Documentary

Though art frequently serves documentary purpose, its visual nature makes it impossible to shut off all imaginative properties. Visual art, no matter how straightforward and factual it is meant to be, can always be interpreted a bit differently from person to person. British filmmaker John Grierson described his documentaries as “The creative treatment of actuality.” For filmmakers and photographers, artistic endeavors are often investigations of reality requiring both critical thinking and creative analysis. Art can serve as a means to provide a first-hand account of one moment in history to be honorably preserved and passed on to generation upon generation.

I feel that this chapter left out a critical aspect of art as documentary. Yes, art can be used as an objective record of facts and events, but it is also a most excellent means of recording personal growth. One of the projects I am working on right now involves a culmination and analysis of my own artwork created throughout my 22 years of life. It is my treasured artistic autobiography, an honest record of my progression from scribbles to full scale photo-realistic paintings. I can look back on my past works and reflect upon how life’s events influenced my development as an artist, as well as how I dealt with those events through my artwork. I own no other artifacts that cause childhood memories to come flooding back in the same way. It’s the most accurate and meaningful documentary I will most likely ever have in regards to my own life.