Abstract
Earlier theoretical paradigms aimed at comprehending chance in art and photography were predominantly fixated on aspects such as the artists’ deliberate actions (Iversen, 2009), the nature of chance occurrences (Malone, 2009), and the methodologies employed to harness chance (Apostolou et al., 2022). These paradigms operated in isolation rather than seeking convergence, resulting in a fragmented exploration of chance. Drawing from Adorno’s (1970) differentiation between natural and artificial beauty and Hegel’s (1842) notion of artistic beauty, I propose a novel framework for examining chance. This framework facilitates the assimilation of previous classifications under a unified umbrella. Specifically, this perspective posits that chance can manifest as either natural (arising unexpectedly without direct artist intervention) or artificial (resulting from deliberate artist intervention). Furthermore, both forms of chance—natural and artificial—can impact the physical aspect of the artwork (ontic chance) as well as its conceptual significance (ontological chance). This new approach is discussed through the presentation of various photographs generated by engaging with unpredictable materials. The role of the artist, material agency, and the indeterminacy of the photographs will also be addressed alongside the proposed theoretical model.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Photography, Chance, Theory
