COMM 380:  Media Criticism

A Critical Review of Andrew Morgan's Along the Rail.

by Lara M. Pilk, '15

Major:  Communication, Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

 

In Andrew Morgan’s digital photography exhibit Along the Rail, which is being shown

at the Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory in Manassas, VA, the artist shares his message of

the loneliness and hopelessness of poverty by using not only his raw photos but also his

experience in photo manipulation to enhance them into the final product. The artist spent time

traveling railroads throughout the state of Virginia and captured many atmospheric photographs

of the scenery to present his nostalgic point of view. The successful transmission of his intended

message also relies on the media to produce context for which the art exists to his audience.

 

As the media’s influence has rapidly increased, so has its importance in defining the

world that we live in. In the age of the eighteenth century, people lived in small rural

communities and depended on each other to learn about life. Outside news was rare and

depended on visitors or slowly transmitted mail. “With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the

nineteenth century, we started to see massive migration from the rural areas into the cities”

(Hanson, 2014). Younger people began venturing away from their families and sources of

teaching, and started relying on the media for their news. It also became easier to distribute

newspapers and pamphlets since the population was now converging into densely populated

areas.

 

Perspectives were now being shaped by the media rather than close neighbors and family.

Morgan’s Along the Rail exhibit relies on these perceptions that the media has shaped as the

visual cues that the photographs present trigger emotions. Many of Morgan’s images feature

abandoned and worn buildings coupled with dreary color. For many a horror movie, these dark images emit to us a host of emotion that might make us feel sad or depressed because we are associating them with all the negative contexts that the media places them in. One of his images, a photo of a dead bird laying on a rubble floor, does not even rely on a subtle visual cue but is rather an obvious and direct reference to death. In this case Morgan is relying on our Western media-trained reaction to death which is sadness, and how we become uncomfortable with it staring us in the face. Other cultures such as the Mexican population celebrate death as an adventure and have festivals such as Day of the Dead to honor their dearly departed. These individuals may not view the bird’s image with quite as much disdain.

 

The artist’s intended messages seem quite clear, as his photographs each have a very

similar nostalgic and dark mood to them. Another one of his images portrays a small building

that looks to be from the fifties or sixties. It says “Elkwood Market” on a large sign placed on the

roof, and has clearly had its white walls painted over many times. Though Morgan took this

photo during the day, he decided the edit it and add a vignette tint. This changes the mood

completely as the photo now looks to have been taken during the time the building was active,

and it has also darkened the edges of the photo significantly. As an audience we are again

reminded of darkness and placed in that frame of mind, and also reminded that time cannot be

stopped which gives us a feeling of hopelessness seen throughout the dreary images. Multiple

photos showcase nature with its vivid colors and contrasts. One of these in particular shows a blue sky with billowing clouds, the setting sun giving it red and orange highlights, with what looks to be an old farmhouse in the bottom right corner. The emotional senses are again overwhelmed not only by the beauty of the photo but by the overpowering feel of the clouds on this small old house. Though this photo is not as negative as some of his other work, it still has that air of loneliness that Morgan strives to create.

 

The medium itself certainly aids Morgan as well in this respect; by choosing digital photography rather than more conventional forms of art, Morgan can manipulate his work to produce the maximum effect. The earlier “Elkwood Market”photo for example is one of his most edited pieces of work in this collection. He manipulated not only the contrast and saturation of the photo but also added the vignette tint. This takes the photo from a simple image to the next level of transmitting emotion. I believe that the owner of the media also plays a huge part in what messages transmit to the audience. Morgan, as a former Navy Photographer, must have seen and recorded a lot of negativity in his career as war is notusually a positive situation. It seems that Morgan wanted his experience in the field to reflect on his work. Because his work is showing in a small gallery in Virginia, his primary audience will be the local community. As Virginians, we live near these same sights that Morgan has captured in this particular collection yet we ignore them as part of everyday life. By using nostalgia and sadness as his primary emotional tools, Morgan wants us to recognize that these sights will not exist forever as time passes quickly. Eventually we will feel that sadness as we will no longer have the chance to view them for ourselves.

 

There are several theories of media effects that can help explain why Morgan’s work has

the effect on its audience that it clearly does. One of the most applicable theoretical approaches

to mass communication is that of Functional Analysis. More specifically, the process of

surveillance of the environment. This theory states that “much of what we know about the world

we learn from the media through the process of surveillance” (Hanson, 2014). We learn from the

media what the appropriate reactions are to viewing photos with these particular subject matters.

The media is one of our largest sources of knowledge; television programs such as the news can

teach us how to respond to tragedy, and movies or sitcoms can teach us about the consequences

of death and what the correct response is to that. This in turn moves us to be sad and

uncomfortable when faced with photos like the dead bird.

 

Another theory of media effects that applies to Morgan’s work is that of Agenda Setting; this theory states that “issues that are that are portrayed as important in the news media become important to the public” (Hanson, 2014).  Morgan chooses specific subjects and places to photograph and therefore highlight through his work. Because Morgan places importance on them, his audience will too, thereby successfully transmitting the importance of his message as well.

 

On the other side of the media effects spectrum is the Uses and Gratifications Theory, which says that the audience isn’t a “sheep-like mass of receivers of messages” (Hanson, 2014) but rather actively seeks out messages that it chooses to consume for its own gratification purposes. Morgan’s audience must actively seek out his work as it is showing at the Center for the Arts, and we are therefore choosing to receive his messages whether it be to simply experience the beauty of his work or to experience the deep emotions that come with pondering over the deeper meaning of his photographs.

 

Whether or not his audience comes away with the messages that Andrew Morgan intends,

there is no denying that every effort is put into conveying his meaning. Morgan utilizes the

existing context that mass media provides as well as his photo manipulation skills to enhance his

subject and leave us with the idea that we need to appreciate these sights instead of ignoring

them, because time will pass and we will feel nostalgic and sad when we can no longer view

them.

 

 

References

Hanson, Ralph E. (2013). Mass Communication Living in a Media World (4th ed.). CQ Press.

Morgan, A. (2014) Along the Rail. [Digital Photography]. Center for the Arts at the Candy

Factory. Manassas, VA, USA. June 14, 2014.