That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore

A Thursday image for you all.

Al Palmer – Blackpool, UK

Digging through your archives can throw up some interesting results. I never particularly liked this; it didn’t seem to be the photograph I hoped it would be. A year down the line and I’ve been proved wrong.

Deutsche Börse Prize 2009

It’s that time again: the mighty Deutsche Börse Photography Prize rumbles into town. Shortlisted are Tod Papageorge, Emily Jacir, Paul Graham and Taryn Simon.

This is the first time I’ve felt all artists are in with a fair chance. If I was a betting man I’d probably put a few pounds on Taryn Simon receiving the award; her An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar has been one of the best and most note-worthy bodies of work I’ve seen in the past few years.

Taryn Simon documents areas you rarely see actual images of such as research facilities and government offices. There’s something voyeuristic about seeing these photographs, knowing they’re restricted makes them all the more compelling. They are also places where controversial things happen; the viewer knowing this makes them complicit in the secrecy. It’s also blackly humorous: photographs of a Braille edition of Playboy and the CIA’s art department stops the project becoming too gloomy and oppressive.

Taryn Simon – Nuclear Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility Cherenkov Radiation
Hanford Site
U.S. Department of Energy
Southeastern Washington State

Tod Papageorge is the oldest photographer on the list. A contemporary of Joel Meyerowitz, Garry Winogrand and the rest of the New York street photographers as well as tutor to photographers such as Katy Grannan, Gregory Crewdson and Philip-Lorca diCorcia at Yale University. Due to his teaching his photographs have had much less press than they perhaps should have done, only now is he getting the recognition he deserves with 2007’s book Passing Through Eden and his sports book for Aperture. I’ve seen his work described as “Winogrand with a medium-format camera” which is an understandable but unfair comparison. His work is far less cynical; Winogrand’s work had such down-beat view of the world while Papageorge seems much more optimistic.

Tod Papageorge – Shea Stadium

Emily Jacir is the wild card choice, in my eyes at least. Her practice isn’t limited to just photography; she also works in film, performance and installation. She was short-listed for her multimedia installation Material For A Film which focuses on Wael Zuaiter, the Palestinian diplomat, who was assassinated by Israeli agents in 1972. Obviously the work is heavily politically loaded even now but it’s a sensitive look at a fascinating man.

Emily Jacir – Installation Photograph of Material for a Film

Paul Graham has been nominated for his series on everyday images of America, A Shimmer Of Possibility. A really subtle set of photographs, all arranged around small artists books and influenced both by Anton Chekov and Japanese haiku. There is a lightness of touch for photographing quite heavy subjects; as with all of Graham’s work race and class are common themes. His use of over and under-exposure as a metaphor gives his work an extra dimension.

Paul Graham – Cajun Corner

All four photographers are deserved winners but I would like Paul Graham to win. In my opinion he’s probably the best documentary photographer of his generation; he still creates original work that’s both fresh and interesting, he never resorts to cliches or pastiche. There are not being truly unique voices in photography so to find one that speaks so loud should be celebrated.