Gannon, Rachel [Illustrator] (2015) Reportager Award. Reportager Award 2015. .

Abstract

An international panel of artists and academics including Lucinda Rogers, Olivier Kugler, Mel Reim, Prof. Mario Minichiello, Moleskine, and the editor of Reportager juried the work. The work in this inaugural reportage award exhibition is the result, and comprises a selection of entries from students and professionals. The exhibition is an overview of reportage drawing currently in taking place internationally. Three prizes were awarded to artists for exceptional work in the following categories. Professional, Student, and a Moleskine Special Mention Award. Drawing is currently undergoing a renaissance in the disciplines of fine art, applied art, graphic design and illustration. There appears to be a drawing zeitgeist taking place in art schools and evidence of a particular interest in documentary drawing and reportage. The drawing of everyday scenes and situations in an objective way is a very different discipline to the much more dynamic and proactive activity of drawn visual journalism, which aligns itself more closely to photojournalism and the visual essay. Illustrators in effect work as journalists, interviewing, sketching and photographing their subjects, often compositing and interpreting the visual, aural and textual material in a layered interpretive way. Much of the narrative and commentary finds its way to the published artwork through annotated notes and transcribed conversations. Drawn reportage and documentary illustration is increasingly relevant today especially when one considers the rise and ubiquity of citizen journalism. Practitioners are making self-initiated work, authorially, self publishing or proactively finding a commercial context for their work. There has in recent years been a notable rise in publicity on and offline concerning drawing and reportorial projects. However, Reportage artists need to take advantage of the opportunities digital media can offer by considering new directions in the way work is produced, recorded and distributed. Inspiration can be taken from the way in which photojournalists and documentary filmmakers are using the ‘Meta Image’ creating multiplatform projects to tell their stories and reach new audiences. Is this the beginning of a new era of drawn visual journalism, or, considering the ubiquity of mobile phones and cameras, just an offshoot or parallel strand of citizen journalism, and if so, what are our responsibilities as producers and consumers of this material? Rachel Gannon: Professional category award winner.

Actions (Repository Editors)

Item Control Page