Artist Research no.6: Duane Michals

'I am a reflection photographing other reflections within a reflection' - Duane Michals

Duane Michals explores the limits of photography, and constantly satires the art world. His images are not necessarily showing an emotion or an idea, but how this emotion feels. He began photography in the time of portraiture and documentation, but his work is far from representational. He never formally learned photography, and says this contributed to his success because he never had to "unlearn" anything. When he did start commercial photography for fashion he hardly ever shot in studios, preferring to capture his subjects in their own environment. He never claims to be a photographer, and compares his work to poetry most readily, but also eastern religions, quantum physics, painting, and philosophy.  He incorporates text into work often, and it often serves to question the authenticity of photography itself. He wrote "How Photography Lost its Virginity on the Way to the Bank"

in 2007, it criticizes the art critics, the art market, and many photographers, especially those who confuse fashion with art, he calls them fartsters. Here are a few more gems from the book:

• Never trust any photograph so large it can only fit inside a museum;
  
• The announced demise of the decisive moment is premature; and
  
• Museums should never exhibit photographs of visitors looking at art in museums to visitors who are looking at art in museums.

All images copyright Duane Michals

Here are some more smart things he said:

“If we use observable fact to dictate what the possibilities of life are, then we are stuck with those that believe the earth was flat. It’s like saying when we shut off the radio, the music no longer exists because it only came from the tubes within.”

“You can’t go through life bowing your head and accepting what someone in supposed authority tells you. That’s being an automaton. The great marvel of being alive is that one does have the right to ask questions and be audacious in the questions.”  

This one is the smartest:

“To photograph reality is to photograph nothing.”