In this course, students will examine contemporary philosophical, historical, aesthetic and epistemological topics by addressing the evolution of discourse from the Enlightenment into the 20th century. A comprehensive selection of theorists and critics who address visual semiotics and the taxonomy of imagery and ideas will be introduced. Active discussion and participation will be a core requirement.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Readings due: 5/23
On the Invention of Photographic Meaning by Allan Sekula
On the Invention of Photographic Meaning by Allan Sekula
Allan Sekula is an artist, writer and critic. His photographic influences include Marxist theory, documentary photography, and the Conceptual Art Movement.
In On the Invention of Photographic Meaning, Sekula expresses that the meaning of a photograph is subject to cultural definition. Since photographs are representations of nature, and therefore unbiased (according to Sekula), the context of the photograph plays a huge part of the photographic meaning. We as viewers need to know social and historic contexts of the work before we can begin to understand it and relate it to the intentions of the artist.
A New Instrument of Vision by Laszlo Maholy-Nagy
Laszlo Maholy-Nagy, Hungarian born artist and professor at Bauhaus, was shaped by Dada, Suprematism, and Constructivism.
In A New Instrument of Vision, Maholy-Nagy expresses that photography can bring new things into the world. He believes that one should concentrate more on artistic expression than the reproductive function of portrayal. He also believes that we need to seek the ideal instrument to achieve artistic expression, rather than seek the aesthetic of tradition. Lastly, he believes that the knowledge of photography is just as important as learning the alphabet. My favorite quote of the text is “the illiterate of the future will be ignorant of the use of camera and pen alike”.
Seeing Photographically by Edward Weston
Edward Weston grew up Chicago, Illinois. He has been photographing since he was sixteen years old. He is most famous for his nudes and monumental close ups of vegetables.
In Seeing Photographically, Weston begins by saying that each medium of expression has limitations on the artist. According to Weston, early photographs had its limitations based on tradition; early photographs did not have tradition to go by, so it just went off of paintings. Weston then begins to say that when we assemble the “best works of the past”, we pick examples that are not concerned with aesthetics. Weston ends his essay by concluding that the most difficult task for a photographer is not about the camera they use or the prints they produce; it is about seeing photographically. Weston believes that few people master the medium photography. With the new technologies presented with photography, the medium instead masters the person. According to Weston, techniques, such as good composition, cannot be taught. Instead, it is learned through personal growth.
On the invention of photographic meaning by allan sekula he talks about how photography can have its own message and the context determines what the image . he stated that photographs are a representation of nature. He thought photographs was natural and unbias. What I got out of the reading is that the message and context is in each image and the message and context can be very different. That I learned that photographs are natural and unbais because of the message and the context of the image.
A new instrument of vision by Laszlo moholy – Nagy he believed that that photography can new things to the new world and that artist expression. He thought that art should speak for itself and how valuable it will be in the future. He thinks that that knowledge of photography should be as important as the alphabet. I thought that his views was very interesting and how he thinks that art in future will be valuable and that photography is important .
Seeing photographically by Edward Weston he talks about how media has its limitations on the artist and how photography they don’t have traditions. They had to base their photography on paintings. Weston believes that reproducing images destroys the Integrity of the photograph. He states that the most difficult task as a photographer is how to see photography .
allan sekula – he is an artist , Marxist theorist, writes essays and other critical texts in concert with images to create a multi-level critique of contemporary late capitalism.
Laszlo moholy – Nagy – he is Hungarian he has been shaped in the data movement constructism and he is a professor at the Bauhaus.
Eward Weston – is an American photographer in the 20 the century . he is one of influential American photographers.
In Moholy-Nagy's "A New Instrument of Vision," a number of powerful points are touched upon when it comes to photography. First, he states that photography is an extraordinary instrument for reproduction. Later, he lists the different ways (varieties) in which the medium can be used, such as micro-photography, radiography, etc... Yet the question of what is the essence/significance of it remains. He then explains that when trying to find this out, comparing this medium to older ones results in the halt of all productive activity: "New discoveries cannot be confined to the practice of bygone periods.
In Weston's "Seeing Photographically," he states that there are inherently limitations in every medium of expression. He speaks also of the mistake of trying to mimic painting in photography's early days; "photo-painters." A false idea exists that a straight photograph is purely the product of a machine, and is therefore not art. He then gives an example of musicians, and basically asks should we dismiss their music as art because their instruments are mechanical (good point)? Instantaneous recording and precision of definition with infinite gradation mark the unique nature of this graphic art (photography), and due to the nature of the image and recording process, "the finished print must be created in full before the film is exposed."
In Sekula's "On the Invention of Photographic Meaning," discourse is the main topic of discussion. The nature of it needs to be understood; all communication is tendentious. Basically, the reason why topics are being discussed in the first place are due to manifestations of interest. We also need to understand the "context of the utterance" when engaged in the discourse of a work of art. The meaning of any photographic message is context determined. We are informed often that there is a universal significance to the photograph, but this is gone when we realize that the information is the outcome of a culturally determined relationship.
Sekula - Basically what Sekula is talking about is how we interpret the meaning of a photograph. It has a lot to do with the culture in which the viewer lives in and what context the photograph is in. The photograph may carry a message, but regardless, the viewer will always give it their own message. Even if we view a photograph from the early 1900's, we still put in our own meaning based on what we have been through and our knowledge of the photographer and the actual scene. The photographic discourse has a lot to do with the context in which one views a photograph.
Maholy-Nagy - He compares and contrasts painting with photography. He talks about the different techniques used in both and what determines the way we see. He brings up how photography increase the power of sight in time and space. Photography gives us new eyes. He goes on to talk about series of photographs, how separating a picture makes it loose its identity. The lone picture becomes a structural element to the whole itself. He states the knowledge of photography is just as essential as the knowledge of the alphabet.
Weston - He begins the essay by talking about the photo-painting standard, which is photographing in such a way to resemble the same aspects of painting so that it will be considered art. He states that these false standards become firmly established. If the photographer doesn't know how to vizualize what final result he/she may want the finished work will end up being just a series of (un)lucky mechanical accidents. He basically is stating you need to know what you want the out come to be. One does this by using the same camera, the same lens, and the same paper to become a master at it, and being able to manipulate it in such manners that it give the photographer the ability to create art in that way. Too many options for the technical aspect doesn't make a good photographer. Weston then goes on to talk about composition and how we still use it in the same manner as painters. Having the subject matter forced to fit into a distinguished patter makes a photograph lack freshness.
On the Invention of Photographic Meaning by Allan Sekula
ReplyDeleteAllan Sekula is an artist, writer and critic. His photographic influences include Marxist theory, documentary photography, and the Conceptual Art Movement.
In On the Invention of Photographic Meaning, Sekula expresses that the meaning of a photograph is subject to cultural definition. Since photographs are representations of nature, and therefore unbiased (according to Sekula), the context of the photograph plays a huge part of the photographic meaning. We as viewers need to know social and historic contexts of the work before we can begin to understand it and relate it to the intentions of the artist.
A New Instrument of Vision by Laszlo Maholy-Nagy
Laszlo Maholy-Nagy, Hungarian born artist and professor at Bauhaus, was shaped by Dada, Suprematism, and Constructivism.
In A New Instrument of Vision, Maholy-Nagy expresses that photography can bring new things into the world. He believes that one should concentrate more on artistic expression than the reproductive function of portrayal. He also believes that we need to seek the ideal instrument to achieve artistic expression, rather than seek the aesthetic of tradition. Lastly, he believes that the knowledge of photography is just as important as learning the alphabet. My favorite quote of the text is “the illiterate of the future will be ignorant of the use of camera and pen alike”.
Seeing Photographically by Edward Weston
Edward Weston grew up Chicago, Illinois. He has been photographing since he was sixteen years old. He is most famous for his nudes and monumental close ups of vegetables.
In Seeing Photographically, Weston begins by saying that each medium of expression has limitations on the artist. According to Weston, early photographs had its limitations based on tradition; early photographs did not have tradition to go by, so it just went off of paintings. Weston then begins to say that when we assemble the “best works of the past”, we pick examples that are not concerned with aesthetics. Weston ends his essay by concluding that the most difficult task for a photographer is not about the camera they use or the prints they produce; it is about seeing photographically. Weston believes that few people master the medium photography. With the new technologies presented with photography, the medium instead masters the person. According to Weston, techniques, such as good composition, cannot be taught. Instead, it is learned through personal growth.
On the invention of photographic meaning by allan sekula he talks about how photography can have its own message and the context determines what the image . he stated that photographs are a representation of nature. He thought photographs was natural and unbias. What I got out of the reading is that the message and context is in each image and the message and context can be very different. That I learned that photographs are natural and unbais because of the message and the context of the image.
ReplyDeleteA new instrument of vision by Laszlo moholy – Nagy he believed that that photography can new things to the new world and that artist expression. He thought that art should speak for itself and how valuable it will be in the future. He thinks that that knowledge of photography should be as important as the alphabet. I thought that his views was very interesting and how he thinks that art in future will be valuable and that photography is important .
Seeing photographically by Edward Weston he talks about how media has its limitations on the artist and how photography they don’t have traditions. They had to base their photography on paintings. Weston believes that reproducing images destroys the Integrity of the photograph. He states that the most difficult task as a photographer is how to see photography .
allan sekula – he is an artist , Marxist theorist, writes essays and other critical texts in concert with images to create a multi-level critique of contemporary late capitalism.
Laszlo moholy – Nagy – he is Hungarian he has been shaped in the data movement constructism and he is a professor at the Bauhaus.
Eward Weston – is an American photographer in the 20 the century . he is one of influential American photographers.
In Moholy-Nagy's "A New Instrument of Vision," a number of powerful points are touched upon when it comes to photography. First, he states that photography is an extraordinary instrument for reproduction. Later, he lists the different ways (varieties) in which the medium can be used, such as micro-photography, radiography, etc... Yet the question of what is the essence/significance of it remains. He then explains that when trying to find this out, comparing this medium to older ones results in the halt of all productive activity: "New discoveries cannot be confined to the practice of bygone periods.
ReplyDeleteIn Weston's "Seeing Photographically," he states that there are inherently limitations in every medium of expression. He speaks also of the mistake of trying to mimic painting in photography's early days; "photo-painters." A false idea exists that a straight photograph is purely the product of a machine, and is therefore not art. He then gives an example of musicians, and basically asks should we dismiss their music as art because their instruments are mechanical (good point)? Instantaneous recording and precision of definition with infinite gradation mark the unique nature of this graphic art (photography), and due to the nature of the image and recording process, "the finished print must be created in full before the film is exposed."
In Sekula's "On the Invention of Photographic Meaning," discourse is the main topic of discussion. The nature of it needs to be understood; all communication is tendentious. Basically, the reason why topics are being discussed in the first place are due to manifestations of interest. We also need to understand the "context of the utterance" when engaged in the discourse of a work of art. The meaning of any photographic message is context determined. We are informed often that there is a universal significance to the photograph, but this is gone when we realize that the information is the outcome of a culturally determined relationship.
Sekula - Basically what Sekula is talking about is how we interpret the meaning of a photograph. It has a lot to do with the culture in which the viewer lives in and what context the photograph is in. The photograph may carry a message, but regardless, the viewer will always give it their own message. Even if we view a photograph from the early 1900's, we still put in our own meaning based on what we have been through and our knowledge of the photographer and the actual scene. The photographic discourse has a lot to do with the context in which one views a photograph.
ReplyDeleteMaholy-Nagy - He compares and contrasts painting with photography. He talks about the different techniques used in both and what determines the way we see. He brings up how photography increase the power of sight in time and space. Photography gives us new eyes. He goes on to talk about series of photographs, how separating a picture makes it loose its identity. The lone picture becomes a structural element to the whole itself. He states the knowledge of photography is just as essential as the knowledge of the alphabet.
Weston - He begins the essay by talking about the photo-painting standard, which is photographing in such a way to resemble the same aspects of painting so that it will be considered art. He states that these false standards become firmly established. If the photographer doesn't know how to vizualize what final result he/she may want the finished work will end up being just a series of (un)lucky mechanical accidents. He basically is stating you need to know what you want the out come to be. One does this by using the same camera, the same lens, and the same paper to become a master at it, and being able to manipulate it in such manners that it give the photographer the ability to create art in that way. Too many options for the technical aspect doesn't make a good photographer. Weston then goes on to talk about composition and how we still use it in the same manner as painters. Having the subject matter forced to fit into a distinguished patter makes a photograph lack freshness.