- what is the basic argument of Wells' essay?
- is the essay's title a fair indication of the essay itself?
- to what extend does the writer rely on Post modernist doctrine?
- the essay raises the issue of the qualifications and duties of a critic. How important do you believe it is for a critic of photography to have deep knowledge of the practice of photography?
What is the basic argument of Wells' essay? Is the essay's title a fair indication of the essay itself? To what extend does the writer rely on Post modernist doctrine?
The essay raises the issue of the qualifications and duties of a critic. How important do you believe it is for a critic of photography to have deep knowledge of the practice of photography?
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Definitions
I’ve found some words that I need to check the definition of:
Postmodernism:
(courtesy of Google definitions)
A late 20th-century style
and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure
from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles
and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general
distrust of theories.
Hegemony: (courtesy
of Google definitions)
Leadership or dominance,
especially by one state or social group over others. "Germany was united under Prussian
hegemony after 1871"
Metanarrative: (courtesy www.sociology.org.uk/ws1k5.htm)
In literal terms, a
metanarrative means a "big story". It represents, in short, an
Metanarrative: "Big Stories" explanation for everything that happens
in a society.
What is the basic argument of Wells' essay?
The essay discusses the role of the critic when it
comes to reviewing exhibitions and other media.
Wells discusses the fact that until recently photography has been
relatively overlooked within the historical context. She felt that catalogues and critiques of
exhibitions and books were unable to give full justice to those bodies of work. Readers
Any review cannot reproduce all the exhibited works
and so words are used. Wells tells us 'pictures do not necessarily speak louder
than words, but they speak differently' and that 'critics take responsibility
for feedback to artists and mediation with audiences' in publications that
typically outlive the exhibitions.
Readers could be misled as to the content and quality of these works as
it is impossible to review all the exhibits.
Is the essay's title a fair indication of the essay itself?
The title is "Words and pictures: On reviewing photography". In my opinion the title only conveys part of
the whole content of the essay as it includes criticisms of the current digital
era in a postmodern mood. As the title
is a bit vague as to the content it could be that Liz Wells intended to make
the reader curious as to the content and wanted them to read on rather than
just the first few paragraphs.
To what extend does the writer rely on Postmodernist doctrine?
The essay starts by laying the groundwork of
explaining why criticism is needed and the form it takes in balancing words
with pictures.
The author feels that pictures do not necessarily speak louder than words but they do not always give the full picture. The argument develops in the context that we now live in an climate of postmodern thinking and that more established ways of formal thinking (e.g. 'modernist metanarratives') have been superseded.
As we move away from a modernist notion of a uniform
value system applied consistently by connoisseurs, criticism has ceased to be
neutral and therefore must increasingly involve the careful application of
taste, judgement and independent opinion. In my opinion I think Wells does rely on postmodernist
doctrines.
The essay raises the issue of the qualifications and duties of a critic. How important do you believe it is for a critic of photography to have deep knowledge of the practice of photography?
A critic is not required to produce photographs or
images but, in my opinion, anyone who sets himself or herself up to criticise
any form of image making should have experience in that medium. They must also put themselves up for
criticism of their own work.
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