Exercise – Question for Seller
I have been fascinated with old photographs for a long time and I often look on eBay, I have even purchased the odd set. I also still have a bag full of old negatives from my own family which I keep meaning to scan. I am intrigued as to why some sets of images in eBay command such a high price when others seem to sell for very little? The Question for Seller work has opened my mind to the option to ask the seller more about the images something i never considered to do before.
Does their presence on a gallery wall give these images an elevated status?
I think they change the meaning of the image. Initially they would have been taken to capture a moment or store a memory for the families use. Now they are show away from their album of associated images so the narrative is changed. the audience no longer sees the images before after, they have no personal connection to the person so they can create a new ‘story’. The image is more regarded and considered, more is read into its composition, so yes the images status is changed and regarded in a more elevated status.
Where does their meaning derive from?
I think the meaning of these images derives more from the answer to the question posed to the seller, It starts or creates the narrative that we should attribute to the image. Were they found? Where they abandoned? Unwanted? or loved?
When they are sold (Again on eBay, via auction direct from the gallery) is their value increased by the fact they are now ‘art’?
The rise in value could be attributed to them now being considered ‘art’ but I also think there are other factors which can lead to this.
The fact that it included audience participation puts people in a position of wanting to be part of something, in a similar way to charity auctions where people don’t necessarily bid because they want something but rather for the ’cause’, it allows them in to a select group of winning bidders that get a congratulatory pat on the back.
It also is because of the newly added provenance, there is now another history / story which can be added to these images which can be proven.
I think these factors are more relevant that it just being because of ‘art’
Wendy Rose Context & Narrative 