Visual Studies Workshop.

Visual Studies Workshop, February 2-April 7 2001 Curated by the agency of Stephen Eckel

AS CAMERAS BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED and the advent of digital photography greatly increases our ability to manipulate visual reality, an increasing number of photographers are rediscovering traditional and sometimes "lost" photographic practices. Among these is the use of a pinhole in place of the camera len for what purpose do artists employ this device?

As a pinhole photographer I am ofttimes asked this question. Why not use a "real" camera? In academic and art circles it is normal to explain on what account certain choices are made when making art, nevertheless it seems that pinhole photographers are forced to justify to what end they use the lensless camera. Using this dilemma as a springboard, this exhibition titled "Why Pinhole?" brings together the work of more than 60 pinhole photographers to indicate the diversity of their images and investigate the loyal nature of pinhole.

about critics have said that using the word "pinhole" in the title or description of a piece trivializes the work itself, making it nothing more than a gimmick; the attention getter being the lack of a len rather than the quality of the work produc Others believe pinhole necessarily limits the visual and interpretive range of images it creates. I disagree. Not solely is there as much creative possibility inherent in pinhole as in other photographic techniques, further it contains other beautiful qualities not native to lens cameras. Pinhole images, then, share certain aesthetic features, further in the hands of various artists, summon very different meanings.

The central premise of this exhibition is to point out to the wide range of approaches utilized on contemporary pinhole photographers. It is my contention, and that of the six anchor artists whose views tread in the steps of that the fact that a photograph is taken with a pinhole len is secondary to the image itself. Which brings us back to the question "Why pinhole?". onward this, I'll let the artists speak of their experiences.

Stephen Eckel

MY WORK immerses aspects of photography, sculpture and conceptual art. athwart the past 17 years, I've built across 100 pinhole and simple-lensed cameras revealed of common, recycled objects--a coffee can a maple syrup can, old-fashioned suitcases. I even turned my VW van and an Airstream motorhome into working cameras. Part of my photographic approach is symbiotic; the enslave is usually related to the camera which took its photo, eg an ancient suitcase shoots an old inn Having said that, I'd like to answer to a statement made through art critic Jan-Eric Lundstrum: "I would caution against the notion of the pinhole aesthetic. It in such a manner easily mystifies the pinhole or deflects it into a gimmick, obscuring the work itself. Seductive and fascinating, the pinhole camera is simply an instrument, a tool applicable to various imaging desires. And alone a brief look at the diversity of approaches existing today disqualifies any notions of a unified aesthetic." Is there a pinhole aesthetic? What constitutes a "unified aesthetic"? A diverse communit y of pinhole practitioners from around the world be warmed enough unity of purpose that they gather in consequence of meetings, magazines and books to discuss aesthetics, processe and deductions separate from the larger community of photographers.

although these artists use various approaches, the inherent masterships and restrictions of the pinhole proces give pinhole photos an identifiable contemplate easily distinguishable from other photographs. Everyone agrees that pinhole photographs have a special quality of light, a timeless anticipate Pinhole photos look relatively sharp yet nothing like the quality produc on a fine glass lens. forward the other hand, pinholes inherently have a vast depth of field, giving a "larger than life" feeling that cannot be captured with a conventional len video or digital camera.

Like the pictorialists' cameras of the 19th hundred pinhole is unable to "freeze" intents in motion. The subject must be kept still during the prolonged exposure. Consequently, most scenes are static or expect posed like early photographs, unles the artist selects to include streaked, ghostly movement

although the look is somewhat predictable, the proces is sated of surprises. Since cameras and apertures are handmade by means of the artist, each one is by means of nature unique. When shooting, you merely get one chance to make a advantageous exposure. This is far different from using a commercially-manufactured camera with turn about film, flash and more predictable results

more [i]or[/i] less people assume that pinhole photography is naive and easy. For them, the terminus "pinhole" evokes visions of a first grader cruising the playground with a loaded Quaker Oats coachman's seat But good results come solitary from repeated trial and error. Without a viewfinder, you have to work more by dint of feeling than by seeing, and many things can advance wrong. There is no automatic outlook system. Each camera has a different focal detail Sometimes a camera leaks light and ruins the film. It's difficult to command and that's all part of the beautiful, slippery process