Hi Murray,MurrayMinchin said:Hi Graeme,
Wouldn't it be so much more interesting if the debate was over a statements content?
Murray
I suppose that says a lot about the respective circles we are selling into, and I've already made my feelings clear about the type of people who would require a statement as a given.David H. Bebbington said:....All I can say is that in the circles in which I attempt to sell my work, an artist's statement is a given.
My point exactly: the strength of the work is what will set it apart from the crowd's work - not a verbal explanation of that work.I remain convinced that the only way to make work stand out is through its conceptual strength.
Once again, I agree completely here. Technically, anybody can shoot any shot I've done, and most likely any shot you've done too. Operating a camera doesn't make a person an artist. It's the strength of that person's vision which will determine whether or not their work is accepted as "artistic" (whatever that means).*Photography today is a folk art, open to all - from the technical point of view, everybody thinks they can do it as well as you (or me).
I think actually we're in pretty close agreement here, Graeme. From what I recall (forgive me if I don't work through all the past posts), I think you live in a small town in Australia which gets a lot of visitors, few of whom are overt art fans but who are willing to buy a souvenir of their visit. If I was in this situation, I would almost certainly do the same as you and prepare some pictorial views which I felt would appeal to these customers. If I felt the results had any claim to be high art, I would probably keep this to myself and not present an artist's statement, since I would know that this would cut little ice.Graeme Hird said:What I disagree with is the perceived need for a written explanation of my photography to the viewer (in certain circles).
David H. Bebbington said:A couple of points which may be worth pursuing in a typically open-minded, calm, rational APUG way (Murray, do you have plenty of Bromo-Seltzer?):
Jorge asks:"Since when is it necessary to have a "distinct visual statement" to make good photography?" Without in any way reprising our earlier exchanges, I would contend that a "distinct visual statement" is what every photographer should strive for (as far as I am aware, Jorge's means of doing this is to make platinum prints). If you don't have this, your work may be no more than a technical exercise in craft skills.
Graeme says:"Do you have any evidence to the contrary?" All I can say is that in the circles in which I attempt to sell my work, an artist's statement is a given. Everyone contributing to this debate is coming from a slightly different place, my personal chosen field of activity (which I in no way claim is better than any other) is to produce conceptual images (with an occasional excursion into pictorialism for light relief). As many viewers of photographs are not necessarily familiar with conceptual work, I feel it is no bad thing to encourage them to "read" images in this way, whether through an artist's statement or otherwise. This in some way opens up the possibility of a response other than "Oh, that's nice!" or "I don't get it!" I remain convinced that the only way to make work stand out is through its conceptual strength. Photography today is a folk art, open to all - from the technical point of view, everybody thinks they can do it as well as you (or me).
Satinsnow writes:"burp an[d] pass bad gas is my statement...don't take life so seriously.." Fair enough, but Satinsnow evidently has a business selling custom-made focusing screens. He has a website containing a fairly long text explaining the virtues and philosophy of his product. I presume, therefore, that he would not dream of taking a customer phone call and saying "Listen, a**hole, I'll make your f***ing screen if and when I feel like it! If you don't like it, go and s**** yourself!" Yet this is the attitude which others are apparently proposing to adopt with regard to their photographic work.
Regards,
David
MurrayMinchin said:"I have always been unwilling to explain why I photograph as I do, or to define what meaning my images hold for me. I believe that any artist who feels a need to tell a viewer of their work how it should be interpreted, has failed.
Every person brings with them a life experience through which they understand and give meaning to their interpretation of the world before them. Ansel Adam's photograph, Northern California Coast Redwoods, can be seen as massive columns of strength, an ancient rain forest, natures perfect expression of endurance, of life. Another person may recognize the scene as the edge of a clear cut, the face of yet another remnant piece of ancient forest doomed to fall, a requiem.
I had an experience when I first attended art school in Vancouver. After several months of living in a big city for the first time, feeling utterly removed from any contact with wilderness, I found myself at an Emily Carr exhibit. Months of concrete made my senses keenly aware of Carr's vision of BC's coast. One painting however, The Red Cedar, held me. For fifteen minutes I stood before the painting utterly taken in by it's rhythms - the crowds in the gallery faded away; it was just the painting and me. I have returned to see The Red Cedar but have never had that response again.
Our experience of art is as fluid and unpredictable as life. We see what we see, when we are ready to receive it.
The Artist's Statement ultimately and necessarily is the work itself. Some will recognize what an artist is attempting to say, some will spin off towards other equally valid interpretations totally unexpected by the artist, while yet others, either unready for or unmoved by the works will scan them as meaningless.
My intention by stopping before and composing these scenes out of the totality and infinite possibilities in nature, or what technical and manipulative processes were used to create these images are moot. They will or will not live, on their own."Murray
Hmm...I dont get it, so your intention was for us to post our artist statements and then for each other to critique them?.....IMO this is a recepy for an even greater flame war..MurrayMinchin said:There you go...an artist's statement against artist statements...maybe it should be called an artists anti-statement statement.
I too believe that all the answers are within the works themselves. I find it highly annoying to hear a poet, author, painter, sculptor, or photographer trying to spoon feed me the meaning of their work. They should have the confidence in their execution of their vision to let the works live on their own.
In the context of this forum however, (away from the galleries, with the images removed from the equasion), I thought it would be fun to mull and chew over some other peoples statements written for their shows. I didn't expect it to warp uncontrollably into personal attacks...but I'm learning!!!
Murray
MurrayMinchin said:Hi Jorge,
Perfect! In two paragraphs you pretty much summed up what every artist should aspire to. What we all need to do is agree on the definition of "artist statement", because for me, what you wrote IS an artists statement!
Murray
Agreed Alex, it would be interesting to see or read why they feel these statements are necessary. IMO you hit the nail in the head, these artist statements smack too much of "art" school to me, and I get the feeling that as those who started on this track became in charge of administering galleries and Museums they have stuck with what they beleive is necessary.Alex Hawley said:Not coming from the "artiste" circle, its always been puzzling to me the need for these artist statements. There is no doubt that there is some marketing value to them in some circles. Perhaps we should examine why those circles feel the need for such statements. In other words, what compels them to believe they are necessary? Is it Art School doctrine? Some social doctrine? When did they become so fashionable?
My only "statement" is that contained in my APUG signature: "Good things don't just happen, you have to make them happen." I could shorten it by saying "Just go do it!"
This statement is not of my origin; it was what my High School football coach preached so many years ago. It most likely originated in the US Marine Corps, hardly an academy of "artiste" philosophers.
..... unless you can find a way to circumvent the system. Find your own way and you don't need to put up with the BS - ever!Jorge said:Bottom line it is all a bunch of bologney with posturing and BS thrown in....but you gotta play the game.. :rolleyes:
Agree Graeme. I think the way to circumvent the system is to politely explain "I don't have an artist statement. I'm not trying to deliver any hidden message." or some such words.Graeme Hird said:..... unless you can find a way to circumvent the system. Find your own way and you don't need to put up with the BS - ever!
Cheers,
Alex Hawley said:Agree Graeme. I think the way to circumvent the system is to politely explain "I don't have an artist statement. I'm not trying to deliver any hidden message." or some such words.
Wouldn't it be lovely if the refusal to make an artist's statement became the advante garde and a rebellion against the status quo? Then all of us non-statement schmucks would become in high demand? HAH!
Jorge said:these artist statements smack too much of "art" school to me, and I get the feeling that as those who started on this track became in charge of administering galleries and Museums they have stuck with what they beleive is necessary.
Good decision, IMO, to leave the first school Murray. A school cannot make a person creative. It must teach the skills and foundation. Creativity always springs from a manipulation of the foundation and the skills bring it to reality. One must sometimes modify a technique, or combine elements of existing techniques to create a new one.MurrayMinchin said:Good point. The first art school I went to was all about concepts, or more importantly, how well you could verbalize your concepts. We were given assignments and left to our own devices with no instruction at all. In the end, (no matter what the quality of the finished piece), the best talkers got the most praise. I left before the first semester was out. The next art school I went to believed that its important to have a solid foundation of skills to create art.
BINGO! Hey, if the uninitiated can't understand it, how can you expect anyone else to? Honestly, I believe that those who say they can understand some unintelligible gobbledy-gook are actually deceiving themselves and everyone else just so they won't appear to be "un-enlightened". Another trait of the herd.MurrayMinchin said:Every clique or gang (doctors, car salesmen, plumbers, artists) have their own language that seperates (elevates?) them from the general herd. Some artists may use their statements as a way of saying to the uninitiated, "Since you cannot understand what I have written, how can you possibly understand my art"?
Ed Sukach said:If asked, I would write "My`Artist's Statement' is my work."
Flotsam said:It is funny. By coincidence, I started reading this thread just as I am working on a letter to accompany a request for the opportunity to hang some of my work in a local exhibition space. Since initially the arts advisory comittee only want to see a few representative slides, I almost made the mistake of writing an artsy fartsy, serious "statement" to attempt to convey to them the wider thought and common philosophy that connects the images that I would like to show. This probably wouldn't be immediately apparent in a few individual slides and I thought that it might be a helpful consideration when they decide which 12 applicants they will choose to offer their space this year.
Good thing I saw this thread because after reading the advice and consensus of opinions here I've decided just to grab a purple crayon and scrawl:
"I photograph what I want, when I want, how I want and print as I choose. Everything I do is automatically fine art because _I_ have decided to apply that lable to it and even though you don't know me from a hole in the ground, if you don't instinctively understand that, then you can all kiss my Fat Pink A**!
Thank you for considering my request to show my photographs in your space, I am anxiously awaiting your final decision.
Yours Truly,
[signature]"
I'll be sure to send you all invitations to the opening
Flotsam said:A photographer can make an honest statement of the motivation and intent behind their approach to photography that goes beyond the particular content of or reaction to their individual images.
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