Joachim Schmid is a vernacular photographer, who began collecting images from flea markets etc and then moved onto the unlimited supplies of the internet. Creating art from vast amounts of images created by other photographers.
There were interesting and personally contradicting points raised by Schmid.
His views on presentation were interesting. Commenting on the fact he found it easier to maintain the attention of a viewer of his art within a book format. Informing us how the reader views all the images page by page. In comparison to his presentations via slide show or on the internet, which he found only retains the viewers attention for up to 10 minutes? With such a comment, I have to question the viewers reasons. Is it because the work presented in a non tactile format such as on screen is repetitive, or just does retain enough variation to create curiosity and in depth interpretation. Or in book format is it that the reader views every page because it is curiosity?
If I am to play devils advocate, I would find viewing images of similar subject matter, often photographed poorly difficult after a few displays (sometimes in the thousands as in "Archiv"). Though I enjoy his selections, and his style of presenting "Archiv", for it reminds me of my childhood and the cards we would collect in packets of tea and glue into a small album (collections of dinosaurs, space rockets etc).
Schmid discusses the modern placement of photographers in a very refreshing, if not contradictory way.
- Too many educational facilities are producing far too many photographers, who have little or no chance to find a placement for their work. This is due to shrinking amounts of galleries, collections, shrinking budgets for public collections.
- Due to too great a supply of photographers the art and editorial business modules require re-inventing, for the benefit of the photographer.
Schmid states and I agree totally, "Photographers have to fight for their rights, re-invent their trade."
Then correctly states that there are more "Free" exhibitions than ever before?
- The decorators, security, curator, organisers, cleaners, electricians, framers, printers all get paid - in fact everyone except the actual provider of the photography or artwork!!!
The facts Schmid states are unquestionably correct in my opinion. However Schmid is actually part of the problem, from a certain critical point of view. For he too is taking advantage of photographers work. Unlike artists such as Christophe Gilbert who create digital artwork from their own photography. Creating a commercial income producing work in a not to dissimilar style to a curator? For he is exhibiting the works of other photographers in small sets as part of a larger collection. The hypocrisy of his opinions are slightly baffling?