What is vernacular photography? According to photographic historian Geoffrey Batchen, it categorises "every photograph that cannot be comfortably incorporated into an art historical narrative." By his own admission, this includes “the vast majority of photographs ever made”. Never realized I am using vernacular photography in some of my work. Until today when I saw this article in Mutualart.com (http://www.mutualart.com/OpenArticle/Vernacular-Photography--The-Art-of-the-F/F4F5AAE6800A8987?utm_source=newsletter_b&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl_artfocus)
Now I feel tempted to start browsing flea markets or garage sales for boxes with old photos. It might be easier to weave stories around snapshots of people I do not know than those of family members, distant and close. The picture below portrays two of my grandmother's sisters, my mom (center) about 9 years old, and many people I do not recall. It was my great grandparents wedding anniversary and the year was ca. 1927. And that, just by itself, is quite a story!
