lotus photographytag:lotusphotography.org,2009-01-07://12009-01-09T06:01:27ZMovable Type 4.23-enode to my predecessorstag:lotusphotography.org,2009://1.192009-01-09T04:50:35Z2009-01-09T06:01:27ZThe word, the spoken and the written word, has the most immediate impact on human beings; in contrast, matter speaks more slowly. --Alvar Aalto Aalto was an architect and designer from Finland and a true pioneer in Modern design. He...anihttp://www.lotusphotography.org
The word, the spoken and the written word, has the most immediate impact on human beings; in contrast, matter speaks more slowly. --Alvar Aalto
Aalto was an architect and designer from Finland and a true pioneer in Modern design. He is perhaps most famous for his Paimio chair (If you live in Portland and know about the Aalto Lounge, know that it is named for this fine character and that the graphic on their sign is a rendition of the Paimio chair).
I strive (and hopefully all of us do) for an aesthetic that will sustain decades of change, visual and otherwise. Aalto is one of those artists who quietly achieved this benchmark. He was simultaneously forward thinking and rooted in history. He understood classic design but was not afraid to predict what we would like.
William Eggleston is arguably my favorite photographer and I believe he lives in this same category. In 1976, John Szarkowski curated the first, one-man color photography show for MoMA in New York City. Reputations were on the line and honestly, it took years for them to recover. At first glance, Eggleston's photographs could have been taken by your 10-year old niece. They represented the banal, the mundane, the "unworthy" slices of life in his home, Memphis, Tennessee. The public was outraged. Artists emphatically opposed Szarkowski's choice. Ansel Adams went so far as to write him a two page letter expressing is discontent.
"I find little 'substance'. For me, [Eggleston's photographs] appear to be 'observations,' floating on the sea of his consciousness... For me, most draw a blank."
Despite grim reactions, this show catapulted color photography into the "art" world and eventually served as the foundation for Eggelston's success.
In today's context, Eggleston's photos receive a wildly different response. And while some maintain their initial ground, he has become one of the most influential, respected photographers to date. In fact, William Eggleston's Guide (the book that was produced for that initial show) is more often than not, sold out on Amazon.com.
We change, Eggleston's tricycle is the same tricycle.
His work is showing at the Whitney in NYC until January 25th. It is his first show in the city since 1976. If this has made you at all interested in the man, you may enjoy this article from New York Magazine.
Until next time...]]>
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