Documentary photography is a tool to capture a moment and communicate with the people who is looking at it. A successful documentary photo can always tell the story behind even it is just a freeze moment, bringing the viewers travel back to the scenes where the photos were taken.

Don McCullin is a British Photojournalist and is known for his war documentary photography⁽¹⁾. During the Vietnam War which is also known as the Second Indochina War⁽²⁾, Don was one of the war photographers and he has capture a range of photograph which reveal the ruthless side of wars. I choosed three works out of it. Both of them recounted how war damage the life of the civilian, they have no control of their important things and people and even their life. The photograph of the death young Vietnamese soldier with his possessions is the most shocking photo out of the three of them. The small photo of a girl in his wallet make a big contrast of the situation. It can easily tell that the girl is a very important person of the soldier, however they were being separate forever because of the war. This photo has not only told the story of this young soldier, but also represent a lot of civilians and soldiers which have similar story at that time. The next two photos are related to the ordinary Vietnamese during the war, the one that an American marine inside a civilian house with the couple photo ,and the one that an old Vietnamese civilian was tormenting by the US Marines are also another examples that shown the violence of war.

This series of photograph really brought me to a meditation because of the reality that they showed to me. These photos are way more powerful than any words because they were captured from the real moment of that period. They communicate with the real experience and that’s why they are so influential.

A Young Dead North Vietnamese Soldier with His Possessions 1968, printed 2013 Don McCullin born 1935 ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. Purchased with the assistance of the ARTIST ROOMS Endowment, supported by the Henry Moore Foundation and Tate Members 2014 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/AR01195

The Battle for the City of Hue, South Vietnam, US Marine Inside Civilian House 1968, printed 2013 Don McCullin born 1935 ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. Purchased with the assistance of the ARTIST ROOMS Endowment, supported by the Henry Moore Foundation and Tate Members 2014 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/AR01196

US Marines Tormenting an Old Vietnamese Civilian, The Battle for the City of Hue 1968, printed 2013 Don McCullin born 1935 ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. Purchased with the assistance of the ARTIST ROOMS Endowment, supported by the Henry Moore Foundation and Tate Members 2014 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/AR01199

Reference:

(1) Online: available from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_McCullin

(2) Online: available from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_McCullin

Photo: (Don McCullin, 1986)

Following the development of art, it was interpreted as different forms in different moment in the history. Modernism was a style that is rejecting the style of at from the art, which is a big change in the definition of art. However, after the term of postmodernism appear in the history, the pointer of the evolution of art had changed again.

Since postmodernism is aiming to question the notion of how art should be and having a freedom to express different ideas. The works usually reflecting the problems from the society and having a deep personality in it. Because of this, postmodernism art has an ability to reveal the diversification of any groups of people in the society. For example, the poster ‘Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum’ is a sample of feminist art, it said even though very few of woman can go into the modern art section but 85% of them are naked, it sharply pointed out the problem of the value of women in the current society. Since women are always used as a sexual element in tradition art, it deconstructed the rigid impression of the way how women appear on art. Moreover, ‘Whaam!’ is an example of comic art in postmodernism, it was created based on an image from All American Men of War, the work leaving an open meaning to the viewer which increase the interaction between them and the painting. To add more, Sandro Chia who is the artist of the work ‘Water Bearer’ having a unique style which his works were mostly about a boy or men with fish. The figures are always searching for something and I think the artist is also trying to reveal some social phenomenon.

In conclusion, following with the development of postmodernism art, the trend of art is requiring more and more personal thought and personality which is not only about making things look pretty and suiting everyone’s taste. Personal think this is a positive change since it can let artist to express their points of view for freely through their work.

Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum? 1989 Guerrilla Girls null Purchased 2003 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/P78793

Whaam! 1963 Roy Lichtenstein 1923-1997 Purchased 1966 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T00897

Water Bearer 1981 Sandro Chia born 1946 Purchased 1982 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T03469

Reference:

Tate Modern– Postmodernism

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/postmodernism

In the society nowadays, people always pursuing the authenticity and really clinging about it. While in the art world, a similar situation exsit and sometimes hinder artist’s creative thought.

It may be tricky when people talking about authenticity in art. Since copying and referencing can be arguable in an art work, but beside artists, we are all living in the world full of designed work. Poster on the street, videos on YouTube and even decorations at home are always influencing our mind of what designs look like. Also, there are a lot of successful artist’s style are influence by the artists before. So, I think to avoid single reference to other’s work is impossible in this technology society. However, it doesn’t mean that artist and designer can copy other’s work without thinking anything, I think we should always reference by the way other thinks and how they search for ideas. Moreover, it is also important to be honest and show reference if you really used other’s idea or work.

To add more, I think that the meaning of Modernism is to always challenge the grid of something obvious and try to get new ideas. Since the contemporary practice always require something exciting and improvement, so I think the principles of Modernism hold the value in the practice nowadays.