Photography IS Art

But a pain in the.....

I was early for my train. I had some time. Early this morning, I was walking through Milano Centrale, the massive railway station built under the supervision of you know who! It opened in 1931. For the most part you could fire a cannon in the place and hit nothing. For an average Friday, it was very quiet. But it was really early.

Søren Harbel: Milano Centrale

Søren Harbel: Milano Centrale detail I

I passed a bookshop that was open early. Don’t know why, because it was empty too. Perhaps they were dreaming of selling a newspaper, or two. Much to my surprise it finally happened…… the photography monographs were mixed in with the painting and sculpture monographs. First, I was irritated, because seriously, who wants to go through reams of books to find the photographers? But then, it dawned on me. This is probably the first time I have come to the art section, and not a photography section, and an architecture section. I realized that this might be where we are finally going. Finally, a book on Rembrandt next to one by Marc Riboud. Martine Franck next to Helen Frankenthaler….. you get the idea.

Søren Harbel: Milano Centrale detail II

It is perhaps appropriate that I discovered this in Milan and not some other city. Milan has always had a great crop of photographers, chief among them Gianni Berengo Gardin – my personal hero – who is well into his 90s, as well as the author of the photograph below, Mario De Biasi, who passed away a few days before his 90th birthday. There must be something in the water in Milano.

Mario De Biasi: Milano Centrale 1950s

The photograph above I bought several years ago. It is a small vintage print from a platform at Milano Centrale in the 1950s. There were a few more people then than this morning, but still there was plenty of room on the platform. It is nice to see that Campari was a great drink then, as it is today! Mario De Biasi was a superb photographer, not well known outside Italy, but worth a look!

Søren Harbel: Milano Centrale detail III

Sound the trumpets: Photography is art! Filed between Hans von Aachen (German painter, 1552–1615) and George Zimbel (American/Canadian photographer 1929-2023). After almost 200 years, it seems photography has finally arrived!

Now, can I please have my photography section back, we have proven the point, and it is so much easier when the photography books are all together! ;0)

I hope everyone had a nice few days of downtime. Gearing up for the next one….

Happy New Year!