I was taking some photos of different exhibits at the Kalamazoo Art Fair, which was a free event for the public. Most of the artists I photographed were glad for the extra exposure and one asked me to send them the photos I took. A couple of artists, however, were shaken and disturbed by having their work photographed. They felt that the camera exposure must entail "stealing ideas". They blocked my shots and spoke harshly and rudely to me, who they didn't even know, just for being a hobby photographer. The point of making free events like this is so anyone in the public can access your art in a public space. This way, nobody has to pay to glimpse your art and you can get your art to more people than can afford to buy tickets or pay cover charges to attend exclusive showings. The point IS exposure to the public -- at large. These aren't even "semi-public" spaces (we have such in the State of Michigan): they're strictly public. So, I thought about how to make a statement that you can't censor the public, not when you've already invited them in. In the State of Michigan, reasonable use of surveillance/photography/listening devices entails using them only when you would have already been privy to the information, and distribution as far as anywhere in America is allowable as long as the audience is the same group who would have had a reasonable expectation of being present. In other words, privacy (as insisted upon by some at the Art Fair) only exists in the State of Michigan ...
Tags: art fair, kalamazoo, michigan, valley, art, fair, festival, exhibits, electronic, music, ambient, chill-out
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