Re: Fwd: Re: the 21 steps or gum control (long)

Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Sat, 13 Jun 1998 23:50:46 -0400 (EDT)

On Sat, 13 Jun 1998, Jeffrey D. Mathias wrote:
> ... I have aimed toward mastering
> the print and the negative to render my feeling and interpretation of
> what I experienced with the original scene. I am only a student
> learning what the space photographed can teach me about its interaction
> with a culture I might know nothing about. I purposely follow an
> extremely objective path. A path easier to follow utilizing photography
> than other imaging making processes.

Indeed... and a very seductive path it is. I continually struggle to free
myself from its coils... I do love the look of it... photography's siren
song, in fact... but I fight it. ;- )

> This strategy is not new. For example, think of the approaches of A.
> Adams and E. Weston. A decade ago the Center for Creative Photography
> had an interesting display of Adams and Weston work hanging side by
> side. This was a great demonstration comparing and contrasting the
> objective and subjective approaches.

The devil refuses to get behind me (will s/he ever?). I saw a show at ICP
Midtown a couple of years back pairing Weston and Mapplethorpe. Maybe it
was just the curating -- but often the Mapplethorpes looked better. (Do I
hear thunder? A bolt of lightning leaping my new heavy-duty
state-of-the-art surge protector? We've been having thunder storms all
day, more predicted.... so who knows?)

cheers,

Judy