In a blog post earlier this year I discussed my experience entering my work in an annual juried exhibit at my local arts center, and the reason I believe more subjective work, particularly black-and-white photography, doesn’t sell. For this year’s exhibit, I decided to double down and submit two images, both black-and-white. One was a definite stretch, the other more of a sure thing. Not surprisingly, the former wasn’t selected. The other did make the exhibit but has yet to sell. Having the experience of exhibiting at this particular place and knowing what photography does and doesn’t sell, why would I choose the pieces I did? I could have easily selected much more easily appreciated, more objective images from my portfolio. And yet, I went in the other direction. I am known to be stubborn and a contrarian at times (sometimes to my own detriment), but there is another reason.
One of my goals as an artist is to challenge the viewer and their notions of beauty, to help them learn to see beyond the spectacular and find beauty in the mundane. Look at the pattern and texture in those tree roots, or that carpet of pine needles! Beauty in nature is manifested in countless ways, yet too often we notice only the obvious. It behooves artists to learn this, but it greatly enhances the experience of the viewer as well. In his essay Lessons From Joni Mitchell, Brooks Jensen discusses how Mitchell’s ceaseless evolution and growth as an artist throughout her career challenged him to also grow and evolve, ultimately teaching him much about himself. What more could he ask from a creative artist, he asks. What more, indeed.
It is interesting to me that while most landscape/nature photographers are vocal advocates for the environment, many fewer of them are ambassadors for photography and its potential as an art form. All too often photography is saddled with the expectation of “reality.” Photography serves many purposes, but as an art form, the only reality that matters is that of the photographer. It benefits both the artist and viewer to educate our audience on the creative potential in photography. My hope in choosing the pieces I did was that the viewer may learn to appreciate nature in a new way, if not learn something about themselves along the way. Artistic integrity comes into play here as well. As mentioned, I could have chosen more obviously beautiful photos, but the two I did choose more closely represent my vision. The more personal our work is, the less popular it will be. So be it.
Am I bitter that my pieces didn’t perform well? Hell yeah, I’m bitter! No, I don’t take the rejection of my work personally (well, most of the time I don’t). In fact, I don’t think of it as rejection, but rather a case of my work not resonating with that particular audience. I admit my first reaction was to forgo partaking in next year’s exhibit. Why spend the money on printing and framing when the piece most likely will end up in my closet at home? As a full-time artist, economics do come into play. Still, I’m sure I will submit something. I am an artist. It’s what I do.
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