Beyond propaganda, aestheticism and commercialism : the coming of age of documentary photography in China

Wu, Jing (author), Guoqiang, Yun (author)

The paper traces the development of documentary photography in modern China through case studies of photographers and their work in different periods of history. It argues that technological potential, social conditions and cultural values work together to enable and condition the development of specific styles of photography. The coming of age of documentary photography as an independent way of observing society and intervening in social change inChina is the result of overcoming three institutional influences of art: propaganda, aestheticism and commercialism. The future development of this artform depends on its continued negotiation with these three institutional forces and its ability to remain relevant to social processes.

• Language: English
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2007
• Number of pages: Str. 31-48
• Numbering: Vol. 14, no. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-74791
• UDC: 316.77:77
• ISSN on article: 1318-3222
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26706269
• Publication date in RUL: 21.12.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Javnost = The public
• Shortened title: Javnost
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis, European Institute for Communication and Culture
• ISSN: 1318-3222
• COBISS.SI-ID: 40119808

Secondary language

• Language: Unknown

Abstract

Članek predstavlja razvoj dokumentarne fotografije v sodobni Kitajski s študijami fotografov in njihovega dela v različnih časovnih obdobjih. Dokazuje, da tehnološke možnosti, družbene okoliščine in kulturne vrednote skupaj omogočajo in pogojujejo razvoj specifičnih stilov. Obdobje dokumentarne fotografije kot neodvisnega pogleda na družbo in poseganja v kitajske družbene spremembe je rezultat preseganja treh institucionalnih vplivov na umetnost: propagande, estetitzacije in komercializma. Prihodnji razvoj te oblike umetnosti je odvisen od nadaljnjega premagovanja teh treh institucionalnih sil in njene zmožnosti, da ostane relevantna za družbene procese.