Thanks to everyone for a wonderful salon evening last Thursday. We glimpsed the world of French literary theorist and philosopher, Roland Barthes, and searched for the 'punctum' and 'studium' in our own and other member's photographs. By way of an introduction, the evening started with Linnet's discussion of how Barthes' ideas and writing have time and again pierced her life. We then examined 2 photos that were not our own, to see what they 'do' to us. We shared the reasons for our particular choice of photograph and how it moved us. We grappled with the difference between reading a photograph culturally and intellectually, and being struck by it in a bodily and often incomprehensible way. As one member commented at the end of the evening 'I will never look at photographs the same way again'.The next members' salon evening will be held on Thursday March 11 - same place and time. Rona and Wendy will be collaborating on this one.
