On the Web: December 2004 Archives
The "found photograph" genre seems to be getting renewed interest these days, with two recent exhibits of Hans-Peter Feldmann's work here in NYC as good examples. The whole "flickr" phenomenon of photographs uploaded by different individuals and then browsed by tagged categories is perhaps the most modern expression, even if it's not deliberately a collection of "found" photographs.
Additionally, the beauty of found photography often comes from the age of the photos and the forced distance between ourselves, the anonymous photographers and the photos' subjects. Minor White is quoted as saying, "By photographs that found themselves do I mean the 'lucky or happy accident'? That is one name for it. 'Happy accident' is a name that I ought not to mention because many an extraordinary snapshot is passed off lightly with this appellation instead of being explained. I do mention it because it is a term of helplessness in the face of a photograph that is a freak, a sport in a man's work-unexplainable, so unsought for, so unaccountable that it is almost embarrassing."
Mirrors. Photographs from the Arkansas State Prison 1915-1937.
The Washington Post has selected its best photography for 2004. The choices repudiate claims by some that American media portray a one-sided, cheery view of the world and don't report what war really means. The photos focus primarily on Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and the Israel-Palestine conflicts. Based on these photos one would gather that 2004 was a year of painful suffering, which for too many people, it was.
Grace Glueck has written a review of the Ralph Eugene Meatyard show at ICP in today's NY Times.
It struck me that Meatyard had such masterful teachers, really high profile guys who are now revered at photography gods. I think guys on that level were forced to do a lot of teaching because it was so much harder to make a living as a art photographer until only just recently. You don't see today's luminaries teaching as much.
Meatyards' variety of styles and subject matter was unusual compared to today, when an artist often finds a unique trope early in their career and then is encouraged to drive it into the ground. Meatyards mask-centric images are perhaps the most media-genic, and thus widely reproduced in articles about the show. Unfortunately, they point to easy, but wrongheaded, comparisons to Diane Arbus.
After seeing Robert's recommendation on Coincidences, I just subscribed to SHOTS, a quarterly photography magazine. Based on the sample images on their Web site, I think it'll be a good $20 investment, certainly a better value than Aperture (which has undergone a nice site redesign and is unexpectedly persistent about calling me to resubscribe. Change your politics and I'll be back.) And SHOTS takes PayPal, which is even better.
Just got notice that the latest issue of AK47.tv is out. Five great contributions, nothing bad at all. Alec Soth's "Sleeping by the Mississippi" is included, and it's some great stuff, but I have to encourage you to go see the photos in person. Viewing his large scale prints on the Web is just not the same. Brian Ulrich's "COPIA" and Christian Patterson's "Kicks" are also well done somewhat documentary stuff. (There are more of Ulrich's COPIA photos on his Web site.) Kate Greenslade's "Fervour and Longing" has a narrative feel while Julian Thomas's "The Reconstructed Gaze" consists of a series of diptych landscapes.
Lately I've been thinking if I could do this blog if I didn't live in New York, or even if I could maintain an avid interest in art and art photography in another city. To those of you who live elsewhere, that must sound completely retarded. But I've got a short attention span, so if something isn't in my face constantly, I lose focus.
Some confirmation of my thinking came from an unexpected source. Artnet's interview with LA-based artist John Baldessari has been linked on a couple of other blogs for his comments on the unwitting kitsch artist Thomas Kinkade. It's a loooong interview, and he also makes some comments about his decision not to move to New York:
ND: Did you feel like you wanted to be in New York because that was where more action was, and where more artists were?
JB: Probably, yeah. Probably, of course. You know it was the art center. I don't know if it is now. In one way you could say yes. In one way no. I think it still has the best museums. I think also art is more in your face there. You can't avoid it. Here you can, which is good because one gets a lot of work done that way.
If you read all the way through the interview, you'll come across a hint of why Sonnabend Gallery doesn't have or want to have a Web site. (Don't tell me they have an Artnet site. As we all know, that doesn't count.)
Via greg.org, on Dec. 3rd, the Tate Modern will hosting a (seven hour!!) live Webcast of their Robert Frank Symposia discussing the impact of his seminal work, The Americans. If you can't dedicate such a chunk of time, it'll be available later as a canned replay you can view at your leisure.
