My thoughts about this type of art is usually: given all the choices available, why that artist, why that worn out, blownup snapshot aesthetic? I've seen many shows in first-class museums just like it. I seldom like the pictures, try as I might. Blame the curators and dealers (my turn to be cynical). Sofa or boardroom sizes display better and can be priced higher. Egos in all quarters involved here. To be fair, we can't ignore the effect on the viewer of the installation of the art itself. Do you only watch DVD's at home or do you enjoy the big screen? I see far more contemporary paintings that I like than photographs of similar subjects. Large photos severely lack the material/craft quality of painting or other art that I go to museums to see. In that respect they are all no better than industrial displays. However intellectually appealing (MFA's or PhD's in Sociology required here)the ideas they contain would do just as well in a book. Modest reflections on contemporary culture don't usually scale-up. Sadly, perhaps, the pictures that will be most interesting to us will be the out-takes which are but one dimension of this type of art. AZ LOOKAROUND - Since 1978 http://www.panoramacamera.us > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: [SPAM] Re: museum collections? > From: Lea Murphy <lea@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: Tue, January 25, 2011 7:42 am > To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students > <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > > James, > > I see (indeed saw them when I saw the show in person) those things you mention. I just don't see how or why that image landed on a museum wall. A gallery wall I could understand but not a museum wall. > > As one who has photographed weddings I can assure you that peeved looks between wedding party participants isn't all that abnormal, nor is a pregnancy, even one revealed last minute. > > One assumes that since this is in a museum it was photographed by an artist, not a wedding photographer. That makes me wonder two things: was this staged (doubtful based on expression), was the artist running around making images in the middle of wedding preparations of a friend, grabbed this image, threw it in her portfolio and voila now the joke's on us. > > Agreed, there's much to question in this picture. But there's much to question in a lot of pictures that don't end up on museum walls. > > Maybe sometimes the question simply is: how the heck did that end up here? > > Lea > > the most wonderful things in life aren't things > > On Jan 24, 2011, at 10:38 PM, David Schenken <jds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > An interesting series of comments about museums and art and how it got > > there. > > Nobody seems to be talking about what they see in looking at the photo - > > some technical stuff but not what they SEE. > > > > I see a set of four people, three of which are interacting in a really > > strange manner. > > These folks are identified as 'bridesmaids' so we assume (???) that they are > > friends or at least friendly. > > Not in this picture. The lady to the far right is really angry / disgusted > > at the lady on the left. > > Miss center can't yet make up her mind about what just happened and it must > > really have been recent to get that difference in expressions. Perhaps they > > have just noticed that Miss left is three months pregnant and that might be > > inappropriate for this wedding gathering. Perhaps it is the identity of the > > father that's the problem. > > > > We have a mystery here waiting for a story to be told. > > > > And then there's that really mysterious lady in the background. Not in the > > same kind of dress - so not a bridesmaid. > > Perhaps she's the matron / maid of honor and has been left out of the > > 'festivities'. > > > > This whole drama is being played out in the woods - not the usual venue for > > wedding. > > > > Anyway, that's what I see looking at the image. I'm sure more would come > > out looking at the real image in the large so that more detail would be > > apparent. > > > > Cheers, > > James > > > > Original Message ----- From: "Lea Murphy" <lea@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > >> To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" > > <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > >> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 8:22 AM > >> Subject: Re: museum collections? > >> > >> > >> This is a link to one of the images I was really wondering about. How this > > ended up on a museum wall I'd love to know. > >> > >> http://collections.kemperart.org/Obj651$6 > >> > >> > > > > > > your kids . my camera . we'll click > > www.leamurphy.com > > > > > > > >
