The Way of Seeing is a seminal book and TV Series by John Berger from the early 1970’s in which renowned art academic discusses how we view art and how different forces change our perception of art.
One of these forces, that influenced the way of seeing, was the invention of the camera, not only can the camera be used to create art John Berger argues it enables the transmission of art. Photography allows art to be viewed in a very different way than it was intended – especially by any artist working before the invention of the camera. An extreme example John Berger illustrates is of DaVinci’s Last Super painted circa 1490 on a convent wall in Italy. Until the invention of the camera if wanted to see it you had to travel to Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Now you can google it and view it at the touch of a button in far more detail than I imagine DaVinci every envisaged.
Move on a few decades and John Berger’s views of observing art are still relevant and insightful, especially when you add into the mix, smartphones. The world is constantly capturing moment around it great numbers than every before – rarely is a moment savoured and just retained within an individuals mind. Going back to The Last Supper a few years ago there would have been a sign saying no flash photography and a visitor would not have taken a picture, just remembered the visit. Now, the ISO performance on something as small as a smartphone means everyone can take a (sneaky) shot before the security guard sees.
John Berger appeared to predict back in 1972, in his book, The Way Of Seeing, that there would be a Youtube and Instagram and with smartphones have become integral to our lives where everything captured to the shared instantly it not just recognised art the is viewed differently life and event are habitually recorded. Why? Because we pre-conceptualised we believe that if are witnessing it we must record and we must share – gone are the days of enjoying things for the moment – we have all had our view at concert spoilt by a see of mobile recording and we all remember Benedict Cumberbatch’s anger at his performance of Hamlet been recorded.
And all this was evident at the Word Cup Fireworks Display in Pattaya Thailand a week or so ago where the crowd en mass viewed the fireworks above their head through their smartphone. Will these images ever be viewed again or have they just had their faint glimpse of fame on Instagram or facebook?
Below is sort series showing my take of the event…
