From: Galina Manikova (galina@online.no)
Date: 01/08/03-02:53:45 PM Z
Bravo, Christopher,
I think the reason why people talk about the subject of "what art is" or if
"photography is art" is hidden deeply under another question, they must
secretly wonder about: "am I an artist or am I not ?"
I know personally that I am the one, so I do not care "what art is" or
whether "photography is art".
Because the only reason to be an artist is if you can not stop being one. If
you manage to stop making "art", please stop ! But I can not help it, so I
will do it no matter what it is called.
I think the definition should be in the hands of art historians, because
that definition can only be made later for a certain time period. I will
allow the art historians to find out if what I am doing is art or not, if it
is good or not. If they do not understand yet, maybe they will in 100 years.
Art should be always ahead of it's time. Otherwise it will be a replica, a
reproduction, a comment, a homage.
If somebody wonders about what I am doing and does not seem to understand, I
simply comfort myself with a thought that I am so far ahead of that person
in both time and understanding, that it is his problem and not mine.
That is usually called an artist's arrogance - another reason to be sure
that I am an artist !
Hope, I do not offend anybody, because I think it is perfectly OK to be an
amateur, do reproductions and copies. Not everybody has to be an artist. If
you learn a definition of who is an artist and who is not, you will not
necessarily be able to become what you want to be.
There is a lovely song in norwegian by Anne Grethe Preus, it goes: "...and I
would love to be a happy amateur in everything..."
So would I..., but I can`t, it is my work...
I think it is better to be a good and happy amateur rather than a bad
artist.
Regards,
Galina
Galina Manikova
Alternative alternative
Kiellands gate 1a
3183 Horten
Norway
Phone/fax: ++ 47 33 03 91 00
E-mail: galina@online.no
-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Lovenguth [mailto:zantzant@hotmail.com]
Sent: 8. januar 2003 19:41
To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
Subject: what is art yet again?...tired (was: outsider art)
I find this so interesting that every other month people here seemed quite
confused as to what is art. Why do I only ever see photographers so
preoccupied with this? It is almost like some people here are constantly
searching for ammunition to prove a point of how messed up the art world
that won't accept them is. Sometimes it reminds me of the kid on the block
who wasn’t allowed in the clubhouse. Most artist I know who are not
photographers seem concerned and obsessed with making, NOT if their work is
"legit". This struggle with legitimacy in personal work must be the reason
people on this list keep bringing up this "what is art" hidden within
different topics. The only other thing I could think of for this constant
onslaught would be jealousy of other mediums and/or art concepts that are
more "acceptable" to the art world then their personal work.
With what Jack Brubaker had to say about photography as being "accessible
form of self expression" this is exactly what art is. Art is not about
skills learned or if you can get a perfect platinum print. Art is
self-expression that a viewer can identify with in whatever form. I would
find a student who did what Jack describe as way more advance in their art
abilities then some one who makes a compositionally perfect image and print
that is drab or run of the mill.
-Chris
>Jack Brubaker <jack@jackbrubaker.com> said:
>
> > This is sort of an asside to the issue of "outsider"
> >
> > One of the features common to the several introductory level photo
>classes I
> > have been near over the years is that there was in each one or two
>students
> > who were involved in a very personal self-examination that boardered on
> > painfull and functioned as an undirected therapy for them. Photography
>was a
> > non-verbal way of expressing their fears, concerns, questions, what-ever
> > that didn't require them to learn to draw, mix paint, ar any of the
>other
> > time consuming skills associated with "fine art". As such it was an
> > accessable form of self expression that they used for a while and then
>went
> > away. Their instructors were hestitant to confront them with the content
>of
> > their imagry since most showed resistance to acklnowledging or
>missinturpted
> > the sometimes blatent imagry of their work. This is not "outsider" or
> > "folk" as such but is an area of photography that comes close. It is
>worth
> > remembering for most people photography is not technical or difficult.
>They
> > beleave the Kodak ideal. So the image of the self taught, or un-taught,
> > artist or outsider may well exist within photography and photography may
>in
> > fact be a magnet to those having an eposodic need to express themselves.
> > Just think of all the home computers full of low res. digital images out
> > there. They aren't all pictures of the grandkids.
> >
> > Jack Brubaker
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