Why Photography Matters as Art as Never Before

Why Photography Matters as Art as Never Before examines contemporary art photography from the 1970s to the present. Michael Fried analyzes works by Jeff Wall, Thomas Demand, Rineke Dijkstra, and other prominent photographers through the lens of art history and critical theory. The book builds on Fried's previous work about modernist painting and sculpture, applying his concepts of theatricality and absorption to large-scale photography. Through detailed analyses of individual photographs and photographers' complete bodies of work, Fried establishes connections between contemporary photographic practices and earlier artistic movements. Each chapter focuses on specific photographers and artworks, examining their technical approaches, artistic intentions, and relationships to other media. Fried draws on interviews, artists' writings, and historical documents to construct his arguments about the evolution of art photography. The text presents photography as a medium that continues to redefine itself in relation to painting, cinema, and digital technologies. Through this examination, fundamental questions emerge about artistic authenticity, viewer engagement, and the role of scale and intentionality in contemporary art.

Readers note this book requires significant knowledge of art history and theory to follow Fried's complex arguments. Many appreciate his detailed analysis of contemporary photographers like Jeff Wall, Thomas Demand, and Andreas Gursky. Readers liked: - Deep examination of how photographs function as art objects - Rich descriptions of specific photographs - Connection to broader art historical movements Readers disliked: - Dense, academic writing style - Repetitive arguments - Required familiarity with Fried's previous work - Limited accessibility for general audiences One reader called it "impenetrable without a strong background in art theory." Another noted it "rewards careful study but demands too much from casual readers." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (56 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (12 reviews) Most low ratings cite the challenging academic prose rather than the content itself. Multiple reviews mention needing to re-read sections several times to grasp the arguments.

Art and Objecthood: Essays and Reviews by Michael Fried The text examines modernist art through the lens of phenomenology and extends Fried's theories of absorption and theatricality from painting to photography and sculpture.

Photography and the Art of Chance by Robin Kelsey This work traces photography's relationship with chance and intentionality through technical, philosophical, and aesthetic perspectives.

The Civil Contract of Photography by Ariella Azoulay The book presents a theory of photography as a civic space where power relations between photographer, subject, and viewer create political implications.

Between the Eyes: Essays on Photography and Politics by David Levi Strauss The essays connect photography theory with social justice through analysis of documentary photography, war imagery, and contemporary art practices.

Photography and Its Violations by John Roberts The text explores photography's intrusive nature and ethical dimensions through philosophical frameworks and contemporary art criticism.

📸 Michael Fried developed his influential theory of "theatricality" vs "absorption" in art while working as a poetry and art critic in the 1960s, long before applying it to photography in this book 🎨 The book extensively analyzes Jeff Wall's "Adrian Walker, artist, drawing from a specimen..." (1992), using it as a key example of how contemporary photography addresses the viewer-artwork relationship 📚 Despite being one of photography's most significant theoretical works of the 21st century, Fried came to photography criticism relatively late in his career, after decades focusing on painting and sculpture 🖼️ The book argues that large-scale art photography from the 1970s onward fulfills modernist painting's abandoned ambitions, particularly in dealing with issues of scale and viewer engagement 📷 Many photographs discussed in the book are deliberately massive in size—often 6 feet or larger—challenging the traditional notion of photographs as intimate, hand-held objects