From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 12/01/00-02:31:24 PM Z
On Fri, 1 Dec 2000 Kerik717@aol.com wrote:
> Bravo! Students should be taught the importance of quality and care
> of their work from early on. This will help prevent student work
> looking like Student Work. The idea that student work is automatically
> of some lesser value is of course flawed. Makes me wonder why this
> attitude often comes from people that are "teachers"... And don't be
> scared off by Judy's anti-platinum attitude. It's not the last time
> you'll hear that either. Ultimately, your choice of medium will (or
> should) be based on the final results rather than the cost.
Oh Kerik, please don't put words in my mouth... Firstly, we were talking
about opening steps. Someone raised questions about the archivality of
less expensive media for *learning.* I said for the purpose that wasn't
*paramount.* Nor is it.
To leap from that to "students should be taught the importance of quality
and care" (before they've gotten the hang of a process) is quite a leap,
at best elevating form over substance, or teaching exactly the wrong
thing. Not that the *world* doesn't operate that way, but that school
shouldn't. It also deflects attention with busywork from basics that
*require* teaching, by experts who have limited energy and time, as do
students.
But .... if the school has to *teach* a student "the importance of quality
and care" -- maybe that student is in the wrong school? If the student
doesn't care for her or his own work without hectoring -- well, I guess
the warm body in the classroom pays teachers' salaries, but it does seem
rather futile otherwise. Unless art school is a form of correctional
institution or occupational therapy ?
(Tho on 2nd thought about warm body -- the ones who don't care probably
don't come to class either.)
As for my "anti-platinum attitude" -- well, it's true I don't consider
platinum printing the end-all and be-all of creative photography, which by
some criteria makes me disrespectful. And I do think the cost of the
material is a factor in that, which was the point of the thread --
although other factors may also contribute. When I see the light, I'll
send a flash, meanwhile -- sorry !
PS. I never "taught" my own children the "importance," for instance, of
doing homework, or making it neat. I expected them to do it for
themselves, not for me (& they did). Same thing with students -- I expect
them to value their work for themselves, not for me. Obviously they want
teacher's approval -- & I gave it, if anything, over-generously. Sometimes
I did draw attention to the *harm* poor presentation did to the work, but
that was NEVER the opening salvo -- would have put the cart before the
horse.
We also discussed different approaches to presentation, a serious topic
the list might find of interest. Do you know how often I see stuff pinned
to the wall & all curly at *GOOD* galleries?
Judy
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