There is something very special in loosing oneself in his or her work. There is something much more comforting when that work is of artistic pursuit. But the definition of art has to be defined here as for individual pursuit of one’s ideas or expression in a way that satisfies its creator. Anything else will most likely have some commercial connotation and very quickly will become a craft. Craft can be artful but I have an opinion that craft can be imitated, duplicated, and pinned against heavy completion of the process was too easily found. But art is individual. Picasso was not concerned to be clear in his paintings. I understand more of his work by understanding him. But some of his work I’ll never get nor will try to understand. I’ll adopt as my own.
Photography works the same way. The beginning of the century worried many painters the development of photography meant to their profession. But those were the skill and craft changes. The vision remains individual. Art when personal, in pursuit of ones intrest, is most rewarding. The audience can be found later.

I attended a lecture yesterday with Josef Koudelka at the Aperture Gallery in NYC. I was among the lucky ones who got a seat. There were quite a few seats reserved for the Photography and Publishing bigger names. But when a woman who co-lectured along with Mr. Koudelka commented on his photography the clear distinction of audience vs. the photographer was evident. Mr. Koudelka answered in a straightforward way which I undertood despite his average English and distinct accent. He spoke from the simplicity of vision.