artistic practice, Creative self employment

Sources of Inspiration #1: Josef Sudek

I nearly titled this post: Influences #1: Josef Sudek. But when I went to choose some of his images to illustrate my meaning I realised ‘influence’ wasn’t the correct word. I had already been making still lifes of ordinary domestic objects, and views through windows and other transparent, reflective, and distorting entities when I first saw his work. So he can’t really be said to be an influence, he’s more like a mentor. By making the choices he did he validates my own, helps me see how to make the photographs I want to, and inspires me to not be overly diverted from my theme.

Before seeing Sudek’s photographs

I worried that my focus on the domestic was of no interest to anyone but me. Although I didn’t really mind if most people thought my work was rubbish, I did, and do, mind making no connections whatsoever. At heart I’m a philosopher who is trying to get to grips with the question of (universal) eudaimonia. My art, both visual and text based (mostly fiction writing, but some poetry) is a way of exploring this, and I need a little interaction. My work is a call to others who also want to solve this problem, it needs a response.

Sudek showed me that response was possible

There are people out there interested in a different kind of narrative, who understand we can’t know everything, and luxuriate in that. People who enjoy the questions.* People who accept their view is flawed because it’s not, and can never be, every view, and perfect clarity is rarely, if ever, achievable. People who can hold two apparently opposing views at once and not feel they have to defend that, who can accept both that they may be wrong, and that they just haven’t seen the connections yet. People who are open to the idea that domesticity is no less important than commerce, business, politics and warmongering.

Here are some of my favourite Sudek photographs (for further thoughts, should you want them, you can click on individual images):

One of my favourite Josef Sudek images, there seems to be a whole landscape reflected in the backdrop which, itself, is odd. I can’t quite work out what’s going on, and I covet the glass.
An image from Sudek’s ‘From the window of my atelier’ series. What on earth is going on in that window today? I want to ask him.
Here Sudek treats the National Theatre of Prague in exactly the same way he treats the houses outside his atelier window: no privileging, no hierarchy, the domestic is no less than the grand.
One of Sudek’s ‘From the Window of My Atelier’ series. I love these photographs because they’re not ‘of’ something, but ‘from’ somewhere: this is what the world, not just a part of it, looks like from a tiny spot within it, at a very specific moment in time. It’s both local and universal.
There is so much to luxuriate in in this shot, it reminds me of the time (11 years ago) I spent far too long staring into the studio of Barbara Hepworth from her garden.
I love this photograph of Josef Sudek, it’s apparently a water filled glass reflected in a misted window, but the reflected glass looks quite different to its parent.
The famous old, gnarled (apple?) tree in Josef Sudek’s courtyard, seen from the window of his atelier. It’s so animated and angular!
I can’t tell you how much this reminds me of Turner.

 

Now

I feel quite comfortable about what I have chosen to photograph over the years, and unconcerned that my images are less than National Geographic sharp. Here are some shots I have worried are laughable:

While I realise my stuff doesn’t come close to the brilliance of Sudek’s, I feel all I need do is keep working at it, and happy to continue.

 

*As Rilke entreated his young poet to do.

 

 

11 thoughts on “Sources of Inspiration #1: Josef Sudek”

  1. I’ll come and read this again later.But for now the “old-look” images are lovely.I’m reminded of some of the simple pictures I took as a child which, at least in my mind, are far and away better than what I achieve today.

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  2. It looks like he’s got a preference for grayscale/monochrome prints. What’s your take on that? Don’t sell yourself short, madam. You’re offerings are top-notch. And I’m not just saying that to polish your apple.

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    1. Apparently he worked very hard in the darkroom to get his prints just so, and I love the tones he creates. One day I’ll buy a roll of black and white film for my old Pentax, Kodak 64 if it’s still available, shoot it and take it up to a place in Glasgow I’ve been told about where you can process your own stuff. It’d be great to be able to play in a real darkroom. I love monochrome, but I never get the scale of tones with digital that I’m after.

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  3. I think all your photos are fabulous. They’re original, arresting and thought-provoking. I especially like the first one, with the fascinating reflection. I love the one of the moss-covered wall as well. As Exile says, don’t sell yourself short. Sudek is Sudek and you are you. I think your photos compare very favourably with his.

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  4. Suede’s water filled glass – how clever! I can’t quite get my head around it. I like it so much that I would like a copy for my wall.
    I like your orange glass too, as I can’t figure out what’s going on in the blue.
    Sx

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    1. Me too, I’d love a Sudek on my wall, and that one could well be my first choice. These days it’s about 10,000 for one of his photos, though, so I’ll have to save up.

      Glad you like the orange and blue, I’m not quite sure what’s going on either, I must have done something with the lighting. X

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