Street (non)photography
Jean Burgess has an interesting post/thread going about vernacular creativity. I’ve been thinking about a post on that subject every since my trip to Minneapolis a few weeks ago. I really must disagree with the idea that the philosophy on this non photography site is well developed. Actually, I find it rather naive. Having “no rules” actually suggests the most difficult to adhere to rule of all—the rule of novelty—or, at the very least, the most counter-intuitive rule possible for artistic practice— that no human involvement is desirable. Disinterested artistic practice is a myth. Without interest, it isn’t art.
The closest thing to “street non-photography” I can think of comes from Chris Sullivan. The Journal of the Public Domain consists of objects found on the street. It neither invites, nor needs, any coherent philosophy. There is a difference between an organizing principle and a philosophy—trashlog has an organizing principle somewhat like Chris’s, and it seems to avoid any “developed philosophy” as well. In both cases, human involvement (in selection at least) is readily apparent and needs no apology. Humans have notions and they almost always preconceive them. The idea of photography without preconceived notions is, to me, so much bullshit.
More on (non)photography
Jeff of This Public Address responds to some my thoughts on vernacular creativity in photography. He says:I really must disagree with the idea that the philosophy on this non photography site is well developed. Actually, I find it rather naive. Having …
I’m not sure if I understand any of this but it seems to me that most of the arts have moved away from tradition and skill to the point where apparently anyone can do it. Anyone can spatter paint on a canvas; anyone can make random noise (or 4 1/2 minutes of NO sound) and call it music; anyone can push a button on a camera. And yet, NOT just anyone can do it. You have to be an artsy person – an insider. I could put my photographs next to these hip new “non-photographers” and all the insiders would immediately be able to tell that it was taken by an outsider. Just like it was with my art experiment earlier this week. There’s a difference between skilled and unskilled even when the artist tries to make it look unskilled. It’s an affectation. But there’s always a difference that insiders can see but outsiders can’t.