Looking at my finished products ( photographs ) i have come to realize that although the subject matter is always something that i see in the reality that surrounds me( of course ), the subject is ultimately myself. Is this need to show continuosly my inner core to the viewer...... From this follows the question: what is the real aim for an artist?What is the purpose in art?
Paul Klee said, "The function of art is to inspire other artists."
The real aim for the (visual) artist is to make the best pictures (objects) you can, however one might define "best."
"To make the ordinary extraordinary."
Try to inspire as many people as you can. Artists are a small percentage of the population.
This might be overly simplistic, but I always thought an artist has only one real mission: to show others how he sees the world.
John Szarkowski divided photographs into two types, Mirrors and Windows. Mirrors are, as you say, works that say more about the photographer and his/her vision of the world. Windows supposedly show more of an "objective" view of the world. These are useful categories to debate, though ultimately we realize that all pictures have some aspect of the Mirror in them.
I agree with Kevin. My purpose in art is to show you my vision of the world.
I would add that an important component is the desire to communicate with someone outside myself. I feel that "artists" who create alone and never try to show or publish their work are missing some crucial aspect of the artmaking process. (Even if it is just showing your pictures or poems to your family.) Without that communication, it's not art, it's therapy.
For me, the first thing I intend to say with a photograph is "I have something I want to show you." That something is a photograph, not a building or a tree or a flower or a person, although those real world things might participate in the photograph. I want it to be printed well, but it might be a grainy image, or selectively focused, or have black shadows, depending on the role those choices might play in what I want to show you. For me, every part of the photograph needs to have a role, from top to bottom and left to right. When I do my best work, I start with something that attracts my attention, but I need to make lots of further decisions to get from there to what I really want to show you. FYI, to thank those who have helped, when I do all this well it's because I'm remembering what Michael Smith and Paula Chamlee taught me. And when I remember that I'm showing you a picture, not a building.
Many thanks, John. It is gratifying when we learn that those who have taken our Vision and Technique Workshop really "got it." For others who might be interested, Paula and I are teaching only one workshop this year--the last weekend of September. It is already half full and someone coming is all the way from New Zealand. Full details are on our web site: www.michaelandpaula.com
For many the real aim is to attract the best babes.
I believe the motivation of many artists is to try to reveal certain aspects of themselves and at the same time try to get the viewer to understand some aspect of the world in a new light.
I think that what seperates the artist from the craftsmen is the ability of his work to carry on a dialogue with the viewer through the work. It is not enough for the work to be pretty, or shocking or different just for the sake of being different. I have always found the most intriguing art is that which makes me ask questions of the work and of myself. A great work always seems to have a little something more to say or reveal every time I view it. This is true of any medium and genre.
To create a new world.
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