RE: [Leica] Giclee and gelatine (was SNAPS etc.)

[henry <henry@henryambrose.com>]

>> so I'm really grumbling in my
>> single-malt,
>
>> Paul
>
>
>Ha ha ha - "single-malt" now there's a nicely pretentious term. Don't you
>just mean whisky! Why on earth would you need to define the actual process
>with such elitist terminology...? What on earth does it matter to your
>average whisky drinker? Oh, and of course, it sure drives the pricing up ;-)
>
>Tim A
>
>
I've thought a bit more about what it is that bothers me about this 
naming thing.

Partly its that somehow I believe that detailed technical explanation is 
beyond the interest/ability of most viewers/buyers to understand. By that 
I mean that they won't really "get it" but will simply categorize the 
method as "good" or "bad" based on what they last read in some collecting 
magazine or on "common knowledge" of whats good or bad or what their 
friend "who knows about this" told them.

An example would be the country of origin of wines - if a wine is from 
Country A its good if its from Country B its bad (or somehow not as 
good). A decision is reached without tasting!

What makes it hurt is that much like a wine producer who is relegated to 
a lesser class without tasting, a photograph can be relegated in a 
similar fashion. If its on RC its not as good as fiber. If its color its 
bad. If its inkjet its automatic crap. I know those things are not true. 
A lot of the world does not and the result is not tasting (deciding for 
oneself) but buying (or not) based on what some art/wine expert writes 
about whats good or bad. The photograph is not judged on its merits but 
on some less than factual opinion of its worth based on technique or 
production.

I think Slobodan wrote something about this recently on the LUG, to the 
effect of
"this is a technically wonderful print, officially archival and never you 
 mind about content"

This is what I despise.

The established art industry wants to maintain their turf by poo-pooing 
anything new that comes along. "We don't do this so its bad" "Not 
invented here"

And, of course there's the thinking its a shortcut if you scan the film 
and print it using a computer - simple push button art - any fool can do 
it!

Openness to digital prints is growing, but slowly. I'm seeing some in 
traditional galleries along side wet prints. They can both be "art" - 
good art.

Henry