My work in progress took quite a turn during my first module of the MA. Due to COVID19, I was unable to visit families in their homes as initially planned. I therefore decided whilst I was in isolation for 12 weeks minimum due to ill health I would practice a new skill. Something I had always loved the look of but never got round to trying was the art of still life photography. I have had an interest for quite some time. Different objects within the image would have different meanings such as a feather, a candle flame, an extinguished candle, certain bugs, etc.
What exactly is "still life" photography? By definition, still life is the art of photographing inanimate objects which can be natural (flowers, food, plants, rocks, etc) or man-made (books, vases, glasses, jewelry) typically arranged in small groups. The French refer to it as “nature morte” or dead nature.
Books are easy, they mean learning or transmitting of knowledge. The candle also has lots of meanings. It can indicate the passing of time, faith in God (when it's burning). When extinguished, it means death, or the loss of virginity, and the corruption of matter. It can symbolize light in the darkness of a lonely individual, or the light of Christ, purification or cleansing.
the apple has many meanings. It can signify love, knowledge, wisdom, joy, and death. In religious works, it usually means temptation and original sin. The apple is also associated with a woman’s anatomy, breasts in particular, and then the core of the halved apple representing her sexuality.
artichokes, asparagus, and strawberries were, for their part, symbolic of the fruits of Paradise or Heaven.
The bee, as well as the butterfly, are symbols of hope and are a reminder to the fragility of life.
Birds or a pair of birds represent the resurrection of the soul after death.
The cat: usually meant illicit love. In medieval times the cat represented lust and prostitution. But in later paintings, it was included as a provider of a peaceful and enjoyable company. For centuries cats are considered mysterious, beautiful, and exotic.
The clock means the passing of time.
Feathers symbolize the virtues of hope, faith, and charity (in religious works), and they represent freedom (by enabling flight) and the heavens.
Flowers have long been included as a still life subject. Different flowers hold different meanings. They can symbolize innocence, the four seasons, or religious symbols. The rose, for instance, stands for love, the lily for purity, and the sunflower for devotion. This is a subject for another article as it is huge.
The link attached explains in more depth the symbolism of different items/object.
I wanted the first module to be about my mother who recently passed away. I was able to gather many things belonging to her from childhood and also from her grandparents which had been handed down through the generations.
Attached is a link that will take you to Volume One. Mum x along with a PDF version of the work in progress photography along with my research project proposal.