Joseph Pennell
1 media/Joseph Pennell_thumb.jpg 2021-03-13T22:20:13+00:00 Shanya Rod 0d619b1271a602a09d7c50f3853defd37756b4d6 83 3 Joseph Pennell, photographed by unknown. Source: Library of Congress plain 2021-03-13T22:42:17+00:00 Shanya Rod 0d619b1271a602a09d7c50f3853defd37756b4d6This page is referenced by:
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2021-02-15T23:05:13+00:00
Photography and its Intention as an Art Form
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By Shanya Rod
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2021-03-29T20:11:27+00:00
By Shanya Rod
It is difficult to provide an exact definition of art, as art is unique to each person. Generally speaking however, art can be recognized as an expression of emotion, a creative outlet that causes people to feel something. Viewers may not always understand or like a particular piece of art, but it is not quite up to them to decide whether or not it is art, it is up to the creator. That’s not to say that anything can be called art simply because a person feels like it. Art requires careful thought and consideration. In Leslie Elizabeth Kreiner’s journal article, “Toward a Definition of Art,” the author suggests a definition of art as being “human activity in which one, through the conscious use of skill and imagination, represents a particular action or experience with the intention of illuminating the universal quality of that action, producing delight through instruction.”[1] Photography is therefore an art form, not a science, as the photographer has the power to evoke a feeling through their work. With a vision in mind, they formulate an idea of how to go about capturing and conveying that vision through a scene. Photography’s quick and convenient functionality led many people to reject it as an art when it first originated in the 1800s. Some forms of art, like painting, do require more thought, attention, and time, but others may not. As there is no definite or correct way to create a work, these factors should not always constitute whether or not something is art, rather, the intention of the creator should.
Victorian ideals placed heavy emphasis on length of time and proper training when determining if something was art. They held much respect for painters and the strenuous efforts and dedication involved in painting; they thought that to be an artist, one must devote their entire life to it. In his excerpt, “Is Photography Among the Fine Arts?”, Joseph Pennell discusses such Victorian beliefs that painters are more esteemed, legitimate artists than photographers are. Pennell compares the artistic processes of the painter and the photographer, “What does the painter do? He either sits down in front of his subject--a landscape, let us suppose--makes a careful study of it with his unaided hands, which is he able to do because he had had a certain training and has the power to do it--a power in which the photographer is totally deficient…”[2] Pennell places heavy appreciation and praise on the painter while belittling the photographer. This is representative of how most Victorian people disapproved of photography as an art form because they believed it to be too easy and lacking in skill and personal touch. “It is the time left over from his serious work in life that this photographer gives to his “art”. Photography is his amusement, his relaxation,”[3] says Pennell. Pennell continues to express his disdain for photographers by speaking of their work as if it were a trivial side hobby that anyone may pick up to occupy themselves during their free time. While Pennell is completely disregarding that many do in fact devote their lives to photography the same way a painter does to his paintings, those who do photography on the side are just as valid as those who aim to be professional photographers. In Jacob Deschin’s journal article, “Photography as Art,” the author defines an artist as “an individual of uncommon sensibility, one responsive to the nuances of mood, substance and situation he encounters in the world around him, one who penetrates surface appearances and values to the meanings that lie below and even beyond the subject itself.”[4] A photographer transcends the typically mundane nature of the real world by choosing to capture it in a certain way. Therefore, someone who uses photography to bring a vision to life through their own creative thought process is in fact an artist. Art is not exclusive to those who studied it or made a career out of it. Photographers who capture the world may deem it as art if they are attempting to project something they find beautiful or meaningful, or are making a statement.
Although not all photographs require the same amount of time and work involved, it is often overlooked that many photographers must go through the trouble of building their scene in order to portray their artistic vision. Sandy Skoglund’s photograph Revenge of the Goldfish, 1981 is an ideal example of this. Skoglund’s photograph depicts a monochrome blue bedroom, a boy sitting on a bed while a woman sleeps, and bright orange goldfish swimming about. Skoglund created a room-size installation and scattered sculpted goldfish throughout the unusual, dreamlike scene.[5] Skoglund had to know exactly how she wanted the photograph to look like before she created it; she had to know exactly what colors to use and how they would go together, details of how objects in the room would be displayed, and what subjects would be in the room, what emotions they would express, and how they would interact with each other. Deschin expands on the significance of this process:“...the photographer must exercise the element of selection far more specifically than the painter. He cannot recall from memory as the painter can, a particular lighting, subject angle, a gesture, movement, expression, a desirable disposition of subject elements. They must be present in front of his camera. Thus, if the lighting is not right, he comes back when it is; if the mood is not appropriate, he waits for change; if the situation lacks significance, he waits until something happens to give it depth and meaning.”[6]
Deschin supports the claim that photography can be just as intricate, if not at times more, than painting; it can be quite tedious to get the photo right. Perhaps during the Victorian era, photographers were merely starting out and were not yet able to thoroughly explore or appreciate the many possibilities of the practice, like building scenes. In modern day however, people tend to neglect how much effort goes into making a professional photo like Revenge of the Goldfish because of how widespread photography has become. While it is wonderful that most anyone has the means to do photography through built-in phone cameras, this somewhat reduces uniqueness. Photographs are no longer “one of a kind,” as they can be shared around with others or found online easily; the ability to easily obtain photographs for free reduces their monetary value and recognition.
Photography is indeed an art form, if not solely from the fact that it inspires creativity and passion. Since many people did not wish to consider photography an art, the alternative has been to consider it a science because of its technical process. Deschin counters this by saying, “...the familiar distinction is made that photography is mechanical because a mechanical instrument is the medium involved. This ignores entirely the fact that back of the instrument, the camera, is a human intelligence, reacting, like the artist’s, to the subject material at hand. The physical result is different, of course, but the depth of perceptivity need not be.”[7] There being a person behind the camera who is manipulating their surroundings and utilizing their ideas in an attempt to create should be proof enough that photography is an art form. The means by which a person chooses to make their art is relatively insignificant. According to Kreiner, “A problem which remains with the definition is the matter of taste and appreciation, which is why art and aesthetics must remain separate.”[8] Pennell, his fellow Victorians, and perhaps even some people in modern day firmly believe that art has to uphold their standards in order to be recognizable or good. This is not true, as art is completely subjective. What is not subjective, however, is the attempt and intention to make art. Whether or not an individual’s work is well-liked, what matters most is that they are trying to say something through their creation.
[1] Leslie Elizabeth Kreiner, "Toward a Definition of Art." Art Education 46, no. 3 (1993), 7.[2]"Is Photography Among the Fine Arts?" in Photography In Print: Writings from 1816 to the Present, ed. Vicki Goldberg (New York: Simon And Schuster, 1981), 211.[3]"Is Photography Among the Fine Arts?" in Photography In Print: Writings from 1816 to the Present, ed. Vicki Goldberg (New York: Simon And Schuster, 1981), 210 - 211.[4]Jacob Deschin, "Photography as Art." Art Education 13, no. 6 (1960), 7.[5]Mary Warner Marien, Photography: a Cultural History. 4th ed. (London: Laurence King Publishing ltd, 2014), 455.[6]Jacob Deschin, "Photography as Art." Art Education 13, no. 6 (1960), 8.
[7]Jacob Deschin, "Photography as Art." Art Education 13, no. 6 (1960), 7.[8]Leslie Elizabeth Kreiner, "Toward a Definition of Art." Art Education 46, no. 3 (1993), 10. -
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2021-02-15T23:03:16+00:00
Is Photography "Art"?
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By Jena McGarey
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2021-03-29T20:47:22+00:00
Jena McGarey
What is art? Although the question itself can be subjective, art is defined as, “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.” 1 The definition does not limit the concept of art to a specific medium, but the definition does not discuss the elements of art. Elements of art is the idea that something cannot be considered art unless it contains the elements of art which consists of: lines, color, space, form, value, shape, and texture. Lines are the indication of movement and direction, such as an outline. Color is the hues used and the intensity of those hues to construct the artwork. The next element of art is space, which is the perspective and proportions of the artwork. Form is a three dimensional object that most often refers to artworks like sculptures. Value is the contrast used in the artwork that relates to light and dark. Shape is a two dimensional structure that makes up a shape. And the last element of art is texture, which is a visual effect that is formed with lines that implies texture. According to the definition of art, photographs can be a product of expression, aesthetic, and provoke a sense of beauty within the viewer. An artist does not necessarily need to have formal training to create art. Art is an interpretation of the world seen through the artist’s eyes and can be expressed through different mediums such as acrylic or oil paint to canvas, spray paint to wall, photographs, sand, etc. However, not everyone agrees with what can be considered art.
Although art is subjective and different mediums can be used to create art, American artist Joseph Pennell disagrees. Pennell gives his thoughts on photography in an excerpt, “Is Photography Among the Fine Arts?”. He argues that cameras are machines that create the image for you while the photographer did not have to put much creativity in the process. He was against classifying photography as art as he believed, “photography was merely mechanical and did not require training that art did.” 2 Pennell argues, with the mechanical aspects of photography, it takes away the artistry, as the photographer puts in little effort. The American artist believes that artistry comes from years of training, learning from a master and creating something that takes skill. Pennell explains, “[he] plants his machine in a convenient corner, and, with the pressing of a button or the loosing of a cap, creates for you a nocturne which shall rank with the lifework of the master.” 3 He views taking a photograph as a simple process that requires no creativity, that is a matter of science and not art. Pennell goes on to explain that cameras can capture the likeness of the subject and replicate them, which takes away from the artistry.
Edward Steichen’s The Flatiron (1904) is a blue-tinted platinum print that captures the essence of New York’s newest building at dawn. According to Pennell, the photograph would not be considered art because of the type of medium that is used. Recalling the definition of art, if the artwork displays production quality, aesthetic, beauty of something ordinary, and the elements of art, then it can be considered art. Steichen’s The Flatiron (1904) is a photograph that is of quality, provides an aesthetic, and brings beauty to something ordinary, like a building. Using the elements of art, it can be determined whether or not Steichen’s photograph is art. Lines play a key role in the photograph. The building itself is centered in the middle of the photographed, erected while the horizon sits perpendicular below. The bare branches that sit in the forefront of the subject serve as lines as well. Steichen tinted the photograph the color blue which is in line with the colors you would see during the early morning hours. Although the photo is tinted blue, the photograph displays different shades of blue. Space is used in the photograph, as there are three men standing in the forefront of the photograph, along with the trees. This creates depth between the men and trees, and the Flatiron building. With this photograph being taken, the subjects in the artwork are forms. The three dimensional subjects accentuate the depth in the image. The next element that Steichen’s photograph displays is value. The artwork has different shades of blue and the lighting used to capture the silhouette of the three men as dark figures shows contrast. Shapes can be seen in the image, such as the windows of the building are rectangles, and the Flatiron building is shaped as rhombus. The last element used is texture. In the forefront of the photograph, the sidewalk appears to be wet as the light is reflecting off of the water. This use of lighting shows the texture of water. Edward Steichen photographed the Flatiron building and Joseph Pennell produced an etching of the building the same year. Both men captured the beauty of the newly erected building through their own lens. Although Pennell does not recognize photography as a form of art, art accepts photography as a form of art.
Joseph Pennell may be correct in his assessment of photography, especially by today’s standards. When Joseph Pennell was alive to see cameras perform in its dawn, he felt that cameras were abhorrent and a cheat to the art community. In the prime of Pennell’s life, photography had grown into regularity while painters and sketch artists had been a thing of the past. He had seen cameras and photographs grow into a widely produced lifestyle where it was then incorporated into books and newspapers. Today, with cameras being easily accessible in our pockets and with photographs appearing and disappearing in a matter of seconds, there might have been a loss of artistry. We take advantage of the artistry that photography can provide because of how easily obtainable and disposable it is.Art is defined as, “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.”
When we ask, “What is art?” We can define art as a quality production that provokes a sense of feeling, aesthetic, and beauty. Art does not have to be limited to paint or charcoal used by an artist’s hand, art can use traditional and non-traditional tools on different mediums. The concept of art includes the elements of art which are: lines, color, space, form, value, shape, and texture. Photography can be art, although not everyone agrees, such as Joseph Pennell. Some will see art as a form of cheating as the camera essentially does all the work for you. These people also hold the opinion that the photography process is not a skill that takes years to master, and it is an insult to the art community. Edward Steichen’s The Flatiron (1904) is an example of art photography as the image displays most, if not, all of the elements of art. If we are to follow the elements of art as a guide to classify what is art, then these guidelines should apply to Steichen’s photograph as well. With photography progressing and growing as quick as it did, no one could have thought the camera would transform to what it is today. Memories in your pocket, available at the touch of your finger. Photographs being stored in binary code. As accessible as photography is today, photographs have lost its monetary value as anyone can take a photo, anytime they like. Artistry in photography is not dead, but it is not as unique and alive as it once was.