The important differences from the generally common and simplistic photographs are that Serrano's photographs are very very large after all are those who claim that size matters right that they are sold very very expensive and that the various curators of the exhibitions exaggerate in arbitrary laudatory characterizations. Like for example the remarkable curator of the Greek exhibition who notes in the program that Serrano's inspiration is very close to the modern painting period of Malevich or Mondrian . But Serrano is nothing more than a clever artistic marketing product. His challenge lies in the surface and not in the substance. It is a painless academic politically correct challenge.
The combination of either a provocative subject matter e-commerce photo editing or a decorative color surface with a wellresearched title and a supporting article in a psychoanalytic and academic style can do wonders and impose the emptiness of these photographs on any gullible and innocent viewer. Of course there is no danger to our sensitivity from viewing such photos and a slight shyness can do more good than harm. And it doesn't need any kind of resistance. Anyway over the years these photos will take their place in the history of photography and will remain in our memory as funny interludes. The only question is whether and how many in the meantime will see that the king is naked.
The photo agency Magnum founded some years ago by the great photographer Henri Cartier Bresson and some of his important photojournalist friends works for the photography world like a legend. The dream of most photographers who work for the press is to one day become its partner. It is a fact that many good photographers passed through this agency and it is also a fact that even today there are some excellent creators in its ranks. But if by this characterization we mean the limits of journalistic comment and touches those of art then the horizon is necessarily limited. Magnum has always been characterized by two tendencies remnants of its original composition.
