Visionaries: Are There Any Visionaries Left in Photography?

Summary: Visionaries - It's a word that evokes a sense of artistry, focus, vision (d'uh) and, apparently, confusion… Are There Visionaries in Photography? The guys get down to discussing the finer points of the role of visionaries in photography until they realize that theymay not be talking about the same thing. Oops. Still, the guys have a lively debate about whether or not we can recognize visionaries while they're actively creating art or if we can only recognize their influence after they're dead - or at the very least, after the influence is over. Kind of like a gambling streak in Vegas, right? You never know you're on a streak, you only ever knew that your were on a streak. And what about the tie, or bond, between visionaries and technology? Can technology create, or destroy, a person's vision? Or is technology truly just a tool that visionaries can use to bring their vision to life? Our Artists Our artists, on one hand, could not be different. But you can easily argue that they are very similar if we look at each one's influence in their respective worlds. Either way, they are truly visionaries, even if you hate their stuff. Robert Mapplethorpe - love him or hate him, you can't deny the importance that Mapplethorpe has had on the art world. Then, when you realize the time period in which he was most active, you can see see the boundaries that he had to cross and the limitations he had to break through. Definitely check out the documentary on him, Black White + Gray. Emily Carr is one of Canada's best known artists, was influenced by both modernism and post-impressionism and that is readily recognizable in her artwork. Her role as one of Canada's artistic visionaries is still maintained and celebrated today, particularly in the province of British Columbia where she was also influenced by the indigenous peoples of the West Coast.   P.S. - Rick and Tony are totally wrong: Rob is freaking FUNNY!