teaching photography

[Jack_5762]

At one of the country's most distinguished universities a search committee has been formed to fill a vacancy in the photography department. The committee has sifted through hundreds of portfolios and only five remain. From this group they will make the decision that will fill the teaching vacancy and because of the gravitas of this program will have a lasting effect on the next generation of photographers. The portfolios that remain are labeled with the names of the applicants. The names are A.Adams, D. Arbus, E. Atget, R. Mapplethorpe and A. Steiglitz. The committe is composed of artist teachers who are not photogrphers. They have vowed to fill the vacancy based solely on the images in the portfolios. Who gerts the job and why?

[paulr]

Mapplethorpe, because based on the behavior of many tenured art professors, it's safe to assume that they suffer from sexual repression, sometimes severely, sometimes in ways too humiliating to fathom, and that upon seeing Mapplethorpe's portfolio, a significant number will say to themselves, "what I really want is a piece of that."

[John_4185]

Gawd Paul, you really crack me up! Whew!

Well, to answer the OP: the candidates are deceased, but that won't stop an evaluation. The person chosen will be the one who will attract the greatest gifts to the college's endowment, while at the same time not being an embarassement in-real-life. He will lecture a few times a year and grad-assistants will do the rest of the work.

[Conrad Hoffman]

Trick question. They vowed to base their decision on the portfolios, but in reality it will come down to personalities and educational politics. IMO, it will be Steiglitz, as the control-freak self-aggrandizing personality type often gravitates to education.

[paulr]

But would the control-freak self-aggrandizing personality type who already chairs the department want another one on board?

[Ansel Adams]

I guess I am out of the running.

Which one is the most liberal, left wing excentric ?

[Mark Sawyer]

IMHO, of course...

Fire someone and hire Stieglitz AND Adams. Together they would create a dynamic atmosphere for creativity and discussion, and would draw other significant photographers to visit the program. This creation of a serious art-oriented community is the single most important thing one could bring to an art program, as this is what most serious students will come for and benefit most from.

Arbus and Mapplethorpe were great photographers, but I don't know what they would have to offer students. From the little I've read about their personalities, they would not be the most accessible to students, and may not offer much beyond their names and general presences. (That's probably too harsh, but still somewhat true...)

Atget would hide from the students and concentrate on his own work.

I have ther priviledge of living about a mile from the Center for Creative Photography, which was largely founded by Adams, and holds his archives. That's about as close as one could get to having His Anselness on faculty. What do I get out of it? Last night, I went to "A Conversation with John Szarkowski," hosted by Joel Peterson, in conjunction with an exhibit of Szarkowski's own photography. Sept. 7 is a big presentation on Frederick Sommer. No AA, no CCP. Thanks, Ansel, I enjoyed it!

[Mark Sawyer]

Oops, that was Joel Snyder, not Joel Peterson hosting the Szarkowski conversation. Got my Joels mixed up. Saturday morning... need coffee...

[Steven Barall]

Steiglitz did more for art in the 20th century than just about anyone. He introduced the New World to European modernism. He was an interested and curious guy. What's better than that. You can always find someone to teach photo chemistry and printing techniques.

Finding someone who is visionary and understands the Big Picture like Steiglitz did is a different story. He was expansive. He believed in looking around and finding new things and he wasn't stopped by convention and he worked to get new artist seen. If you're an artist that's the best thing anyone can do for you and if you are an art lover you have to see that Steiglitz is providing a great service. Steiglitz was anything but a one trick pony.

Interesting question. Thanks.

[Stew]

Stieglitz, because the images in his portfolio include several of a woman who was more important than the rest of these people put together, and she comes with Stieglitz as part of the deal