Analysis of Max Dupain's Work - Essay Example

Max Dupain Name: Course: Institution: Date: Max Dupain Max Dupain (1911- 1992) is considered as one of the greatest Australian photographers whose method of photography was defined by simplicity, and directness. This led to the creation of images characterized by sharp focus, boldness, and graphic composition.1 Photography made him one of the earliest and most exceptional champions of modernism in Australia. His work was characterized by decades of commercial and artistic success considering that his repertoire was inclusive of landscapes, nudes, beaches, architecture and still life.2 Architecture was one of his favourite elements of photography and for more than 50 years, he was a pre-eminent architectural photographer of Australia.3 The main objective of this essay is to analyse three key works by Dupain in relation to the aesthetic ideas, the notion of Australian identity, social and political climate prevalent at the time. National Carillon, Canberra, 1970 This is a photograph taken by Dupain in 1970. Located in Aspen Island, which is part of Lake Burley Griffin. The National Carillion is of great political and historical significance to Australia considering that it was a gift given by the British government in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Australians capital in 1913.4 The British were the colonial masters of Australiana and their dominance in this region was characterized by the desire to implement the British political and social practices in the governance of the Australian population.5 The formation of the Federation in 1901 led to the formulation of parliament, which was sitting in Melbourne Exhibition building considering that a national capital was yet to be decided.6 The government of New South Wales commissioned a report that suggested the possible locations for the government of the New Commonwealth of Australia.7This report suggested Bombala, Orange and Yass-Canberra. In 1980, a decision was made for the option of Yass-Canberra by the Commonwealth parliament.8 The government dispatched a surveyor whose mandate was to not only assess the viability of the location and its strategic significance as a capital but also to choose a location within Canberra that was picturesque and distinctive.9 Following the recommendations by the surveyor, Canberra was declared the Australian Capital Territory in 1911and the governing invited domestic and international designers to provide their perceptions on the architectural design of the new city by organizing and international contest.10 More than 100 entries were submitted. Burley Griffin, an American architect, submitted the winning entry. Following the establishment of Canberra as the capital, the first Commonwealth parliament session began was in 1927.11 The decision to choose Canberra as the capital of Australia was based on the understanding that the region enjoyed good governance and the citizens understood of their constitutional rights and obligations.12 This made the area relatively peaceful for conducting government business. In addition, through the efforts by the New South Wales government it became possible to establish the Australian capital in Canberra because it was strategically located for conducting government business.13 In 1970, Dupain captured the uninterrupted view of the building, which was considered as a demonstration of the efforts that the Australian government had made in providing effective governance to the diverse Australian population. From a historical perspective, Canberra was home to part of the Aboriginal population in Australia.14 There were members of the aboriginal population who lived in Aspen Island. These members considered the colonialist move of constructing the National Carillon as a move aimed at destabilizing the unity and cohesion of its members.15 This was because such development meant the relocation of part of the population living within the selected area of construction.16 Inasmuch as there was limited resistance in the construction of this building, the Aboriginals in Aspen Island often participate in a smoking ceremony, which plays the role of an apology to the stolen generation.17 This ceremony depicts the role that the Australians played in accepting colonial dominance which not only resulted in forceful acquisition of land by the colonial powers, which it also led to the development of a government that is operated in accordance with the demands of the colonial masters.18 For the Aboriginal society, accepting the building as a gift from the British government was an indication of acknowledging their continued dominance even after Australia had gained its independence. Despite these divergent views, the government of Australia accepted the building as a gift from the British government as a technique of establishing and maintaining bilateral relationships between the two governments.19 Such a relationship is considered not only beneficial in conducting trade matters but also in executing other government related operations. The role of the government was therefore to establish domestic presence and an international presence by creating relationship with other dominant players on the international platform such as the British government.20 Sunbaker, 1937 This is a black and white photograph illustrating the head and the shoulder of a man lying on a beach face down. Taken from a low angle, the Sunbaker is one of the most popular photographs in Australia because it is a depiction of the Australian way of life.21 In terms of composition, the head and the shoulders of a man lying on the sand on his stomach define the photograph.22 The head, which is resting on one arm, is tilted to the left. The other arm is lying on the sand. From the low angle in which the photograph was taken, it is possible to argue that the head is the main element of focus.23 It is also possible to perceive the sun as appearing directly overhead and this makes it easier to cast much of the subject into shadows while reflecting water droplets on the arm and back. Dupain at Culburra Beach took the Sunbaker in 1937. The man in the photograph was one of his friends who were part of a surfing group. Inasmuch as Dupain casually took the photograph, it gained prominence within Australia as it was considered iconic because it symbolized the body in contact with primordial forces. In terms of the relationship between the photograph and the Australian way of life, the Sunbaker symbolized health, appreciation of sports, and the need for relaxation, vitality and the love for outdoor activities.24 From a sociological perspective, the picture was considered as an inspiration tool for the Australian population.25 This is because Australians loved the beach and this was a depiction of the level of relaxation and peace the citizens acquired by engaging in physical activities at the beach.26 Surfing is one of the major sporting activities in Australia, the decision to engage in this activity is aimed at the promotion of health and vitality. This was because surfing provided a platform of engaging in physical exercises, which is vital for the wellbeing of the Australian population.27 Outdoor and beach related activities were not introduced by the Sunbaker but the photograph is considered as a depiction of the social way of life of the Australian population outside their areas of work.28 Australia is a country characterized by a diverse population. In 1937 the political and the social landscape of the country was defined by discrimination and exclusion of the aboriginal communities. Discrimination and exclusion provided the Aboriginal with limited platform of expressing their concerns and demand to the government of Australia.29 Despite its social relevance in relation to depicting the Australian way of life, the Sunbaker, can also be understood from the political perspective, the picture depicts a man lying facing down with his head tilted to the lefts and lying on one of his arms. This can be considered as an individual who is exhausted and needs to rest to gain more energy. The aboriginal community in Australia was facing different forms of discrimination with regard to the exercising their political and constitutional obligations because the white population considered them inferior.30 Furthermore, when the lives of the aboriginals is understood in relation to the Sunbaker, it is possible to assert that it reprints a community that is exhausted form attempting to fight for their freedom and inclusion as equal player in the Australian government.31 The government while espousing its role in ensuring the protection of all citizens and the provision of basic needs such as education to all citizens in the country, the Aboriginal community was faced with the challenge of accessing better education. This was because there were limited and inferior amenities for eductaion making it relatively difficult to acquire quality eductaion.32 The Sunbaker can also be considered as a picture depicting a man exhausted and in need of help to move. In the Australian political and social context, 1930s was a period of the Great Depression and the First World War, which affected the operations of countries on the international platform leading to a major financial recession.33 Countries were however able to recover and there was need to distribute resources to different locations to enhance economic development. The aboriginal communities were less developed in terms of infrastructure and social amenities because the government in the process of executing its political mandate of allocating resources failed consider the Aboriginals as equal members of the society.34 Part of the reason was based on the claim that they preferred to live in accordance with their traditional lives as a way of upholding their cultural values. Despite the decision to live in the traditional way, it was the responsbility of the government to integrate development with the traditions of the aboriginals instead of discrimination against them based on race. An understanding of the Sunbaker from a political and social perspective made it a national image, which was a source of inspiration for artists in referencing the work to create images that address issues such as social exclusion of the immigrant population and the aboriginals.35 Surf race start, 1940 This photograph depicts male lifesavers engaging an activity characterized by stepping high through ocean waves with the objective of challenging themselves against each other and nature to run and swim the course.36 This is competition of male lifesavers aimed at enhancing their life saving skills while at the same time recognizing the best lifesavers considering that it was a competition. The photograph is considered as one of the key works of Dupain because it is a depiction of men in motion.37 In the field of photography, it is often important to anticipate actions that require attention to enable capturing of the essence of an event. Surf race start is representative if the Australian way of life considering that Australians are lovers of outdoor and beach related activities such as surfing, swimming and bathing.38 Inasmuch as the beaches were considered as protected areas, surfers and swimmers were also vulnerable to different sea related threats such as shark attacks and the possibility of drowning.39 The competition was organized to improve on the effectiveness and efficiency of male lifesavers as a way of enhancing the safety standards at the Australian beaches. From a social and economic perspective, the popularity of ocean related outdoor activities among Australians improved the social status of lifesavers hance creating employment for the Australian population.40 The need to ensure high-level professionalism while conducting lifesaving activities defines the essence of the training as depicted in Surf race start Surf race start reclaims the typical Australian man whose life is defined by swimming, surfing and lifesaving. From a political perspective, this was following the end of the First World War and the threat of the Second World War following the aggressive nature of Germany.41 Despite the threat posed by the First and Second World Wars, Surf race start demonstrates the strength and agility of the Australians male population with regard to saving the lives other citizens. The strength and energy depicted ion the photograph is considered as a depiction of the level of resilience and courage that the Australian population demonstrated in the face of devastation.42 Attacking the unknown is also considered as an additional attribute of the photograph. This is because by going against high waves, the male lifesavers were engaging in an activity whose consequences were unknown. The decision by the Australian government to participate in the First and Second World Wars was based on the desire to establish alliances with other countries while protecting its territory. Despite this objective, mass death of its military defined the consequences of the war.43 Nevertheless, the country, as depicted in Surf race start, was able to demonstrate that it was still as strong as its men were willing to continue engaging in the war for the benefits of its people. Away from battlefields, the photograph is a celebration of freedom, freedom from the war and its consequences. In addition, it is a celebration of freedom by engaging in activities that promote the wellbeing of citizens. The photograph is also depicts the promotion of health and vigour. Engaging in in these masculine activities such as swimming against the waves is considered as major promoter of health. During the wars, men had been subjected to harsh living conditions in camps, the sites were characterized by massive death and this meant that there was need to engage in activities that could not only relax the body and mind but also ensure that the promotion of health.44 Australia, through its ocean and beaches provided a perfect platform for such activities. This is because it is a portrayal of the level of willingness to engage in a relatively dangerous activity despite the probable consequences. The Australian male participants in the photograph act without any form of hesitation, which is an indication of their level of readiness to engage in activities, aimed at protecting and enhancing the wellbeing of the nation. In addition, through the looming threat of the Second World War was also an indication of the need to have a male population capable of confronting attacks by an enemy state.45 Aesthetically, Dupain uses black and white photographs in capturing the essence of the event. In the photograph, it is possible to spot lifesavers that are defined by their masculinity and the urge to swimming against the tide. The slopping land define the direction the lifesavers are heading towards, as the two main swimmers on the foreground of the photograph wearing similar costumes advance without fear. The swimmers are defined by their body shape, the intensity of their stride whose composition is evocative of the classical sculptural from. The ability of the photographer to capture the swimmers in motion is also an essential aesthetic element. Bibliography Banting, E Australia. New York: Crabtree, 2003. Beaumont, J, Broken Nation: Australians in the Great War. Crows Nest, A: Allen & Unwin, 2013. Crombie, I, Body culture: Max Dupain, photography and Australian culture, 1919-1939. Mulgrave, Victoria: Images Publishing Group, 2004. Dupain, M and Dupain, R, Inside Sydney. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland Publishers, 2004 Dupain, M, Max Dupain's Australia, Viking, Australia, 1986, p.144 Jupp, J, The Australian people: An encyclopedia of the nation, its people and their origins. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2001 Moon, J, and Sharman, C, Australian politics and government: the commonwealth, the states and the territories. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Nauright, J and Parrish, C, Sports around the world: history, culture, and practice. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Newton, Gael, 'Max Dupain, photographs 1928-1980', The David Ell Press Pty. Ltd. Sydney, 1980, p.62 Rolls, M, and Johnson, M, Historical dictionary of Australian Aborigines. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2011. Ward, S Australia and the British embrace: The demise of the imperial ideal. Carlton South, Vic: Melbourne Univ. Press, 2001. Warshaw, Matt, The history of surfing. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2010. Read More