Art Quote by Walker Evans
“When you say documentary, you have to have a sophisticated ear to receive that word. It should be documentary style, because documentary is police photography of a scene and a murder ... that's a real document. You see, art is really useless, and a document has use. And therefore, art is never a document, but it can adopt that style. I do it. I'm called a documentary photographer. But that presupposes a quite subtle knowledge of this distinction.”
About This Quote
Documentary photography captures real events; art is not inherently useful, but can adopt documentary style.
In simple terms: Documentary captures reality; art may not.
Key Takeaway
Use documentary style for functional images.
Themes
photography
documentary
art theory
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
theoretical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- photojournalism
- historical archives
- exhibitions
- educational material
Key Concepts
visual documentation
media studies
Questions to Reflect On
- When is art more effective than documentation?
- How does style affect perception?
A Different Perspective
Artistic expression can also convey truth.
![“What I believe is really good in the so-called documentary approach to photography is the addition of lyricism.[this quality] is usually produced unconsciously and even unintentionally and accidentally by the cameraman.” quote by Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bfe/walker-evans-14813_approach_what-i-believe-is-really-good-in-the-so_209744.jpg)
![“Nobody should touch a Polaroid [camera] until he's over sixty” quote by Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ccc/walker-evans-14813_cameras_nobody-should-touch-a-polaroid-camera-un_963399.jpg)
