Jenna Garret Photos...Art or Not.

[Designer]

If it was the crime that she wanted to depict, then the pie with cheese on it would technically not be against the law, only against good taste, considering she doesn't know what cheese to use.

 

[Derrel]

Just wanted to report back: the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dill pickles (3 of them tested) DO BOUNCE when dropped from the height of the jar (measured at 9 and 15/16 inches, lid removed).

Whew! Thank goodness, my pickles are actually pickles!!!!

 

[vintagesnaps]

I don't think it's particularly well done art, the quality of the photos could use improvement. I don't think they convey what was intended because without the description I'd never know the purpose of these.

I wondered why pickles were floating in the air; the ice cream melting looks 'staged' instead of the way ice cream would actually look if it was dripping (and the arm is cropped in an awkward way, the shirt looks wrinkled); the framing of the bookcase is at an odd angle and why are there sex toys on display in cups & dishes?? makes little sense (or is some really unusual home décor! lol). The jeans look like an attempt at a fashion photo for Versace.

I think these would be seen more as stock or commercial photos than art because they seem to be photos of common objects but not portrayed in a particularly interesting way (although there could be photos done for commercial purposes that have some artistic elements to them and would be considered art).

 

[mishele]

ART!! I rather liked the concept too. I found them very interesting. Now, I also found a link at the bottom of the page intriguing...Bold Portraits of People Wearing Pantyhose and Nothing Else (NSFW) lol

 

[Stevepwns]

My vote was no, but who am I to judge. I would say they are more visual statements. I guess that defines art but not a type of my liking I suppose. So I guess I shouldnt have voted either way....

 

[mishele]

My vote was no, but who am I to judge. I would say they are more visual statements. I guess that defines art but not a type of my liking I suppose. So I guess I shouldnt have voted either way....

What is art if not a visual statement? hehe

 

[Steve5D]

I have always thought that true art is designed to cause people to THINK. And her photos do that when seen with the paired ridiculous laws. It's an interesting concept she's working with here. And with that said, now I am off to see if the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dills that I love so much actually bounce when dropped. Hmm...the more I think about that pickle law, the more worried I am becoming! Cripes on a cracker, what if the salt-and-vinegar-soaked cucumbers I love so much are not officially considered pickles by some state's idiotic law?

OMG...I can feel the anxiety building.

I agree that they are thought-provoking when paired with the ridiculous laws. But without that context, they don't seem to be particularly thought-provoking or visually stimulating. For me, that tips me in favor of "no, they're not art". How many times have folks here railed on about how, for example, the title shouldn't matter in the interpretation of the image? Or about how art is like a joke - if you have to explain it, it's no good? "It's all about the image!" I read again and again. Don't these pictures need the explanation (the pairing with the laws) to be fully appreciated? Can they stand on their own? I'm not so sure.

I think a great ruse that photographers have bought into is the whole "It needs to say something" crap. I couldn't disagree with that more. Yes, photos often do, but that doesn't mean they have to.

As for being paired with the descriptions of the laws, that's only required if you want people to know it's about the laws. After all, look at the David Bowie kid? I look at that, on its own, and see how the appreciation of music from the past isn't lost. After all, here's a kid painted up like Ziggy Stardust.

The bouncing pickles? Don't even get me started.

Someone who looks at any photo and can't see something is someone completely devoid of imagination, and a photograph needn't say the same thing to all people...

 

[limr]

I have always thought that true art is designed to cause people to THINK. And her photos do that when seen with the paired ridiculous laws. It's an interesting concept she's working with here. And with that said, now I am off to see if the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dills that I love so much actually bounce when dropped. Hmm...the more I think about that pickle law, the more worried I am becoming! Cripes on a cracker, what if the salt-and-vinegar-soaked cucumbers I love so much are not officially considered pickles by some state's idiotic law?

OMG...I can feel the anxiety building.

I agree that they are thought-provoking when paired with the ridiculous laws. But without that context, they don't seem to be particularly thought-provoking or visually stimulating. For me, that tips me in favor of "no, they're not art". How many times have folks here railed on about how, for example, the title shouldn't matter in the interpretation of the image? Or about how art is like a joke - if you have to explain it, it's no good? "It's all about the image!" I read again and again. Don't these pictures need the explanation (the pairing with the laws) to be fully appreciated? Can they stand on their own? I'm not so sure.

I think one of the greatest ruses that photographers have to by into is the whole "It needs to say something" crap. I couldn't disagree with that more. Yes, photos often do, but that doesn't mean they have to.

As for being paired with the descriptions of the laws, that's only required if you want people to know it's about the laws.

The David Bowie kid? I look at that, on its own, and see how the appreciation of musicians from the past isn't lost. After all, here's a kid painted up like Ziggy Stardust.

The bouncing pickles? Don't even get me started.

Someone who looks at a photo and can't see something is someone completely devoid of imagination...

If I'm such an unimaginative philistine, why even bother trying to get me to understand anything? Or was it just to deliver an unnecessary insult?

Besides, weren't you supposed to be done with me?

 

[table1349]

An array of varied and interesting opinions so far. Do continue.

Darrell, glad to know that you actually do have pickles. :thumbup:

 

[Steve5D]

Just wanted to report back: the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dill pickles (3 of them tested) DO BOUNCE when dropped from the height of the jar (measured at 9 and 15/16 inches, lid removed).

Whew! Thank goodness, my pickles are actually pickles!!!!

Well, this is good news.

What are they if they don't bounce?

 

[robbins.photo]

Ok, well my 2 cents worth I guess.

I have not problem with associating stories with photographs, I see nothing objectionable to it. A really strong photograph can stand often stand on it's own, without any sort of back story - but certainly nothing wrong with giving a photo a little context now and again.

Like Limr frankly the photo's themselves, pretty meh at least for me. Just looking at them from a photographic standpoint nothing really outstanding, nothing really horrible, just sort of middle of the road. As to the ridiculous laws tie in? Well honestly there are a lot of ridiculous laws out there that could have had much better visual tie ins and made this thing a whole lot stronger. Seems to me that they kind of went the "cheap" route here of picking stuff that they figured would be "controversial" to try and gin up some emotion. The doofy looking David Bowie offspring, the sex toys, etc. That's what pretty much turned my switch to off on this one.

Overall the concept itself wasn't bad and it could have been something really outstanding if it had been well done, but for me at least from my perspective they pretty much went out of their way to go for the low hanging fruit here, and as a result the end product just really wasn't all that impressive. Is it art? Eh, maybe. Is it good? Eh.. well no, not at least in my opinion.

 

[robbins.photo]

Just wanted to report back: the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dill pickles (3 of them tested) DO BOUNCE when dropped from the height of the jar (measured at 9 and 15/16 inches, lid removed).

Whew! Thank goodness, my pickles are actually pickles!!!!

Well, this is good news.

What are they if they don't bounce?

Cucumbers. Obviously not a farm kid there Steve.. lol

 

[table1349]

Just wanted to report back: the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dill pickles (3 of them tested) DO BOUNCE when dropped from the height of the jar (measured at 9 and 15/16 inches, lid removed).

Whew! Thank goodness, my pickles are actually pickles!!!!

Well, this is good news.

What are they if they don't bounce?

Cucumbers. Obviously not a farm kid there Steve.. lol

 

[Steve5D]

I agree that they are thought-provoking when paired with the ridiculous laws. But without that context, they don't seem to be particularly thought-provoking or visually stimulating. For me, that tips me in favor of "no, they're not art". How many times have folks here railed on about how, for example, the title shouldn't matter in the interpretation of the image? Or about how art is like a joke - if you have to explain it, it's no good? "It's all about the image!" I read again and again. Don't these pictures need the explanation (the pairing with the laws) to be fully appreciated? Can they stand on their own? I'm not so sure.

I think one of the greatest ruses that photographers have to by into is the whole "It needs to say something" crap. I couldn't disagree with that more. Yes, photos often do, but that doesn't mean they have to.

As for being paired with the descriptions of the laws, that's only required if you want people to know it's about the laws.

The David Bowie kid? I look at that, on its own, and see how the appreciation of musicians from the past isn't lost. After all, here's a kid painted up like Ziggy Stardust.

The bouncing pickles? Don't even get me started.

Someone who looks at a photo and can't see something is someone completely devoid of imagination...

If I'm such an unimaginative philistine, why even bother trying to get me to understand anything? Or was it just to deliver an unnecessary insult?

Besides, weren't you supposed to be done with me?

I'm sorry but, believe it or not, the universe does not revolve around you. Many have a problem with them. You just happen to be the one I quoted.

I don't see how you can possibly look at any of those photos and not think of something. Like someone's already said, if you ask yourself why someone has an ice cream cone in their back pocket, then it's made you think.

Is that bad? Is that offensive?

I honestly don't care if you understand anything. I really, really would be hard pressed to care less about that than I do right now...

 

[Steve5D]

Just wanted to report back: the Vlasic Classic Kosher Dill pickles (3 of them tested) DO BOUNCE when dropped from the height of the jar (measured at 9 and 15/16 inches, lid removed).

Whew! Thank goodness, my pickles are actually pickles!!!!

Well, this is good news.

What are they if they don't bounce?

Cucumbers. Obviously not a farm kid there Steve.. lol

LOL!

No, no I'm not.

But if it's a simple cucumber, issue could be taken with the fact that someone mucked it up to a point where it was almost a pickle, and then bailed.

And, well, that just ain't right...