Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => The Coffee Corner => Topic started by: Patricia Sheley on September 26, 2018, 12:05:27 pm
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"Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision."—Salvador Dali
Born at the famous Café Voltaire in Zurich in 1916 from the avant-garde Dada movement, Surrealism aimed to free the creative act from rational thought. As the editor, Mary Ann Caws, says, “Essential to Surrealist behavior is a constant state of openness, of readiness for whatever occurs, whatever marvelous object we might come across, manifesting itself against the already thought, the already lived.”
With all the photographer as artist discussion as philosophy 101 hashes and rehashed the question, I personally am drawn to the little reminder flags, such as the quote above, suggesting I take an open minded survey of the wrists and ankles of my mind/ feelings/ soul~
(with apologies to those fatigued by my smoke addled brain)
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"Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision."—Salvador Dali
Born at the famous Café Voltaire in Zurich in 1916 from the avant-garde Dada movement, Surrealism aimed to free the creative act from rational thought. As the editor, Mary Ann Caws, says, “Essential to Surrealist behavior is a constant state of openness, of readiness for whatever occurs, whatever marvelous object we might come across, manifesting itself against the already thought, the already lived.”
With all the photographer as artist discussion as philosophy 101 hashes and rehashed the question, I personally am drawn to the little reminder flags, such as the quote above, suggesting I take an open minded peak at the wrists and ankles of my mind/ feelings/ soul~
(with apologies to those fatigued by my smoke addled brain)
Surrealism raises several questions, not the least being why it's considered a recent concept. Perhaps its definition, as such, may be relatively recent, but does that imply that no such imagery, or conversational concept of idea exchange, was extant before the definition arrived to claim it? Chickens and their pesky eggs, of course, but nevertheless...
In fact, visual/graphic imagery is perhaps just one visible manifestation of surrealism; as concept, the juxtapositon of things that really have no highly logical business sharing spiritual space has existed for a very much longer time in politics, where the differences in what is said and what is believed by the same people and party are usually on glaring, open display, but the game goes on thanks to belief in both (or many) disparate truths so easily accommodated within jaded minds where anything becomes a new norm... Perhaps that is very noticeable today, across the western world, but take a peep at the mystic east and consider the conflict between various religious beliefs and the quotidian reality: when was the last time anyone held an audience with a multi-armed goddess? But it doesn't matter: belief rolls on regardless, and with it, acceptance of anything as belonging in unholy alliance with absolutely anything else...
HC-B claimed he was a surrealist, a mantle shared by others at the time, but were they, too, just playing at status games within the arts, carving out niches, Appellations d'Origine, by which to legitimise themselves and their brand of "art"? About twenty years later the indigenous wine industry thought it a brilliant idea too!
You neglected to mention by which smoke the mind was being addled... I like it when that occurs, Patricia; makes for interesting departures for LuLa's thousands of writers and fellow thinkers!
Of course Canikon et al. will never forgive such diversions from the house menu.
;-)
Rob
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Dali also said I don't do drugs. I am drugs.
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Dali also said I don't do drugs. I am drugs.
Dali, like Dr House, ended up with a stick, but I'm not sure if he was being surreal about it, merely playing a part or really did need support. But then, I have a ponytail and almost no hair, which just shows to go you that different strokes.... hopefully, not of the cane, at least, not for me: boarding school was enough exposure to that delight, thanks all the same.
Photography makes up for so many things, even for things we don't know are being made up for, if that makes any kind of sense. I guess all art does that in its particular manifestations. Poor old Vinnie must have been one repressed cat.
:-)
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As the editor, Mary Ann Caws, says, “Essential to Surrealist behavior is a constant state of openness, of readiness for whatever occurs, whatever marvelous object we might come across, manifesting itself against the already thought, the already lived.”
Caws' comment makes much more sense to me than do many of the LuLa discussions on "creativity" or whether Photography is "Art."
Her comment is the best description of the way I try to work.
Go Team Surrealism!!!
-Eric
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This whole page is full of utter meaninglessness
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This whole page is full of utter meaninglessness
Exactly as the doctor's prescription, written in illegible handwriting, that yet saves a life.
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But only if the pharmacist is a really good guesser.
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Caws' comment makes much more sense to me than do many of the LuLa discussions on "creativity" or whether Photography is "Art."
Her comment is the best description of the way I try to work.
Go Team Surrealism!!!
-Eric
But Eric, is she really defining surrealism in that comment? I think not; I think she is simply saying keep your eye and mind open. That applies to all original photography unless working to a strict layout or making copies. It's nothing but a generalisation of M.O. that's almost universally applicable, not just to matters nearing the absurd.
Rob
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But Eric, is she really defining surrealism in that comment? I think not; I think she is simply saying keep your eye and mind open. That applies to all original photography unless working to a strict layout or making copies. It's nothing but a generalisation of M.O. that's almost universally applicable, not just to matters nearing the absurd.
Rob
Rob,
I don't care whether her comment defines "surrealism" or not.
I like the sentiment expressed, and I have no interest in classifying photography (or any art) into pigeon holes.
Eric
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Rob,
I don't care whether her comment defines "surrealism" or not.
I like the sentiment expressed, and I have no interest in classifying photography (or any art) into pigeon holes.
Eric
By extension, then, there was little point to her making the statement or its being quoted...
;-)
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A "let's wing it!" attitude and a playful spirit…this is how I'd reformulate the quote.
-Dave-
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See what happens when we ban political discussions (that at least had a concrete subject matter)? We now have to resort to mental masturbation about cutesy truisms and generalisations.
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See what happens when we ban political discussions (that at least had a concrete subject matter)? We now have to resort to mental masturbation about cutesy truisms and generalisations.
In the end, isn't everything that's an exchange of opinion?
On the banned side of things, this is a particularly sad time to be denied conversation, what with three women testifying about a candidate for inclusion within the highest group-office in the land (yours) and, more importantly for Europeans, the most critical time in recent domestic and collective histories being slowly sleepwalked over the Cliffs of Dover which, rather than glow white, will probably turn crimson against the tide...
Shame some people couldn't hang on to civility.
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In the end, isn't everything that's an exchange of opinion?
Well, that may be your opinion! ??? ;D
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While I enjoy the whimsical nature of some of Dali’s work, the philosophy underlying it reminds me of something Ogden Nash said about not having such an “open mind” that your brains fall out.
Rand
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See what happens when we ban political discussions (that at least had a concrete subject matter)? We now have to resort to mental masturbation about cutesy truisms and generalisations.
It’s better than that cutesy, condescending, silly little piece of mental and emotional masturbation on the word “selection.” I mean, yuk!
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... what with three women testifying about a candidate...
Three? I heard fourth is coming forward last minute, accusing him of pooling her hair in kindergarten.
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Seems to me that the whole of social media is afflicted with the phony conceit that clusters of people screaming at and past each other constitutes discussion.
-Dave-
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Seems to me that the whole of social media is afflicted with the phony conceit that clusters of people screaming at and past each other constitutes discussion.
-Dave-
That's were my talent comes in, Dave.
I present argument with open (but not too open) mind and automatically, as I know they will, people become perfectly reasonable and capable of seeing the good sense of whatever I am saying. It only takes common sense, faith, and all the screaming at and past is history.
Of course, you can't learn that social skil on a course and you certainly can't buy it. The Beatles met the wrong man. Oh well, almost nobody can have everything.
:-)
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Abandon the politics, chaps, or there will be trouble.
Jeremy
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Rosebud, Rosebud, wherefore are thee ?
Achh, stabbed through the heart by a single thorn...
Farewell, farewell, for we know thee too well.