Subject:

Unit:
Assignment:
1.

Graphic Design and Photography

Photographic Techniques
Identity: Text and Image

Recognise a range of applications of photography

1.1 Research and analyse the work of others using photography for different
purposes

Corrine Day
Corrine Day was a British photographer famous for her 1993
set of portraits of Kate Moss for Vogue magazine; bringing
Moss to the forefront of the modelling world. Born in 1965
Day began as a model herself, for catalogues, but soon
turned to photographing her colleagues instead. Self-taught
her work was based mainly around the world of fashion, but
brought to it a more hard-edged documentary look, including
as it did a more informal, confrontational and confessional
approach to the photography1.
Figure A: Corrine Day (Anon., 2007)

As well as being regularly commissioned by British, Italian

and Japanese Vogue her work was exhibited in galleries and museums in London and New
York. These included the National Portrait Gallery (2007), Victoria & Albert Museum
(2000/2001), Tate Modern (2002), Saatchi Gallery (1994),
The Science Museum (2004), The Design Museum (2002);
Gimpel Fils, London (various dates); and as part of The
Andy Warhol exhibition at the Whitney Museum NY2.
I found it difficult to get excited about the photographs of
Day. Accomplished and cutting edge they may be, my eye
glides over them looking for the ones that contain fun and
frivolity, or photographs that make me question what I am
seeing.

Figure B: Kate Moss by Corrine Day

(Kennedy, 2007)

(V&A, n.d.)
(Anon., 2007)
Photograpers.docx
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Jennifer Gourley

Subject:
Unit:
Assignment:

Graphic Design and Photography

Photographic Techniques
Identity: Text and Image

Claude Cahun
I first came across the photographs of Claude Cahun, born Lucy
Schwob in 1894, as part of the Modern Lens exhibition at the Tate,
St Ives, in November 2014. Claude Cahun stood out with her
photographs which challenged the viewer to look and look again;
questioning what you see; is that really two arms coming out of a
post? (I extend my arms); tiny dolls on a plant? Her self-portraits
too I find quite compelling, asking myself why did she pose like
that?, what is the arrangement of black cord telling us, is it
symbolic or just detritus of
the sea?
Even without delving into

Figure C: I extend my arms (1931

or 1932) (Tate Gallery, n.d.)

her biography it is obvious Claude Cahun uses her

photographs to explore the meaning of gender and
identity: Linking her to artists today such as Sarah
Lucas (b. 1962).
Unlike Corrine Day,
who encourages her
subjects to be as
unconstrained as
Figure D: Claude Cahun, Self Portrait
(c.1930) (Anon., 2009)

possible, often
chatting to them as
takes her

photographs, on viewing a selection of Cahuns

photographs it becomes obvious each is carefully
structured, each prop or accessory having an individual
role of its own.
This exploration of identity is in sharp contrast to other
photographers in the Modern Lens exhibition; such as
Harry Callahan (b. 1912). His photographs, while

Figure E: Self-portrait with Fried Eggs, 1996

(Saatchi Gallery, 2014)

technically up with the greats, seemed to do little more

than reinforce current stereotypes and norms, especially with regard to women. His
photographs raised the question, when does art become pornography?
Photograpers.docx

Page 2 of 3

Jennifer Gourley

Subject:
Unit:
Assignment:

Graphic Design and Photography

Photographic Techniques
Identity: Text and Image

References
Anon., 2007. Corrine Day Biography. [Online]
Available at: http://www.corinneday.co.uk/bio.php
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
Anon., 2009. Claude Cahun, Self Portrait, 1930. [Online]
Available at: http://icpbardmfa.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/enter/03_claude-cahun/
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
Fils, G., n.d. Corrine Day. [Online]
Available at: http://www.gimpelfils.com/pages/artists/artist.php?artistindex=20&subsec=2
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
Kennedy, M., 2007. Portraying Kate Moss, a study in conversation. [Online]
Available at: http://www.corinneday.co.uk/press.php?id=14&action=read
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
Saatchi Gallery, 2014. Sarah Lucas Exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery. [Online]
Available at: http://www.saatchigallery.com/aipe/sarah_lucas.htm
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
Searle, A., 1994. Photography: Behind the Mask. [Online]
Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/photography--behind-themask-who-was-claude-cahun-man-woman-or-member-of-the-third-sex-adrian-searlereviews-the-genderbending-surrealist-photographer-1444902.html
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
Tate Gallery, n.d. Claude Cahun, 1894 - 1954. [Online]
Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/claude-cahun-10611
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
this is tomorrow, 2011. Claude Cahun. [Online]
Available at: http://thisistomorrow.info/articles/claude-cahun
[Accessed 8th December 2014].
V&A, n.d. Georgina, Brixton. [Online]
Available at: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O83171/georgina-brixton-photograph-daycorinne/
[Accessed 8th December 2014].

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