I began to develop an idea for an exhibition to focus on, or “foreground,” hand-painted backdrops from around the world used by itinerant and studio photographers in their portrait work. In addition, the photographs made by these photographers were to be displayed along with the backdrops. When I was coordinating the Exhibitions Program at Visual Studies Workshop (1987-1997) I was provided the freedom and encouragement to develop this idea. I began to more thoroughly research what I perceived to be a global, pervasive, but somewhat overlooked phenomenon in the history of photography; and the project grew and evolved. […]
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In early 2007 one of my local institutions, the Staten Island Museum, commissioned me to respond in writing to a set of 49 photographs drawn from its extensive collection. The group consists of Island scenes depicted in lantern slides, commercially produced postcards, amateur photographs, professionally made group portraits, film stills, and assorted other forms. […] |
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Fish Story
I hasten to point out a fundamental conceptual error that Bennett and his colleagues have made, as exemplified by this last statement. Their subject, said dead salmon, was not “perceiving humans.” It was perceiving photographs of humans. The relationship between a photograph of a thing and the thing itself is indexical at best, and fraught with complexities and qualifications. Clearly Bennett et al need to read more theory of photography. On a positive note, Bennett and his group also scanned a pumpkin and a Cornish hen (both certifiably deceased) with no resulting critical commentary. What a relief. . . . […]