NARRATIVE SEXUALITY
„The only thing I am obliged to, is to live fully and properly, meaning that I do what I want to do, meet and love the people I like, and not waste time on things unnecessary” says Sarah Saudek. How could one not like her instantly? One couldn’t. She’s got to be liked.
The artist is presented in “Biuletyn Fotograficzny” (11/2005) in the magazine’s “Photography by Women” series, and the photograph on the cover promises an interesting conversation. Not just because Saudek is Saudek’s partner, but because the person, emerging from photographs and statements, is clearly so cool.
“Somewhere-around-Saudek-like”
is what Sarah Saudek’s photographs, quite naturally, seem to be. But they are different, although, similarly to the master’s art – intriguing, with a large dose of a specific atmosphere.
The kissing pair on the magazine’s cover can serve as a showcase of the artist’s sensitivity and her perception of the world. To be precise – of people, that is, putting it bluntly – of herself.
People are the main topic of her short (I like that) one-picture stories. The sexuality of Sarah Saudek’s photographs is direct, typically “saudek-like”, yet more subtle, more... narrative, so to speak.
It seems that each picture is at the same time an open frame, and a closed frame, a frame from a film, taking place in the meantime, but actually not that difficult to watch.
All of the photographs are beautiful “story-tellers”: the woman, cuddling a huge pregnant belly; the two “after”, in their nakedness and loneliness; as well as the picture of the mixed, undressed company, pulling the rope with an indifferent furry dog in the foreground. One can tell his/her own punch line to each story – one can, or even should, as these are moving tales. Of course, one can refrain to just looking, but then it’s sad to limit oneself, especially when the artist herself declares a “no limits” attitude.
Because above all that Sarah likes being everywhere, doing a lot of things, and not having regrets about what she does, with whom, and how. A certain courage can be depicted in her works, and in answers to Inez Baturo’s questions.
There were
fifteen of them. During a one-day visit in Bielsko-Biała Sarah spoke shortly about her book, managing her husband Jan Saudek, and about herself, the differences between them, about the references to Renaissance painting. About all that is significant. About photographing herself in intimate situations, but also about moral censorship. And she talks about all this in a very simple manner, as if joyfully. While reading the article, it’s worth to note what the artist thinks of digital photography: she prefers traditional cameras, because “the digital camera is too perfect, boring, simple. It’s suitable for men...” (sic!)
Charming, is it not?
Due to her natural modesty, the interviewee closes the interview with the following confession: “Yes, I am a wild and sensitive, mysterious and romantic, and a very independent girl – a horrid combination, isn’t it?” Many would like to have a go at such a combination. In photography as well.
After such a dose of pulsing life it’s time to
indulge
in theory. Having read the interview (the renaissance themes), and having seen several (merely) photographs, it would be worth to mention a certain theory of a certain (independent) thinker. Osho said once: “Photography will never be like a painted picture. Regardless of how correctly and artistically it’s taken – it will always remain solely a reflection of the outer appearance (...). No camera can look inside the soul.” And truly, Sarah Saudek’s photographs do not peek as deeply inside as that, but nevertheless they give a substantial knowledge about people and the world. A knowledge which is probably not as optimistic (seemingly) as the photographs’ author.
Osho believes, that “photographs are beautiful, but dead (...) a painting is alive, because it depicts souls with all their moods, their richness, at all seasons.” In his reflections the artist used a bamboo forest as an example. After having examined it for years, he painted a truly living picture. Therefore – sure, we can admire the photographs, but are we able to find life itself in Saudek’s staged pictures? Hmm...
We won’t find Osho’s words in the latest “Biuletyn...”, but he wasn’t the only one searching for life in photography. What we do find is a quote from Jean Beaudrillard: “Then objective magic of photography comes from the fact that the object has done all the work. Naturally, photographers will never admit it, claiming that all originality has it’s source in inspiration and their own photographic interpretation of the world.” Magic – non-magic, life – non-life, photographs are a type of information! Art as art should be experienced by people. And it should convey experiences to the benefit of the viewer. In the light of the above mentioned point of view, words written by Andrzej P. Bator, a philosopher of photography, take on a special meaning: “Ideal photography would be based equally on a subjective vision of the objective world, and the consciousness of the medium used.”
Let us now return to Sarah Saudek, whose subjective photographs are, as a matter of fact, alive in a way which colours the black and white monthly.
Saudek said that she does not feel limited by “time, people, obligation or fashion”. And that’s a perfect punch line. For everything.
Now we should just take the example, take again, and give it out to others.
Miłka O. Malzahn
Translated by Michał Kwiatkowski
Discussed journals: Biuletyn Fotograficzny