Fears National Gallery will be ‘selfie central’ as photo ban is relaxed

 
Selfie central: art lovers take in the The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine by Paolo Veronese at the National Gallery (AFP/Leon Neal)
Simon Freeman13 August 2014

Art-lovers today warned the National Gallery would become “selfie central” after bosses quietly dropped a ban on visitors taking photos with artworks.

The gallery relaxed its strict no-photography policy last month after staff found it “increasingly difficult” to distinguish between guests using free wi-fi to research paintings and those trying to take pictures with mobile phones.

The move caused consternation among regular visitors who complained the gallery would be over-run by tourists and Londoners snapping themselves in front of famous pieces.

Managers confirmed the change in policy in response to a letter published on the popular Art History News website from a reader who noticed a change in attitude among staff.

He wrote: “I have to say, a bit of my soul died each time someone photographed a piece or even worse, took a selfie without actually looking at it with their own two eyes.”

In a statement, the gallery said: “As the use of wi-fi will significantly increase the use of tablets and mobile devices it will become increasingly difficult for our gallery assistants to be able to distinguish between devices being used for engagement with the collection, or those being used for photography.

“For that reason we have decided to change our policy on photography within the main collection galleries and allow it by members of the public for personal, non-commercial purposes.”

The move received a mixed reaction among traditionalists.

Michael Savage, author of the Grumpy Art Historian blog, wrote: “The last bastion of quiet contemplation is now to become selfie central, where noisy clicking smartphones and intense flashlights will prevail over any ‘eccentrics’ who want actually to look at art.

“The gallery used to be a haven where looking at pictures was prioritised. Now it will all be about taking your own pictures.”

Sam Cornish, of the Abstract Critical wesbite, said: “This makes me a bit sad. For many people when confronted with difficult art [taking photos] becomes a substitute which prevents looking.”

Bendor Grosvenor, who edits Art History News, said: “Much of the criticism seems to assume that galleries will now be bombarded with flash and ‘selfies’ but these are public galleries, and the taxpayer who has shelled out to support them has a right to enjoy them however they please.”

Members of the public will still be prevented from snapping temporary exhibitions and certain works for copyright reasons and flashes and tripods remain off limits.

Visitors will also be “discouraged” from blocking other people’s views while taking pictures.

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