Ways of Seeing Response by Melanie Hung

In the excerpt of the Ways of Seeing, John Berger takes us through a snippet of history regarding the simple concept of seeing and then explains the progression of that to the development of photo imaging and it's impact on people. Through reading this packet, one is able to identify the importance of each person's unique vision and also contemplate on the controversial fact of seeing a real piece of artwork versus viewing a reproduction of it.

Since explanations of most given subjects "never quite fits the sight," the text explains briefly the fundamentals of vision and how people use it as a much richer communication tool if compared to verbal dialogue. It also introduces the idea that after people established their sight, they realized their relationship with surroundings and with other people. It is understandable that one has never thought about vision in such a way, from the perspective of a normal person, the ability to see combined with the ability to feel is taken for granted. In a way the opening of the text lets us think deeper and in a way be more appreciative of our surroundings and the fact that we can establish its visual existence. In the constant search of the "relation between things and ourselves," we developed the sense of using this ability to tell and present information as a means of communication. This is when the Berger introduces use of imaging.

It is said that the difference between imaging and painting is that usually the photographer would choose a particular theme or subject for his or her photo and as for paintings, the artist is about to "reconsitute" or in other words paint what he is willing to paint. As images gradually became popular, it was a way of "outlast[ing]" whatever topic was being represented. That was a more realistic and reliable way of capturing the moment. This medium, which was "more precise and richer than literature", was considered to be far more powerful.

If one is to compare imaging, a realistic way of presenting a moment in time, with fine art, one can see that the use of fine art was originally for the same purpose as imaging. And after the invention of photography, the use of fine arts changed its path dramatically. Berger explains that a person's perspective, similar to the old style of painting was one single perspective. In contradiction to that, photos and films were able to capture more than one angle of one particular subject. People were then able to identify one object from many different views. This influenced the path of fine art painting into a more modern era. During this period of time, artists such as Picasso was able to paint in a method called Cubism, or the representation of one object with many different facets on one plain. The use of photography and fine art painting then diverged from having the same purpose to total different ideals.

Berger then compares and constrasts the benefits of seeing an authentic painting and seeing a reproduction of it. An experiment of made and it is explained that after a while, people do not see paintings for their original meaning but they consider more of whether or not the painting is the actual thing or not. Whether or not the painting is real or is a replica has the same impact of people is still controversial and has little to do with the price and value. The value of the painting, spiritually, was then the ultimate way of determining its worth.

Like a quote in the last paragraph states, "the art of the past no longer exists as it once did," it is definite that art is changing day by day. It should not be long before the next invention brings upon a new wave.