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Friday Quote: Truth⸮? “Photography never lies or…" ~Roland Barthes

By cherylmachatdorskind

Cheryl Machat Dorskindwww.cherylmachatdorskind.com

“Photography never lies: or rather it can lie as to the meaning of the thing…never to its existence.”

~Roland Barthes
Camera Lucida


Below Barthes remarks on his experience as subject:
“In front of the lens, I am at the same time: the one I think I am, the one I want others to think I am, the one the photographer thinks I am, and the one he makes use of to exhibit his art. In other words, a strange action: I do not stop imitating myself and because of this, each time I am (or let myself be) photographed, I invariably suffer from a sensation of inauthenticity, sometimes of imposture (comparable to certain nightmares). In terms of image-repertoire, the Photograph (the one I intend) represents that very subtle moment when, to tell the truth, I am neither subject nor object but a subject who feels he is becoming an object: I the experience a micro-version of death (of parenthesis): I am truly becoming a specter.”
To read more about the topic, “Are photographs true” consider the excellent book Criticizing Photographs, by Terry Barrett (5th Edition).


My thoughts:
I just saw the Cindy Sherman show at MOMA and her self portraits play on these philosophical “what is truth” probings. She constantly toys with herself, molding her image, grabbing a self out of her bag of costumes. I am a bit haunted by her later, larger than life size portraits of aging woman, who on the surface appear elegant. Juxtaposed on digitally imposed bucolic backgrounds, on close exam the aging details crack the heavily powdered foundation and reveal gravity, wrinkles pointing to masked time.
Happy Friday,
Cheryl

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Filed Under: Books, Books, Friday quote, Photography, photography quotes, photography quotes, Reading Corner, Truth?⸮ Tagged With: Cindy Sherman, friday quote, history of photography, Roland Barthes

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About Cheryl

Professional photographer Cheryl Machat Dorskind is a three-time best-selling author and newspaper columnist, an international mentor, a photo educator and adjunct Full professor, a workshop and online instructor, a speaker, and an acclaimed “New York Times” fine-art photographer and handpainter.

She is a member of the American Society of Media Professionals (ASMP) and Canon Professional Services and profiled on Museo.

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