The “Invention” and Variation of Documentary Photography: "Faint Light, Dark Shadow" and History of Taiwanese Photography as a Clue
Lecturer: Shih-Lun Chang l Critic and Researcher
Time: Saturday, April 29, 2017, 14: 30-17: 00
Venue: TFAM Auditorium
Co-panelist: Wei-I Lee l Editor in Chief, Voices of Photography
Synopsis
Realistic photography has a long history in Taiwan, serving as a kind of genealogy of image-making. But more political/sociological “documentary photography” only unambiguously appeared in the 1990s around the lifting of martial law, gradually becoming a major approach to photography in Taiwan. Nonetheless, no consensus has yet been reached on its definition. This lecture attempts to present a socially-oriented, open exposition of documentary photography within the context of Taiwanese photography’s overall evolution. Beginning with a discussion of the political magazine Renjian and early opposition photographers, it broadly considers the gradual appearance of “post-Renjian” documentary photography, typified by both individual expression and social orientation. Referencing the exhibition “Faint Light, Dark Shadows,” it attempts to explore the possible connections (or disconnections) between documentation and contemporary photography or art.
Shih-Lun Chang is an art critic, a photography researcher and a Ph.D. Candidate from the Centre for Cultural Studies at Goldsmith College, University of London. His articles has been published in various journals such as "Voices of Photography” and "Art Critique of Taiwan". He's also the translator of "Another Way of Telling: A Possible Theory of Photography" (John Berger & Jean Mohr) and "The Photograph as Contemporary Art" (Charlotte Cotton). Chang’s research interests include history of visual culture, contemporary art, music critique, film studies, and the relationship between cold war and artistic modernity. He is currently working on a long-term project regarding the history of Taiwanese photography.
For further information: www.tfam.museum