GCSE IDENTITY - UMA ALMOND
ANNEGRET SOLTAU
“I am using myself as a model because I can go the farthest with me" – Soltau
Annegret Soltau is a visual artist/photographer born in Germany. She went to Her work consists of capturing portraits of people then later using thread and a needle to sew the already cut out, fragmented pieces of paper together. Photomontages of her own body and face sewn over or collaged with black thread are her most well known pieces of work. She then re-captures these collages to see her final outcome. Soltau is left with a distorted almost monster-like looking portraits that leave her viewers feeling confused.
“Permanente Demonstration“ is “an attempt to trigger states of consciousness through realization of an image in real life, i.e. make an image physically. The line, becomes a realized line, the person is part of the picture. Line and person are not two opposite things but one reality”.
I think Soltau explores the concept of hidden identity as she almost hides her models face using materials such as black thread and/or animal features. When looking at her work, I firstly see botched looking stitching, however they seem creatively seem like scars. As she cuts into the sensitive skin of the face, the thread distorts its shape but also enhances its beauty.
Her works are usually abstracted portraits that make me think of Picassos abstracted portrait paintings. There are similar uses of distortion and contortion within their works. I have attached images of portraits that remind me of her work as we can see there are also segmented cut out features in both pieces of work. I think her fragmented portraits stand out as they are curiously abnormal.
Annegret Soltau's work relates to the theme of identity as it suggests this hidden identity within the face. I also think some messages comes across as it highlights some ideas of pain and sufferings due to the stitching of the the thread. I think the artist is trying to show elements of pain from the stitching.
With a closer inspection into her work I noticed, Annegret Soltau also takes portraits with peoples heads wrapped in thread or string. This continual use of the thread suggests its quite important as a message to her viewers. I have attached a series of photographs she has taken as examples. This side of her work suggests strain making the viewers feel almost trapped as the string is restricting the model to open her eyes. The string is wrapped tightly around the models face creating a deformed looking outcome. This relates to my concept of 'what is beauty?' as it not only hides the models face but still distorts it leaving the viewers to question what she really looks like.
I find this concept intriguing as it almost adds to that hidden part of identity as the string is enshrouding her face. Soltau only shoots in black and white when wrapping the string around her models as I think this highlights the difference between the face and the string being used. For my first photoshoot I would like to dive into this side of her work as I think I could incorporate her stitching within this style of photography.
Contact Sheets
These are my first couple of contact sheets inspired by Angrette Soltau. My objective for this photoshoot was to capture portraits illustrating the strain and refrain from the use of wrapping the black string around my head.I think my main challenge within this shoot was to not show much emotion within the face however, highlighting pain. I think this was a successful first photoshoot for Angrette Soltau.Next time, I want to dive more into her collages within her work. For example, capturing images of different objects/features/animals to later collage together using thread to sew.
Edited black and white developments
These are my first set of developments in black and white, in the style of Angrette Soltau.I chose to edit these successful photographs in black and white because she also edits in monochrome. I think the use of monochromatic colouring helps draw the contrast between the face and the string. To edit these developments, I used Adobe Photoshop. I adjusted the highlight, contrast and colour to have these final outcomes. Next I would like to edit using colour possibly with only two colours to create an almost Andy Warhol inspired print photograph.
Editing using block colours/mirroring
process log:
STEP 1
To begin to edit, I first bring up an image that turned out the most successful. I use Adobe Photoshop to edit all of my developments. I firstly change the colour to black and white. Then adjust the brightness contrast and exposure in order to enhance the portrait.
STEP 2
Next I go online and look for a solid block of colour. In this example I am using the colour green. I then copy the image and paste it onto my original image using keys control c and p
STEP 3
Next The final step is to use the overlay button and switch through all the different presets until I find the most fitting one.
Final edited developments -using block colours/mirroring techniques
These are my first set of developments using colour. As I explained in the process log, I used Adobe Photoshop, and overlaid images together to create almost movement within the photograph. I think these developments came out very successful as the colour sets well with these photographs. In the future I would like to print and collage these developments in the style of Angrette Soltau as this will combine both of her uses of string.
Redraft photoshoot using developments-capturing physical collages
These are my contact sheets for this redraft photoshoot. In order to take these photographs, I printed out my most recent developments and cut out different facial features from each development. Then I used a needle and thread to sew different segments of the face together. These are my final collages which I took photographs of similar to Angrette Soltau. I think this relates to her work as I am further delving into her different elements of her work and mixing my own work together. In the future, I want to take photographs of differetn objects and animals to collage them with faces.
First developments
These are my edited developments of my physically collaged photoshoot. To edit these developments, I didn't want to over-edit or completely change the photographs that significantly as I think the raw photographs are quite successful just as they are. However, I did want to adjust the hue and saturation of some. In order to do this I used Adobe Photoshop, I adjusted the brightness and contrast of the image and then used the hue/saturation tool to highlight the stitching as the raw images drew the colour out of the physical piece of work.
I really enjoyed using different mediums within my photography as it allow be to be creative with different materials.I think the collage came out very successful and I would like to further explore more of Angrette Soltau's work by collaging human and animal faces together using string.
Overlaying developments
These are my second set of developments where I have used my prior knowledge to collage my most recent developments together on photoshop. To do so, I brought up two images, then selected the one image to then use keys ctrl c and v to copy and paste onto my other image. The my next step is to use the layers tool to blend both images together to create these even more abstracted developments of the face. My final step is to adjust the contrast and saturation to blend both images more smoothly.
I think these are very successful as they highlight Soltau's influence within the photographs through the collaged faces.
Final photoshoot-capturing objects/features/animals
These are my final contact sheets for my final photoshoot for Angrette Soltau. Within this shoot, I wanted to take more influence from Soltau's work by capturing images of animal and objects to incorporate withing my collages. I also re-took some plain portraits of my dad as a base for my final colages. once again I will be taking a needle and thread to collage and weave them together. Much like Soltau's work I will be using black thread to really enhance the different sections and scars within the face.
Final Developments
Further developing using collage and other media
Contact Sheets
These are my contact sheets for this further experimentation using different media. So far, I have collaged physically, used thread and sewn segments together and now I have used paint to add texture towards my photographs. To create these photographs, my method was to collage and rip pieces of my last developements
These are my outcomes from experimenting with a mix of media. With this, I firstly, cut out different previous developments and collaged them together, using, blank sheets to use, to layer. Then I used black thread and sew different parts of each piece, resulting in a collaged, mix of both of my previous sets of most successful developments. then my final step was mixing different contrasting colours of thick paint, to then paint onto the different edges of the collaged developments. I think this series of new developments came out successful however, next time I would like to create an even more of a resulting outcome possibly on a piece of cardboard. This could be a final experimenting piece for my overall, final piece.
Edited Development
These are my final developments where I sewed the above photographs together. I used black thread to sew each segment together. I mixed the photographs of animals and human together much like Angrette Soltau. Instead of photographing my developments I scanned them inorder to completely see these edits.
Highlighting success
These are my most successful outcomes from exploring the work of Angrette Soltau. Overall, I think I have learnt a lot from exploring her work. I have explored the physical side to collages, which I think I will be further exploring with my next artists.