Interpretations of being

• Main Author: Loh, Clifford Qi Zhi
• Other Authors: Ang Song Nian
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Visual arts and music
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/68597
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

"In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all life presents as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation." - (Debord G, 2009) How do we derive a concrete definition of the word 'photograph' now that the nature of photography has changed so fundamentally with the ever-advancing digitization of the medium over recent decades? We live in a generation characterised by dynamism and rapid change, our lived experiences mediated through digital screens and images. The ability for image-makers and consumers to establish a critical position towards photography is thus crucial. What is clear is that the use, value and significance of photography have reached an important transitional stage as Guy Debord confers of the spectacle — a social relation among people, mediated by images. It is no longer about a collection of images but one that has evolved to increasingly define our perception of life itself, the way we relate to others and our being. The principal foundations of image making results in a context in which clouded judgement and careless appreciation shape how we perceive imagery in contemporary society. The final work entitled Interpretations of Being will challenge and bring into question how the image can be defined in a world where the photograph plays an integral role in mediating with our perceived notions of reality. Elucidating our positions of reality thus allows us to make more thorough and meaningful observations. It is with hope that this project will lead us into a point of discernment for the things we see around us and imbue more meaning to our notions of authenticity.