Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Somehow I get the feeling that his greatest joke is on the art world. I can just picture the scene you described below. As a similar story, I visited an Irving Penn exhibet in Chicago a few years ago. It's amazing how you can get a bunch of the rich, dressed in black money crowd to stare dead on at a closeup of what was a very "portly" womans genitals, and not feel the least embarassed. Put those same folks in front of a magazine rack full of adult magazines and they will run for cover...I guess context means everything! You are certainly correct about the money..I'm sure his shots are making a ton of it, and mine sure as hell are not! Best wishes Dan >Gee, isn't that interesting...Makes one wonder why Wegman's in numerous >museums, had countless books published, and is richer than god, while.... >:-) > >Seriously...Having read your posts lo these many many months I known that >you're too smart a guy to indulge in the old, "Picasso? My pet monkey could >do that." I would suggest thinking of Wegman not as a "photographer" per >se, but as a humorist/comedian whose performance medium is photography. >Much of his stuff is hysterically funny....check out the fairy tale >books....Little Red Riding Hood?....I remember going to a Wegman exhibit at >the Guggenheim in NY with my then 16-year-old son the budding artist. We >wandered through the rooms, pausing and laughing, pausing a >laughing...then, as we were leaving the Wegman area, we passed by a docent >with a tour group. The docent was prattling on about Wegman's >anti-something or other reaction against the something or other school of >who-knows-what and the statement he was making....Ben turned to me and in a >not very subtle stage whisper said, "Idiots...Don't they know he's a >comedian with a camera?" > > > > > >You will definitely find more Wegman books at any major book seller than >you > >will Philip Jones Griffiths, or even Salgado. George Harrison (the > >musician) once said that Avan't Garde, really should have been aven't got >a > >clue. > > > > > >Dan > > > >> > >>As far as technique Vs heart in art..... > >> > >>The art market is far more complex than most people give it credit..... > >>There > >>are people who produce high-quality images all their lives and never get > >>any > >>recognition by the art community ... there are people who produce > >>low-quality > >>images for a couple of years who are forever critically acclaimed as > >>geniuses. Some produce original work, other cliches. It seems rather > >>whimsical and success is due more to luck, timing, a few curators and > >>dealers > >>than skill..... > >> > >>My suggestion.... Take whatever kinds of pictures you want using >whatever > >>equipment you want..... If you want technically perfect images ... >learn > >>technique ... if you want soft images, buy a Holga and smear Vaseline on > >>your > >>enlarger lens (and join a Holga club instead of the LUG : ) ). > >> > >>But take images that you are proud of that reflect your vision and view >of > >>the world! You only get frustrated if you try to take images that will > >>please everyone else because you can't please everyone. You may never >get > >>a > >>one man show at a major museum ... but at least you'll be proud of your > >>work. > >> > >>Duane > >> > >>http://members.tripod.com/~Duane_Birkey/index.html > > > > > >_______________________________________________________________ > >Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com > > > _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com