Review: VAAA Open Photo 2008

Went to the Opening for the Open Photography 2008 competition tonight. Lots of people crowding around the prints in a hot room lacking a/c which made for a intimate evening out! It was fun to chat with friends but overall I was disappointed with the photography.

Many of the works I found rather trivial and un involving, some of the stuff I would not even call photographs. The winning photographer for example created large collage images not work which I would classify as photographs. A photograph by my definition is a single decisive moment captured on film or digitally and for the most part not altered much from that original visualization. The photograph is captured in the camera at the time of exposure, not later through darkroom or photoshop trickery.

There were a few good images in the show mostly moody pieces along with some technically satisfactory work, overall I would say thou that there was not a lot of heart on display, more a show of gimmickry and style over substance, sort of like a sugary donut that you eat and after feel lousy about the taste left in your mouth. The work for the most part will be forgotten quickly, all gloss and no meat was my first impression. After the show I felt a sort of emptiness, not a moving experience as art at it best should be. I should be angry/happy/sad/bitter/challenged/thoughtful, some kind of emotion should fill my heart and mind but I felt nothing as I left the gallery. The problem might be a result of the format, such a large group of photographers caused the show to lack cohesiveness, it sort of just kicked around in 30 or so different direction, never really pulling the viewer in. There were a few exceptions, one photographer who created work using a pinhole camera made images that stood out, the photographs made me think and ask questions about loneliness, I wanted to see more of his work and less of the stylish sugar coated empty images.

Art lacks importance when there is no emotional connection to it, like what reading pulp fiction does to literature, style with no emotional connection leaves you with the same empty pulp feel. Photographs should draw the person into a connection through the power of the artists vision. To make something shiny and sweet that lacks heartfelt feeling seems a waste of time to me, both for the artist and the viewer. Maybe I am being to hard on this show but I still have this lousy taste of a super sugar coated donuts in my mouth.

One suggestion I would make for Open Photo 2009 would be to accept more work from less photographers, selecting 5 pieces from 12 photographers, or better yet 10 works from 6 photographers would create a more cohesive overall exhibit.

How refreshing it would be if the VAAA chose work that was unique and outstanding in some way. My one criticism of the gallery is that it plays it safe most if not all the time. Why not show work that is strong and opinionated, even, gasp gasp, controversial! Why not get people asking questions and get them involved in the photographs shown, get people to take notice!! Make the average person off the street become interested in visiting the gallery, put work in shows that challenges and confronts Joe and Jane public. Putting safe stylistic pablum on the walls for the family and friends of the photographer helps no one. Where would the world be if galleries from the past did not have the courage to show the work of Diane Arbus, Jock Sturges, Robert Mapplethorpe, Nan Goldin and Nobuyoshi Araki. Art should challenge us and provoke discussion not put us to sleep!

I will have to go for a second viewing when there is more space and air to breath, the opening environment is not ideal for viewing of images, maybe my second impression will be better than my first, hope hope!