Asking the tough questions . . .

As is the case many times, interesting presentation/discussion over at Mark Hobsons's The Landscapist Blog these days - here, here, and there.

Man +/-? nature # 1

Some very thought-provoking comments around some unusual diptychs there. With unequal proportions (one image being roughly 2:1, the second 1:1 providing a 'broken' - by the dividing frameline, at least - panorama). The work is of the usual high standards, the main question is: Are the graphics ( + / - ? ) necessary? I'm thinking not, but I'm torn - this is a common dilemma among artists - do you 'hammer home' the idea (your point, agenda, political, environmental, whatever) or does one leave it more up to the individual viewer - ask the tough questions, and leave it at that. More questions than answers.

For instance, when The Nocturnes presented "The Nocturnes: Not Ready to Make Nice" (our most overtly political show to date), participants stayed away in droves, which is kind of ironic, given the hoopla around the Dixie Chicks, Ms. Maines earlier comments, and the subsequent song, NRTMN. One might describe the situation as another case of "Just Shut Up & Photograph."

What do you think?

(from The Nocturnes NightNews feed)