Some Questions - Alec Soth
[Alec Soth. From the series The Last Days of W. Reagan's Limousine, Minneapolis, Minnesota]
In your experience, how has the Internet changed the way that art is discussed, displayed, curated, experienced, or distributed?
For me, the primary thing the internet has changed is the way that art is discussed. Living in Minnesota with a wife and two kids, I’m pretty far removed from whatever place in Brooklyn is the new Cedar Bar. But the internet gives me access to chatter. To be honest, I hate looking at work online (at 40 I feel like an old man). But I like blogs and even the occasional tweet as much as the next guy.
What are your opinions on the idea of the Internet as replacement for critique space? As replacement for museum or gallery? Jpeg as replacement for physical art object? Tumblr as replacement for curation?
Fine for others, whatever, but I still like physical stuff. The pleasure of being a photographer is having an excuse to wander out into the world. I’ve come to think of the process as being like web-surfing in the real world. And I still like to make physical stuff at the end of this process like books and prints. But I have no problem with people choosing to experience the world in virtual space. (Did I mention I’m old).
