Looking at the work of Peter Fraser

I have recently been reflecting on the work I did for assignment 3 and the ways in which this could be improved.  My tutor mentioned that I might like to look at the work of Peter Fraser especially in relation to a different look at the relationships people have with places.

Fraser is a contemporary fine art photographer.  Colour plays a huge role in his work as it does in that of his peers Martin Parr and Paul Graham.  His still lifes are found not constructed.  His focus is on what he finds, the matter of the world and the status of 'things'.  His subjects range from the ordinary which he elevates to the extraordinary.  We see the Welsh countryside its sheds and animals.  We see everyday household objects like light bulbs and wires and cardboard boxes.  

Fraser comes from an engineering background which may go some way to explaining his obsessive focus on what we would term the unusual subjects that appear in his work.  In Material 2002 we see an array of metal types and shapes.  It is difficult to make out what some of them are at first, it looks like paint and mercury.  

After studying photography Fraser worked alongside William Eggleston in the US and it is clear to see the influence the great master of colour had on him.  In the 1980s Fraser was working exclusively in colour when many other photographers were still not convinced of its benefits. Of course the exception to this was Martin Parr and Paul Graham who were both strong advocates for the added qualities colour brings to an image.  

A City in the Mind is his most recent body of work which is currently being exhibited at the Tate St Ive's.  This is his take on London and it is like no other I have seen.  I found this especially interesting as I live and photograph in London a lot.  In this body of work we do not see any other usual landmarks or places we would expect to see.  Instead we are introduced to the London in Fraser's mind.  It is allusive and dark world - one we are not familiar with.

The project was inspired by Marco Polo with Fraser setting out to create an imagined 'city in the mind'.  What we get is his poetic vision of the city.  Its subjects ranges from antiquated models that resemble artefacts from a museum and we also see rather grand subjects like gold chairs and chandeliers which hint at the wonderful palaces the city is home to.

This use of the things that we often overlook to represent the city is intriguing and opens the door to numerous opportunities.  I'm not sure how far I will explore this idea of an imagined city or place but it is worth considering for my assignment 4 submission.  Unlike Fraser I am probably not 100% happy to work exclusively in this mode but I do believe that some of this type pf work could add more weight and power to a selection of images which aims to inform about a place.

We can see more of Peter Fraser's work on his website and also a video where he discusses the project in more detail.

Peter Fraser - http://www.peterfraser.net/

Video - http://www.peterfraser.net/?p=490