Artist of the Week: Jerry Uelsmann

 

 Jerry Uelsmann

Jerry Uelsmann's work is ordinary at first glance, but something catches the eye of the viewer that looks completely out of place, making the work far more interesting and necessitating further inspection. I would categorize Uelsmann's works as monochrome artistic landscape photographs. His works, although monochromatic, are artistic and amplified, like David LaChapelle. And similarly to LaChapelle, I have a lot of time for Uelsmann's style of photography.

If someone reproduced Uelsmann's work, the process could be redone with moderate ease thanks to programs like photoshop, where they could scrapbook a photo into the same style as Uelsmann.  This would not be the same, though it would look similar.  Artificially generated art also would yield a similar work, though many would consider that not to be art.

“The camera is basically a license to explore.”

My first thought after reading this quote is Uelsmann's idea is a really good way to get shot. Although, I obviously don't think that Jerry was inviting the reader to trespass on private property. I realize that he meant that the camera gives the beholder an opportunity to visit cool, new places and see and try new things. The camera gives the beholder an opportunity to learn and experience new things.