Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/08/03

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Subject: Re[2]: [Leica] Salgado - Simply The Best?? Talk amongst yourselves
From: Michael Waldron <Michael@cadogan.net>
Date: Fri, 03 Aug 2001 09:13:36 -0400

Bob-

I very much appreciate your comments.  I would add that I think to some 
extent, "A"rt can be based upon documentation, but involves a larger 
project.  I.e. some paintings by David document Napoleon in battle or 
enthroned, but also explicitly involve many other cultural references, the 
idea of royalty, a project of defining Napoleon, etc.

I think Richard Misrach (at least a very part time Leica user), for 
example, feels he is an "A"rtist, but made many "documentary" type 
photos.  However, as a group created over a long period of time, one can 
see coherent themes that he is exploring on a level beyond the subject 
matter.  These themes are also a subject that are embedded in his work, 
which is superficially documentary (the landing of the space shuttle, the 
burning man celebration, tourism, bomb sites, etc.).  I think this puts him 
in a tradition of European/American landscape painting, not unlike the 
Hudson River School.  Since I like his work, I would say that the themes 
are complex, somewhat ambiguous, and rich enough to stimulate and reward 
contemplation and revisiting over time.  This is what makes it "A"rt for 
me.  Something similar could be said for Weegee's NY or Avedon's West (I 
actually think Avedon is very much like David or Ingres).

I would say that in some ways, Nachtwey and Salgado do have some larger 
"themes" or "projects" in their work -- i.e. they are not necessarily on 
assignment from UPI or National Geographic (although they could be).  If, 
through editing and presentation, they seek to express much larger issues 
and themes in a complex, even contradictory way, then I would tend to view 
them as art.  A more direct statement would be more documentary.  However, 
I don't think they are there yet for me -- they seem a bit too focused on 
the facts and are, as you put it, documentary.  I am not a big fan of the 
Family of Man, but would say that while many of the individual photos are 
documentary, the installation (and to a lesser degree the book) is itself 
an art work because of the broader ideas it was trying to put together and 
express.

We are also in a time when images dominate everyday life and thus photo 
(also video, film) as a medium is at the fore.  Museums thus want to show 
photos as Art because they are a more direct reflection of dominant 
cultural themes and also attract people.  Thus, ICP has a show of Annie 
Liebowitz and I would not be surprised if the Guggenheim were to do a 
retrospective of Patrick Dumarchelier.

Michael Waldron