Photographers Response by Chris Pearce

Venessa Beercroft uses conceptual issues and aesthetic concerns in her work. Her performance artwork usually involves nude female models and her work is recorded by film or photographed. Her performances have been viewed as fashionable, provocative, empowering and brilliant to name a few. Gillian Wearing uses photography and film as her main source of recording her artwork as well. Her work is not seen as provacotive as Ms. Beercroft’s though. Ms. Wearing’s most known work is Signs that say what you want them to say and not Signs that say what someone else wants you to say in which her subjects are in their everyday clothes and hold a sign that states what they are thinking.
When looking at these two artists, there are many similarities between the two. At first glance, they both are using photography and film to capture their artwork. This allows them to direct what they are trying to accomplish instead of creating it and painting what they are envisioning. They need to demonstrate their point and get their models to depict it for them.
Out of the two artists I felt Gillian Wearing’s work had the biggest impact on me. I felt her work was more appealing and made better points of what she was trying to get across to the viewers. I felt like I could connect to her work and thought her work in Signs that say what you want them to say and not Signs that say what someone else wants you to say was brilliant. Her depicting what people were saying on their signs with what they were wearing provoked many different emotions in me. I felt as though I could connect to the officer holding up the help sign. It was something that doesn’t have to be said but is given in his line of work. He represents help for his job and that is what most people would say about that type of job.
As for Venessa Beercroft I felt as though her work was much to provocative for me. I do not believe her point was well taken. I did not see what she was out to prove to her viewers when compared to Ms. Wearing’s. I felt as though Ms. Beeercrofts ideas were not as powerful as Ms. Wearings. I looked at Ms. Beercroft’s wok and did not believe the points she tried to make were as clear as Ms Wearing’s and I had a lot more fun getting to see Ms. Warning’s work than Ms. Beercrocft’s.
Overall, I believe these two artists have broke new ground fror new artists. I felt as though Ms. Wearing’s work brought out more emotions from the viewer than Ms. Beercrofts. It was a interesting looking at both artists work but I feel like Ms. Weraing’s work will be more successful in the long run than Ms. Beercrofts.