ARU BA Photography | Rhianna Hill
"For my project I chose the topic of Politics in the Genre Still Life. I wanted to look into previous, more traditional styles of still life in order to enhance my understanding of the photographic style and develop an understanding of its key patterns and semiotics.
I am specifically looking into LGBTQ+ issues as this is an important subject to me, and was wondering how I could reflect it in Still Life. I want to use the odd contrast between the older art form of still life with up-to-date matters to almost unsettle viewers - as well as make older generations understand it."
"Fruit, Doorian and Mangosteen, Tavoy", Tavoy, Myanmar, photograph made by Louis Allan Goss. MAA N.98255.GOS
Louis Allan Goss
"There isn't a lot about Louis Allan Goss online - from what I could find, Goss was a British school inspector working in Rangoon, Burma. He largely contributed to the earliest photographs (taken in 1860) in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology's collection - when searching the photographer's anme, 583 results come up. His other photographs seem to consist of documentary work. He also worked for the Bombay trading company in Rangoon. Therefore one can assume the significance of the fruit in this image is connected to Goss' relationship with South-East Asia."
Final image
"The photograph is in reflection of Louis Allan Goss' still life negative, following the topic of LGBTQ+ issues."
Plate with Bananas, Oranges, Mandarins and Cherries
Cambridge, UK, 17 March 2022
Photograph by Rhianna Hill