Digital BW, The Print

Wendel,

A most important point which I should have made. The entire idea that
photographs, works on paper, are some how supposed to be archivally eternal
is pure nuttiness. About a year ago I spent an afternoon viewing photographs
in the Stanford University collection. I actually got to hold a William
Henry Fox Talbot print from the 1830's in my hands. The paper was in
wonderful shape but the image was a soft magenta blur. Virtually all the
prints representing the entire spectrum of photographic printing medium
showed some examples of deteriorating from bug bites, water damage, fading,
yellowing, strange discolorations, crease marks, etc. There were a few
exceptions but not many. Things like some daguerreotypes under glass in
small cases. Only with the modern prints done in the last 50 years did
things look pretty pristine and in part I attribute that to the
conservationists who have figured out how to properly store photographs.

Make art and stop obsessing over whether it will still look good to people
once you are dead! You will be lucky if they like while you are still alive.

Martin Wesley

http://www.borderless-photos.de/guests.html



----- Original Message -----
From: "Wendel White" <wendel@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 4:11 AM
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] EAM+Piezotones: Printer beware!


> Martin, I would just add to this comment by saying that all "works on
paper"
> are generally considered to be among the most fragile and fugitive of the
> art making processes. Of course even sculpture is susceptible to air
> pollution and lack of proper care.
>
> Wendel
>
> > While some may fade, I also think that some will last and the deciding
> > factor will be how they are displayed (or not) and stored.
> >
> > For myself I plan to continue on with the inkjet printing simply because
I
> > like the look and the process. I also hope that the ink technology will
> > continue to improve and that within a relative short time we will have
> > materials that inspire greater confidence and genuinely have a better
chance
> > of long survival.
> >
> > As for collectors who buy art as a business investment, I have little
> > respect or interest, nor do I care if their investments fall off the
paper.
> > The only valid reason I see to purchase a piece of art is that you like
it.
> > Unfortunately large numbers of people seem to lack any self confidence
in
> > their own taste and need to be told what they like by art critics and
> > galleries. My 2 cents.
>
>
>
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