Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Marc-- You misunderstand me. I simply said that Hurley's work was propaganda. I did not question the aesthetics of the work or its value. I compared it to Riefenstahl's work, which I used as a point of reference to illustrate how one's view of history can be influenced through skillful manipulation of images. I have used that film in several classes that I teach in order to instruct students about how to analyze imagery and its relationship to the culture that produced it. And art isn't ideology. It can be influenced by ideology, but not all art carries those influences, per se, but that's only my educated opinion as an artist and as an historian. I haven't condemned anyone's work. Hurley's, Riefenstahl's, or Eisenstein's. I think you've made some assumptions about what I said--perhaps without reading the words very carefully. Per Don's reasonable request, I won't discuss politics here. And please, don't call me ma'am! :) Kit -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+kitmc=vuelux.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+kitmc=vuelux.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Marc James Small Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 5:14 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: [Leica] Leni Riefenstahl At 05:52 PM 8/22/04 -0600, Kit McChesney | Vuelux wrote: > >Now we all know that Riefenstahl was a master photgrapher (used Leicas!) and >cinematographer. No doubt about that. But that doesn't make the work she >created an accurate portrayal of history. Any more than some of the things >that Hurley did. Both were creating propaganda. So there. > >As for the current media bias? You mean the right-wing conservative media's >refusal to acknowledge the truth? Ma'am Do you condemn the quality of Sergei Eisenstein's work because it was given in the service of a regime that killed at least ten times as many people as did that of Germany? I am hardly suggesting any sort of moral equivalence other than to suggest that the BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN has to be judged by precisely the same standards which should be applied to TRIUMPH DES WILLENS. Are we to judge them as propagandists for the ideologies of the states in which they live or are we to judge them as technicians producing some of the finest cinematography ever made? We know little of Eisenstein's feelings but we do have a really good feel on Reifenstahl. Again, check the archives: I suspect that you will side with BD but, again, I judge art as art and ideology as ideology. And I am most unhappy with the media's spin on ideology. (Religious nuts are hardly right-wing, &c &c -- the Rightists advocate limited government and individual rights, the Leftists scream for gummit programs limiting personal liberities and reducing all citizens to a common state of servility to the authoritiies.) Marc msmall@infionline.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir! _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information