Introduction
Introduction | The End of Film
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This exhibition represents the second in a series of presentations of the riches of David Whitmire Hearst Jr.'s extraordinary, encyclopedic camera collection. The first exhibition, Leica & Hasselblad, explored the two most precision made handheld cameras of the 20th century, cameras that captured many of the iconic images of the modern world. But the film cameras that defined the last century began to be replaced at the turn of the 21st century with a new device for recording optical reality, a device that has now become the primary visual recording instrument of our time: the digital camera.
Where Mr. Hearst's Leicas and Hasselblads spanned the history of the camera during the 77 years from 1913 to 2000, his digital cameras represent a much smaller period, the 22 years from 1987 to 2009. But it is safe to say that these 22 years represent a revolution in image-making and image distribution that is unprecedented in the history of the world. In the 19th century, photography was the province of skilled practitioners. During the 20th century, the development of small cameras and the use of roll film allowed both professionals and snapshooters to capture images, transforming photography from specialized exercise to common practice, and transforming the camera from specialized device to common appliance. With the advent of the computer and the cell phone, access to the camera increased exponentially. Now two thirds of the world's population carries a cell phone, and camera phones have begun to reach the bottom of the world's economic pyramid. In 2009 owning some sort of camera is the rule and receiving, transmitting and trading photographs forms the basis of social networks and human communication.
While most of the cameras in Mr. Hearst's collection are museum pieces and have never been used, the digital cameras are frequently ex =ceptions. With a curiosity of an engineer examining each new technical advance, Mr. Hearst acquired many consumer digital cameras to evaluate their resolution, ease of use, and processing power. He was amazed at the increasing quality and functionality of digital cameras,and now, as most of us, he is exclusively using
For their ongoing support and guidance I am deeply indebted to the Directors of the David Whitmire Hearst Jr. Foundation, Christopher Espineli and Warren Coley. Leigh Gleason, UCR/California Museum of Photography's Curator of Collections and Georg Burwick, ARTSblock's Director of Digital Media provided invaluable research for this exhibition. Special thanks to Dan Rossiter who installed the exhibition and Natasha Thoreson and Aide Esquivel who photographed the cameras.
David Whitmire Hearst Jr. has my deep respect and warm thanks for his strong belief in CMP's projects and programs and for continuing to augment CMP's own camera holdings with these important exhibitions that make significant advances in camera technology widely accessible.
Jonathan Green
Executive Director
UCR ARTSblock
Introduction | The End of Film
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CATALOG
This exhibition represents the second in a series of presentations of the riches of David Whitmire Hearst Jr.'s extraordinary, encyclopedic camera collection. The first exhibition, Leica & Hasselblad, explored the two most precision made handheld cameras of the 20th century, cameras that captured many of the iconic images of the modern world. But the film cameras that defined the last century began to be replaced at the turn of the 21st century with a new device for recording optical reality, a device that has now become the primary visual recording instrument of our time: the digital camera.
Where Mr. Hearst's Leicas and Hasselblads spanned the history of the camera during the 77 years from 1913 to 2000, his digital cameras represent a much smaller period, the 22 years from 1987 to 2009. But it is safe to say that these 22 years represent a revolution in image-making and image distribution that is unprecedented in the history of the world. In the 19th century, photography was the province of skilled practitioners. During the 20th century, the development of small cameras and the use of roll film allowed both professionals and snapshooters to capture images, transforming photography from specialized exercise to common practice, and transforming the camera from specialized device to common appliance. With the advent of the computer and the cell phone, access to the camera increased exponentially. Now two thirds of the world's population carries a cell phone, and camera phones have begun to reach the bottom of the world's economic pyramid. In 2009 owning some sort of camera is the rule and receiving, transmitting and trading photographs forms the basis of social networks and human communication.
While most of the cameras in Mr. Hearst's collection are museum pieces and have never been used, the digital cameras are frequently ex =ceptions. With a curiosity of an engineer examining each new technical advance, Mr. Hearst acquired many consumer digital cameras to evaluate their resolution, ease of use, and processing power. He was amazed at the increasing quality and functionality of digital cameras,and now, as most of us, he is exclusively using
For their ongoing support and guidance I am deeply indebted to the Directors of the David Whitmire Hearst Jr. Foundation, Christopher Espineli and Warren Coley. Leigh Gleason, UCR/California Museum of Photography's Curator of Collections and Georg Burwick, ARTSblock's Director of Digital Media provided invaluable research for this exhibition. Special thanks to Dan Rossiter who installed the exhibition and Natasha Thoreson and Aide Esquivel who photographed the cameras.
David Whitmire Hearst Jr. has my deep respect and warm thanks for his strong belief in CMP's projects and programs and for continuing to augment CMP's own camera holdings with these important exhibitions that make significant advances in camera technology widely accessible.
Jonathan Green
Executive Director
UCR ARTSblock
