Comments on: Cheap Is the New Black http://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/ New York art news and reviews. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Erichttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-162215 Eric Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:12:59 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-162215 The history of photography and the history of the photobook are completely intertwined. Have the practices of editioning prints and issuing limited print runs for books been a desperate attempt to preserve the 'aura' of the art object, which mechanical reproduction may have had a part in degrading (as B would have it)? The history of photography and the history of the photobook are completely intertwined. Have the practices of editioning prints and issuing limited print runs for books been a desperate attempt to preserve the ‘aura’ of the art object, which mechanical reproduction may have had a part in degrading (as B would have it)?

]]> By: Erichttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-318967 Eric Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:12:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-318967 The history of photography and the history of the photobook are completely intertwined. Have the practices of editioning prints and issuing limited print runs for books been a desperate attempt to preserve the 'aura' of the art object, which mechanical reproduction may have had a part in degrading (as B would have it)? The history of photography and the history of the photobook are completely intertwined. Have the practices of editioning prints and issuing limited print runs for books been a desperate attempt to preserve the ‘aura’ of the art object, which mechanical reproduction may have had a part in degrading (as B would have it)?

]]> By: Reply to Art Faghttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-160990 Reply to Art Fag Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:06:59 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-160990 Its important to be specific in what we are discussing when it comes to books and prints. Historically, most of the great photography projects of the past 150+ years have come to us through books. Reproductions of paintings and sculptures in book form (photographed and reproduced) is a different matter. They are, after all, photographs of object, and therefore interpreted by a photographer before they are set into a book. A photograph that begins as a photograph and is then laid onto a page is a slightly different condition. Its important to be specific in what we are discussing when it comes to books and prints. Historically, most of the great photography projects of the past 150+ years have come to us through books. Reproductions of paintings and sculptures in book form (photographed and reproduced) is a different matter. They are, after all, photographs of object, and therefore interpreted by a photographer before they are set into a book. A photograph that begins as a photograph and is then laid onto a page is a slightly different condition.

]]> By: Reply to Art Faghttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-318966 Reply to Art Fag Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:06:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-318966 Its important to be specific in what we are discussing when it comes to books and prints. Historically, most of the great photography projects of the past 150+ years have come to us through books. Reproductions of paintings and sculptures in book form (photographed and reproduced) is a different matter. They are, after all, photographs of object, and therefore interpreted by a photographer before they are set into a book. A photograph that begins as a photograph and is then laid onto a page is a slightly different condition. Its important to be specific in what we are discussing when it comes to books and prints. Historically, most of the great photography projects of the past 150+ years have come to us through books. Reproductions of paintings and sculptures in book form (photographed and reproduced) is a different matter. They are, after all, photographs of object, and therefore interpreted by a photographer before they are set into a book. A photograph that begins as a photograph and is then laid onto a page is a slightly different condition.

]]> By: Art Fag Cityhttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-160981 Art Fag City Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:04:32 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-160981 There are some very smart commentors on this thread.@Ian Aleksander Adams: "I have always thought that if I mistreat something it is because it is easily replaceable. That has nothing to do with how much money you paid for it." I think this is a wise correction.@Reply to Art Fag: I hadn't read the post as a specific commentary on the photograph as a PRINT, and many photography books, therefore a work of art. The Gilbert and George example threw me on that. As @Greg.org begins, it's perhaps a more interesting exercise to name examples in which the artist's photos look better as a book (or the reproduction is more compelling than the original). This is going to require a bit of research, but I think I feel another post coming on... There are some very smart commentors on this thread.

@Ian Aleksander Adams: “I have always thought that if I mistreat something it is because it is easily replaceable. That has nothing to do with how much money you paid for it.” I think this is a wise correction.

@Reply to Art Fag: I hadn’t read the post as a specific commentary on the photograph as a PRINT, and many photography books, therefore a work of art. The Gilbert and George example threw me on that. As @Greg.org begins, it’s perhaps a more interesting exercise to name examples in which the artist’s photos look better as a book (or the reproduction is more compelling than the original). This is going to require a bit of research, but I think I feel another post coming on…

]]> By: Art Fag Cityhttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-318965 Art Fag City Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:04:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-318965 There are some very smart commentors on this thread.@Ian Aleksander Adams: "I have always thought that if I mistreat something it is because it is easily replaceable. That has nothing to do with how much money you paid for it." I think this is a wise correction.@Reply to Art Fag: I hadn't read the post as a specific commentary on the photograph as a PRINT, and many photography books, therefore a work of art. The Gilbert and George example threw me on that. As @Greg.org begins, it's perhaps a more interesting exercise to name examples in which the artist's photos look better as a book (or the reproduction is more compelling than the original). This is going to require a bit of research, but I think I feel another post coming on... There are some very smart commentors on this thread.

@Ian Aleksander Adams: “I have always thought that if I mistreat something it is because it is easily replaceable. That has nothing to do with how much money you paid for it.” I think this is a wise correction.

@Reply to Art Fag: I hadn’t read the post as a specific commentary on the photograph as a PRINT, and many photography books, therefore a work of art. The Gilbert and George example threw me on that. As @Greg.org begins, it’s perhaps a more interesting exercise to name examples in which the artist’s photos look better as a book (or the reproduction is more compelling than the original). This is going to require a bit of research, but I think I feel another post coming on…

]]> By: greg.orghttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-160886 greg.org Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:03:11 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-160886 OTOH, there are artists whose photos work better as a book, like Ed Ruscha, who only much later has begun "cashing in" by making exhibitable portfolio editions of some of his classic photo books. [More power to him, I say, but it's hard not to feel that it's somehow derivative or 2nd gen. work.]Then there are the Bechers, whose beautiful, typological books seem far tighter conceptually than any single subset framed prints.And someone like Kelley Walker, too, who leaves his digital original [sic] photo open and available, even after it enters MoMA's collection. OTOH, there are artists whose photos work better as a book, like Ed Ruscha, who only much later has begun “cashing in” by making exhibitable portfolio editions of some of his classic photo books. [More power to him, I say, but it's hard not to feel that it's somehow derivative or 2nd gen. work.]

Then there are the Bechers, whose beautiful, typological books seem far tighter conceptually than any single subset framed prints.

And someone like Kelley Walker, too, who leaves his digital original [sic] photo open and available, even after it enters MoMA’s collection.

]]> By: greg.orghttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-318964 greg.org Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:03:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-318964 OTOH, there are artists whose photos work better as a book, like Ed Ruscha, who only much later has begun "cashing in" by making exhibitable portfolio editions of some of his classic photo books. [More power to him, I say, but it's hard not to feel that it's somehow derivative or 2nd gen. work.]Then there are the Bechers, whose beautiful, typological books seem far tighter conceptually than any single subset framed prints.And someone like Kelley Walker, too, who leaves his digital original [sic] photo open and available, even after it enters MoMA's collection. OTOH, there are artists whose photos work better as a book, like Ed Ruscha, who only much later has begun “cashing in” by making exhibitable portfolio editions of some of his classic photo books. [More power to him, I say, but it's hard not to feel that it's somehow derivative or 2nd gen. work.]

Then there are the Bechers, whose beautiful, typological books seem far tighter conceptually than any single subset framed prints.

And someone like Kelley Walker, too, who leaves his digital original [sic] photo open and available, even after it enters MoMA’s collection.

]]> By: Leah Sandalshttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-160882 Leah Sandals Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:36:39 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-160882 Love this: "“Although the history of art is largely one of objects, we can look to oral or experiential histories to challenge the history of art-as-commodity.” I’d like to believe there’s some truth to this but I can’t help but note a few practical concerns, namely the fact that virtually every form of documentation has been monetized, including oral and experiential histories. After all, Mr. Obrist surely received an honorarium for the oral history he delivered at the Guggenheim yesterday."After all, part of the delight of print (or web, or any other secondary source) is the way it democratizes information access for those of us who (a) cannot afford travel to globe to hear oral and experiential histories (or hey, even just plain ol' see shows) firsthand and (b) can only afford to go to the library rather than the museum.I'm all for firsthand experience, but only a very few of us have the cash money to make it happen for all art/art histories. Love this: ““Although the history of art is largely one of objects, we can look to oral or experiential histories to challenge the history of art-as-commodity.” I’d like to believe there’s some truth to this but I can’t help but note a few practical concerns, namely the fact that virtually every form of documentation has been monetized, including oral and experiential histories. After all, Mr. Obrist surely received an honorarium for the oral history he delivered at the Guggenheim yesterday.”

After all, part of the delight of print (or web, or any other secondary source) is the way it democratizes information access for those of us who (a) cannot afford travel to globe to hear oral and experiential histories (or hey, even just plain ol’ see shows) firsthand and (b) can only afford to go to the library rather than the museum.

I’m all for firsthand experience, but only a very few of us have the cash money to make it happen for all art/art histories.

]]> By: Leah Sandalshttp://www.artfagcity.com/2009/07/22/cheap-is-the-new-black/comment-page-1/#comment-318963 Leah Sandals Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:36:00 +0000 http://www.artfagcity.com/?p=7591#comment-318963 Love this: "“Although the history of art is largely one of objects, we can look to oral or experiential histories to challenge the history of art-as-commodity.” I’d like to believe there’s some truth to this but I can’t help but note a few practical concerns, namely the fact that virtually every form of documentation has been monetized, including oral and experiential histories. After all, Mr. Obrist surely received an honorarium for the oral history he delivered at the Guggenheim yesterday."After all, part of the delight of print (or web, or any other secondary source) is the way it democratizes information access for those of us who (a) cannot afford travel to globe to hear oral and experiential histories (or hey, even just plain ol' see shows) firsthand and (b) can only afford to go to the library rather than the museum.I'm all for firsthand experience, but only a very few of us have the cash money to make it happen for all art/art histories. Love this: ““Although the history of art is largely one of objects, we can look to oral or experiential histories to challenge the history of art-as-commodity.” I’d like to believe there’s some truth to this but I can’t help but note a few practical concerns, namely the fact that virtually every form of documentation has been monetized, including oral and experiential histories. After all, Mr. Obrist surely received an honorarium for the oral history he delivered at the Guggenheim yesterday.”

After all, part of the delight of print (or web, or any other secondary source) is the way it democratizes information access for those of us who (a) cannot afford travel to globe to hear oral and experiential histories (or hey, even just plain ol’ see shows) firsthand and (b) can only afford to go to the library rather than the museum.

I’m all for firsthand experience, but only a very few of us have the cash money to make it happen for all art/art histories.

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