Life through a lens

Abstract

Photography is art. It is the new art of the 19th and 20th centuries, and is constantly being explored and developed. Photography is about being creative, and being creative means thinking and being on the look out for new things and ideas all the time. Each photograph communicates the meaning of a particular moment in time. The camera is only a technical means of artistically expressing what we feel. Edward Steichen once said: "For it is the artist that creates a work of art, not the medium. It is the artist in photography that gives form to content by a distillation of ideas, thought, experience, insight and understanding." (Markowski,1984:25) Creating a market for the work of an artist is an art in and of itself. It is virtually impossible for an artist to create these conditions alone. Help and support of a knowledgeable, experienced, and well-connected art dealer are required. There is nothing like being in the news for making art more marketable. Recent controversies surrounding obscenity have done wonders for the market for the works of Andres Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe. Social connections are important. There are surprisingly few truly important players in the art and photography world. Use your connections. Socialise!