Thierry Maindrault’s Monthly Cogitations.
The slippery slope of the descent into hell of Photography and those who serve it becomes a soapy slide on a direct highway to limbo. As always, in all the many misfortunes of photography that have followed one another for twenty years, the executioners, the protagonists, sell us traps covered in good intentions. No one evaluates the scope and consequences of rushing into these paths which, in reality, only serve to squeeze the lemon to extract money quickly and effortlessly. For the beneficiaries of course, because on the side of the dispossessed, these gravediggers of genius even manage to extract a little more juice from the zest of our photographic creations.
For four or five years, I had heard of very local tests to install “Art” inside our daily living spaces. In short, a concept which flourishes under the label “Artlibrary” claims to offer the provision of “authentic” artworks to everyone to embellish their personal living space. The democratization of Culture and the provision of Art for the greatest number.
In summary, in this sublimated project, the Mona Lisa (not a copy, the true one) is hanging from a nail in the wall. It sits enthroned above a sideboard on which rests the sports photo of the youngest, Aunt Agathe’s soup tureen and a pebble stolen from the beach during the last holidays. Our Mona Lisa swooning with admiration in front of the cross-stitch embroidery of the last dog in the family who is winking at her on the wall opposite. Let’s not smile, Culture and Art associated are a very serious thing in their foundation. Even if those who try to contribute to their development do not take themselves seriously at all, very often. As our civilization increasingly lacks humour (the natural and the spiritual), the last creators will probably take the same slide as their artworks.
What is this artlibrary that is presented to us as the latest brilliant innovation for the artistic development of all human minds, without forgetting anyone? The idea is generous, but how does it work? Initially, in the large majority of cases, it is a public structure (very frequently a media library or a book library, hence the name of the principle). The public establishment (or a public association) owns or acquires so-called works of art (in reality, in the best case, only contemporary creations) to lend or rent them. Thus, whoever wishes can install in their home or in their office, for a specific time, the work of their choice. Before the series of comments and reflections that assail me (I received last week many details and requests to get involved in these factories). Let us question ourselves on the first foundation that allows a public administration that lives off everyone’s taxes to come and take the little economic functioning that remains to creation? How can a public organization come and add a helping hand (is it necessary) to the already dramatic impoverishment of creation, because of social networks and other equally crazy ideas?
It is obvious that reflection, anticipation, projection are no more the primary concern of the masses from our democracies. But, there are some obvious facts, among the very many in our case, that it is impossible to let go aside as if nothing had happened.
For example, the constitution of the stock of objects (canvases, sculptures, drawings, performances and photographs, for what concerns us) comes, very officially, from several sources. Donations made to the public community (cities, departments, regions, foundations, etc.) by a creator, to be thankful, following an event that concerned him. In a word, these are the cultural assets of the so-called artistic fund of this public community that oversees the art library. However, the original quantity being judged very insufficient with regard to the strong forecast ambitions of the initiators, it is the creators who are directly called upon to simply offer their images (certainly those that they will no longer be able to sell, afterwards). All shame swallowed, these cultural saviours of the Nation, also ask art collectors to deposit part of their own acquisitions in order to be able to make loans. A good requisition would be faster (and would remind us of some “glorious” actions of History).
You imagine that we have reached the height of the unacceptable! Not at all. Always more! “Give us the rights of an artwork for prints (photo, lithograph, etc.) your artwork will be printed and framed by P•••• and put up for rental.” No and no, pinch yourself! We are not dreaming, give away your original files or negatives and give up your rights (it is for a good work, for a good cause, etc.). They, too, take care of everything for you, for us who are only a bunch of incompetents. Respect for the Laws, the protection of Rights, the remuneration of Creation, all these brilliant technocrats of culture are totally outside and not concerned by these – horribly – materialistic pettiness.
Then come the financial conditions, the lightness of which seems completely foreign to all these agents of public organizations. Because, how can one come and “steal” the creators, all disciplines combined? All those who are struggling, exhausting themselves and having to sacrifice, all or part, of their creation, to ensure their daily survival, since the beginning of this millennium. All these workers, around photography, are truly excluded from all forms of unemployment assistance. While the number of parasites who live fatly from creations (or various things declared as such) is growing exponentially. Now, it is the civil service agents who are inviting themselves onto the shreds of the profession. All these new activities will require hiring to administer the dissemination of our artwork acquired without compensation. As this system does not generate, once again, any economic added value, what goes into the pockets of some will inevitably come out of the pockets of others (QED). I won’t even mention the resale right and other copyrights that are completely flouted in the procedures envisaged.
Another unexpected top in France, when an admiring customer buys one of our artworks, the tax benefits have been completely removed, it was acceptable although devastating for the photographers. These smart guys have created small umbrella associations that promise a tax credit for all financial donations that will be paid to them to develop their stock and operations. The little income that remained to the creators for their skills will take, via the 66% tax credit, the path of this new banknote evaporator.
If we consider the artistic aspect of the choices and other future artistic acquisitions, it is clear that the selection juries will be important in deciding which artworks to recover, without spending a penny. It is still necessary for art library to appoint a credible jury, when the world’s great photographic jury confuses a photograph with a computer reject. All in the context of building up a desired overabundant stock. As for the appreciation capacities of administrative personnel in culture, we can remain doubtful concerning many views that are clearly more oriented towards the sensational (buzz) than towards the creative evolution of humanity. And then, access to Art for all requires a jovial, progressive and deserved education. A photograph is certainly not a “hamburger”, predigested, offered in a surprise bag. A bronze on a shelf or a photograph in a kitchen, why not, but this cannot be the fruit of a distribution of artworks by a cultural social service. There are still a few real professionals in cultural distribution (galleries, fairs, brokers, experts, etc.). They know how to do distribute, sales, loans, rentals. For these advisors, here they are also with perfectly unfair competition. More worrying, this destruction of the quality requirement that was imposed, because it remains essential to the survival of their activity fund. A quick word on the future authors who will donate their works. These will probably be the same as those swallowed up daily by greedy social networks.
Culture for all can very well be executed through museums and attractive pedagogy. Taxpayers’ money will be better used there. Photographers’ donations will thus be better appreciated by the greatest number. Interpretation, feeling, and emotion are shared more freely. But why do it simply when you can do bullshit!
A major question: what are our professional photography organizations doing? You know, those that have completely passed through social networks, those that have swallowed the unfair pooling of rights, those incapable of asking in the bodies conducive to the evolution of all users of photographic techniques. How can photographers sitting in these supposedly representative organizations allow donations of rights for uncontrolled prints. Just the existing law to enforce, would that be an impossible mission!
There are only empty chairs with slippers, even the little birds of their photographic shutters have gone on holiday.
I am not even sure that there will be a few flowers left for the funeral of a lot of sectors of Photography. No more question of bringing our fellow men to discover, to understand, to reflect, to transmit a cultural thread. The emergency consists in the levelling down of brains to surf financially on the wave of the egos of increasingly ignorant crowds, in need of recognition.
Thierry Maindrault. October 11, 2024
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