"...the seemingly insatiable appetite for photography in the 1970s expresses more than the pleasure of discovering and exploring a relatively neglected art form; it derives much of its fervor from the desire to reaffirm the dismissal of abstract art which was one of the messages of the pop taste of the 1960s"(Susan Sontag, 1977)
I've finished reading Susan Sontag's book, On Photography. The book itself is more a philosophy on the art than an observation of it. Sontag was an activist in the 60s & 70s. And I have to say that her take on taking pictures can be very dark. Nevertheless, through the reading, she discusses why people take pictures in the first place, whether it be amateur photos for a family vacation to the depths of a professional photographer's mind.
As stated above the 60s ushered in photography in the way of displaying culture, "pop" culture and entertainment in way that had never before been seen. Sontag discusses earlier in the read that for decades photography had been more simply for "state record," in essence without raw emotion or pretentiousness...it had been a way of classifying and not considered art- few dared to call it that. But with every other "revolutionary" theme of 1960s; photography followed suit. This is not to say that pictures were unartistic, but they were not reveled in-prior to the time.
Andy Warhol made a masterful entrance into the pop culture world with his iconic images. Contemporary artist Billy Apple was also known for his conceptual artistic talents. Sontag mentions another intriguing photographer and artist that began ahead of her time- Diane Arbus. She had a taste for the "freaks" of society, she craved the strange artistic forms that such people offered.
But Sontag saw a swift attitude change in the 1970s. It seemed that everyone wanted a share in the artistic demand...and people began to explore the idea of capturing a once in a life-time a moment they might never get back.
Today, everyone has an opportunity to be a photographer, though not everyone may not have the ability. Classrooms teach it at colleges, digital makes pictures more accessible and photo-shop gives "artistic" a new catch. The cravings of the artist and the common man seem to merge at times, and at others, their eyes are drastically different in purpose or intent.
But no matter the time or reason, people are desperate to have a record, proof of their life, something to show more than what they think they seem- and pictures show just that. And still there are those behind the button of the camera that are searching for something, a diamond in the rough so to speak- something that will give what they're about to record meaning and a voice- a face- a name.
As stated above the 60s ushered in photography in the way of displaying culture, "pop" culture and entertainment in way that had never before been seen. Sontag discusses earlier in the read that for decades photography had been more simply for "state record," in essence without raw emotion or pretentiousness...it had been a way of classifying and not considered art- few dared to call it that. But with every other "revolutionary" theme of 1960s; photography followed suit. This is not to say that pictures were unartistic, but they were not reveled in-prior to the time.
Andy Warhol made a masterful entrance into the pop culture world with his iconic images. Contemporary artist Billy Apple was also known for his conceptual artistic talents. Sontag mentions another intriguing photographer and artist that began ahead of her time- Diane Arbus. She had a taste for the "freaks" of society, she craved the strange artistic forms that such people offered.
But Sontag saw a swift attitude change in the 1970s. It seemed that everyone wanted a share in the artistic demand...and people began to explore the idea of capturing a once in a life-time a moment they might never get back.
Today, everyone has an opportunity to be a photographer, though not everyone may not have the ability. Classrooms teach it at colleges, digital makes pictures more accessible and photo-shop gives "artistic" a new catch. The cravings of the artist and the common man seem to merge at times, and at others, their eyes are drastically different in purpose or intent.
But no matter the time or reason, people are desperate to have a record, proof of their life, something to show more than what they think they seem- and pictures show just that. And still there are those behind the button of the camera that are searching for something, a diamond in the rough so to speak- something that will give what they're about to record meaning and a voice- a face- a name.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.