer and re-create the feeling you had (i.e. the subjective dimension) while taking the photograph. But how do you do that? How do you record that and more importantly translate that– which is nothing but patches of darkness and brightness? Enter “zone system”: assign values to each patch and try to create “equivalence” between “what you saw” and your final print. A standard system emerges.
11. This is all very good: but I guess the problem remains on the emphasis on feeling rather than meaning and ideology. A pure aesthetics with out politics, or a naïve politics, or worse, aesthetisation of politics. Adams’s photos of nature are devoid of human beings, nature is wild and uninhabited – a space for escapism, a form of idealism. This is a dangerous vision for environmental politics – which I study for my doctoral degree – it advocates conservation of nature without providing any space for human beings. For this vision, human beings are antithetical to nature. The world has seen many such efforts of purging human beings from the natural habitat; Masais of Kenya are one such victim. My favourite photographer is Sebastiao Salgado; he never talks about “zone system”, though he retains the graphical elements of B&W photography, without subjecting everything to a formal study.

There will be a talk on Adams’s landscape photography on 9th April, 6.30pm onwards at MAO.

[topoxforddoc]

007,

That's a pretty detailed report. I was there at lunchtime on wednesday too, so I probably bumped into you. I spent about an hour going around the photos several times. I came out wondering how my wet prints are ever going to look that good - never mind the image!

Charlie

[pgk]

Originally Posted by leica007

This is all very good: but I guess the problem remains on the emphasis on feeling rather than meaning and ideology. A pure aesthetics with out politics, or a naïve politics, or worse, aesthetisation of politics. Adams’s photos of nature are devoid of human beings, nature is wild and uninhabited – a space for escapism, a form of idealism. This is a dangerous vision for environmental politics – which I study for my doctoral degree – it advocates conservation of nature without providing any space for human beings. For this vision, human beings are antithetical to nature. The world has seen many such efforts of purging human beings from the natural habitat; Masais of Kenya are one such victim.

You raise a fascinating point. Having always wanted to visit Yosemite after seeing Adams' portrayals of it, I was fortunate enough to do so last year. Despite much 'commercialisation', the park has areas which have been 'purged' and still remain 'natural'. The point that I would make is that the vision shown by Adams is what many visitors travel to the park to see - an apparent natural wilderness devoid of humanity! The 'dangerous vision' which you comment on is also used globally in innumerable adverts on the TV all the time. In a very crowded world it is important to retain areas which can still be photographed and appreciate 'natural' beauty in the way Adams did. I MUST try to visit the exhibition (150miles away unfortunately), thanks for commenting on it in such a detailed way.

[topoxforddoc]

After June 1st, it's going to Walsall, before Heading to Germany. That may be closer. Or maybe not!!

Charlie

[chris_livsey]

Originally Posted by topoxforddoc

After June 1st, it's going to Walsall, before Heading to Germany. That may be closer. Or maybe not!!

Charlie

Could you be more specific on location in Walsall or quote a link please ? Much nearer for me. What a year this could be HCB in Bradford AA in Walsall

[stunsworth]

Google is your friend...

The New Art Gallery :: Walsall :: The Collection

I saw a Salgado exhibition there a few years ago.

[chris_livsey]

Right, obviously wrong search terms, thanks for that. it's down to the diary and the SatNav now.
Better not sell that Minolta Spot Meter yet I feel (another) Ansel Adams period coming on.

[stunsworth]

Chris, "Ansel Adams Walsall" seemed to do the trick <grin>.

[underground]

did ansel adams use an 8x10 camera? if not what did he use?

[Michael Hiles]

Originally Posted by underground

did ansel adams use an 8x10 camera? if not what did he use?

Ansel used a variety of cameras - 8x10, 4x5, Hasselblad. Many of the famous images were done with an 8x10. He occasionally used 35mm - I seem to remember that he did not like Leicas, and I have seen pictures of him with a Contrarex in the 60s. He also used Polaroid in a 4x5, with wonderful effect.