Michael A. Smith in color

[Bruce Barlow]

Michael Smith is taking a huge rsik, and I admire him for it. To turn on a dime in so many ways, given his status in the photographic world, and as someone who pays the grocery bill with fine art photography, is exemplary. Some of us in this thread may not like the images, but I'm making a different point. He's trying to stretch himself at a time in his career when most of us would be sitting in the armchair. He'll succeed, because he has more energy than any five of the rest of us put together.

Inspirational, Michael! You go, guy!

[SchwinnParamount]

must all of our photographs look the same?

Actually, these MAS photographs look very much like a series of b&w photographs Richard Avedon did for his exhibition at the Amon Carter museum in Texas. The exhibition was later published as a book. At any rate, Avedon posed several heavily tatooed and rough looking convicts without their shirts in front of a plain white background and photographed them from the waist up. Sound familiar?

[D. Bryant]

Actually, these MAS photographs look very much like a series of b&w photographs Richard Avedon did for his exhibition at the Amon Carter museum in Texas. The exhibition was later published as a book. At any rate, Avedon posed several heavily tatooed and rough looking convicts without their shirts in front of a plain white background and photographed them from the waist up. Sound familiar?

The same can be said for other photographers as well, that is B&W photos of social outliers that are tattooed with and without shirts.

Michael's study is one of a specific group of cons living life behind bars for life in the Mariposa jail. Avedon would often manipulate his subjects through conversation to have an expression that he wanted to capture.

In Michael's case the subjects weren't manipulated to produce a desired expression like Avedon did; IMO the study is closer to August Sander's approach of revealing the people he photographed sans a specific environment that Sander's subjects were likely to be found in and clothing that helped identify something about the subjects class in German society.

In the Mariposa county prison, the only clothing a prisoner is issued is the same as everyone else, thus their prison tats could be considered to be their personal clothing setting them apart from one another. Also some choose to show their pink undershorts while others didn't which is something that wouldn't be so obvious if the portraits had been made in B&W.

Michael's assistant on the scene, Ryan McIntosh, privately shared a lot of the details of the shoot with Don Hutton and I last spring, several months before the public release of the prints. None of the prisoners were forced to pose for the photos. Not all of the prisoners volunteered but a large number did.

Don Bryant

[Tim Hyde]

I was prepared to dislike this series on several levels, but when I came face to face with them at PhotoLA, I did a pivot. They are quite unlike Avedon's American West work (which I also like, by the way) in their sympathetic treatment of the subjects, and they are unceasingly interesting. I find them stunning. One of them ended up being the only photograph I bought at PhotoLA. I must admit, however, that much of the discussion in this thread has been recapitulated in my own family, and as we speak the image leans against a wall in an upstairs hallway and may or may not get extended hang time in my house. It is important work--and that's my opinion.

[chilihead]

Oh look - a guy with a tatoo... and another one... and another one... and another one...

[Asher Kelman]

Wow, I completely disagree. Seeing the actual print is the full meaning...

I have seen reproductions and been unimpressed only to be very impressed upon seeing the actual print.

Have you seen a good Edward Weston shell print and an average one? VERY different feeling.

Interesting that for abstract art paintings, seeing the original might be disappointing when the photographs have the "razmataz" of extra vivid colors.

I know a curator who finds this to be so.

I saw the prints in the PhotoLA show and was taken back. I didn't realize at the time that Michael was the artist since he said he was hanging them for another gallery. The prints do make a big impression. I can see such prints being purchased by many people with large homes who already collect art that explores social values. In this market, people are not looking at the lighting, shadow detail, posing or anthing one swould expect in a landscape or classical portrait. These are something that I'd call antisocial-pop art. I just made this term up to cover such a work which has a demanding presence and is instrusive, asking questions of us that we are not at all prepared to answer. This art is impressive but highly disturbing because it at first might be seen to be celebtating the harsh part of life that it exposed. When one views this work, one feels enveloped in great color, a larger than life project and one is left profoundly inadequate. Here we are confronted with what we have locked away from civil society. It's as if the bowels of the earth have been turned inside out and decorated.

I'd feel pretty good to own such a print, but would have to think hard where to put it. I'd bring it out as part of a collection with social questions. I think this series will be be well received and will be collected.

Asher

[Turner Reich]

I can't wait to see the road kill pictures that go with those portraits. Very sad yet very revealing.

[Ryan McIntosh]

I find the portraits to be some of the most important work completely thus far by Michael Smith. Of course, I have always been an admirer of his past B&W landscape/abstract work, but in a more contemporary art world, I feel these new portraits hold a greater significance and importance than say, a photograph of rocks. It very unfortunate to say, but these photographs strongly reflect our world and our society today, and are a true documentation of a part of this world. Many years from now, I feel these photographs will have great importance in both the history of the artist, and also in the history of our culture.

I also think that less of the photographers personal feelings are reflected into the photographs and subject matter, unlike Smith's other work. This is a good thing. When you look at the photographs, you are confronting the individual portrayed, not the artist or even the medium. I think this is made obvious by the techniques used when making these photographs. They are not intended to wow you with dramatic camera angles or dramatic lighting, which would change how the photographs are "read". Unlike Avedon's work, it's clear the photographer does not try to capture any certain moment when the inmate is looking a certain way, which would attempt to portray that individual in a way the photographers seems fit. Rather, these portraits seem to be the most pure portraits of the individuals that reflect the individual for who they are, and NOT reflect how the artist wants them seen.

I look forward to reading the interviews with the individuals in the photographs, because although I assisted in the photographing part of the project(which was quite an intense and amazing experience), the interviews were one-on-one between the artist and inmate and I had no background on the amazing stories these individuals had to share.

I applaud Michael for stepping outside of his normal work habits and doing something that brings up more contemporary issues. I really hope this is just a start for him with exploring new fields and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future.

[jnantz]

i like the portraits better than his landscapes. i am not much of a landscape person ...
usually there is some "connect" between the photographer and the portrait subject,
something that reveals who the subject is or was ...
these do not seem to have a "connect" ... just a photograph of a person, and/or
their body art ... i guess i am not a big fan of deadpan portraits either.

i guess larger than life portraits like this are what galleries want ...