Comments on: the saboteur by todd r. behrendt http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/ burn is an online feature for emerging photographers worldwide. burn is curated by magnum photographer david alan harvey. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:17:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rafal Pruszynski http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-54291 Rafal Pruszynski Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:09:13 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-54291 I agree with the nay sayers. Not only is the message unclear and not very well emphasized, I find the message once I know it to be quite one dimensional and flat. I mean to lay the blame for the financial crisis at the doorstep of a few individuals is quite naive, though very convenient. I mean if we dont understand the full picture its easy to find some scapegoats and just blame them since we ourselves are too intellectually lazy to penetrate the issue beyond the surface. For me this is just intellectual laziness and a follow-the-herd mentality displayed here by this. I realize that Burn may not be the place to discuss economics in any real depth but as the artist maybe you should have created something that has a stronger foundation than this. I agree with the nay sayers. Not only is the message unclear and not very well emphasized, I find the message once I know it to be quite one dimensional and flat. I mean to lay the blame for the financial crisis at the doorstep of a few individuals is quite naive, though very convenient. I mean if we dont understand the full picture its easy to find some scapegoats and just blame them since we ourselves are too intellectually lazy to penetrate the issue beyond the surface. For me this is just intellectual laziness and a follow-the-herd mentality displayed here by this. I realize that Burn may not be the place to discuss economics in any real depth but as the artist maybe you should have created something that has a stronger foundation than this.

]]> By: kathleen fonseca http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-54289 kathleen fonseca Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:23:27 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-54289 Love this! frustration, bile, pig-bled..great stand-alone imaging..keep it up! Kathleen Love this! frustration, bile, pig-bled..great stand-alone imaging..keep it up!

Kathleen

]]> By: wendy http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47630 wendy Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:18:19 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47630 locus... morphine.. pig... displacement antagonistic secretion.. find them! ** would like to see more layers, more information.. the ink stops me... interesting and complicated.... *** locus…
morphine..
pig…
displacement
antagonistic
secretion..
find them!
**
would like to see more layers,
more information..
the ink stops me…
interesting
and
complicated….
***

]]> By: Matt http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47627 Matt Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:00:20 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47627 "I dunno. You can make love in a darkroom, too, but it still isn’t photography." <- funny. I am definitely feeling that sentiment. My two cents... A bit cliche. It's message is weak. I feel like this is getting by purely on it's traditional darkroom process. Maybe that's enough... But what if there was no dark room, just a 'shopped' composition? What if I photographed a well lit, flat shot of one of my paintings cropping only the canvas? How about a scanned image of a drawing? Scanners are in a sense (it's a stretch I realize) a camera too. I'm taking the piss, for the most part, but this photo brings up the notion that BURN is opening it's arms to Emerging Graphic Designers. “I dunno. You can make love in a darkroom, too, but it still isn’t photography.” <- funny.

I am definitely feeling that sentiment.
My two cents… A bit cliche. It's message is weak.
I feel like this is getting by purely on it's traditional darkroom process.
Maybe that's enough…
But what if there was no dark room, just a 'shopped' composition? What if I photographed a well lit, flat shot of one of my paintings cropping only the canvas? How about a scanned image of a drawing? Scanners are in a sense (it's a stretch I realize) a camera too.

I'm taking the piss, for the most part, but this photo brings up the notion that BURN is opening it's arms to Emerging Graphic Designers.

]]> By: Bjarte Edvardsen http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47624 Bjarte Edvardsen Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:25:28 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47624 I like the energy in this one. Reminds of different cover art for experimental music that I listen to. I bet Kim Hiorthøy should be a big inspiration for you, he's made every cover art for the label Rune Grammofon: www.runegrammofon.com I like the energy in this one. Reminds of different cover art for experimental music that I listen to. I bet Kim Hiorthøy should be a big inspiration for you, he’s made every cover art for the label Rune Grammofon: http://www.runegrammofon.com

]]> By: Mike R http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47623 Mike R Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:17:44 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47623 Like it Todd, like it a lot: well out of the box. As John Gladdy says, it belongs on the wall. Best, Mike. Like it Todd, like it a lot: well out of the box. As John Gladdy says, it belongs on the wall.

Best,

Mike.

]]> By: Carrie Roseman http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47614 Carrie Roseman Fri, 07 Aug 2009 05:12:58 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47614 I feel like I want to say, "Rock it!"...so I will, Todd, you should rock the shit out of this. But...like others, I am a bit confused about the message or the intent. I love that you are using a darkroom experimentally, and abstract is awesome, but I need a bit more of your view explained, either with the employment of words or visual text. A dark faceless head explosion paired with exposed, almost x-rayed innards coupled with latin and scientific jargon, and then the message, "Find them!" is a lot going on without the context explained much. Kind of makes me think a confused Shepard Fairey...this isn't to begrudge or belittle your intent..quite the opposite actually. I think that you have a lot of great really artistic ideas, but I think that you need to hone them into speaking one message per (compiled) image. The impact would be clearer and greater, and your intent more recognizable. Or, maybe, I just seek more explanation of this image. Either way, I love the artistic endeavor and approach you have decided to take. Just more explanation and exploration is what I would like as the viewer. I feel like I want to say, “Rock it!”…so I will, Todd, you should rock the shit out of this. But…like others, I am a bit confused about the message or the intent. I love that you are using a darkroom experimentally, and abstract is awesome, but I need a bit more of your view explained, either with the employment of words or visual text. A dark faceless head explosion paired with exposed, almost x-rayed innards coupled with latin and scientific jargon, and then the message, “Find them!” is a lot going on without the context explained much. Kind of makes me think a confused Shepard Fairey…this isn’t to begrudge or belittle your intent..quite the opposite actually. I think that you have a lot of great really artistic ideas, but I think that you need to hone them into speaking one message per (compiled) image. The impact would be clearer and greater, and your intent more recognizable. Or, maybe, I just seek more explanation of this image. Either way, I love the artistic endeavor and approach you have decided to take. Just more explanation and exploration is what I would like as the viewer.

]]> By: Patricia Lay-Dorsey http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47572 Patricia Lay-Dorsey Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:15:22 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47572 Love the idea and the use of collage to make your point, but I find the image to be unresolved. I'd like to see you tackle this again using more layers both physically and emotionally. If I hadn't read the text I wouldn't know to what it referred. Symbolism is great but it needs to be connected to some realistic content to be effective. Keep going... Patricia Love the idea and the use of collage to make your point, but I find the image to be unresolved. I’d like to see you tackle this again using more layers both physically and emotionally. If I hadn’t read the text I wouldn’t know to what it referred. Symbolism is great but it needs to be connected to some realistic content to be effective. Keep going…

Patricia

]]> By: panos skoulidas http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47542 panos skoulidas Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:18:33 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47542 Likes it:) Likes it:)

]]> By: Herve http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47532 Herve Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:56:37 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47532 Hopefully, the greedy bastards won't put the galleries exhibiting your work out of business... That's all we can ask! :-) Hopefully, the greedy bastards won’t put the galleries exhibiting your work out of business… That’s all we can ask! :-)

]]> By: Jim Powers http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47529 Jim Powers Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:48:50 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47529 Well, it does matter if it is photography. This is a site for emerging photographers, not emerging graphic artists. Well, it does matter if it is photography. This is a site for emerging photographers, not emerging graphic artists.

]]> By: duckrabbit http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47525 duckrabbit Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:37:52 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47525 just see it for what it is, or not. discussions about whether this is photography (or not) are pointless. Why don't you just crack out of that mindset ... its what kills photography, turns it into a scene that can only celebrates itself whilst everyone else is getting love for what they do, not what format they do it in. Nothing is sacred. My God Capa faked his photos, Jesus was just a carpenter (and a poet). I mean do you like it? Does it say something to you? My verdict: SHIT HOT TODD, SHIT HOT. just see it for what it is, or not.

discussions about whether this is photography (or not) are pointless.

Why don’t you just crack out of that mindset … its what kills photography, turns it into a scene that can only celebrates itself whilst everyone else is getting love for what they do, not what format they do it in.

Nothing is sacred. My God Capa faked his photos, Jesus was just a carpenter (and a poet).

I mean do you like it? Does it say something to you?

My verdict:

SHIT HOT TODD, SHIT HOT.

]]> By: luzz http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47522 luzz Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:26:28 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47522 illustration. illustration.

]]> By: Pete Marovich http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47515 Pete Marovich Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:41:01 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47515 "You can make love in a darkroom, too, but it still isn’t photography." .... well it can be.... but that is something different “You can make love in a darkroom, too, but it still isn’t photography.”

…. well it can be…. but that is something different

]]> By: Jim Powers http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47513 Jim Powers Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:35:37 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47513 I dunno. You can make love in a darkroom, too, but it still isn't photography. I dunno. You can make love in a darkroom, too, but it still isn’t photography.

]]> By: john gladdy http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47511 john gladdy Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:19:43 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47511 Jim. My guess is its a contact printed digineg, so.....yep its photography. welcome to the world. I dont really really buy/care about the political angle behind this at all, but if it ever came as a 20x16 lith i would certainly have one. john Jim. My guess is its a contact printed digineg, so…..yep its photography. welcome to the world.
I dont really really buy/care about the political angle behind this at all, but if it ever came as a 20×16 lith i would certainly have one.
john

]]> By: Steve M http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47500 Steve M Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:24:44 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47500 I'm not making any judgement on what might conventionally define 'photography' but I like your image. I'd like to see some more context - whether this might mean more images or a written narrative, I'm not sure... My reaction to this image is to feel some of the anger that is venting from a problem that we have all constructed in one way or another... we are compliant and that is (part of) the problem. This works for me. SteveM I’m not making any judgement on what might conventionally define ‘photography’ but I like your image. I’d like to see some more context – whether this might mean more images or a written narrative, I’m not sure…

My reaction to this image is to feel some of the anger that is venting from a problem that we have all constructed in one way or another… we are compliant and that is (part of) the problem. This works for me.

SteveM

]]> By: Jim Powers http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47497 Jim Powers Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:07:49 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47497 This is supposed to be photography? This is supposed to be photography?

]]> By: vivek http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47494 vivek Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:57:01 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47494 BAD ASS BAD ASS

]]> By: AndreaC http://www.burnmagazine.org/works-in-progress/2009/08/the-saboteur-by-todd-r-behrendt/comment-page-1/#comment-47487 AndreaC Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:20:29 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=3918#comment-47487 I wish it was darker. (Darker in tones, and also in meaning, but of course, the one would affect the other). I like the idea as you've written it but I feel you haven't quite pulled it off. I love the splatter over the blacked out head. The intestines and the bits and pieces of this picture although I am not sure about the text and how it fits in. It looks rather like science jargon. Maybe it all needs to be a lot gorier. A lot angrier. Have you ever seen Joel Peter Witkins work, not that it's quite like this but it is dark and you feel that evil lurks there. I want to see more evil (or anger) in your picture. Well that's what I think anyway. I wish it was darker. (Darker in tones, and also in meaning, but of course, the one would affect the other). I like the idea as you’ve written it but I feel you haven’t quite pulled it off. I love the splatter over the blacked out head. The intestines and the bits and pieces of this picture although I am not sure about the text and how it fits in. It looks rather like science jargon. Maybe it all needs to be a lot gorier. A lot angrier.

Have you ever seen Joel Peter Witkins work, not that it’s quite like this but it is dark and you feel that evil lurks there. I want to see more evil (or anger) in your picture. Well that’s what I think anyway.

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