Richard Mosse’s Infra Photographs: A Critical Analysis

Richard Mosse’s Infra: Photographs series consists of images captured in the Democratic Republic of Congo using infrared film Aerochrome, which was used by the military as a form of surveillance to locate camouflaged targets (‘Oversaturated: The Problem with Richard Mosse’s Photography’ 2014). Mosse aims to document the ongoing conflict in the region and confront conventional portrayals of war photography. I intend to examine the visual elements of his photographs, the impact of his choice on the visualisation of the Congolese landscape and discuss the controversy behind it.

Mosse’s use of infrared film technology creates a surreal, otherworldly effect in his photographs. The colours are distorted, with foliage appearing in shades of pink and red, and the sky a deep blue. His unique technique creates a striking contrast between the prepossessing state of the Congo landscape and the violence that unfortunately had become prevalent there. The composition of the photographs is also another aspect to consider since Mosse uses an aerial point of view to illustrate the distance between the viewer and the subjects. All these elements build to his intention for this series, which aims to disrupt viewers’ assumptions about conflict in non-western areas (Archive 2023). He refuses to capture scenes that represent stereotypes of war zones, which are prevalent in Western mainstream media and have become a form of propaganda and advertising for war. Instead, he presents an unusual viewpoint of how the environment becomes another innocent bystander during conflicts.

Personally, I find Mosse’s use of personification to be an effective way of visually representing natural landscapes. It makes them more relatable and engaging to the viewer. I aim to apply the same technique of humanising abstract landscapes to help my audience relate to abstract images of landscapes that present text, which can guide their interpretation of the difficult and taboo subject of sexual trauma recovery.

Although I hold a favourable view of Mosse’s constructed perspective on conflict zones, there are several contradictory opinions on its effectiveness in terms of relatability and ethics behind his visualisation. While the vivid, saturated imagery may be perceived as a technique to represent non-Western countries as different or foreign, it is essential to acknowledge that Mosse comes from a European background and may be perpetuating colonial, outdated practices of documenting and categorising tribes in non-Western countries (‘Oversaturated: The Problem with Richard Mosse’s Photography’ 2014), similar to the impact of the East India Company on India (‘Digital Archives: Teaching Indian Colonial History Through Photographs’ n.d.).

However, Mosse’s work could be seen in a different light. It offers a lens into areas ignored by mass media outlets and provides much-needed attention that can break down the effectiveness of moral panic.

Despite these varying opinions and perspectives on Mosse’s Infra: Photographs series, his work is beloved by the art world. His series has been exhibited around the world such as at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Martin Z. Margulies Collection and the Museum of Contemporary Art (‘Infra « Exhibitions « Jack Shainman Gallery’ n.d.).

Even though there is controversy surrounding his work, I believe that I can utilise similar techniques and visualisations of landscapes and implement them for a different purpose that does not carry the same colonial implications.

To conclude, Richard Mosse’s Infra: Photographs series is a visually striking collection of images that challenges viewer’s preconceptions of conflict zones. While his approach has been criticised by some, it has also been celebrated by others for its innovation and originality. Ultimately, the impact of the series on public discourse and policy surrounding conflict zones remains to be seen, but its contribution to the field of contemporary documentary photography is groundbreaking.

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