In art history specifically, in aesthetic history more particularly, it has been ascertained that the observed object absorbs the radiance of the observer’s mental alertness and emotional readiness. – Angelos Delivorrias, Benaki Museum, Athens
While looking at the photographic oeuvres of t... Read more
In art history specifically, in aesthetic history more particularly, it has been ascertained that the observed object absorbs the radiance of the observer’s mental alertness and emotional readiness. – Angelos Delivorrias, Benaki Museum, Athens
While looking at the photographic oeuvres of the diverse group of artists in this show, we ask the viewer both to examine the “observed” as well as to question how the images came to life. Cartier-Bresson defined photography as the capture of “the decisive moment,” but today his terse definition scarcely goes far enough to encompass the many new developments falling under the rubric of photography. With digital imaging, scanning, and other technological innovations now augmenting the photographers’ method and challenging their eye, the scope of photography has broadened considerably; imagery is increasingly subject to enlargement, enhancement and a myriad of other manipulations that bring a newfound freedom of expression to practitioners of this fascinating, ever-evolving art form.
This exhibition was inspired by the important thought Paul Valéry expressed in Pièces sur l’art, la conquète de l’ubiquité: “We must expect great innovations to transform the entire technique of the arts, thereby affecting artistic invention itself and perhaps even bringing about an amazing change in our very notion of art.”
