Conceptual Photography

Description

Walk in the street trying not to blink. Each time you blink, snap a photo. These instructions by Vito Acconci, the basis of his series "Blink," characterize the methods and philosophies of the Conceptualist Photography movement that began in the 1960s. Aided by his low-tech amateur camera, Acconci meant to deconstruct the notion of artistic subjectivity while suggesting that the open shutter replaces his closed eyes. Using works by Acconci and others, this program explores the Conceptualist photographers, who used both humor and technical skill to make statements about the nature of art and perception. The video discusses Robert Smithson's ironic "Monuments of Passaic"; "Self Portrait as a Fountain," Bruce Nauman's homage to Duchamps; Joseph Kosuth's installations that played with the relationship between reality and photos of reality; and works by Mel Bochner, Ed Rusha, John Baldessari, Ugo Mulas, and Ai Weiwei.

Runtime

26 min

Series

Subjects

Genre

Date of Publication

[2013], c2013

Database

Films on Demand

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