This month I read a review in a leading US Art Magazine of a Jeff Wall survey book, praising how he had distinguished himself from previous art photography by: “Carefully constructing his pictures as provocative often open ended vignettes, instead of just snapping his surroundings” Anyone who cares about photography ‘s unique and astonishing qualities as a medium should be insulted by such remarks… Now this is maybe just an unthinking review, but what it does illustrate is how there remains a sizeable part of the art world that simply does not get photography.

This month I read a review in a leading US Art Magazine of a Jeff Wall survey book, praising how he had distinguished himself from previous art photography by:

“Carefully constructing his pictures as provocative often open ended vignettes, instead of just snapping his surroundings”

Anyone who cares about photography ‘s unique and astonishing qualities as a medium should be insulted by such remarks…

Now this is maybe just an unthinking review, but what it does illustrate is how there remains a sizeable part of the art world that simply does not get photography.

—Paul Graham Archive (via zoe strauss)