I am in the process of rewriting a grant proposal.
In the section above the below paragraph I had written about the importance of maintaining an open dialogue about and inquiry into various art forms.
"This practice does not necessarily come easy. For instance, I have always loved Nature; yet, apart from the documentation needs of a naturalist, I saw no real purpose to photographing the natural world in its varied beauty, especially if I was going to call it “art.” “Artistic,” perhaps, but nothing more, for Nature does it better. Still, I was tempted. Over the last six years of farming, I have developed a special relationship with the land, one in which I have been able to develop a narrative and shape a commentary. And, only lately have I been able to claim a landscape photograph of mine to be more than just a pretty picture."
Now, the rewrite after mulling it over a couple days and time spent reading what others have said about art inspired by the landscape about them:
"One would think with this rather “open-minded” approach to the art making, I would have no problem with landscape photography, yet that has not always been the case. It is obvious that artists in the Northwest have a special affinity for landscape photography and painting. I have always loved Nature; yet, apart from the documentation needs of a naturalist, I saw no real purpose to photographing the natural world in its varied beauty. Still, I was tempted, and I indulged, but did not call those photos art. “Artistic,” perhaps, but nothing more, for Nature does it better. Yet, over the last six years of farming, I have developed my own special relationship with the land, one that I share with other farmers and from which I have been able to develop a narrative and shape a commentary. Only in the last two years have I been able to claim a landscape photograph of mine to be more than just a pretty picture."
Just thought I'd share.
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8 comments:
They builded a tower to shiver the sky and wrench the stars apart,
Till the Devil grunted behind the bricks: "It's striking, but is it Art ?"
The stone was dropped at the quarry-side and the idle derrick swung,
While each man talked of the aims of Art, and each in an alien tongue.
The tale is as old as the Eden Tree - and new as the new-cut tooth -
For each man knows ere his lip-thatch grows he is master of Art and Truth;
And each man hears as the twilight nears, to the beat of his dying heart,
The Devil drum on the darkened pane: "You did it, but was it Art ?"
Was watching F for Fake which I consider required viewing.
Aki
Always good to keep in mind. Thanks.
Yes, F caught me attention. Will put it in queue.
B
When you watch F for Fake by Orson Wells do this boy a favor and review it.
It is in my top ten of all time. It doesn't have to do anything for your you. We all walk around looking for what we like and some of us like salty crunchy while others prefer soft and sweet.
Aki
"Now, the rewrite after mulling it over a couple days"
Writing doesn't always come easy for me. I've found, however, if I put it in the incubator and check later, I have fresh eyes and can improve. I wonder why the mind works like that?
Aki, I will do that for you. It's in the pipeline. Meanwhile, DW has one for you: "Seance on a Wet Afternoon."
Mojo, when I was a teaching assistant for my English degree, I would tell my students that there are 3 levels to language, one more more than the other. Thought is the least formal. Speaking is more formal. Writing is the most. For my part, I have a big disconnect between thought and writing. I'm a good talker and perhaps should have gone into sales. But when I'm sitting by myself attempting to put thought to page, I often am just talking to myself. When I move away from the page and come back to it later, it is often like someone else has written it. I have to ask that person what they meant by such-and-such, which begins the rewrite.
Sorry, bastin, I can do no more than quickly skim your rewrite. I just don't respect the question you struggle with. You know I am no artist nor am even artistic, but in looking up the terms 'art' and 'fine art,' I cannot find a definition where landscape/nature photography would not fit. Subject choice, composition, lighting, juxtapositioning, use of parallax, depth of field, etc, all would be skills needed to be a good landscape photographer. Yes, nature has perfect beauty, but the artist can get the viewer to think about that perfection and see it in different ways.
Is a landscape/nature painting not art? Just different tools.
I know your focus in this post was the rewriting, not the content, but I can't get past the content. [Flying high on albuterol. ]
Crash - I know I'm on a slippery slope. A closer reading might show that I am not as much of a hardliner as it would appear. Certainly the final draft would indicate otherwise:
"My current landscape series is an example of this consolidation. I have always loved Nature; yet, until recently, apart from the documentation done by naturalists, I saw no reason to photograph the natural world and then call it “art.” Now, after farming for over six years, I have come to a new understanding of what is meant by “landscape,” namely that the geography has been shaped, which has led me to a particular focus in my landscape photography and video."
a particular focus, eh?
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