Leeds Art Gallery Project Nov 2016
Artist: John Hilliard
Artwork: December Water Who is John Hilliard?
•“John Hilliard studied sculpture at St. Martin’s School of Art and he first used photography as a means of recording his work in that medium. However, he grew tired of taking photographs of his constructed steel sculpture and decided to make photography itself his subject. An important part of his photographic work has been the time sequence, where an image can be altered by using different speeds and apertures in the camera.” –Leeds Art Fund
About the work
'December Waters’ is a collection of three photographic prints created in 1976 by John Hilliard.
Each print measures 57 x 38 cm
These works are currently exhibited in the Leeds Art Gallery
Observations:
Landscape images taken in portrait orientation
Prints are framed in a black frame and off-white/cream mount (this makes the snow look even whiter and ‘cleaner’
The prints are mounted below eye-level
The main title is in capitals where as sub-titles are all lower case, italics.
These images all work really well as a triptych, possibly better than individual images
Text helps to create the atmosphere of the image, e.g. “hanging grey” makes the viewer feel the weight of the air – gives a specific ‘feel’ to the image.
The work uses depth of field to draw the viewers attention to a certain focal point on the image. This is then accentuated by the text accompanying the work:
E.g. ‘frozen white’ draws your attention to the white snow in the middle image which is where the focal point of the image lies.
All three prints use the same monochromatic colours and are taken from the same perspective (very low down by the edge of a river looking out into a snow covered field).
Three main colours: Black (mud), White (Snow), Grey (sky)
The main colour/focal point in each image relates to it’s individual title
Use of texture within the work: Smooth bubbles, harsh grass & snow, soft, foggy mountains and horizon
What is a Triptych?
A Triptych is a set of three images that work together as a set.
In western art this idea started in the medieval period, particularly in churches
Holy trinity (three)
A set of three images that tell a story (one centre piece and two side pieces)
Typically used to express biblical stories
Story often reads left to right
Questions
Why use portrait orientation to show a landscape?
Where were the images taken?
How were the images shot?
(e.g. what camera / lens was used? Presumably film)
What is the context?
Why were they printed?
Why black and white?
How does the text impact the viewer?
Research
John Hilliard 1999, n.p.: Salamanca : Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, 1999., Leeds Beckett University Library Catalogue, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 November 2016.
City Library: 770.92 HIL
Foundation, H.M. (1972) John Hilliard. Available at: https://www.henry-moore.org/archives-and-library/... (Accessed: 29 November 2016).
(No Date) Available at: https://www.henry-moore.org/archives-and-library/... (Accessed: 29 November 2016).
Bickers, P, & Nusser, U 1999, John Hilliard, n.p.: Manchester : Cornerhouse, 1999., Leeds Beckett University Library Catalogue, EBSCOhost, viewed 29 November 2016.
City Library: 709.2 HIL
