When Is Photography Art?

Short post tonight. I visited the Richard Avedon exhibition at the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth this weekend. I learned quite alot about the subject of his photos and how he manipulated the photos. They were all posed. Many...most...of the people in the photos were down on their luck people who Avedon believed represented the "real" west. Coal miners, carneys, beekeepers, drifters, abused runaways...they were his subjects. Avedon used photographic print techniques to vary the "burn" on each photo, hightlighting certain areas, minimizing others. In effect, he hardened the images...made them harsher and more intense. Make no mistake, his photography is exceptional. Is it art? I'd say it is. But many people who think they're being photographed think, no doubt, that their images won't be manipulated by the photographer. I have mixed feelings.

I found Avedon's assistant's photos of Avedon working with his subjects more interesting than the final prints. I found her comments about Avedon intensely interesting. The stories of so many of the subjects were heartbreaking.

I want to spend more time thinking...exploring art, literature, ideas. Running a company that serves as administrator and bookkeeper and such is not rewarding. But I don't have the talent, nor the time to learn, to be the poet, the artist, the writer. If only I had listened to my desires when I was younger.

Back to the roof rats, the broken cars, the employee evaluations, taking minutes of meetings and planning board meetings. What a life! It would be different if I hadn't seen what could have been.

The cowgirl museum in Fort Worth was remarkable...my expectations were not very high...that's when the actual experience can be utterly delightful! More on this and other unfinished thoughts in the days and weeks to come.