I found David Hockney’s observations about perspective and shadow being absent in Asian art but not really missed informative. He wonders about the origins of perspective and shadow in art, and suspects it has to have come from the lens. One simple technological intervention appears to have had a significant impact in painting, in certain cultures. Leaves me wonder what would have been created if there had not been this technological intervention. The need to create realistic images often for powerful people or institution, to some degree limiting the ability of artist to experiment. The result was art in many cases acting as an early camera.
When photographic technology became accurate and accessible people thought it would eventually supplant painting but this has not come to pass. Photography’s impact on painting in the end liberated art from this obligation to be realistic, allowing it be more emotional, experessive and experimental. There is more freedom to explore the abstraction that occurs when drawing or painting on a two dimensional surface; an exploration of their own unique visual language. In some ways growing closer to other art forms.
I believe with the advent of digital photography a similar transformation is beginning to emerge as smartphones are now creating and sharing billions of images everyday. Photographers have begun to leave the confines of documentation and visual accuracy and are experimenting in unique ways. The rising popularity of collaging photographs being a good example of this kind of trend, or photographic prints that present like paintings.
