Jerry Uelsmann and Contemporary Digital Photography: Jungian Images of ‘Photoshop’s Godfather’

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu15.2023.207

Abstract

In the article, the researcher made a comprehensive study the American photographer Jerry Uelsmann art as a kind of contemporary digital photo-surrealism “prehistory”. The author revealed connections of Jerry Uelsmann works with American modernist photography and historical surrealist photography. The researcher analyzed the structure of Jerry Uelsmann’s hybrid images in the context of the ideas of analytical psychology, and also outlined the themes and concepts proposed in the works of the photographer that would be relevant in contemporary digital photography. The study showed that Jerry Uelsmann art continued the traditions of American modernist photography and started a new, post-modernist period in the development of photographic art in the United States characterized by the use of photography as a tool of self-knowledge and philosophical expression. Jerry Uelsmann applied such important for the historical Surrealist photography conceptions as convulsive beauty, the principle of “encounter of images”, surreality. He used experimental techniques (negative print, solarization, photomontage) and aimed to demonstrate the limitless creative possibilities of photography as well as the Surrealists. Uelsmann appealed to archetypal images which provided his works by intellectual simplicity and external showiness that contributed to the popularity of his photomontages and their strong influence on the development of contemporary manipulative photography. Uelsmann set a kind of “standard” for photo-Surrealism of the late 20th–21st centuries: these are technically perfect photomontages that require a high level of professional skills and time expenditure. Many of Jerry Uelsmann’s motives and ideas found parallels in contemporary digital photography. Among their common features it’s possible to single out concentration on the inner world of the person, interest in archetypes and symbols, the desire to poeticize nature, and the introduction of elements of mass culture into hybrid images.

Keywords:

Jerry Uelsmann, surrealism, modernism, postmodernism, American photography, post-visualization, photographic manipulations, photomontage, digital photography, archetypes

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
 

References

Литература

1. Полевой, Вадим. Искусство XX века. 1901–1945. М.: Искусство, 1991.

2. Uelsmann, Jerry N.“About”. The official web-site of Jerry N. Uelsmann. Accessed May 10, 2021. https://www.uelsmann.net/about.php.

3. Bunnell, Peter C. Jerry N. Uelsmann. Millerton, NY: Aperture, 1970.

4. Bunnell, Peter C. Jerry Uelsmann: Silver Meditations. New York: Morgan & Morgan, 1975.

5. Enyeart, James L. Jerry N.Uelsmann — Twenty-five Years: A Retrospective. Boston, MA: New York Graphic Society, 1982.

6. Uelsmann, Jerry N. Process and Perception. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1985.

7. Coleman, Allan Douglass. Jerry Uelsmann: Photo Synthesis. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1992.

8. Bunnell, Peter C., and Paul Karabanis. Jerry Uelsmann: Other Realities. New York, NY: Bullfinch Press, 2005.

9. Proger, Philipp. The Mind’s Eye: Photographs by Jerry Uelsmann. San Francisco, CA: Modernbook Editions, 2010.

10. Uelsmann, Jerry N. Dances with Negatives. Carmel, CA: Center for Photographic Art, 2011.

11. McCusker, Carol. Uelsmann Untitled: A Retrospective. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2014.

12. Яснов, Михаил, сост. Поэзия французского сюрреализма: антология. СПб.: Амфора, 2003.

13. Никишенко, Никифор. “Фотомонтаж навеки. ‘Крестный отец’ Photoshop’a”. KIНТ. Дата обращения май 10, 2021. https://cont.ws/@niknik/417579/full.

14. Petersén, Moa. “Small Woods Where I Met Myself: Jerry Uelsmann’s departure from straight photography”. In Bild och natur: Tio konstvetenskapliga betraktelser, 41–65. Lund: Lund University Press, 2018.

15. Fineman, Mia. Faking It: Manipulated Photography before Photoshop. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012.

16. Шик, Ида. “Сюрреалистическая фотография 1920-х — 1970-х гг.: ключевые концепции и проблемы”. Дис. канд. иск., Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет, 2018.

17. Goysdotter, Moa. Impure Vision: American Staged Photography of the 1970s. Lund: Nordic Academic Press, 2013.

18. Uelsmann, Jerry N.“Post-visualization”. The official web-site of Jerry N. Uelsmann. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://www.uelsmann.net/_img/writing/post-visualization.pdf.

19. Левашов, Владимир. Лекции по истории фотографии. М.: Тримедиа контент, 2012.

20. Hirsch, Robert. “Maker of Photographs: Jerry Uelsmann”. Photovision: Art & Technique. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://www.aesthetocracy.com/photovisionmagazine/articles/uelsmann.html.

21. Uelsmann, Jerry N. Referencing Art. Tucson, AZ: Nazraeli Press, 2004.

22. Garner, Grethen. Disappearing Witness: Change in Twentieth-Century American Photography. Baltimore; London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003.

23. Maher, Chris, and Larry Berman. “Jerry Uelsmann Interview”. Berman Graphic. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://bermangraphics.com/press/jerry-uelsmann.htm.

24. Юнг, К.Г., М.-Л.фон Франц, Дж.Л.Хендерсон, И.Якоби, и А.Яффе. Человек и его символы. Пер. Сергея Сидоренко и др. 5-е изд. М.: Медков С.Б.; Серебряные нити, 2016.

25. Feuеrstein, Georg. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy. Boston; London: Shambala, 1998.

26. Элиаде, Мирча. Мефистофель и андрогин. Пер. Е.В.Баевской, О.В.Давтян, науч. ред. С.С.Тавашерния. СПб.: Алетейя, 1998.

27. Юнг, Карл Густав. Душа и миф: шесть архетипов. Пер. В.В.Наукманова под общ. ред. А.А.Юдина. Киев: Гос. б-ка Украины для юношества, 1996.

28. Юнг, Карл Густав. Символы трансформации. Пер. и предисл. Валерия Зеленского. М.: АСТ, 2008.

29. Юнг, Карл Густав. Аналитическая психология: Прошлое и настоящее. Предисл. Алексея Руткевича, послесл. Валерия Зеленского. М.: Мартис, 1995.

30. Деникин, Антон. Цифровая фотография и современное искусство. М.: Нестор-История, 2016.

31. Mitchell, William J. The Reconfigured Eye. Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era. Cambridge, MA; London: MIT Press, 1994.

32. Ritchin, Fred. After Photography. New York: W.W.Norton & Company Inc., 2009.

33. Руйе, Андре. Фотография. Между документом и современным искусством. СПб.: Клаудбери, 2014.

34. Batchen, Geoffrey. Each Wild Idea: Writing, Photography, History. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001.

35. Manovich, Lev. “The Paradoxes of Digital Photography”. In Photography after Photography. Exhibition catalog. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://manovich.net/index.php/projects/paradoxes-of-digital-photography.

36. Шик, Ида. “Современная ‘сюрреальная’ фотография как эстетический феномен”. В сб. Первый Российский эстетический конгресс, 17–19 октября 2018, Санкт-Петербург. Доклады и выступления, 454–63. СПб.: Российское эстетическое общество, 2018.

References

1. Polevoi, Vadim. Art of the 20th Century. 1901–1945. Moscow: Iskusstvo Publ., 1991. (In Russian)

2. Uelsmann, Jerry N.“About”. The official web-site of Jerry N. Uelsmann. Accessed May 10, 2021. https://www.uelsmann.net/about.php.

3. Bunnell, Peter C. Jerry N. Uelsmann. Millerton, NY: Aperture, 1970.

4. Bunnell, Peter C. Jerry Uelsmann: Silver Meditations. New York: Morgan & Morgan, 1975.

5. Enyeart, James L. Jerry N.Uelsmann — Twenty-five Years: A Retrospective. Boston, MA: New York Graphic Society, 1982.

6. Uelsmann, Jerry N. Process and Perception. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1985.

7. Coleman, Allan Douglass. Jerry Uelsmann: Photo Synthesis. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 1992.

8. Bunnell, Peter C., and Paul Karabanis. Jerry Uelsmann: Other Realities. New York, NY: Bullfinch Press, 2005.

9. Proger, Philipp. The Mind’s Eye: Photographs by Jerry Uelsmann. San Francisco, CA: Modernbook Editions, 2010.

10. Uelsmann, Jerry N. Dances with Negatives. Carmel, CA: Center for Photographic Art, 2011.

11. McCusker, Carol. Uelsmann Untitled: A Retrospective. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2014.

12. Iasnov, Mikhail, comp. Poetry of French Surrealism: Anthology. St Petersburg: Amfora Publ., 2003. (In Russian)

13. Nikishenko, Nikifor. “Photomontage Forever. ‘The Godfather’of Photoshop”. KIНТ.Accessed May 10, 2021. https://cont.ws/@niknik/417579/full. (In Russian)

14. Petersén, Moa. “Small Woods Where I Met Myself: Jerry Uelsmann’s departure from straight photography”. In Bild och natur: Tio konstvetenskapliga betraktelser, 41–65. Lund: Lund University Press, 2018.

15. Fineman, Mia. Faking It: Manipulated Photography before Photoshop. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012.

16. Shik, Ida. “Surrealist Photography of the 1920s — 1970s: the Key Concepts and Problems”. PhD thesis, St Petersburg State University, 2018. (In Russian and English)

17. Goysdotter, Moa. Impure Vision: American Staged Photography of the 1970s. Lund: Nordic Academic Press, 2013.

18. Uelsmann, Jerry N.“Post-visualization”. The official web-site of Jerry N. Uelsmann. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://www.uelsmann.net/_img/writing/post-visualization.pdf.

19. Levashov, Vladimir. Lectures on History of Photography. Moscow, Trimedia-kontent Publ., 2012. (In Russian)

20. Hirsch, Robert. “Maker of Photographs: Jerry Uelsmann”. Photovision: Art & Technique. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://www.aesthetocracy.com/photovisionmagazine/articles/uelsmann.html.

21. Uelsmann, Jerry N. Referencing Art. Tucson, AZ: Nazraeli Press, 2004.

22. Garner, Grethen. Disappearing Witness: Change in Twentieth-Century American Photography. Baltimore; London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003.

23. Maher, Chris, and Larry Berman. “Jerry Uelsmann Interview”. Berman Graphic. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://bermangraphics.com/press/jerry-uelsmann.htm.

24. Jung, C.G., M.-L.von Franz, J.L.Henderson, J.Jacobi, and A.Jaffé. Man and His Symbols. Rus. ed. Transl. by Sergei Sidorenko et al. 5th ed. Moscow: Medkov S.B. Publ.; Serebrianye niti Publ., 2016. (In Russian)

25. Feuеrstein, Georg. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy. Boston; London: Shambala, 1998.

26. Eliade, Mircea. Mephistopheles and the Androgyne. Rus. ed. Transl. by E.V.Baevskaiia, O.V.Davtian, sci. ed. S. S.Tavasherniia. St Petersburg, Aleteiia Publ., 1998. (In Russian)

27. Jung, Carl Gustav. Soul and Myth: Six Archetypes. Rus. ed. Transl. by V.V.Naukmanov under general ed. by A.A.Iudin. Kiev: Gosudarstvennaia biblioteka Ukrainy dlia iunoshestva, 1996. (In Russian)

28. Jung, Carl Gustav. Symbols of Transformation. Rus. ed. Transl. and introd. by Valerii Zelenskii. Moscow: AST Publ., 2008. (In Russian)

29. Jung, Carl Gustav. Analytical Psychology: Past and Present. Rus. ed. Introd. by Aleksei Rutkevich, afterword by Valerii Zelenskii. Moscow: Martis Publ., 1995. (In Russian)

30. Denikin, Anton. Digital Photography and Contemporary Art. Moscow: Nestor-Istoriia Publ., 2016. (In Russian)

31. Mitchell, William J. The Reconfigured Eye. Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era. Cambridge, MA; London: MIT Press, 1994.

32. Ritchin, Fred. After Photography. New York: W.W.Norton & Company Inc., 2009.

33. Rouillé, André. Photography: Between Document and Contemporary Art. Rus. ed. Transl. by Marina Mikhailova. St Petersburg: Klaudberi Publ., 2014. (In Russian)

34. Batchen, Geoffrey. Each Wild Idea: Writing, Photography, History. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001.

35. Manovich, Lev. “The Paradoxes of Digital Photography”. In Photography after Photography. Exhibition catalog. Accessed May 10, 2021. http://manovich.net/index.php/projects/paradoxes-of-digital-photography.

36. Shik, Ida. “Contemporary ‘Surreal’ Photography as Aesthetical Phenomenon”. In First Russian Aesthetic Congress, October 17–19, 2018, St Petersburg. Reports and speeches, 454–63. St Petersburg: Rossiiskoe esteticheskoe obshchestvo Publ., 2018. (In Russian)

Downloads

Published

2023-06-30

How to Cite

Shik, I. A. (2023). Jerry Uelsmann and Contemporary Digital Photography: Jungian Images of ‘Photoshop’s Godfather’. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Arts, 13(2), 326–343. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu15.2023.207

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2023)

Section

Visual arts

License

Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Arts" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.