Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This is a wonderful topic which will take ages to die down, because it has never been answered since the first photographic image was created. For me, artists are often unrecognized in their time. Their art may appeal, it may stimulate, it may nauseate. If it elicits a reaction, then it may well have achieved its aim and good on the artist for doing that. Not all of us will like the same things, food, wine, beer or whiskey --- that's what makes life interesting. Remove competition and you die as a society. The drabness of the East Germany I saw was testiment to that. I would hate to live in a society where only "good" art, as decreed by some committee was available, and so I choose to prefer being offended by some. I'm not one who feels everyone should be exposed to everything, and I believe in "family" censorship for children, but in general, I try very hard to "live and let live". If an artist is really no good, or is unable to reach an audience, I belive they will "starve". It is true however that the general leval of "taste" falls to the lowest common denominator, but I think we can blame ourselves for that --- every political power on earth prefers to keep it that way, and the major financial players are behind them, so be thankful that in general, we can have our own opinions, develop our own tastes, and do not feel as threatened by individualism as some have through history and still are today. Off soap box and back into the heat of the day Cheers and here's luck Alastair - -----Original Message----- From: Ted Grant [mailto:tedgrant@islandnet.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 2:12 PM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: [Leica] art photography Folks, Not that I've read every one of the diatribes on "art/artist photography" topics, but what I haven't seen addressed for some of these "photographer artists" is: Is it really photography by photographers? Or is it merely art "using the medium of the photographic process to make art?"