Ooops.. artist caught out using stock images as his own art

[sharperstill]

I eat my words. His prices have gone up 40%.
http://m.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-a ... 25t2o.html

[Walter Glover]

Reassuring that in the current cultural environment the only certainty is that there is no certainty.

[Alastair Moore]

For me, the thing with art I find is either there's often a case of "the emperor's new clothes" or I'm missing something and I'm actually a Philistine. I'm not sure which is it. And particularly with this example, now I know how he's gone about creating his art, it would make me wonder about the rest of his photographs.

I have absolutely no issue with people using Photoshop to any extent on their photographs but honestly, if you're selling your art for as much as this guy was doing - as much as $2400 - personally I'd want to know he at least took the photographs himself because the "interpretations" he's presenting could have been done using Silver Efex Pro with only a few clicks. I know because I did the same thing! But I know I shot the original, at least. And I'm not selling it for $2400 either.

Or, is the skill in the concept rather than the production and final product?

[RoganJosh]

For me, the thing with art I find is either there's often a case of "the emperor's new clothes" or I'm missing something and I'm actually a Philistine. I'm not sure which is it. And particularly with this example, now I know how he's gone about creating his art, it would make me wonder about the rest of his photographs.

I have absolutely no issue with people using Photoshop to any extent on their photographs but honestly, if you're selling your art for as much as this guy was doing - as much as $2400 - personally I'd want to know he at least took the photographs himself because the "interpretations" he's presenting could have been done using Silver Efex Pro with only a few clicks. I know because I did the same thing! But I know I shot the original, at least. And I'm not selling it for $2400 either.

Or, is the skill in the concept rather than the production and final product?

I agree with you Alastair - it appears to me that there is no worth to his work other than the cost of materials used to make his prints. The guy has obviously put a good amount of time into marketing his work, plus there seems to be an allure that comes from printing large these days possibly due to its rareness.

Half the problem is the fact that photography is growing (and the market for the art is gaining popularity) without photography as a whole actually getting any better - epsecially in Australia. Its hard to blame modern photographers for it though, I mean how is anyone expected to follow the work of the great 20th century masters? Ansel Adams for example already took b&w photography through its hyper clarity/reality phase during the straight photography era and then proceeded to maximise photography's impressionist potential during his late years.

Go check out the work of Matthew Brandt, hes the current popular artist in the American scene and as per the current trend he's taking photography sideways at best. It's also a perfect example of concept being given more emphasis than final product.

If I had to guess I would say that post-impressionism is next in line, but NOT paintings version of post impressionism. Too many photographers are trying to say too much in their work and forgetting that this is a medium of subtlety.