What Makes a Fashion Photograph Art? | A conversation with David Campany & Paul Martineau
© Estate Stamped of Rodney Smith / Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York
Written by Sydney Sepp
Copy Edited by Julian Tsai
What makes a fashion photograph art? At FIT on Sept. 27th, Paul Martineau- curator of photographs at J. Paul Getty Museum- and David Campany- world-renowned writer and curator-attempted to answer this question by examining the works of arguably the best fashion photographer of all time: Rodney Smith. Martineau recently published the first Retrospective of Smith's work, Rodney Smith: A Leap of Faith, which, in the talk, he and Campany used as a guide to analyze this notoriously controversial debate and to pay tribute to Smith's iconic legacy.
© Estate Stamped of Rodney Smith / Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York
The talk started with the basics: what techniques Smith used and where he drew inspiration from that made his photographs so distinct from those of his peers. It wasn't digital technologies or props that made his work compelling but his ability to command light and a location. In fact, according to Martineau, none of Smith's photographs were retouched– their true beauty is sustained in its original form.
© Estate Stamped of Rodney Smith / Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York
Having started as an environmental photographer, Smith developed the ability to explore the unexpected relationship between fashion and landscapes. Martineau said Smith’s environmental background made his photographs “controlled-looking fashion photos with a great sense of composition.” Martineau and Campany brought up a great example of this with Skyline, Hudson River from 1995. To get the perfect shot of the Hudson River skyline while craftily showcasing the model's garments, Smith rented a moving barge for the five models to stand on. With unexpected rain the day of the photoshoot, the art director suggested canceling--Rodney insisted they continue, deciding the rain brought 'atmosphere.'
© Estate Stamped of Rodney Smith / Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York
Smith chose not to follow the over-sexualized direction the fashion industry was heading toward in the '90s. Instead, Martineau explained Smith's drawing of inspiration from history and works of Renaissance masters such as Jan Van Eyck. Smith's photographs have a distinct nod to absurdism and surrealism with an almost menacing tone. However, Campany and Martineau agreed that all Smith's photographs exude an overwhelming sense of elegance. His intentional, strategic attention to detail, such as using mysterious-looking underground models, makes his pictures' period seemingly indiscernible.
© Estate Stamped of Rodney Smith / Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York
By the end of the talk, it was evident Campany and Martineau considered Rodney Smith's photographs genuine and ingenious works of art. Having said that, they both agreed that the excellence of Smith's work does not necessarily mean that all fashion photography is art. For example, Campany drew parallels between painting and photography, saying there are only a small number of masterpiece paintings amid an ocean of artwork, similar to how “most photographs are by definition average.” Martineau and Campany couldn't definitively answer about fashion photography's legitimacy as an art form. They, however, both agreed it depends on the photograph, the content, and the context. To them, what constitutes Rodney Smith's photography as art is both the timelessness and the ephemeral effect they have. But, overall, the standard to assess whether a fashion photograph is art is the same standard used to evaluate all artistic mediums.
© Estate Stamped of Rodney Smith / Courtesy of Staley-Wise Gallery, New York
