NEW YORK (CAP) - A series of blurry photographs taken during a recent Wilco concert by Rhode Island resident Kurt Ward using his cellphone's camera have been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography.
Although it is nearly impossible to ascertain exactly what is in the pictures, critics say there is no denying the haunting beauty of the highly pixilated, postage-stamp sized images.
"The vibrant colors surrounding the unfocused shadow that I can only assume is [Wilco guitarist] Jeff Tweedy are astonishing in their complexity and nuance," said art historian Robert Medford. "Their stark power makes me weep.
"One of them is actually my the background photo on my own cellphone right now," he added.
World-renowned photographer and past Pulitzer nominee Jason Litt recently wrote an article for The Harvard Photography Journal praising Ward's series, which he described as a "profoundly moving work of photojournalism." He discussed his approval of their Pulitzer nod during a recent interview with CAP News.
"Each incomparable image is like a glittering jewel on a strand of deeply personal moments, frozen in time," said Litt. "Taken all together, the series gives the viewer the unique sense that they are standing next to Kurt, watching as he brilliantly captures the fire and passion of Wilco's live performance through the two-inch screen of his cellphone."
Fans of Ward's work have noted that one can trace the evolution of his keen, observant eye throughout the concerts he has attended during the last decade.
"You can really see the difference between this series and the photos Kurt took using this terrible Nokia he had just after college," said Albert Jonas, a professor at Parsons School of Design. "Of course, this was also during his Limp Bizkit period, so it could be argued that his subject matter was also lacking in those days."
While many in the art world have lauded the recognition Ward's images have received, several critics have claimed that his images look almost exactly like every other distorted picture ever taken with a cellphone camera from the back of a crowded concert venue.
"I'm not saying that this series is not breathtaking in its gritty tenacity," said veteran journalist and photographer Phil Eisenberg. "But can we please stop encouraging people to take pictures and video with their cellphones during concerts? It's really an annoying distraction for those of us who just want to enjoy a live event as it unfolds.
"Plus, I would argue that nobody, including them, really cares about the actual pictures afterwards," Eisenberg noted.
Ward's photographs from the Wilco concert are currently on display at the New Museum in New York City. He reportedly has tickets to see The Black Keys next month, and fans are already eagerly awaiting the chance to experience this upcoming concert through his cellphone.
- Molly Schoemann
Contributing Writer