Watch Your Language:

Art and Photography.

This is quite a difficult post to put together because

I'm writing about something that I sense is

wrong, but am not sure if I can put it into

words.

Being a photographer I often notice the phrase: Art and Photography.

I've heard it twice in the last

week on National Radio.

There is something

about this phrase that makes me wince.

I feel that it is possible that if deconstructed it

could be found to contain some residual prejudice against

photography as a medium, after all, one does not hear:

Art and Painting.

Or: Art and Sculpture.

There is a hierarchy in the media used by artists in making

their work.

Until recently anyway, Paint has been King.

Centuries of this being so seems to have hardwired the concept into people's brains.

A medium such as Printmaking, for example, would be much further down their hierarchy. I mention this medium because I like

woodcuts and linocuts, although my impression is

that these two have almost disappeared at present.

The idea that a serious artist could choose a camera rather than

a brush, is one, which for many, seems to

take a lot of swallowing.

I don't believe in the idea that any one medium is

inherently superior to another of course. I don't think

that's how art works.

It's quite common for me to be in a conversation with someone

about my work, even a client, and they are repeatedly calling my

photographs paintings. I never say anything because I don't want to

embarrass them and also because I'm quite fascinated, but I can see the process.

They are feeling that this object in front of them is considered art so it just

can't be a photograph, it must be a painting, that's how deep the

indoctrination goes.