vrijdag, september 12, 2008
"Visa pour l'Image verliest aan betekenis"
Een interessante en scherp geformuleerde terugblik op het Visa pour l'Image festival in Perpignan kunt u lezen bij Paul Melcher's weblog Thoughts of a Bohemian.
The first day I got there, a poor girl, 17 years of age, jumped from the top of the Castillet, committing suicide right in front of hundreds of VISA participants, quietly sipping a beer. I just happened to be close by and got there minutes after she had jumped. Not knowing what had happened, I just first saw the rows of pale and white faces sitting a the terrace of the Cafe la Poste. It was quite a dramatic vision. It would somewhat set the tone for the rest of the week.
The Palais, where all the agencies set up shop, was emptier than last year. Not in visitors, but in booth. Most agencies do not really see the value of having a booth anymore. More of the same photographers showing up, lesser quality and the ability to see anyone portfolio online at anytime makes this an expensive and useless exercise. Since, over the years, less and less magazines are sending their photo editors to search for new sources of images, having a booth is becoming pointless. From many conversations, those that where there this year are strongly considering not coming back, at least with a booth.
Violence was certainly omnipresent. Not just in the images displayed but all around us. There was a photographer mugging, a first in my knowledge, and after that, we were constantly protected by groups of the french riot police. It did not prevent more violence to erupt.
Not much that would make anyone looking forward for 20 more years of VISA. The exhibits where more of the same, extremely talented photographers that we have all already seen.
Lees meer over Paul Melcher.
The first day I got there, a poor girl, 17 years of age, jumped from the top of the Castillet, committing suicide right in front of hundreds of VISA participants, quietly sipping a beer. I just happened to be close by and got there minutes after she had jumped. Not knowing what had happened, I just first saw the rows of pale and white faces sitting a the terrace of the Cafe la Poste. It was quite a dramatic vision. It would somewhat set the tone for the rest of the week.
The Palais, where all the agencies set up shop, was emptier than last year. Not in visitors, but in booth. Most agencies do not really see the value of having a booth anymore. More of the same photographers showing up, lesser quality and the ability to see anyone portfolio online at anytime makes this an expensive and useless exercise. Since, over the years, less and less magazines are sending their photo editors to search for new sources of images, having a booth is becoming pointless. From many conversations, those that where there this year are strongly considering not coming back, at least with a booth.
Violence was certainly omnipresent. Not just in the images displayed but all around us. There was a photographer mugging, a first in my knowledge, and after that, we were constantly protected by groups of the french riot police. It did not prevent more violence to erupt.
Not much that would make anyone looking forward for 20 more years of VISA. The exhibits where more of the same, extremely talented photographers that we have all already seen.
Lees meer over Paul Melcher.
# posted by Jan-Edward : 22:37
|
|