Indianapolis Museum of Art Blog

I am, of course, speaking about the demise of Polaroid instant film. If you haven’t yet heard, the company is planning to discontinue the manufacturing of instant film in 2008 and supplies are expected to dwindle then disappear in 2009. Some might argue it is merely a sign of progress, the replacement of an outdated medium with the new, easy, cheap digital method. I would argue that Polaroid has served many cultural and artistic functions. How else will we get souvenir photos taken with giant, animal-suited mascots, secretly snap a whole 10 pack of self-portraits, or explore photography as a medium without the encumbering development process. And then there is the unique texture and character of the prints themselves to miss. I have seen many an art installation incorporating Polaroids and love the process as much as the product. While I love many of the things the digital revolution has brought us, it is sad to let go of a cherished photographic process that has been deemed outmoded by the majority stakeholders.

And I am not alone in this lamentation. The blogosphere is lit up with desperate cries for someone else to pick up the instant film torch and carry on as well as those petitioning Polaroid to recant this decision and let us all move on, pretending this whole thing was nothing but a bad dream. I am not known for my teeming optimism, so while I suppose it is possible that the public outcry will affect corporate decision-making, it seems unfortunately unlikely.

Instead, we should move on to coping with the tragedy. Post photos to the Flickr Save Polaroid group, flip through your own pile of Polaroids and relive each moment, and, of course, go to drug stores everywhere to clear the shelves. Don’t be surprised if I am already there, ready to push you out of the way.

• Tags: , Despi Mayes, Flickr, ima, Indianapolis Museum of Art, petition, Polaroid
 

This entry was posted on Friday, March 14th, 2008 at 10:47 am and is filed under Current Events, Musings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.