Porn or Art?

[Cathus]

an average snapshot, the shock factor seems to be the emporer's new clothes as regards art which seems to be all that is required to win a modern following these days

[amk1977]

Totally agree with you Cathus. A great deal of modern art I find nothing more than obscene, ugly and pointless. What gets me more than anything though are the overly flaboyant art critics babbling a load of posh accented twoddle about its merits and those that don't agree with them are neandthals.

I'm always reminded of when The Daily Mail newspaper got some primary school children to paint some pictures. They took the pictures to a local gallery where some self important art critic, evaluated the work. He commonented on how he loved the way the artist had used a child like technique in his paintings. He promptly valued them at around £25k each if memory serves. They then told him where the images had come from to which he replied, "That was a bit unfair".

Undoubtedly there are some very talented people out there who create some very imaginative and thought provoking work. I find a lot of modern art leaves a great deal to be desired though. I personally couldn't be bothered standing in an all white, minimalist gallery, surrounded by people with one hand on their chin, looking at abstract shapes made out of elephant dung for 3 hours. I'd sooner be out taking pictures and playing games with my nephews. Maybe I should get them painting pictures, selling them off and getting myself a D3x and pro glass lol.

[PolaroidSky]

Not porn, not art and not well metered either. Awful photo.

[KeithT]

Hardcore titilation rather than porn. Not sure that it can be labeled as art, but then it's a matter that should be left to taste if you get my meaning...

[GeoffWessex]

I would just love to be in the room if that picture was shown in a competition at my (or any other) camera club! I'd be ready with my cellphone to the emergency services.

Of course, the 'defence' of those who treat it as 'art' is usually something that goes along the lines of, "Well it got you talking, so it must be provoking the emotions". It's a SNAP - and a smutty snap at that!

[KeithT]

Well Geoff, it certainly provoked my emotions...Now where's that kitchen cat...lol

[Oldbearchris]

It's interesting how the cropped shot wouldn't even be given a second look. Maybe it's the juxtaposition of the explicit part together with an average snap that makes it stand out?
I don't think I've seen this sort of shot in a gallery before.
However, if that's all there is to it, is that enough for it to win a competition?
In any case, it's not an oversaturated landscape with lots of blurry water with a rock in the foreground, so that helps it stand out :-)

[TerryGrealey]

Sorry , but that is disgusting . It looks like a snapshot. I hate it.

[karenoliver]

A lot of the more modern fine art and documentary shots have nudity for one reason or another. I've shot some nude shots of other people for projects in college but the nudity has always been for a reason. My only idea about the reasoning behind this shot was to show the intimacy the photographer shares with his wife. Although it looks very staged and posed to me and not a shot that he has come across, or does his wife really actually sit like that on a daily basis? I don't think its porn or disgusting or particularly hard-hitting really but I suppose its because I have seen a lot of photography like this from other photographers who include a lot of expliicit nudity in their shots. I have a photography book called What is love, What is desire by William A Ewing which is a compilation of shots which contrast love and desire. They are all really arty shots and some would really border on the pornagraphic if it was not for the lightiing and reasoning behind them. I suppose its only porn if the intention is porn, if the intention is art photography then its art photography. There is a fine line and photography pushes the boundaries, its very suibjective.

Karen

[AndyStevens]

Never ceases to amaze me what wins prizes - even ignoring the porn/art aspect, it's not a well lit or exposed image. As for the porn/art, I guess they were telling a story of sorts - don't think it's porn, and it's certainly not art.

Have definitely seen better!