Genre

Genre:a class or category of artistic endeavour having a particular form, content, technique, or the like.

www.dictionary.com

So genre is just a fancy way of describing a type or category of artwork.

Examples:

the genre of rap music

the genre of landscape painting

the genre of symphonic music

the genre of portrait photography

the genre of gothic novels (literature)

the genre of science fiction films

These paintings are by the artist known as Canaletto, 1697 – 1768.

What genre (type) of paintings are they?

The genre of landscape painting (or urban landscape)

What genre do these paintings by the English artist Thomas Gainsborough belong to? The genre of Portraiture (portrait paintings)

How many different genres of painting can you think of?

Discuss

We can have different genres based on the different type of subject matter:

Landscape (natural and urban)

Portrait

Abstract

And we could also talk about different styles of painting as representing different genres:

Expressionist, Impressionist

Cubist, Surreal,Etc.

Photographic Genres

We have seen that there are several different genres of painting. Similarly, there are a few genres of sculpture.

The medium of photography is somewhat different because it has many, many different genres!

Look at the following images, make notes as to possible names for the different genres of photography which you see

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams

Andreas Gursky

Andreas Gursky

Edward Weston

Edward Weston

Eugene Atget

Eugene Atget

Eddie Adams

Henri Cartier Bresson

Henri Cartier Bresson

Henri Cartier Bresson

Jeff Wall

Man Ray

Diane Arbus

Diane Arbus

Martin Parr

Martin Parr

Horst P Horst

Cecil Beaton

Richard Billingham

Richard Billingham

David Bailey

David Bailey

Sam Taylor Wood

Sam Taylor Wood

Robert Franks

Robert Franks

How many different categories – or genres of photography did you spot?

News Portrait

Editorial Architectural

Landscape Sports Abstract

Vernacular Fashion Identity

Street Photography Holiday ‘snaps’

Advertising Product Fine Art

Documentary Medical Forensic

Candid …………………. And more!

Here are just a few of the different genres of photography

Which did you spot?

Key genres

• Portraiture – attempts to capture personality and soul. Can refer to time and place

• Landscape – shows different locations, traditionally as a form of status, now includes cityscape, seascape etc. Can discuss social, political or environmental issues within

• Documentary – to capture a moment in time. Can be journalistic, social, political...

• Fine art – focus on meaning and communication, can include all genres, linked to painting styles

As we have seen, photography’s versatility means it has many different genres.

Consequently, photography is very hard to ‘pin-down’ as an artistic medium – it has so many different uses, styles, categories, types …. genres!

In effect, photography sometimes seems to have no style or characteristics which are unique and specific to the medium itself – its sheer adaptability and versatility seems overwhelming.

Partly because of this, there are some people who argue that photography is NOT a true artistic medium.

Extension Work: What do you think about this argument … can photography be an art? Discuss.