Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/04/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Without choosing a winner in any fight; as I don't perceive comparison as such; I see Bresson presenting what IS eloquently as in Zen painting (and poetry); in contrast to Frank and Smith editorializing on IS. I have the utmost respect for all three; none of which leave me numb. Regards, George Lottermoser george at imagist.com http://www.imagist.com http://www.imagist.com/blog http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist On Apr 17, 2010, at 12:52 PM, Vince Passaro wrote: > Robert Frank sacrificed much that is formally beaituful in > photography -- > and later started actually attacking it, scratching the negs, > writing on the > prints, etc -- in order to get at some social and human "story", a > narrative. Exactly the opposite of Cartier-Bresson, I think, who > had the > rarer gift -- he SAW the narrative that was already there. And he > could > compose it. Almost within the instant -- or sometimes not almost, but > actually, within the instant. Frank and even more so Gene Smith > were not > above moving things around, asking people to do something, setting > up a shot > in other words, in order to tell a story they wanted to tell. Cartier > Bresson wanted only to see the story, to perceive it. > > There are, of course, as Frank is recognizing, political > implications in > these two approaches, especially for two Europeans who'd lived > through the > war years. > > In the end if has to be a fight then I'm on Cartier Bresson's side, > whose > eye I think is closer to God's. Caesar will be Caesar will be Caesar, > there's no stopping him, the Resistance is romantic, even necessary > from the > human point of view, but in the end it doesn't win, larger > historical forces > win, so what can we do, but find, and insist upon an unbreakable > loyalty to, > the truth? > > Tomorrow I'll likely feel differently. But as good and fascinating > and > muscular as Frank is as an artist, Cartier Bresson is in another > category > altogether. Frank we can validly compare to, I don't know, Matthew > Brady, > Edward Curtis, Beloqc, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, etc. Except he > had more > wit than any of those. An American Lartigue perhaps. But stylistically > grittier and less enamored of the rich. Etc etc. he's a Beat poet > with a > camera. > > Cartier Bresson, on the other hand, we can validly compare to > Michelangelo. > > > > On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 1:32 PM, Charcot <charcot at comcast.net> wrote: > >> Thanks Bob - I follow TOP on a daily basis - it's on my web menu - >> between >> it and AmericansuburbX you can't go wrong for a daily dose of >> photography >> commentary >> >> ernie >> On Apr 17, 2010, at 11:19 AM, Robert D. Baron wrote: >> >>> You might also find this interesting: >>> >>> >> http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/ >> 2010/04/henri-cartierbresson-at-moma-and-elsewhere.html >>> >>> or >>> >>> http://tinyurl.com/y2pqbak >>> >>> --Bob >>> >>> ==-On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 11:21 AM, Charcot <charcot at comcast.net> >> wrote: >>> >>>> bob - should be fun. Both the NY Times article and the New >>>> yorker draw >> robert Frank into the mix. Interesting. I haven't followed >> Frank's stuff >> at all since The Americans which I consider one of the greatest >> photography >> tomes ever. >>>> >>>> ernie >>>> On Apr 17, 2010, at 10:11 AM, Robert D. Baron wrote: >>>> >>>>> I read the review earlier this morning, before seeing your post. >>>>> >>>>> The quote you have in quotation marks is I believe from Robert >>>>> Frank, >>>>> while the reviewer's conclusion is as stated in your post. >>>>> >>>>> I'll be interested in your opinions after you've seen the exhibit. >>>>> >>>>> I've seen a lot of HCB's work and while I disagree for the most >>>>> part >>>>> with this reviewer's opinion of it I think I can see how he >>>>> gets to >>>>> it. >>>>> >>>>> --Bob >>>>> >>>>> ===On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 10:18 AM, Charcot <charcot at comcast.net> >> wrote: >>>>>> ?He traveled all over the goddamned world, and you never felt >>>>>> that he >> was moved by something that was happening other than the beauty of >> it, or >> just the composition.? The problem of Cartier-Bresson?s art is the >> conjunction of aesthetic classicism and journalistic protocol: >> timeless >> truth and breaking news. He rendered a world that, set forth at >> MOMA by the >> museum?s chief curator of photography, Peter Galassi, richly >> satisfies the >> eye and the mind, while numbing the heart. >>>>>> >>>>>> Read more: >> http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/artworld/ >> 2010/04/19/100419craw_artworld_schjeldahl#ixzz0lN2EKWEc >>>>>> >>>>>> Sorry folks I don't get it - how does the reviewer draw all >>>>>> this from >> HCB . I for one am planning on spending $ to go to one of the >> hosting >> cities! >>>>>> >>>>>> ernie >>>>>> >>>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information