tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post8099142005321383361..comments2024-01-08T00:59:52.091-07:00Comments on muse-ings: Why can't I quite bring myself to like... Edward BurtynskyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-36300548771878523472007-01-25T22:08:00.000-07:002007-01-25T22:08:00.000-07:00Hi, Tim.
I recall your posts from my early Leica d...Hi, Tim.<br />I recall your posts from my early Leica days...<br />Agree with you as well. I saw his show last month here in Vancouver and while you can admire his virtuosity with ground glass, you realize quickly that technique trumps all in his "point of view." He is to the "new" documentarians (Struth, Hofer, Bechers etc.) what Salgado is to photojournalism.<br />Cheers, L.Bacchus (Julien Frank)lee bacchushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01475003039345562993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-9243879430009936812007-01-25T17:36:00.000-07:002007-01-25T17:36:00.000-07:00One thing I'm never really sure about at all is "m...One thing I'm never really sure about at all is "message" photography. Photography that is trying to be directly didactic. Sometime, especially in photojournalism, it does occasionally seem to have an effect, but less so with "art" photography. And often I don't think it does at all. <br /><br />So if a big part of the message of the work is consumption, the destruction of nature, our dependence on oil or whatever, then the chances are that that side of it is going to fall short. And if the photogrpah isn't strong in other areas, it's going to end up empty. Even worse if the message is propping up the photogrpah.<br /><br />If Don McCullin felt his work never changed a damn thing, I don't think luscious photographs of consumerism are likely to...tim athertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17756179153189240704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-11251792350208724862007-01-25T16:31:00.000-07:002007-01-25T16:31:00.000-07:00I'm with you,there's something missing in Burtynsk...I'm with you,there's something missing in Burtynsky, but I don't quite know what it is. I always feel guilty when I see the shipbreaking pictures, for example, because they give me a thrill, even though, deep down, I know they're kitsch. One interesting comparison is with Richard Misrach, who is perhaps even more commercial than Burtynsky, but somehow, in my opinion, just a lot better.George LeChathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13235849964747437569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-59148883572513888872007-01-25T14:34:00.000-07:002007-01-25T14:34:00.000-07:00Never been a big fan though I've seen a few exibit...Never been a big fan though I've seen a few exibits of his, and seeing his work in person is nice. The big scale, good color, great details and general technical excellence make for good viewing.<br />But of course it's when you start looking for the real meat that he falls short. I find him closer to the documentary tradition of the new topographers than the conceptual approach of the bechers and the Dusseldorf school. But he lacks the edge, and the experimental drive of those guys. Like it was said before, he seems to be treading on safe grounds after others have opened up the trail for him. In fact if I could make a bit of an oversimplified analogy I would say that he stands to the new topographers as someone like M. Kenna stands to Harry Callahan. In both cases we have groundbreakers producing challenging work and tecnically proficient and stylish followers producing tasteful work (that sells very well). Perhaps the enthusiastic acceptance of the establishment is also an indication of how little of substance there is in his imagery.Denizenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18139034992511440212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-82420517788063227632007-01-25T06:17:00.000-07:002007-01-25T06:17:00.000-07:00Canada dry" is a good word to describe the atmosph...Canada dry" is a good word to describe the atmosphere of Burtinsky's pictures. He also sort of glorifies pollution in finding beauty and "natural order" in it. Industry bosses and people in politics must like his work. When the governor of Canada came to Iceland a few years ago Burtinsy was on the escort team.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15798877984701885357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-23382239905092954922007-01-25T02:42:00.000-07:002007-01-25T02:42:00.000-07:00i went 5 times to the book shop to buy the china's...i went 5 times to the book shop to buy the china's book... i wanted to have it, and when i was looking at it, i thought that in fact i didn't like it completely without being able to say why.<br />Coming back home, i thought "i should have buy it"...<br />Finally, i receive it for my birthday, it is on the shell, near by evans, wall, gursky, needermayer... but i don't think is in the same league, dispate his documentary style, once again it's just "clichés", it's a sort of canada dry ;-)archivuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14666056604611710766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38446021.post-43093955582142395932007-01-24T22:28:00.000-07:002007-01-24T22:28:00.000-07:00I'm not sold on his entire body of work either. An...I'm not sold on his entire body of work either. And for me it's pretty simple- I just don't like the flat perspectives that even short telephotos provide, so a lot of his compositions, despite the "exotic" subject matter, just leave me cold.Stan B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17381743002180926900noreply@blogger.com