At The Forefront

What is it that puts work at the forefront? In art it could be said that nothing is new. But the process of using something 'old' to make something 'new' could be a simple definition of creativity which is what results in work considered to be 'at the forefront' . So work that looks at a well known theme from a new perspective, or that pushes the practice forward with new techniques or technologies will be at the cutting edge, or forefront.

We need to be able to show knowledge and understanding of work in the forefront of our field. We also need to be able to see how that work connects or relates to our own.
I like to think that these criteria are built into the way I work with this blog. I am constantly looking out for new ideas, new techniques, new artists in the creative field, in which light I consider my own work.
I read reviews in journals, newspapers and on social media and go to lots of exhibitions. The photographers' Gallery and University exhibitions are good for new graduates' exhibitions.
 Social media is particularly good for seeing new cutting edge work. I look at curated sites for contemporary artists like www.axisweb.org and flavorwire.com which is a site for cultural news and commentary. Another good source of forefront work is sites for DIY publication of photography like DIYor die which is an open submission site.

Work that I have been looking at recently is in new exhibitions. For example:

Gilbert and George have launched a new Exhibition 'Scapegoating Pictures for London' at the White Cube Gallery. They act like modern day Hogarths in the way that they document and represent the modern urban environment of London, where they live.
In the curator's notes at the White Cube Gilbert and George's work is described as having a 'Tireless, emotional and profound engagement with the viewer and the modern world'
Although these two have been making work for decades, they still remain at the forefront as they produce fresh perspectives with every exhibition. They represent what is happening in the streets around them and record changes and new trends, like the changing demographic of the residents, drug use and violence.

This image features the two artists looking on at what they see in their neighbourhood: the typically 'English' menu at the Astro Star cafe, the women in burkas, and the laughing gas canisters thrown into the street. This image is set out in a rigid grid and is manipulated into a balanced, symmetrical form.
In my work, I force symbolic objects from my own life  into a symmetrical pattern on the image. It is almost a way of controlling the unpleasant or threatening elements, making them submit. I can draw this similarity between the work of Gilbert and George and my own. Another similarity is the idea of using a subject and materials that are taken directly form our personal surroundings.