Re: Why Process (was: wet plate)

mentzer@bedford.progress.com
Mon, 02 May 94 15:43:00 PDT

>Carson's post and this thread has brought this question to my attention:
>If you could, with any other process, digital or otherwise, faithfully
>duplicate another process, indistinguishabily from the original, would it
>be the same thing?

> So, if I "rephotographed" a well known photograph, at
>the scene and reproduced the entire photograph with another process as to
>make the entire thing identical and indistinguishable from the original,
>would it be the same thing as the original?

I would tend to argue that it is not possible to ever fully duplicate an art
form -
even using the same process. To start a whole other line of argument - is
it art if it can be identically reproduced, or does it simply become
craft?...hmmm.
Making myself think on this one....

>Another way to ask this question is: When looking at an object, is your
>experience of the object determined by its existence or by the process
>by which that object came into being?

I think this is a key feature/discussion topic as well. Is art simply the
final
object, or is art more interactive and growing constantly? Does an artist
have a responsibility to add his/her two cents concerning the object?
Is the artist being selfish by not telling others how the object came into
existence?

Just some quick thoughts - thanks for listening. No I don't agree with
myself
on some of the issues, but I like to give myself a mental challenge as
well...

Kevin