Andreas Gursky

In observing Andreas Gursky’s DeadPan Style photographs, I find it interesting how this appears to be an exact representation of his initial resilience to becoming a photographer himself as his father and grandfather both were. The contrast between DeadPan style and his father’s style of commercial photography is so glaring because the latter seeks to be purely representational and illustrate a clear narrative, whereas the former focuses of the functions of basic photography and gives a feeling of emotional detachment and formality. This idea of detachment can be seen in Gursky’s photograph of individuals relaxing around a pool by the sea, versus actually relaxing by the sea and enjoying the landscape. I feel there is a great amount of irony to this, but an accurate depiction of society’s tendency to ignore its surroundings and build unnecessary facilities to “enhance” they enjoyment of nature. By attempting to create these enhancements, we instead obscure and detach ourselves from what was intended to draw us there in the first place.

Another feature I feel that is important to Gursky’s work is the attention to detail within seemingly simple photos. The monumental size of the photographs invited the viewer to observe the scene as a whole, but in examining the photo in closer detail, the composition suddenly explodes with activity and it completely alters its perception, as can be illustrated by his work Charles de Gaulle Airport. While this composition appears as if any amateur photographer could have taken it, this photo is intentional, in my opinion, through both its composition and the immense detail in every section of the photo, which is enhanced by its large scale. This large scale photography plays on the duality of both calling attention to details and the subject as a whole.