Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/07

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: Subject: Weltanschauung
From: Kari Eloranta <kve@dopey.hut.fi>
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 1997 11:17:21 +0300 (EET DST)

> From: Tina Manley <images@InfoAve.Net> wrote:

snip (actually a great C & H quote!)
> To connect this to photography - I attended an major exhibition of
> photographs that fit Calvin's description of Art - totally incomprehensible.
> Huge enlargements, showing film edges, etc., out of focus, muddy (probably
> made with plastic cameras) - but with complex Artist's Statements
> accompanying each one.  At the same exhibit was a small showing of beautiful
> photographs by Mexican women photographers - correctly exposed, in focus and
> beautifully presented - possible even made with Leicas!  When I mentioned to
> someone working at the gallery that I much preferred the Mexican
> photographers, she said,  "Well, they are more "accessible" to most people."
snip

There is a lot of this attitude around. Might be even worse in Europe,
where all sorts of "Art" is subsidized. The long tradition of past masters
also seem to push people into rather desperate experimenting. At least it
is then new albeit still garbage.

Lately I've visited more galleries than usual here in Helsinki as I'm
trying to find a suitable place to my exhibit. Whenever I sense this High
Art attitude either from the work displayed or the person running the show
I walk out & mark the place off. Mine is documentary and I don't want any
affiliation with these circles.

Just curious Tina, was that group or female photographers the one that has
also a BW book out. Flor Garduno, Gertrude Duby and few others? Forgot the
title. Discovered this book in the spring in Mexico. Beautiful work.


Kari Eloranta