John Berger in his 'Ways of Seeing', states that the location and surroundings of a painting were once an integral part of the viewing of a painting.
'The uniqueness of every painting was once part of the uniqueness of the place where it resided. Sometimes the painting was transportable. But it could never be seen in two places at the same time. When the camera reproduces a painting, it destroys the uniqueness of its image.'
As well as continuing to say that the location and surroundings of a painting are said to be of vital importance to the viewers reception and understanding of an image. The reception of a painting that is shown on television is said to be subject to the environment that is the living room to which it is broadcast.
'The painting enters each viewer's house. There it is surrounded by his wallpaper, his furniture, his mementoes. It enters the atmosphere of his family.'
Look at paintings in locations other than galleries, books or TV. What would you say about the work of someone like Banksy whose work appears on both the streets and in galleries? How does he change the from of the work to address different locations?
ReplyDelete