SNAG Metalsmith Exhibition in Print 2013 - Call for Related Work
“As Seen by Others: Photography as Strategy”
Guest Curator, Susan Cohn
The photograph is an integral part of a maker’s practice. It not
only records a work, it presents a maker’s intention and, as such,
defines how a work is understood. More significantly, the photograph
is often the only way an object is experienced; it becomes the filter
by which the work is seen by others.
In our hyper digital world, the photograph has become more than a
just a documentary tool—it is a pivotal mode of expression.
Multiple image formats now coexist, and artists are increasingly
exploring the formal potential of these imaging options. High-res
images are typically used to publish work for catalogs and books as a
way of arousing potential interest. Accordingly, these photographs
tend to be crisp compositions that highlight key details in design
and production. The more casual camera-phone snapshot is gaining
momentum on the standard studio photograph. Whether shared among
friends or on social media, these images are often less polished and
provide a simple likeness of the given object. Alternatively, the
photograph can be a key device for expressing an object’s concept or
use, enhancing the intention of the maker. Such photographs may be
experimental or documentary, showing narrative or poetic propositions
for a work. The dynamic between these three photographic tactics
opens up interesting ways to view objects today.
The 2013 Exhibition in Print will explore the power of the
photograph to express the spirit of an object. Each work will be
shown in at least two of the three photographic approaches above—a
formal high-quality studio photograph; a casual smart-phone shot; or
an experimental image reinforcing the concept or function of the
work. Guest curator Susan Cohn is seeking examples related to this
theme of photographic translation.
For consideration, please send low-res image files to
scohn@ozemail.com.au Deadline for submission is January 15, 2013.
Susan Cohn, a Melbourne-based jeweler, designer and curator, is
director of Workshop 3000 and holds a Ph.D. in Fine Art Theory. Cohn
is also the curator of the major museum exhibition, Unexpected
Pleasures: The Art and Design of Contemporary Jewellery, currently on
international tour.