Sunday, January 06, 2008
The Genius of Photography
This screened on BBC4 in the UK a while back now and we can only hope that SBS or ABC pick it up. Extremely painful to watch on YouTube as 6 hours in total.
The second part of part one (if that makes any sense) is especially interesting because one of the most significant series of contemporary photos - in my opinion anyway for a huge variety of reasons - are referenced. This comes in at about 6:20mins for those with little patience. Chuck Close's portaits are truly stunning and I would love to buy the book!
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3 comments:
When I look at the history of a technology-driven media as a developing form of the expression and interpretation of human culture i always think about the question who the Talbots and Daguerres of our times might be?
We now look back more than a hundred years to learn and reflect about the early beginnings of a media, that has revolutionised our culture. To what development, time and persons will the people look back in another hundred or twohundred years?
There are some who say that in many hundred years almost everything of our life will be classified as secondary events except for the moonlanding and the iss-space station. But maybe that's just the hopeful thinking of an sf fan.
I personally think, that the unknown Talbots, Daguerres, Newtons and Franklins of today work in some quiet little institute dealing with the first seeds of artifical intelligence and quantum computers. But any guess is as good as mine.
Interesting that you should say that as the program gave me the same 'I wonder' moment. I've been thinking about it over the last few days especially in regards to music... who is this generation's Mozart, Beethoven or even Lennon/Mcartney?
The 'worked-in-a-biotech-firm' part of me thinks that Kary Mullis and similar alternative thinkers will be those who will (should?) be remembered and honoured.
Flemings 'discovery' of penicillin and associated antibiotics could turn out to be the most significant event of the last 200 years though... that is if the 'Superbug' concept is to be believed.
Kary Mullis seems to be a very interesting person. Thanks for the link! Just read his interview about AIDS (argh*!#+ ...should be working instead...). He has a fascinating perspective on the issue.
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