Saturday, March 5, 2011

We no longer trust our own vision.

We see through eyes that have been conditioned by photographic images. We can no longer really SEE an object. Before we can actually experience it it is frozen in our perception as a photographic image. It has lost it's place in space, it's atmosphere. We can no more perceive or experience it's actual reality.

Just go out and really try LOOKING at things- really experience them without judging them- IE, beautiful, ugly, pleasant. Try not to label them.

2 comments:

Karen Martin Sampson said...

I have mentioned you and your feelings about photographic reference on my blog today. I thank you for helping me to set my own priorities straight.

castlesquareboy said...

I have to say that I am in complete agreement with your essay regarding photographs and their abuse by 'artists'. Photoshop has a filter that can produce any photograph in any artistic style you want. What does an artist bring to the table when he or she produces a perfectly rendered version of a photograph? Nothing.

It reminds of the department store portrait paintings with the original photo shown side by side as if that was some neat carnival trick. It sucked then, and it sucks now.

Sorry for my own rant but I mirror your feelings about the majority of 'realist' one-trick-pony artists out there. What's the point? If you want a photograph, take a photo. If you want art, you want an artist.

I am actually encouraged that someone like you is out there holding up the torch for working from life. And only for working from life.