purely hypothetical situation

FrankS

FrankS

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Let's pretend that you've just been discovered by a prestigious art gallery. Your dreams have come true. They are going to show your work and are asking you for an "artist's statement" that explains your photography, 50 words maximum. What would YOU write? How do you define yourself and your photography?

Please include a few representative images along with your artist's statement.
 
Well, I haven't been "discovered" and do not plan to be. But I do have an real life "artist's statement" that I use for exhibits. It is 105 words, not 50.

My documentary photography reflects a special interest in those cultural aspects of our local society that are disappearing. My primary goal is to create a record of today’s life within these groups so that others may later have a sense of what no longer exists. Being born and raised in Orlando when it was still part of the Deep South has a major influence on my perspective. My enjoyment comes from spending time communicating directly with these people in their environment. I do not always photograph, sometimes just visiting. When I do choose to pick up the camera, environmental portraits tend to flow more naturally.

I almost always include a panel of several paragraphs of text in the exhibit. But it is always about the subject and nothing about me. I know why people come to see my photographs, and it ain't me.

Shakari-in-doorway-of-JAS.jpg


Tuckers-by-tree-Christmas.jpg


Stage-Coach-campground-fat-.jpg


Rosevelt-Dudley-Rosedale.jpg
 
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I was asked to write a "policies and procedure" statement at work recently. I used others' as a template and adapted them to what i needed. The first one seems to be the hardest.
 
I'd say:

I take photos of things that make me happy, and things that make me sad.

I'd say this because that's what my photography is for. It's to capture memories. Photographs, to me, exist solely so I can look back in time and remember.
 
I hate trying to come up with an artist's statement. If I'm still alive when I'm discovered, I'm going to hire someone to write one.

Bob Michaels: Nice pictures!

I am not the Canadian who stiffs other RFF'ers.
 
I think it would be better to keep quiet and see what sort of artspeak comes out of the local critics. Would be very entertaining.
 
I know what you mean about BS art-speak. But sincerely, what would you say? Surely there is some thought behind what you do, above and beyond, "Just having fun." Or maybe not? What would you non-BS statement say? Take your time, think about it, and post it. Bob did a good job with his.
 
FrankS said:
I know what you mean about BS art-speak. But sincerely, what would you say? Surely there is some thought behind what you do, above and beyond, "Just having fun." Or maybe not? What would you non-BS statement say? Take your time, think about it, and post it. Bob did a good job with his.
Click to expand...

I had an advantage. I could just cut and paste mine. This is hypothetical to most of the others. It is real life to me as I have to submit an artist's statement for just about every exhibit. They seldom get published. I think they are mostly for ideas when someone does the promo material.
 
I tried doing a cut and paste from the bio information on the first "page" of my blog http://thepriceofsilver.blogspot.com but couldn't seem to pare it down to fifty words that made sense. The blog itself is mostly autobiographical, photos and text, although I'm a bit behind on the text right now.

There are some photos taken a couple of weeks ago at an opening at Mario Flores Gallery where I had some of my photographs on exhibit.

I also go off on tangents using a toy monkey, Monkette, in the photographs. She does political commentary on North Miami politics. She even ran a successful re-election campaign for the mayor two years ago. I'm just having fun.
 
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I like the effect photography has on the things photographed. Suddenly, they become history, and are worth preserving. Since that happens pretty much to everything I photograph, I like to see myself more like a documentarian than as a photographer. In fact, every time I trip the shutter, I make history... come alive.

Or at least that's what I like to think, and that's also the reason why I try to find the unexpected angles, light and shadows of ordinary objects in ordinary contexts wherever I go.

There you go, Frank! It's something I'd like to use one day if I ever find myself in the circumstances you described. :)
 
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