Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi, with the possible exception of some of W E Smith's work (and I'm not sufficiently familiar with Tina Manley's work to comment on hers) these photographers did not set out to make 'fine art', by which I, and I think Jim Brick, mean photographs whose primary purpose is display in museums, galleries or other art forums and art magazines. They took their photographs for journalistic / reportage purposes. Of course, some of their techniques are the same as those used by artists, but only because these techniques are effective for communicating ideas. It is a mistake to think of them as 'presenting suffering in art'. Their work is art only in retrospect, if at all. Regards, Bob >From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> > > > > >From: Jim Brick [mailto:jim_brick@agilent.com] > > > > > > > >What I don't like, actually detest, is the merging of a > > >terribly troubled > > >soul with fine art and/or a personal portfolio. > > > > > >Neither a personal portfolio nor fine art should be made, > > >based upon the misery of another human being. > >Hmmmmmm....There goes the vast majority of pre-19th century painting, to >say >nothing of the sculpture..... > >To object to exploitation is one thing, to object to the presentation of >suffering in art is another....What about the work of virtually all the >outstanding documentary photographers of the past 50 years? What about >Eugene Smith's Minimata (forgive my spelling)? And Eugene Richards' Cocaine >and poverty work? What about Nachtwey and Salgado? What, for that matter, >about Tina "Mother LUG" Manley's Central American work? > >Good documentary work often presents the suffering of those whose lives we >so easily ignore, and it often makes it presentable by presenting it as >art. > >B. D. > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.