ABOUT THIS COURSE
ARTHIST 10sc
Prerequisites: None
“All photographs are accurate. None is the truth.” Richard Avedon (1923–2004)
The invention of photography inspired the belief that there could be a truthful and objective way to visually record the world. From portraits to travel photographs to documentary, photography has influenced how modern history is understood and remembered. Yet, a photograph is a manipulated image, shaped by the perspective of the photographer and further framed by its printing, presentation, and interpretation. The complex ethical and political issues associated with photography significantly impact how events and moments are recorded by history.
Over the past decade, the number of photographers has increased exponentially, further blurring the boundary between what is truth and what is fiction. Even the concept of “gatekeepers” is obsolete: anyone with a smartphone is armed with a camera and can create their own stories, their own records, and their own truths. Further, the Internet grants nearly universal freedom to document and disseminate images that record, incriminate, illuminate, persuade, enrage, and glorify. In this course, we will examine the ethical parameters of photography and the many ways in which photography contributes to presenting powerful truths, creating compelling fictions, and recontextualizing history. Topics to be addressed include appropriation, conservation photography, advertising images, street photography, self-portraits, war photography, photojournalism, and fair use.
Our discussions will be informed by extensive field trips throughout the Bay Area, course readings, and access to the museum’s photography collection. Students will view photographs in museums and private collections, meet with artists, collectors, photo editors, and advertising executives. In addition, special sessions covering photographic techniques will familiarize students with the diversity of the medium. No prior experience with photography is needed. Students from all disciplines and with a range of interests are encouraged to apply.
Click to see Ms. Wolf speak about her class
Instructor Bio
Connie Wolf is the John and Jill Freidenrich Director of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University and oversees the programming, administration, collection, and vision of the museum. One of her top priorities is to expand the museum’s commitment to photography through acquisitions, publications, and exhibitions. Ms. Wolf’s career includes writing and speaking internationally on art and education, as well as leadership positions at the Contemporary Jewish Museum and the Whitney Museum. She is a Stanford graduate in East Asian Studies, ’81.
