From: Darryl Baird (dbaird@umflint.edu)
Date: 09/01/02-07:31:07 AM Z
Well, as far as I'm concerned, reading the essay "On Redaction" was a breath of
fresh air. I also believe his main point was one of scholarship vs. connoisseurship
or curatorial excess. His comments about the "generosity" of the (photographic)
medium are surely accurate. I mean, what other artist can use almost countless
attempts to "get it right." Winogrand's own words suggest such serendipity.
His point seemed to drive at intent by the photographer - in their lifetime - to
produce a specific and connected (to their own times and ideas) body of work. His
greatest objections were for the curators of dead photographers and dead
photographs arising from the eternal abyss to be reformulated as genius. I have
long been uncomfortable with this practice, beginning with Atget. So, IMHO, Coleman
got it right, but he is very bruising.
FWIW, I saw a very large exhibit of Woodman's two years ago -- with contact sheets,
and many other artifacts of her life and photographs. As I left the exhibit, I
muttered to my wife, "You've got to be kidding. I've seen lots of graduate student
work as good as hers." I believe that was Coleman's literal take as well.
-- Darryl
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