Manipulation of the Known

With the development of photography it seemed as there came into being a new medium that was truly objective and could remove the total control of the artist over the image. Photographers still possessed the ability to decide when to take the picture and what to include and exclude, however beyond these factors the photographer was there merely to accept the images as they were in real life, lacking at first the ability to alter them substantially. The camera afforded for the first time a real chance of attaining objectivity, as much as the technology of the time would allow.

Manipulation of the Known
Jeff Wall	Andreas Gursky	Gregory Crewdson	Reference
Artists throughout history had absolute control over their final product; whether it was stone they were chiseling, wood they were carving, or painting on any surface, the artist decided what would be included and excluded. The artists as individuals maintained control over the final product, and the product would invariably reflect their personal traits and conceptualization, becoming a near extension of the artist. For the vast majority of human history, the art that was created maintained an existential bond with its creator, owing to their linked origins. One could not separate the product from the artist, as they depended on each other to provide meaning.		With the development of photography it seemed as there came into being a new medium that was truly objective and could remove the total control of the artist over the image. Photographers still possessed the ability to decide when to take the picture and what to include and exclude, however beyond these factors the photographer was there merely to accept the images as they were in real life, lacking at first the ability to alter them substantially. The camera afforded for the first time a real chance of attaining objectivity, as much as the technology of the time would allow.
		The artist’s imagination is the only boundary for taking the image, yet they remain essentially life-like and somewhat realistic. The purpose of this is believability. The more life like an image the more the viewer will feel a connection to the message. Far fetched themes will find fewer people being able to buy into the image. Every artist has some sort of message to the audience, and their goal is to make others understand or at least experience it for themselves. Subtlety can be more persuasive and thus more powerful than the most elaborate fanciful image.
The artists featured on the following pages represent those who refused to accept the objectivity of the photograph. Their work attempts to maintain the illusion of realism while taking the image in an entirely new and different direction. Digital Imaging technology allows these artists an opportunity to take the image beyond what we may consider "reality."		(Fig.A) Andreas Gursky. 99 Cent. 1999.