Post 1

I really enjoyed getting Baldessari's perspective on the use of photography, and it's neat to hear a brief account of his transition between using it for documentation to using it as an integral part of his work. I think that he certainly has some worthwhile opinions on creating art that should be heard, one of which is kind of forgetting the standard constraints of what is considered art. His telling his students to forget about the rectangle is a perfect example of this, and his use of his own photography as well as old movie stills is just as good of a testament to his creativity. I think that from one perspective, the paintbrush (the typical, standard vehicle for creating art) and the use of photography are really one in the same: they are a means through which an artist conveys an idea, a feeling, a representation of self. So, I really don't see a need to categorize his work, it will still be uniquely his!

As far as an artist that stood out to me from the powerpoints, I enjoyed looking at the work of Pedro Meyer and the preceding Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright. Of course, the unifying attribute between these artists is the use of photography to create a surreal, fantastic image. In both examples given in class, the photos implement the use of mythical creatures - fairies and apparitions. Yet, I think what I find most fascinating about this style of photography is that is pushes the boundaries in imagination, both in the viewer and the photographer. The photographer is motivated to push the limits of what can be perceived as a "real" photo, and the viewer is similarly pushed in a way to question what is reality and what is fantasy. This concept becomes even more interesting when one considers the connotation of truth that comes with photography.