Roland Barthes

French literary theorist, critic, and philosopher is best known for his work within the literary field and semiotics, the study of signs. His work to understand the relationship between signs and communication extended beyond language and into art. His essay Camera Lucida is his most direct interaction with photography, exploring his relationship with a photograph of his mother that resonates with him deeply. By examining photography under the lens of language, representation, and Marxist schools of thought, Barthes was able to engage with photography in ways that were groundbreaking at the time. The link below explores key takeaways from Camera Lucida, but it also highlights his other work that questions authorship, ownership, and the definition of the medium itself. Read more on his meditations, and visit the Schneider Museum of Art to interact with photography in new ways through August 10th.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/4-ideas-from-the-photographic-writings-of-roland-barthes

Pictured: Susan Sontag

Susan Sontag

American writer, critic, and intellectual Susan Sontag was known for her essays on modern culture. Her work on events such as the Vietnam War, AIDS, communism, and ethics in art captures the pulse of the era she was writing within. Her most well-known essay, On Photography, is foundational to the modern understanding and definition of photography. The collection of six essays explores questions of ownership, beauty, and political and moral implications. The collection is still referenced almost 40 years later in photography and philosophy of art curriculum. Her insights are thought-provoking, asking readers to look beyond answers easily given and examine the often unsettling implications of technology and society. Find summaries of On Photography essays with the link below, and explore the ways it impacts your experience through our exhibition PACING while it’s still on view.

https://aestheticsofphotography.com/on-photography-susan-sontag/

Melanie Flood, Mother in Law, 2023, archival pigment print in artist frame. Courtesy of the artist

Archival Pigment Print

The longevity of a photograph relies on many factors. Care, storage, and printing processes all have to be carefully considered to keep photographs looking sharp. Many museum-quality photographs use archival pigment printing to achieve this effect. Archival pigment printing relies on pigment-based ink rather than standard dye-based ink. Pigment-based ink allows for more vibrant colors and tonal ranges because there is less liquid standing between the coloring agent and the paper. This also leads to less smudging and more resistance to moisture. The type of paper used also plays an important role in how long a print can last. Different paper weights and materials can lead to different textures, resistance to UV light, and acidity. Artist Melanie Flood balances the choices of ink and paper to create vibrant, visually deep photographs that can withstand a variety of different environments and museums. Learn more about archival pigment printing with the link below, and find Melanie Flood’s work in the Main Gallery of the Schneider Museum of Art.

https://www.tribecaprintworks.com/what-is-archival-pigment-print/

Discover More!

Tuesday Tours

Join us on Tuesdays at 12:30pm for a FREE Docent Led Tour of our current exhibition. Registration is not required but recommended. Register Now

Inside the Museum Archive

Visit the Inside the Museum Archive to read past editions.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channels

The Schneider Museum of Art and the Oregon Center for the Arts now have YouTube channels. Subscribe today to stay up to date on all the art happenings at SOU.

From the Archive
(VIDEO) Creative Industries Discussion: Wesley Hicks 2024 VAST Resident

Schneider Museum of Art

Oregon Center for the Art

Thank you to our sponsors!

James M. Collier

Jeannie Taylor

The Schneider Museum of Art is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Takelma, and Latgawa peoples who lived here since time immemorial. These Tribes were displaced during rapid Euro-American colonization, the Gold Rush, and armed conflict between 1851 and 1856. In the 1850s, discovery of gold and settlement brought thousands of Euro-Americans to their lands, leading to warfare, epidemics, starvation, and villages being burned. In 1853 the first of several treaties were signed, confederating these Tribes and others together – who would then be referred to as the Rogue River Tribe. These treaties ceded most of their homelands to the United States, and in return they were guaranteed a permanent homeland reserved for them. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from western Oregon were removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation. Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (https://www.grandronde.org) and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (http://www.ctsi.nsn.us/) are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, and Latgawa peoples of this area. We encourage you to learn about the land you reside on, and to join us in advocating for the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous people.

Copyright © 2018 Schneider Museum of Art, All rights reserved.

Our address is:
555 Indiana Street
Ashland, OR 97520

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.