On/of

Once upon a time, the word ‘artist’ did not carry much weight in this world. Artists across many platforms – actors, playwrights, painters or musicians – were not much respected, especially by those who held power. The products of artistic talents were regarded as entertainment, pleasures that the wealthy enjoyed to pass the time and to show their class and taste. It would have stayed that way had the world not changed, for the artists have no power but the influence of their works. And unless the artwork really has the impact to shake the minds of kings and generals, influencing the plebian masses usually did not go well.

Now things are different. Following the rapid expansion of social liberty, human rights, and freedom of speech – art now matters. And none is more important than journalism because journalists, instead of archdukes and emperors, are now in charge of what we read and see everyday. They now have a job, a duty almost, to show something to society, to explore ideas and lands we had not seen before in return for our appreciation.

Journalism was indeed the word of the day at Brisbane Powerhouse as the art gallery hosted the World Press Photo Exhibition 2013 from 1-23 June. It is a prestigious and international celebration in photography, in photo journalism and in the artistic expression of images that are powerful, beautiful, or both at the same time. Increasingly, photos are used by reporters to tell a story, to convey something more than words are able to. One shot can capture the heart of a moment and a good photographer shows not only the world in his lens, he shows us the world beyond it too. Current issues, social problems and expressions of simple, primal human emotions are being exposed under the spotlight as the people communicated more and more with each other, allowing photographers to tell more, to show us more, show us the land beyond the scope of our everyday lives. Through photojournalism, we see the world, we see the truth.

We see the emperor penguins leaping for the surface. We see athletes weeping with joy. We see whales, wandering in the deep ocean, having so many close calls with human plastic waste. We see impoverished Native Americans, sharing a three-bedroom house with 22 people. We see war, pestilence, death, Afghans, Sudanese, Syrians. Blood. Shapes. Corpses.

There was a room, draped in black cloth, set apart for particularly traumatising photos. In there were pictures of the slain and mutilated, of widows, of parents burying their children, buildings reduced to ashes. People were quiet in there; not even the squeak of a shoe was heard. I believe everyone who entered the room, for a moment at least, felt the pain and agony those images wanted to portray; the injustice and the despair of war and broken lives. For one moment at least we sympathised, we were moved.

Outside, the exhibition continued. As I drew close to a set of images concerning how the Somalian female basketball team members were being threaten for playing sports in a Muslim country, someone behind me remarked: “Young women risk their lives to play basketball in Somalia. Same-old story with Muslim woman. Same-old. Moving on.”

Isn’t it amazing how the environment influences what people say and do?

And it also reminded me what I have just seen were largely just one thing – sensationalism.

In fact, as I circled the gallery and finished taking in every image, I was struck by just how many wartime photos there were and how successful those entries were. Thinking back, do we realise how much journalism is showing us in terms of emotionally-driven articles or pictures? Or how much easier it is to have better news with something awful?

It is perhaps one of the artefacts of commercial journalism. News needs to make money, like any other commodity. The old model of art appreciation – aesthetic beauty to rational understanding to comprehension of the inner meaning – does not work out in the world of up-to-date fast news, when information is consumed and processed and instantly more is demanded, one after the other nonstop like fast food. People need to be interested in news and be interested now. News must sell, and selling emotions is much easier, much more direct. People respond better to miseries and so sensationalism lives. But where is art? Where is journalism?

And what of that person behind me? Have we been over-sensationalised? How many times have we skimmed over news and saw a bomb in Iraq here, a few more bodies in Syria there, some skirmishes in the mountains of Afghanistan, and decided to move on? In the age of freedom where we cry for human rights at every corner, we are flooded with images that seek to inspire pity or shock – but emotions, like all else, can run thin.

Art is an extension of our ancient symbolism, an aesthetic mutation of messages. When art and journalism cries wolf over and over again, when the messages try to find rawer and rawer ways to appeal to our emotions, the crying face of an African child may no longer get you the wealth of the world.

The contrast between honest art and sensationalism is portrayed in this competition by none other than this controversy, in which the winning photo of 2013 was accusing of excessive editing and staging the picture.

Decide for yourself. The best art should not tell answers to men, but ask questions to the soul.

Personally, what struck me the most was this photo. A pure white girl in a pure white dress, veritably an angel from heaven – only to realise this angel is perhaps discriminated against and half blind. Or this photo, an image of domestic joy; it was in fact a paradise lost, never ever to be regained, and the wrongdoer unlikely to ever be punished. They spoke to me through artistic symbolism at first, then through a conscious understanding, then the impact assailing both from the senses and the mind. Their focus was not blood and gore. They showed a meaningful, multi-layered, quiet beauty.

Wait, no. Maybe beauty is just another form of sensationalism after all.

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Disclaimer: The above consists of my personal opinion. I do not write for any profit and I declare no conflicts of interest. I am not associated in any way with World Press Photo, Brisbane Powerhouse, or any of the websites in the links.

More information about the competition and the exhibition can be found at: http://www.worldpressphoto.org/