Ways of seeing chapter I

From XPUB & Lens-Based wiki

Title: Ways of Seeing

Author: John Berger

Published by: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books

Chapter 1 (pp.1-39)


Ways of Seeing

Seeing comes before words. We only only see what we look at. To look is act of choice. We can see and we aware of that we can also be seen. It has been realized the images that we crated can live longer than it represented. The images takes us to past or history. In traditional perspective, there is no visual reciprocity. Seeing images is depended upon where you were when. Invention of camera has changed the uniqueness of art. Uniqueness of painting lost itself but it has gained more meaning than past. In our time, painting travels to follower rather than the spectator to the painting.

In modern society, value of the art object is equals to market price. Now painting displays in one room and it creates its own chapel. It has new kind of impressiveness it produces new mysterious for itself, this is consequence of its market value. With words around painting it also creates new reproduction. The painting which is unique is still its aura because of brush shapes and real colours. They were also contemporary of their time.

Art for whom?