Comparing and Constrasting Artists Statements

The artists statements I chose three photographers that I am heavily influenced by and take inspiration from almost every day. Their names are Man Ray, Michael Kenna and Francesca Woodman, all of which are very expressive photographers just in different manners. Man Ray indulged in multimedia processes, Kenna created very surreal landscapes with his photos and Francesca took abstract long exposures of herself/others.

In all of their statements it reveals their characters and what it is like to be an artist in their eyes. Despite the fact that they are all photographers the photos they take are all very different from each other, which is also why their personalities are so different. Man Ray talks about how as an artist he expresses his emotions through different mediums like painting or sculpture while also clarifying there is no internal clash between the two. It is simply who he is and it in no way gets in the way of his art. Michael Kenna while not as expressive with his medium shares the same "idea" in that he doesn't let anything get in the way of what he loves but his approach on it is vastly different. Man Ray still relies on his emotions and natural instinct as an artist to help carry him through his work. Michael Kenna directly states that he refuses to let his emotions get in the way of taking photographs and that he simply does it for the love of photography, not to make incredible pieces. Our last statement to compare is Francesca, while being very short and concise, makes it very clear that her life and direction of her art is an immediate result of the things around her and how she is feeling. Her phrase "I was (am?) not unique but special. This is why I was an artist..."directly clarifies who is an artist because of her personality and how she views life. In person she was regarded as being extremely dramatic. Despite Man Ray using his emotions to create his work he did not let it control his very being like Francesca did.

            For me I see a lot of myself in all three of these artists statements. I see Man Rays conviction using multimedia art and not letting his love for each one get in the way of his art as a whole. I see Michael Kennas carefree approach on taking photos, while I am still keen on making my photo look as good as possible I wont let my negative feelings stop me from finishing my piece, instead I end up using it as motivation to make something great. Lastly and most prevalently I see Francesca, who makes everything in her eyes seem so dramatic and meaningful. By doing this it helps me see and feel certain things that end up inspiring my art. I am who I am and I cannot change it, so instead I show it to the world and make art. In all honestly I don't dislike anything about these statements, all three of these people are my favorite photographers, all very different but alike in their own way and that is something I have the decency to respect.