Exactitudes

Intro text

Exactitudes

Photographer Ari Versluis and profiler Ellie Uyttenbroek have worked together since October 1994. Inspired by a shared interest in the striking dress codes of various social groups, they have systematically documented numerous identities over the last 21 years. Rotterdam’s heterogeneous, multicultural street scene remains a major source of inspiration for Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek, although since 1998 they have also worked in many cities abroad.

They call their series Exactitudes: a contraction of exact and attitude. By registering their subjects in an identical framework, with similar poses and a strictly observed dress code, Versluis and Uyttenbroek provide an almost scientific, anthropological record of people’s attempts to distinguish themselves from others by assuming a group identity. The apparent contradiction between individuality and uniformity is, however, taken to such extremes in their arresting objective-looking photographic viewpoint and stylistic analysis that the artistic aspect clearly dominates the purely documentary element. (Exactitudes website – about, http://www.exactitudes.com/index.php?/about/)

If we look at the project it’s quite clear that it’s a social project. The aspects of cultural diversity are strongly there and are the main goal of Exaxctitudes. To see if it’s a good social art we need to define ‘social art’. “Social practice is an art medium that focuses on social engagement, inviting collaborations with individuals, communities, and institutions in the creation of participatory art.” (Wikipedia, Social practice) is one of the definitions of social practice (art). If we put the project, Exactitudes, besides this definition we can see the similarity between them. Exactitudes is focussing on individuals who think they’re not part of a group while, in fact, they’re part of a dress code kind of group. This result is perfectly visualized in pictures that are put together to make a page full of the “same” people. I think the strong aspects are in the design. Because every page is designed the same it looks like you are looking at the same picture over and over again, however, you see so many different people. Also the same position for the same dress code works really well. It exaggerates that these people are dressed the same. I find it really interesting that because of these things you really get to know as if you know the people and know how they are as person. While you only see their outside and probably the least important thing about themselves. The design works beautifully by this idea and attitude. You feel like you’ve made contact with the people that are on the pictures. Also they exposed it in the MOTI museum in Breda and you could make your own group or place yourself in an already existing group. Or you could drag yourself in the ‘I’m special, there is nobody like me’ group, but I thought that was lame. I think you should leave it up to 10 groups and you just need to fit. That would be a cool project. Instead of always keeping yourself out of the main groups. Try to fit in and see how it feels.

What I would have changed is maybe done a bit of taboo breaking. Like the naked people and maybe some people that are already pushed in a square and make it even bigger so you would get a heavy discussion. That would make the book bigger and maybe it would get in the news. It would be discussed over a larger group and maybe we could break things like cultural diversity. Not that you can break something so big this easily but it would be a great starter point. Right now the book and pictures are left aside and almost no one knows about it, which I think is bad. It’s a funny way to look at different people that are actually the same in some kind of way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_practice_(art) http://www.exactitudes.com