Opinion of artists' work based on their personal life

blockend · Mar 6, 2017

Daniela said:
I'd never heard of him until now. I find his work fascinating too. I've only read a bit about him and seen some photographs, but I see why people would feel conflicted about his work.

Yes, I think there are some valid concerns and a great deal of hypocrisy. He wasn't doing anything with the images of young women commercial photographers haven't done for years, and with arguably more grievous results, but his demeanour and lifestyle makes him an outsider, a position communism compounded. I don't find the results erotic, though they are objectifying. I find many of the images very beautiful, which is partly the subject but mainly the aesthetic. Is beauty alone sufficient to justify the means of acquiring them? That's a much bigger discussion. The fact he made his own equipment and never sought to sell them takes the debate into uncharted areas.
The documentary Tarzan Retired about Tichy is available on YouTube.

dpurdy · Mar 6, 2017

From what I have read Picasso was an incredible A hole and abusive but you can't deny his work is great. In that case the power of the art is more important to me and his personality is more just a curiosity. The other side of the coin is that I have really good friends who are the type of people I wish there were more of but I don't like their art work.

Daniela · Mar 6, 2017

cliveh said:
As others have said, a very good question. I would suggest that in viewing the work without knowledge of the artists life gives more of a true reaction to the art. For instance if you viewed a painting with no knowledge of who the artist was and you liked it, but then found it was painted by Adolf Hitler, how can that cancel out your initial reaction to the image?

I agree that the reaction to the artwork is truer if you don't know the artist. Thing is, whenever something strikes me, I become really curious about the artmaking process, which inevitably leads to reading about the artist's life. And to answer your question, yes, what I think & feel about an image does change. I might still be able to appreciate the technical aspects of it, but I won't enjoy the image the same way.

Daniela · Mar 6, 2017

blockend said:
Yes, I think there are some valid concerns and a great deal of hypocrisy. He wasn't doing anything with the images of young women commercial photographers haven't done for years, and with arguably more grievous results, but his demeanour and lifestyle makes him an outsider, a position communism compounded. I don't find the results erotic, though they are objectifying. I find many of the images very beautiful, which is partly the subject but mainly the aesthetic. Is beauty alone sufficient to justify the means of acquiring them? That's a much bigger discussion. The fact he made his own equipment and never sought to sell them takes the debate into uncharted areas.
The documentary Tarzan Retired about Tichy is available on YouTube.

You bring up many good points. I watched the documentary and I actually feel less conflicted than before about his work. I do find it creepy that he'd go out each day and shoot 100 pictures of women in the street, but he explained that there was a certain order to his chaotic creative process and practice. The thought that kept coming to me was that he was a "loco lindo" (a charming eccentric, for lack of a better translation). In Argentina, we use these words to describe someone who is strange but harmless. I wonder if I'm downplaying mental illness by saying that, but well, it'd be pretentious to discuss a diagnosis. I still find him fascinating and some of his images were really beautiful. In this case, I think the end justifies the means. Oh, something that made me laugh was seeing him handling his photographs haphazardly and then the gallery people using gloves

Eric Rose · Mar 6, 2017

And then there is Terry Richardson .....

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/17/terry-richardson-new-york-magazine-model

chip j · Mar 7, 2017

Pre-Colombian Art was produced by societies that ripped out human hearts. HCB spent a lot of time in brothels,

mynewcolour · Mar 7, 2017

Absolutely appreciation of the art changes with knowledge of context. I've always thought the more you know the better, even if that's uncomfortable.

Bill Cosby has an amazing collection of African art and photography, much of which is reproduced online. I can't look at it the same way now. That's pretty sad: having the meaning of your work tainted by it's collector.

miha · Mar 7, 2017

Art shouldn't be separated from artist: Antoine d'Agata of Magnum

https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL53T_6

http://www.americansuburbx.com/2014/03/asx-interviews-antoine-dagata-simple-desire-exist-2014.html

pdeeh · Mar 7, 2017

Daniela said:
I wonder if I'm downplaying mental illness by saying that, but well, it'd be pretentious to discuss a diagnosi

Quite right too.

There's a very wide range of human behaviour that might seem very odd to non-clinicians but would not indicate mh problems to an experienced professional.

Making amateur diagnoses seems to be quite a popular sport,but doing so on the basis of what is essentially hearsay (unevidenced comment and articles on the Internet, I mean) is foolishness.

I've been rather fascinated by Tichy, and delvedinto his story as well as watching his interviews. He was certainly far from an ordinary man, and his experiences of totalitarian government no doubt affected him.

But to say more than that ... No

I've seen some of his prints first hand. Rather extraordinary documents. Oddly moving.

Wallendo · Mar 7, 2017

"art" is something that transcends the photograph and reveal in itself both the creator of the work and his worldview. To a great extent, great art is created by artists who deal with their own personal demons. Sometimes knowing the history of the artist and his environment helps with understanding his work. Other times it is a distraction. I generally ignore artists' histories as long as their demons do not contaminate their work. If the subjects of their work are treated fairly and appropriately, I generally do not let it bother me, although I am much less likely to spend money if a malevolent artist will benefit.

For example, I admire much of Roman Polanski's work. He survived the Holocaust and the horrible murder of his pregnant wife. On the other hand, he became a drug addict and child rapist (something that is never excusable). I still watch his movies since they generally don't deal with child rape, and he does not appear to be a serial offender, but I still feel a twinge of guilt.

Sirius Glass · Mar 7, 2017

chip j said:
Pre-Colombian Art was produced by societies that ripped out human hearts.

Some young women still do that to young men today. Sad.

Wayne · Mar 8, 2017

pdeeh said:
Quite right too.

There's a very wide range of human behaviour that might seem very odd to non-clinicians but would not indicate mh problems to an experienced professional.

Making amateur diagnoses seems to be quite a popular sport,but doing so on the basis of what is essentially hearsay (unevidenced comment and articles on the Internet, I mean) is foolishness.

I've been rather fascinated by Tichy, and delvedinto his story as well as watching his interviews. He was certainly far from an ordinary man, and his experiences of totalitarian government no doubt affected him.

But to say more than that ... No

I've seen some of his prints first hand. Rather extraordinary documents. Oddly moving.

All "diagnoses" of mental health are actually judgments so one need not be an MD to play.

pdeeh · Mar 8, 2017

I don't know where to start with the fallacies evident in that statement, so I'll just register that it doesn't make sense and leave you to it.

mynewcolour · Mar 8, 2017

Wayne said:
All "diagnoses" of mental health are actually judgments so one need not be an MD to play.

Here you actually demonstrate some poor judgement for us, completely discrediting your view.

Amazing!

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 8, 2017

The world is complicated. We have Bill Cosby writing a book on fatherhood. William Bennett writing a book on virtues, but he's a gambler. But I like Charles Barkly's honesty.

mynewcolour · Mar 8, 2017

Mainecoonmaniac said:
We have Bill Cosby writing a book on fatherhood.

We do?

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 8, 2017

mynewcolour said:
We do?

https://www.amazon.com/Bill-Cosby-F...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VKM4KZQSDZCXZM1VHENW

removed account4 · Mar 8, 2017

i was never a huge fan of aaron siskind's work, i studied his biography+work when i was in college and a few years later
was prodded by an old teacher to meet him since he lived 20mins from my house and sometimes took visitors
and reviewed portfolios &c. lets just say, i am even less of a fan now that i have met him. not a very nice person.

mynewcolour · Mar 8, 2017

Mainecoonmaniac said:
https://www.amazon.com/Bill-Cosby-F...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VKM4KZQSDZCXZM1VHENW

... thirty years ago!

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 8, 2017

mynewcolour said:
... thirty years ago!

Mr. Cosby has been drugging and raping women since the mid-60s.

mynewcolour · Mar 8, 2017

I'm aware of that.

You said:
We have Bill Cosby writing a book on fatherhood.

I don't think he's polishing off a sequel!

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 8, 2017

mynewcolour said:
I'm aware of that.

You said:
We have Bill Cosby writing a book on fatherhood.

I don't think he's polishing off a sequel!

My mistake. Is being dyslexic a good excuse

mynewcolour · Mar 8, 2017

It would be a good excuse for taking 30 years to write a book

(I'm also dyslexic, were probably in the majority amongst photographers!)

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 8, 2017

mynewcolour said:
It would be a good excuse for taking 30 years to write a book

(I'm also dyslexic, were probably in the majority amongst photographers!)

You wouldn't want to read my book. Especially if it's handwritten

mooseontheloose · Mar 9, 2017

Getting back to the original question -- for me, there is very little in the photo/art world that would offend me. That's not to say that I like everything (I don't), but I'm interested in all kinds of work, including those that push boundaries. However, I would have to say that learning something extremely negative about a photographer, whether or not it's tied to his/her photographs, would definitely impact me in how I viewed them and their work.

That said, I think society as a whole is more forgiving to the rich and famous (which most photographers are not) - there are a number musicians, athletes, actors, etc. who still have lots of supporters despite doing terrible things.

Opinion of artists' work based on their personal life

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