Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/29

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Personal portfolios of misery
From: Jim Brick <jim_brick@agilent.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 16:05:39 -0700

At 01:43 PM 8/29/00 -0700, Paul Chefurka wrote:
>
>I'm not sure I understand you here, Jim.  Where do you draw your line and
>say "this is OK, that isn't" in cases like this?  Is Natchwey's "Inferno"
>not a personal portfolio, and based on the individual misery of many people?
>What about "Minimata" - that essay violates the fine art/misery proscription
>pretty handily.
>
<snip>
>
>Paul Chefurka

I believe the premise behind the publications you mention and subsequent
lectures to audiences around the world by the authors, was entirely
different than simply posting the photos as a statement of photographic
ability.

If Kyle produced an essay or even a simple published photo book on self
mutilation and then lectured (like Natchwey) on the subject, the
"connotation of self-indulgence" would be absent.

And the negative feedback would not have existed.

Kyle's long term photographic vocation is unknown to us and his photography
could indeed become the catalyst that saves the very souls that he is
photographing. More power to him. I could not do it.

Jim

Replies: Reply from "Ken Iisaka" <ken@iisaka.org> (Re: [Leica] Re: Personal portfolios of misery)