When we look back at our era in 50 years, we may not remember particular images at all. Instead we’ll note how they were cleverly sorted and recontextualized.

via B.

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6 Comments

  1. Haven’t we always “recontextualized” photos? Isn’t that one of the basic jobs of an art director, museum /gallery curator, or a publication’s editors?

  2. “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.”
    — Jim Jarmusch

    Via http://anthonylukephotography.blogspot.com/2011/08/nothing-is-original.html

  3. It’s like the difference between the artistic contributions of film cinematographers vs. editors. One generates the images, the other arranges them. And now digital has allowed a much broader “editor” activity for stills. Unlike the past where individuals did this every now and then, it’s evolving into a collective language for experiencing images. A lot of it will be trite and worthless, some will be brilliant and memorable.

  4. The best way to deal with too much information is to sort it according to patterns and this is exactly how internet search engines (like Google) operate. What the author refers to as “re-interpretation” sounds like another way of describing the pattern sorting process that occurs with information over-load. It should come as no surprise that artists overwhelmed by a tidal wave of content might find that it their personal editing process starts to resemble that of a search engine.

    The digital realm is “mosaic” and non-linear which means that it is impossible for artists to control the order in which their work will be presented once it has entered the worldwide web. Projects that can only be understood within a controlled context MUST be confined to linear mediums (print, physical gallery space, etc,)

  5. I don’t think the act reinterpretation can solely attributed as referenced. It has been happening for at least twenty to thirsty years, Consider “Strangers On A Train”, and “Throw Momma From The Train.” A lot of things are new and for some creativity is being able to make something better than the original, which is okay in some ways, yet most fail to improve. JMHO


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