Chris Osburn

Thursday evening Chris Osburn a Photographer and writer, provided the college with a brief insight into his work and his use of social networking in order to  broadcast his work and the work of the artists he photographs to a broader audience.

The way he structured his talk was similar to the way he works.  Not as an artist informing the world but as an artist being informed by the world.  The talk was exactly that a discussion, not just us being told of his work.
He discussed the similarities between Street art and twitter, as well as other similar social network sites.  When you send out a tweet or post a status on facebook then you are broadcasting what it is you want to say out into the world, and whether or not you can always see it, it will always be there.  This is the same whether its a status you posted last year, that has been replaced by everything new you have to say or a image which has been painted onto a wall and washed away by rain or painted over by someone else. These similarities show how he not just uses the various methods of social networking to promote his work but how also he understands the way they can influence it.
His photos that he showed, showed us not much of his skills at photography but it was more a showcase of the work he has seen. Which is exactly what his work appears to me to be about, not showcasing himself but showcasing others.  I feel this has been demonstrated by his move into event photography, allowing him to not just show the works of others but show how people interact and asses the relationship dynamics between people.  Easily knowing who it is important to document and who not so much.
He spoke of the street art with a certain amount of admiration, for the romance these artists apply to their work.  Going to any lengths to reach that unusual and risky spot to put on their work.  And the work itself that can speak to a broad audience across countries.  These are artists that strive to prove themselves but hunting out the best canvas the most and being the best in an area where it is so easy to be overlooked.
His admiration for other artists work shows us how our own documentation, on blogs and posting on social networking sites can help us to promote not only our own work but the work of other artists we find inspiring or influential, as well as reminding us to look at every small or humorous scrawl on a wall as a piece of art in its own way.