Photographing art in museums
In a New York Times article, the art critic Roberta Smith notes the increasingly common use of cameras, especially cellphones by viewers when interacting with art. In particular, she discusses the behavior of visitors to the Venice Biennale, an exhibition of contemporary art that is held every two years (this year’s biennale runs through November). Many countries, including the U.S., are represented with their art displayed in national pavilions. Do you agree with her opinions on the usage of cameras in relation to art? What is your opinion on taking pictures of pictures?
Read Roberta Smith’s NYT article here
Take a quick video tour of this year’s Venice Biennale with a British art critic here
Don’t forget to log in to your OpenLab account (you need an active CityTech email account to register/confirm your OpenLab account) and join the class (request membership!) in order to add a blog post.
See instructions on how to “post” and “comment” under “Blogging Guidelines” above.
Due to extensive school closures in September, you have extra time to submit your posts this month. The DUE DATE to submit your blog posts is Saturday, September 29th.
The article “When the Camera takes over for the Eye” was very interesting to me. in this article the author Roberta Smith points out the fact that during this period of time art is viewed more through the screens of a cell phone camera rather than the eyes of the viewer themselves. According to Roberta Smith this is in a way a disgrace to both the art and the viewer because a cell phone camera cannot properly capture the essence of the art work. On the other hand she does mention that taking photos of art can be a way of taking the experience with you on the go and sharing with others. I agree with Roberta Smith in that people certainly do take advantage of today’s technology to experience and share art. We live in a world where devices that capture photos are accessible to almost everyone. A good percentage of these devices are connected to the internet which makes sharing photos more readily available and easy to do. I must disagree with Roberta Smith’s statement that taking pictures of art with a mere cell phone camera gives the viewer a gimped experience. The reason I disagree is because one of the most important aspects of art is the ability to share it with the world. Why else do artists display them in museums? It is for the same reason we post them on websites and forward them to friends. Taking photos of art not only allows us to remember the experience but thanks to 20th century technology we can also share them with others to enjoy.
After reading the article “When The Eye Takes Over The Eye”, all I can say is a photograph is a token of a memory. Memories that last a lifetime. On another note, there is a comparison with taken photographs with a professional SLR as to via camera phone. You will not get the full effect capturing an image of a painting or sculpture with a simple camera phone. You will lose clarity as to what is actually present right infront of you. In my opinion I really don’t see what the commotion is. People travel all over the world and when they visit museums, cameras will definitely be present. I don’t think it is an insult to photograph specific paintings, sculptures, etc because it is a useful tool for people who need to do research on the internet. There are professional photographers who have to take photos to upload on websites, so when someone like myself need information I can research.
i agree with Verna because we live in a world where technology has taken over our lives. for example back in the day when people had concerts, nothing but hands would be up. compared to now where phones would be out to capture that moment of happiness. i myself am a photographer and love to have as much pictures as i can because i could see and think about that moment. as too the taking pictures of pictures i do it because sometimes i want to know who created it. i like to take pictures of pictures to have ideas of what i can do or to create an idea off of there pictures.
I agree with her opinions on the usuage of cameras in relation of art because a camera is a unique piece of art. Cameras capture many memories. A picture can capture a thousand words. Without cameras we wouldn’t be able to see any visual aids from the past. We live in a world today where humanbeings take pictures of pictures everyday. A certain picture can be so unique to us and we want to take a picture of it so we can view it multiple times and share it. In today’s society you can take pictures on tablets, digital cameras, phones.
I agree with Roberta Smith’s ideas in her article, “When the Camera Takes Over the Eye.” Although I think that a picture of a picture or an artwork could never truly capture the beauty and nature of it, it would be pointless for us to see such works of art if later we could not remember them or make references to them. The reason why many of us take pictures of pictures is because we are fascinated by them and would like to share what we have seen with others, or simply to carry those memories and look at those photos to remember the great experience of looking at the art. Now it has become easier for anyone to take pictures because almost everyone has a cellphone, which is easier and more practical than carrying an actual camera, if you are not a professional photographer, that is.
I agree with Roberta Smith when she writes”…the camera is a way of connecting, participating and collecting fleeting experiences.” Although viewing the artwork through a phone could ruin the effect of actually being there, it still provides on information about the picture. We live in a century where most pictures are on your phones and cameras and not in museums. It is the only way to share the knowledge of it. In school when I look at pictures of artwork on the computer, I don’t feel like I missed out on the essence of actually being there. In the end I am still able to see the picture and learn about it. When someone captures a picture it is only because they see the actual work through their eyes and are so amazed by it that they want a picture with them forever and in their memory. With that picture they can pass on the knowledge of it to their kids and grand kids. Even after the original work is out of the museum.