Theory of Expression

Being called one of the most recognizable band photographers of this generation is quite the accomplishment. For band photographer, Adam Elmakias, this is just a daily reality. 

Elmakias has gained himself a fan following that could rival any band. His Twitter account has 104K followers alone. He has a Tumblr of his photography, sells his own merch and has fans coming up to him at shows for a photo op. This goes to show how dynamic his personality is and how much people in the music scene respect his work. It takes a lot of talent, time and patience to photograph bands and to constantly be on the road and so being recognized for his hard work must be truly gratifying. 

In every interview that I've read and posts that I've seen of people having the chance to meet Elmakias, they've all said how personable and approachable he is. How he is willing to take the time to talk to his fans about anything, be it the bands, his photography or their own. 

In this instance, the personality and charisma of the photographer outshines and adds more depth to his photography. Knowing the character of the photographer and his relationship to not only the band but to the audience speaks volumes about him and also makes his work that much more impressive. 

As a musician, there is a sense of responsibility which comes from any fame accrued. Once you've made it big in the industry, your image becomes everything. What you choose to do with that image, however, is what defines you as an artist. 

There are those who use their image to manipulate laws and partake in dangerous behaviors. Take Justin Bieber, for instance. He began his career as a sweet, young Canadian boy but once his fame hit super-stardom he transformed into something of an ungrateful brat. Doing drugs and allegedly sleeping with a prostitute. And yet, he is still considered by some to be a great role model for success. There are young girls who idolize him and young boys who want to be him. Is he really the kind of role model we should want for society? No. Most definitely not. 

There are, however, some who use their fame for the betterment of society. Singers, actors, artists who choose to use their image to promote positivity and prosperity. These are the kind of role models we want for our progeny. We want artists who will sing uplifting lyrics rather than lyrics that degrade. This article lists eight female artists who have used their fame and their image to promote a positive outlook on life and have made themselves the perfect example of a good role model for society. 

Music is an indescribable thing. There are no words that can describe the experience of popping in a pair of headphones, turning on your favorite song and tuning out the rest of the world. There is a sense of peace that comes from music, from creating an escape in a mad, rushing world and providing solitude and a place of comfort. 

Learning about the Amar Chitra Katha comics was very interesting to me. Growing up in the United States in a middle-class Methodist family, I didn't have much exposure to Indian culture, or really comic books. My family mostly read the classics and watched Disney movies, if I'm going to be honest.

However, to see that in India children are learning about their cultures, their religion and their families through the medium of comic books is like a whole new world to me. I feel like learning about the relevant issues and figures of your culture through comics would help to make them more exciting and enticing to the younger generations. Thinking about my own life, learning about American "heroes" or religious figures as a child would have been significantly more interesting if their lives were depicted in colorful images and simplistic writing styles. 

While reading the article Life and Thangka, I was amazed at the level of dedication Tiffani and the other students had for learning the art of Thangka painting. The fact that, on average, it take 6 years to properly learn to paint Thangka is both outrageous and incredible. To have that level of dedication and desire to learn an art from is something to be admired.  

I know that personally, I probably would have started crying and wanted to quit the first time the Gen-la erased my hard work. I tend to be very protective of my work, I do it the way I want it done the first time and so when someone tells me to erase or completely redo it, I get a bit defensive. 

I was very amazed at the patience Tiffani had with the Gen-la's criticisms and with the lack of communication. At some point I feel like I would have wanted to just yell "What do you want from me?!" Of course, that would have been completely useless and pointless as he wouldn't have understood anyway. 

Beginning in 1987 and occurring annually since then, the South by Southwest festival takes place in Austin, TX and draws a crowd of around 200,000. The festival highlights film, interactive media and music, it's a meeting of progressive individuals that is run by the SXSW corporation. 

Typically, the festival is put on without any major incidents or issues. However, this year on March 12, one man changed that. 

Rashad Charjuan Owens drunkenly drove his truck into a crowd of festival goers. He was attempting to avoid a traffic stop and in his drunken-stupor took a "short-cut" through the crowds. As a result of Owens's poor decisions 21 people were injured and 3 people have died. 

Festival goers attended expecting a fun time of creativity, passion and expression. Instead, they witnessed a drunk-driving accident that ended lives and altered the course of others' lives forever. 

Owens was arrested on charges of capital murder, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, and driving under the influence. His bail is set at $3 million. 

The horrible decisions of one man changed has had unspeakable consequences and has cast a dark shadow on what should have been a light-hearted and dynamic experience. 

Link to Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/sandy-le-dead-sxsw-car-crash_n_4980485.html 

Brittany Roberts: Hi Rachel.

Rachel Land: Hello

BR: What sort of art do you create?

RL: I'm in Art 100 so we've mad a couple of black and white drawings, newspaper collage and now we're moving onto painting in color.

BR: How interesting. What drew you to taking art classes?

RL: My graduation requirements. I'm an art history major and there is a certain number of art classes I have to take to get my bachelor of arts.

BR: Okay. Were you very artistic before you started taking art classes?

RL: I would say no, not at all. I used to do paint by numbers back in the day. I would say that was the beginning and end of my art abilities.

BR: So, if you weren't artistically inclined, were you at all nervous before you started your classes about the requirements or skill level necessary to pass?

RL: I was extremely nervous. Mainly because when you complete an assignment in any other class the grade remains between you and the instructor but in Art 100, when you're done, you put it up for a class critique. It's really nerve-wracking to have my art up in front of the class for them to talk about in front of me.

BR: How do you deal with the nerves? Has it impacted the way you create your pieces, like do you put extra effort into them because you know so many people will be judging it?

RL: I would say that it is a big key to getting my work finished on time. It's a big incentive. I just remember that we're all there to learn and so to put my work in front of everyone else benefits me in the long run, to have so many people tell me their opinion of my work.

BR: Of the pieces you created what has been your favorite?

RL: My favorite has definitely been the newspaper collage. Because the assignment was to take a piece by a famous artist and to recreate it using black and white newspaper. I really enjoyed this because I'm an art historian and so I know a great deal about a great many artists. So it was easier to rely on stuff that I already knew rather to rely on my own creativity.

BR: You said you know a lot about bunch of different historic artists, is there one in particular that you admire or model your work after?

RL: Um, I would say, I wouldn't say I model my work after him, but I am a big Picasso fan because his work changed so much throughout his life. It was always changing throughout his lifetime.

BR: Is there any particular piece of his that you like best of all or that y?

RL: I would say that his piece, Guernica, is my favorite because it plays into a lot of art and history because there was a lot of historical context that went into the creation of that piece.

BR: What is the next piece you plan to create?

RL: The next piece that I am in the process of making is an exercise with the value of color. The point of the assignment is to divide a paper into thirds and take the same design three times using paints, create a low concentration, medium concentration and high concentration. I am creating a piece inspired by Rothko and that's really fun for me because it plays into my whole art history thing.

BR: That sounds very intriguing, I'm interested in seeing the final result. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.

Music videos are one of the most interesting aspects of the music industry. Some videos perfectly portray the emotions and lyrics the artist poured into their song, while others are a mere shadow of the potential within the song. 

This music video from You Me At Six for their song, Bite My Tongue (feat. Oli Sykes) thoroughly captures the rage and bitterness that went behind the writing of this piece. The director incorporated aspects of being bound by your hatred but being unable to express it due to a sense of honor and respect through the straps which bind the band members throughout the video. The director also depicts the writhing anger the artists feel through the choppy and jerky cuts between shots. Also, through the facial expressions of Josh and Oli during their vocals, the viewer is able to get a sense of how their venomous thoughts that they can't express are driving them slowly to madness. 

One of the greatest experiences a fan of a band can have, is the opportunity to see a band perform live. There is no experience that can compare to being surrounded by hundreds of other people who have all been touched in some way by these performers, their melodies and their lyrics. 

Listening to a band on your own is a completely personal experience in which you can shut out the world and really focus on the lyrics and their meaning to you. But listening to a band perform live, is an altogether different experience. The energy, the excitement, the passion. So much intense emotion packs the room until you can practically feel it buzz on your skin.

Pre show, anxious shouts and loud voices fill the room. Until there comes a moment, just before the band comes out, when the room becomes almost completely silent. It's as if everyone is holding their breath in anticipation of the band's entrance. As if they all understand that something sacred and amazing is about to happen and they need this moment to prepare for what's to come.

And then, all at once, everything bursts into life, like the volume turned up on a stereo. The band takes the stage, the first note is strummed and the crowd explodes in a rush of sound, surging forward and crowding to be closer to the stage.

For the next hour or so, the crowd remains transfixed. Nothing and no one can pull their eyes away from the band performing the music that has changed their lives and touched their souls.   

Brendon Urie Panic! At the Disco The Uptown Kansas City, MO 1/19/14

While there are photographers whose life's ambition is to capture the perfect shot of an artist during their performance, to most concert-goers, nothing can compare to the images they themselves capture during a show. 

This January I had to opportunity to see Panic! At the Disco with my best friend, Holli, in Kansas City. Panic! was what really brought us together as close friends eight years ago and so being able to see them perform live was like going back to the roots of our friendship. The simple act of seeing Panic! perform live was able to remind us of why we are friends and how much we've changed since we started listening to them in sixth grade. Music has this incredible ability to impact lives, remind us of what's important and to draw us back to our roots. 

While at the show, Holli and I were practically euphoric-snapping pictures, screaming along with the crowd and grinning so hard our cheeks were physically pained.

Brittany Roberts: How did you get involved in photography?

Taylor Thimesch: I got my start in photography through journalism in high school. We were assigned photos weekly that we had to go and shoot.

BR: What sorts of subjects do you usually shoot or what did you have to photograph for class?

TT: Well, for journalism I had to photograph things like sporting events-basketball games, footballl games, cheerleading, whatever. I was assigned photos for student life too which means I had to find out what students did outside of class that was interesting and take pictures and write about it. Outside of class, I like to take photos of nature-trees, flowers, rain and things like that.

BR: Which subject did you prefer photographing?

TT: Actually, I also take senior portraits for people that I enjoy more than the class assignments, but nature photos take a close second.

BR: What has been your favorite shot that you've taken?

TT: Okay, obviously right after I say I don't like school assignment photos I have to say that my all time favorite shot of mine was actually for journalism. It was at graduation and there was this teacher who was really close to everyone in the graduating class before me. Anyway, after the whole pomp and circumstance ceremony was over, everyone stood up and threw their caps, but the teacher-Mr. Cox- wasn't actively celebrating with the graduates. Instead he was wiping tears from his eyes. I quickly snapped a shot of the emotional moment and it turned out to be my favorite shot that I've ever take.

BR: Wow, that's incredible. They say emotion shots are the best ones to get. How do you prepare to be in the right place at the right time?

TT: It's all about being prepared. You just have to anticipate and know your subject, I guess. There's a lot of luck involved in getting the perfect shot. Good equipment helps too.

BR: Speaking of, what type of camera do you prefer shooting with?

TT: I have a Canon T3i that has the most incredible clarity for shots. It's the best camera I've ever used. Best investment of my life.

BR: What makes your photography unique from other photographers?

TT: I always try to find new angles and ways to capture ordinary subjects. I think I have a unique eye for detail so that I can photograph an ordinary object from a strange or different angle so as to make it look like something entirely different. I like to be adventurous and innovative in my photography. I hope people see that through my work.

BR: I'm sure they do, you really are quite talented. Thank you for talking to me about your photography.

In the documentary Who the F*** Is Jackson Polluck? truck driver Teri Horton discovers she is the owner of what could possibly be a Jackson Polluck painting. Polluck's paintings are worth upwords of 2 million dollars, however Horton thought the painting was ugly and not worth keeping her home. 

She failed to see the value in the splatter painted canvas because it was not a part of the culture she was used to. To the connoisseurs of the art world, the painting held both intrinsic and monetary value which Teri didn't understand. However, rather than educate her on the ways of the art world, they judged her and behaved condescendingly toward her for her ignorance.

I personally found this frustrating. They say that art is for the people, but clearly, not all the people. To some members of the art community, art is solely for those who can spend thousands of dollars on a painting just to say they did. To them, art isn't something that someone made with pure artistic intent, it has to have a price tag and provenance dating to the piece's creation. This snobbery is demeaning to people trying to break into the art world and also those who are just trying to learn the tricks of the trade. 

Well known in the pop culture world, singer Rhianna and her now ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown, made waves in the media after his violence toward her was made public. Not too long after, Rhianna released a new single called "Stay" which references her relationship with Brown and how she still want him to stay in her life regardless of his abuse. 

After the song came out, Rihanna released artwork for the single on iTunes. The artwork contained an image of Rihanna embracing Brown regardless of their toxic relationship. 

This image caused controversy throughout the media because it showed a regression of Rihanna from a once independent, strong woman who shows affection for a man who hurt her and continues to keep crawling back to him. 

What she probably saw as an artistic expression of the emotions in the song, the public saw as a weakness of her character. 

Here's the link to the article:

There is an assumption among some members of the art community that a person can only accurately artistically represent a culture if they are a part of said culture. This stems from the idea that a person who is not an integral part of a community, does not truly understand the morals, values, beliefs and customs of that society.

This opinion however, does not account for a person taking the time to learn the ways of the society and essentially become a part of it. In their opinion, you were either born into that culture, or you are not a part of it. 

I disagree with this opinion.

While I do think that it is essential to understand a culture in order to accurately depict it, I don't think you necessarily have to be born into that culture to accomplish that. For instance, anthropologists have been integrating themselves into different societies for years for the express purpose of understanding the cultures therein. While they are not born into the communities they are studying, they adopt certain characteristics and behaviors, learn the languages, and study what is important to the society as a whole. In doing so, I believe they have the ability to accurately ascertain what the culture values and can therefore represent them artistically. 

From the book Whose Art Is It? by Jane Kramer, the idea of what constitutes appropriate expression and political correctness in art was discussed in reference to John Ahearn's artwork. Ahearn's work was criticized and judged based on people's perception of his work and his own personal ethnicity and social status, rather than the quality of the work itself. In this manner, society completely overlooked the artistic talent and the beauty that comes from the creation of artwork. While they may have disagreed with the message Ahearn was sending with his choice of subject, they could have still appreciated the aesthetic value of the works. 

In the same vein, as with any art form, music has its own special brand of criticism, as does the photography and videography that goes alongside it. Take for example, Madonna's controversial music video for her song 'Like a Prayer.' This video features sexuality, racial references and burning crosses. Undoubtedly, the video is tasteless, outrageous and offensive in many regards, but there is still room for artistic appreciation therein. For example, one could interpret the burning crosses as burning passion for the experiences she is having-in this case meaning her sexual passion. There is symbolism and deeper meaning in her choices for the video, however she went about expressing it in the entirely wrong manner. 

As one of the most recognizable faces in the world, superstar singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is photographed almost daily. Whether she's at the store with her daughter or on the stage at one of her concerts, Beyoncé's image is an icon of the 21st century. 

However, there is an iconic persona which Beyoncé embodies as soon as she steps on stage. In the photo above, Beyoncé is portraying many different things to her audience. For example, this image portrays her as a fierce woman with style and grace, but also attitude and gumption. Namely, she has presence.

Standing center stage and also photographed dead-center of the frame, there is no doubt where the eye should be drawn to in this image. The focus on the foreground and slightly blurry quality of the background also works to bring focus to Beyoncé. One interpretation of this image could be reading it as an image of the complexity of feminine power which is both beautiful and fierce. 

One of the most iconic band shots in music history, this image of the Beatles set the bar for band photography. 

Taken on August 8, 1969 for the cover of their album Abbey Road, Ian Macmillan had no clue just how famous his photo would become. Paul McCartney actually sketched how he wanted to set up the shot and then they hired Macmillian, who was a friend of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. 

What I think is interesting about this shot, is that it's really quite ordinary. Yes, there repetition and a good eye line, but at the same time it's relatively simple in nature. However, because of the band's rocket to stardom, it will forever be an iconic image both in musical society and society in general. 

An article on Beatlesbible.com actually gives more backstory to the image and the process band a photographer went through to get the finished product. The Beatles were actually photographed walking the other way, only standing on the black spaces between the lines and in all other manner of positions on the set. This just makes me wonder, what differences would it have made to the Beatles fame and the culturally relevant context of the image, if Macmillan and the band had chosen another image for the cover of Abby Road.