Review // Ashley: Radciffe Roye at the Bruce Silverstein Gallery

Another exhibition I went to was the Silverstein Photography Annual at the Bruce Silverstein Gallery. For this exhibition, ten curators each chose a photographer, whose work they felt deserved to be seen, to include in the exhibition. Because these photographers seemed to be united solely by the fact that they were “emerging” talents, and not by any overarching theme in their works, I decided to focus on one photographer whose work I felt to be especially interesting. This photographer was Radcliffe Roye, who showed six pictures. These pictures were all in color and all featured people. The colors were all very saturated and bright. The pictures appeared to be taken mostly at night (with one exception), both inside and outside of clubs. In my favorite of the photographs, three girls dressed in neon tutus stand outside in front of a wall with a mural painted on it, looking unhappy. The other photographs show different aspects of this club culture focusing especially on how the club goers dress and style themselves. In one photograph, for example, a man shows off the dollar sign he has shaved into his hair while in another a woman seems proud of the tight, short dress she is wearing.

I think that these photographs are about how people present themselves, especially to the opposite sex, and how this presentation may differ from reality. In the photo of the three girls for example, the way in which they are dressed seems meant to project a sense of fun and a lack of seriousness; however, their expressions seem to be ones of discontent. One of the girls holds a drink in her hand, perhaps from the club that she has just left, but she does not seem to be enjoying herself. Behind the girls is a mural of a woman who appears to be older then they are, and seems to be watching them, like a mother might. Although they are obviously trying to appear older then they are, the girls seem to still be very young. Going to clubs like this may be a way of showing their independence and proving to someone like their mother that they are adults. However, despite their attempts to appear as if they are having fun and enjoying themselves, their expressions betray that may feel as if they do not quite belong and do not actually enjoy this lifestyle.

The photograph of the man with the dollar sign shaved into his hair also shows that there is sometimes a disparity between how people try to present themselves and how they actually come across. In the photo, the man’s gesture makes him seem excited to show his hairstyle off; however, the people behind him look bored and unamused, as though they have seen this before. His attempt to portray himself as hip and fun has had the opposite effect and caused him to become an annoyance.

These photographs also show the way in which the two genders present themselves to each other and how this presentation seems to be based on rigid gender roles. In one photograph, two men stand against a wall while another stands off to the side. All three look tough, but their expressions and gestures seem to be more of a conscious imitation of a “tough guy” look, rather than a reflection of who they actually are. In another photograph, a woman dressed in a tight, low cut dress poses in front of a mural on which a young man is painted. She has a sweet, innocent smile, but her clothing is very provocative. The man painted on the wall behind her seems to represent the audience that she is dressing for. Even in the one photograph not taken in or outside a club, of a woman holding a child in front of a clothesline, a woman still wears a very low-cut top, like the kind one would wear to a club. Even outside of the club atmosphere, she still feels a pressure to dress provocatively, even though it seems inappropriate to this situation.

Review // Ashley: Robert Adams: "Summer Nights, Walking"

One of the exhibitions that I chose to go to for this assignment was the “Summer Nights, Walking” exhibit of Robert Adams’s work. The exhibition consisted of about fifty photographs, which all appeared to be taken at night, or very late in the evening. They were all taken with film, and did not appear to have been taken with a flash. The illumination of the photographs seemed to come mainly from streetlamps and houses, although a few of the photographs appeared to be lit by the moon. The pictures, however, were not evenly lit by these sources of light and often only a part of the photograph or a particular object was illuminated, while the rest of the photograph gradually faded into darkness. A large amount of the photographs were of plants. These plants were often weeds that appeared to grow along side of the road; few of the plants appeared to be a part of any sort of garden or even to have been placed in their location by human hands. Roads and pathways were also a major subject of the photographs. These pathways were often partially illuminated but always appeared deserted. In fact, there did not appear to be any people in any of the photographs, except for one, in a picture of a fair. I felt that these photographs were about how the haphazard lighting at nighttime selectively illuminates things and changes our perceptions of the world around us, and how it feels to be alone at night, walking through this changed world.

The irregular lighting that occurs at night often showcases things that would be ignored during the day. Several of these photographs showed small, weed-like plants along the side of a road, illuminated by nearby streetlamps or some other type of man-made lighting. These light sources were obviously not intended to illuminate these plants; however, the plants often appeared as though they were under a spotlight meant for them. Walking through these places, during the day, one would neither notice nor care about these plants, however, at night, by virtue of the light thrown upon them, they suddenly become a focus of attention. This light also emphasizes the beauty of the plants; the light on them often creates a silhouette effect that accentuates their elegant lines.

There also seems to be a complex relationship between nature and human life in these photographs. It is the light from man-made objects that illuminates these plants, and allows a viewer to appreciate them. The houses that are photographed also seem to be connected with nature. In one of the pictures, the shadow of a tree is illuminated against the garage door of a bland suburban house and in another the plants inside the window of a house seem to become a part of the shadow of a tree projected on the house.

These pictures also convey a sense of the solitude of walking around at night and the feeling of mystery that seems to pervade all nighttime excursions. The roads and pathways in the photographs always seem to be empty and do not appear to lead to anywhere specific. Often, only a part of a pathway is lit, while the rest is obscured by darkness. In the distance, the dim lights of neighboring towns or houses can often be seen and seem to beckon the traveler onwards, although to where is never clear. These photos all seem very lonely, although one feels the presence of people even if they remain unseen. The empty chairs in several of the photographs seem to suggest people, and in one photograph, a portrait of a person can been seen in the interior of a house. The picture of the fair, which seemed to me, at first, incongruous with the rest of the pictures also suggests the presence of people, although the viewer remains on the outside and can only look at it from a distance.
P.S. Here is a link to 12 pictures from the show, several of which I discuss in this post http://www.matthewmarks.com/exhibitions/2010-02-06_robert-adams/works-in-exhibition/#

Reviews // Josh Pesavento

"Self : Expressed" [Open House Gallery]
Photos by: Cheng-Chang Wu
Cheng-Chang Wu's images won a competition to be featured in this exhibition. They are self portraits of sorts; in them he uses a pair of flashes to over expose his face, leaving a faceless body within a larger environment. The prints were of a large size (maybe 20" x 30") and in color.


The photos, taken in various locations in Taiwan are almost the inverse of self portraits. He removes the sense of self in removing his face, leaving instead an anonymous person in his place. The locations (a baseball field, an intersection, outside a shop, in a rice field, by a presidential palace, etc.) he chooses are ones are unique in their own way to Taiwan. By anonymizing himself he turns himself into the every-person (though he remains one individual). This may mean that he considers Taiwanese to be faceless (voiceless) and uniform, or perhaps he is saying that each of these locations can mean a different thing to a different person, and each has contributed to the sense of place in their own way.

"Yes, But..." [Location One]
Photos by: Vik Muniz

Vik Muniz uses "junk" to create his art. He installs a large format camera on a catwalk very high above a warehouse floor, then has assistants arrange below him the discarded things he collects in order to create an image from the mess. Large c-prints were exhibited at this opening.

One work was a recreation of The Minotaur by George Frederic Watts. By recreating this image, Muniz turns a classical work into a temporal sculpture, made of trash, which he then turns back into a new work of art through a photographic print.

When you initially approach the images, they look largely like classical paintings of mythological creatures. Something seems a bit off. As many did I took a closer look to see how the image was produced - then I saw it for the arrangement of thrown away things that it was. In using coke bottles and old tires as brush strokes, Muniz makes a commentary about our culture - how we use and discard things so readily; further that we individuals are personally contributing and compounding the problem- as these are objects like the ones each of us throw away. By creating images from classical mythology he is perhaps saying we should consider what we throw away a bit more; it can still be useful and relevant.

“Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” [TEAM Gallery]
Photos by: Ryan McGinley.

78 works. Gelatin silver prints and c-prints.

Press release: http://www.teamgal.com/exhibitions/171

Reviews // Arielle

Exhibit: Michael Corridore “Angry Black Snake”, Aperture

Corridore’s winning collection consisted of a group of photographs that was described as an “exercise in minimalism”. Smoke and dust envelop the people in the photos, who are set mid-action and full of intensity, while straying away from an overly exhausted expression of emotion. The dust and smoke give the photos a sort of dreamy feeling, erasing any sort of object that would be an indication of a specific time and place. His work was praised for being highly original, and based on the few photos I viewed in the collection I must agree with his critics. These are fairly large photographs, occupying a great portion of the walls in which they are hung from. The colors were rich without being too saturated; another good example of the minimalist approach Corridore took.

As I walked around the gallery I was not initially intrigued by Corridore’s work, but as I was about to do one final walkabout I decided to take a closer look. I suddenly fell in love with all the things I was NOT able to see. What I think makes Corridore’s work so successful is the fact that often in photography we are amazed at what we see, but here we are amazed by everything we cannot see, the life that exists beyond the haze. One of my favorite photographs was the photo of the back of the young girl. I kept going back to that specific photo because I was so fascinated with what is going on behind her, what she is looking at and the potential expression on her face. She has a fleeting characteristic, and one has the sense that she did not stay in that position for very long. Another photograph I loved was the image of the windy beach umbrella and the figures who are covering their faces for protection. It is a truly instantaneous moment where the dust storm is so overwhelming you almost want it to be over. The photograph with a strong blue tint I initially thought was interesting, but looking back on it I think Corridore’s stronger, more effective pieces were the ones without a severe color tint, that focused more on the disappearing figures. The contact between the people and their physical environment merge into a beautiful moment where the distinction cannot be made as to where the occupants begin and the environment ends. I also admired how Corridore chose to frame his photos, giving us only a fraction of the entire event, which I believe he did so the viewer studies the merging of elements more carefully. In conclusion, the photos that were executed with minimalism kept in mind surprisingly overwhelmed me. Corridore’s theme was boldly original, at least to me, and I particularly appreciated the fact that he focused more and more on this theme the more that he shot. Photographers who demonstrate progression are impressive to me because it shows that they are willing to grow and expand on their original ideas.

Exhibit: Beat Streuli, Murray Guy Gallery

Beat Streuli’s photo exhibit is a series of black and white photographs that capture people and objects in an urban setting. Some photos contain one person, others multiple people, and a few photos contain simply the objects or buildings Streuli observes in the city. The photos are taken with a telephoto lens and the angle/perspective from which the viewer sees the objects and people is very intimate. It is almost as if the viewer watches the subject from behind a corner or through a window. The people in the photos are not posed at all, and the interactions between the subjects and their environment are completely organic. This idea also gives the photos are sort of voyeuristic feeling. The people we see are alone, both in environment and in a state of mind. Streuli keeps his subjects isolated from their surroundings, which as a result makes the viewer focus on the central person of the photo.

I have very mixed emotions regarding Streuli’s work or more specifically this collection. Some of his photographs were almost overwhelmingly powerful; they made me feel the same isolation and sense of loss as the subjects I was looking at. Other photos, in particular the ones of just objects like the cars and the sign, made me feel very disappointed. I understood their relation to the collection as a whole, but I felt if I had seen them out of context I would have thought they were missing a great deal of substance. However their contribution to the collection in a way brings the series together, connecting the individuals to their urban environment. My favorite photo of the collection was the photo of the young woman walking, looking directly at the camera. I thought Streuli truly captured the woman’s fleeting presence, and exhibited the slight connection people make everyday in a large city. I also thought the photo of the young man in the crowd with his head down was gorgeous, and I felt immediately drawn to the young man, though there were many figures in the photo. His sort of lonely gaze draws us in, and we can relate to the feeling of walking alone on a crowded street. I thought it was interesting the way Streuli chose to photograph his subjects because we are able to look more deeply at them since they seem to be unaware or at least uninterested in the camera’s presence. There is something comforting in knowing that you can look at the subject and they are not staring back. While walking around the gallery I began to feel that the photos demonstrated a focus on people who in some way are important, even if they are important in an indefinable way, it is as if Streuli chose to exhibit these people’s individuality and we are supposed to admire it. I felt that certain photos broke up the flow of the collection, because I was so heavily influenced by certain photographs and then so uninspired by others. Perhaps if I could have a conversation with Streuli about why he chose certain photographs I would better understand the meaning behind them.

Reviews // Elizabeth

Among the photography exhibitions I saw, James Danziger's "The Year in Pictures" and Thomas Roma's "Pictures for Books" were of special interest to me. The former, shown at the James Danziger Gallery, included the work of fifteen photographers previously featured on the blog, "The Year in Pictures." Every sampling of work, usually two to four pictures for each photographer, was totally distinct in style from the next set of photographs on the wall. In my opinion, the most unique photographs were taken by Chan-Hyo Bae and Stephen Gill. In his photographs from the series Existing in Costume, Chan-Hyo Bae convincingly disguises himself in dress, make up, and hairstyle as a noble woman of England, bearing a striking resemblance to paintings of Queen Elizabeth I. The scenes are staged meticulously with elaborately detailed clothing, austere expressions, and not a hair out of place. At first consumed by the study of these elements, I was surprised to notice the hands and face, not of a Caucasian woman, as expected, but of an Asian man. This part of the photograph gives the viewer most pause.The subject's radically different gender and race, as compared with subjects similarly rendered in history, caused me to be quite taken aback. Seeing the man behind the dress also conjured up images of drag queens and transvestite men, which added another possible layer of meaning. Altering the racial and sexual identity of the figure, which is frequently associated with European power and femininity at the time, produces a kind of subversive tone.

In small, color prints, Gill chooses cigarettes as his subjects, which are already smoked, lipstick smeared, and marked with letters of diverse languages. They are about two inches in height and are set vertically against a plain white background. Despite signs of consumption and grime, the white light and simplicity of the canvas make the cigarettes clean, pure, even beautiful. Standing upright, centered, and without any peripheral distraction, the cigarettes take on more weight as subjects and seem more like portraits, than still lifes. The burnt edges of the cigarettes and lipstick stains not only create a beautiful pink and brown color palette, but also infuse life into these otherwise lifeless objects. Most of all, I enjoyed looking at these photographs for Gill's depiction of cigarettes as I had never seen them. Many pictures show them in relation to a person, or as decaying objects of filth and waste. However, in this case, their context and visual presentation changed my aesthetic judgement of them.

I was exposed to Tom Roma's work for the first time at Columbia University's Gallery Talk, "Pictures for Books: A Conversation with Thomas Roma." The displayed photographs were spread among several rooms of the gallery and taken from his series' Found in Brooklyn, Sicilian Passage, and others. All black and white film prints, sized approximately 11x14, the viewer passed from room to room through different stages in Roma's career as a photographer. Back yards, urban vegetation, and residential landscapes of his native borough serve as the subjects of Found in Brooklyn. In Sicilian Passage, rural scenes in Sicily fill the frames with images of home life, shepherding, and open spaces. However, the photographs I found most compelling were not on the walls, but rather, in one of his books (aptly enough), entitled Higher Ground. The pictures from this series were taken on the New York subway of couples, adults, children, and strangers riding the train. I think that I was first struck by them because I have always wanted to try photographing people on the subway, but never had the courage to attempt it. In the pictures, everyone wears different expressions, some expectant, some tired, worried, meditative, etc. In many of the pictures, the subjects are illumined by natural sunlight. The almost tangible serenity conveyed by this light softens the common image of the subway as a dark, dirty, and sometimes, ugly place. The subway, though, seems to serve more importantly as a constant stage for the ever varied gestures, actions, and emotions of the subway passengers themselves. I also appreciated the opportunity to make connections between the photographs and the photographer himself by hearing Mr. Roma speak about his work (both an enlightening and entertaining experience). In the end, I was captivated by one characteristic central to all three photographers' work. They took subjects which audiences are accustomed to seeing and understanding in a particular way, and visually reinterpreted them as to portray them almost oppositely.

A third exhibition of note was "No Man's Land" at the Rick Wester Fine Art Gallery, featuring photography by Dana Mueller and Bonnell Robinson. Mueller took pictures of former German prisoner-of-war camps in the US (1942-1945). Robinson photographed along the Western and Italian fronts of the Great War (1914-1918). Mueller exhibited her work in color, about ten pictures, on one side of the room, and on the other side of the room were Robinson's black and white photographs, also about ten in total.

Reviews // Lisa

Carrie Mae Weems’ “From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried” (1995) is a collection of photographs based on slavery. Weems rephotographed the pictures, enlarged, and toned them in red, creating a sense of uniformity. They were then framed under glass that had sand blasted texts. Each picture had a message that went along with the central theme of African American inequality in the United States. In doing this, Weems creates a work of her own that challenges traditional Anglo American perception of African Americans and one that is both personal and accessible to all.

Weems’ challenges traditional Anglo American perception through the printed messages and the depictions of the subject matter. Each of these messages is addressed to the subject matter. The first picture is a profile picture of a naked tribal African woman. The shape of the face and breasts are quite noticeable and is seemingly directing the viewers to the following pictures to the right. The positioning of the female marks the beginning of the piece where the other pictures follow. The sharp features of her breasts and face reject neoclassical standards of female beauty that continue to have a lasting influence in America today where roundness of breast and face are associated with female beauty. The message on the picture says, “From here I saw what happened,” which starts the theme of inequality in African Americans. A few powerful statements from the piece include: “You became a scientific profile,” “An anthropological debate,” “A photographic subject,” “You became a playmate to the patriarch,” “Some said you were the spitting image of evil,” and “You became the joker’s joke.” Each of these messages speaks to these people, clearly emphasizing all the afflictions with which African Americans are dealing. Each picture is placed in a circular frame, showing the influence on the camera. It is possible that the original photos were used in the same context as the message, for example one of the photos states that these people have become an anthropological debate. It is possible that the original intention of this photograph supported an anthropological study. Weems’ creates a new purpose for these photos, one that is filled with compassion and grief for people rather than of an object. She also fights the dominant Anglo influence in these photographers, as the photos that were taken by them were pushing their view of African Americans to the viewer. At the same time, Weems’ message also speaks to us in a very harsh and real way on how these people were objectified to be a photographic subject or an anthropological debate. It seems to me that Weems attempts to break this objectification by creating a more personal experience. Most of the photos only have one person.

I believe that she aimed to produce a very striking collection of photographs that called upon historical and social conflicts, which it clearly has accomplished. Simply observing the other viewers in the museum, who had shocked facial expressions and looks of astonishment, it was easy to see that she accomplished her goal through this series of photographs.

Review // Pete: "Her Picture in a Frame" & "31 Women in Art Photography"

WILLIAM ALBERT ALLARD 

Her Picture in a Frame

Leica Gallery

38 works presented

Lambda digital prints on Crystal Archive paper 

William Allard's latest show "Her Picture in a Frame" is an examination of female beauty in the camera frame. Allard focuses on women to be the main subject in portrait or he may include them as an element in a composition. Generally the pictures are snap-shots, waiting for the right moment, other photos may be more intimate where he had met his subject and photographed her. He has a curious obsession with discovering and capturing the beauty of a woman. He hunts down his subjects and waits for that moment. The moment where the subject give themselves up. Viewing the images feels like you are crossing a line into intimate situations which the photographer has opened up. In these fleeting moment, the image captured allows the viewer to examine every detail of the subject. Like a voyeur, you keep on watching knowing you won't be discovered. The portraits of these women have a sensuality to them that excites the viewer's curiosity. It's the facial expressions of longing, the imperfections of innocent girls, honest looks and gestures. it feels like the subject is flirting with the viewer, inviting you in to that world, look around, stay a while. 

 

31 Women in Art Photography 

Affirmation Arts

31 works presented

Mixed print mediums

"31 Women in Art Photography" isn't your traditional photo exhibit, it's one artist, one photograph, one room. The fact that all the photographers are all women might cause some preconceptions, but the experience transcended any bias, it's nice to see the recognition of female perspective in a predominantly male art world. Photographers today have knowledge of the reoccurring themes and genres in photographic history. We are taught traditions and methods but are free to apply new ideas and technologies.  The influence of contemporary art is evident in the photographs with the use abstract/conceptual ideas and the exploration of different technologies including camera-choice, post-production, and printing methods. With so much accessibility to images and information, there is a plenty of resource for inspiration, creativity and imagination. Seeing the product of these latest trends allows you to accept the new ideas or react against them naturally. I feel that this is an exciting time for photography because anything is possible, there is so much to explore. Each artist brings her own style to the medium, as a collective it can be overwhelming to digest at first. Each photograph needs to be examined in its own context to be able to understand and appreciate the nuances. You can feel the excitement in the work, the public has been waiting to be exposed to fresh work. New visions are being discovered and realized. 

Irving Penn

http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1024

MoMA has a small collection of Irving Penn photographs in their lobby that I think are worth seeing. There are only about eight portrait photographs, but I think they are great and interesting black and whites to check out. They're not your traditional portraits. He constructs his photographs from odd angles, crops harshly, uses harsh lighting/high contrast. I don't think he has much of a specific style, which I enjoy. See how you like his work...

Review / Lisa

“Surface Tension” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The exhibition, “Surface Tension” deals with photographs by various artists, which demand your attention to be directed to the surface, as they play with the tension between the actual surface of the photographs and the illusion of depth. One way of achieving this tension is by placing several small square photographs next to each other, each with a different image inside, so that the viewers are aware of this flatness, but can see images within each flat square. It is similar to a wall with many windows that you can see into. This technique was done by Giuseppe Penone. Some did not even look like photographs, but instead, looked like paintings. A specific one that comes to mind is Robert Demachy’s “Struggle” (1903), which shows a nude woman from behind, and from the position and strange background, it leads our minds to someone in the womb. The woman also looks very much like someone who would be in a Renaissance painting. Another technique was to actually photograph flat surfaces, such as Walker Evans’ “[Torn Movie Poster, Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts].”

Going with this idea of photographing flat surfaces, the main focal point of the exhibition was Miles Coolidge’s “Accident Investigation Site” (2005). Coolidge was always extremely fascinated by accident sites, and would photograph them. This particular photograph was taken with a large format digital camera as many photos, but later put together, piece by piece, to create a 7.5’x22’ photograph of an asphalt freeway ground. You can see a cigarette bud, cracks, holes, blackened gum, and stains on the ground. Although this fits the exhibition’s theme, I wonder what exactly the purpose was of this photograph, and why he enlarged it to a one-to-one scale when, in my opinion, there is not a great deal of interesting detail to examine in the photograph.

Similarly, in Pertti Kekeraine’s “TILA (Passage I)” (2006) and Daido Moriyama’s “Suwa, Nagano” (1982), there is not much detail or depth to allow your eyes to move around the photograph to receive more information than you did within the first few seconds of looking. Kekeraine’s photograph contains many glass walls and doorways, which finally lead to a glass window. This creates a handful of layers filled with rectangular shapes, and frames within frames, while Moriyama’s photograph has a fly sitting on a window that has raindrops, and a blurred city with mountains in the background. This image also creates a layered look.

I thought that the theme of this exhibition was quite interesting, and I liked it very much because the photographs clearly supported this theme of “surface tension.” However, I felt that most of the photographs lacked conceptual depth when they lost most of their spatial depth, which gave me less of a chance to really jump into the images and discover more the longer I looked at them. Instead, after the first few seconds, I felt like I was finished looking at the images because there was nothing new to see in them, and I would move on. To clarify, I believe these photographs were excellent in supporting the exhibition’s theme, but if they were to stand alone, I would be a bit bored of them because of their lack of detail.

Stanley Greenberg / Artist Talk / April 7th / SL24H / 11:30 to 2:15

April 8th/ Artist Talk: Stephen Shore / Hessel Museum of Art, Bard College

Stephen Shore's work has been widely published and exhibited for the past thirty-five years. Shore (b. 1947, New York, NY) was the second living photographer to have a solo show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; International Center of Photography, New York; George Eastman House, Rochester; Kunsthalle, Dusseldorf; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Jeu de Paume, Paris; and Art Institute of Chicago. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. His exhibitions at Light Gallery, New York during the 1970s sparked new interest in color photography and in the use of the view camera for documentary work. Books of his photographs include Stephen Shore: Photographs 1973 - 1993; The Velvet Years, Andy Warhol's Factory, 1965 – 1967; Uncommon Places: The Complete Works; The Nature of Photographs; American Surfaces; and A Road Trip Journal. Shore is represented by 303 Gallery, New York; and Sprüth Magers, Berlin and London. Since 1982 he has been the director of the Photography Program at Bard College, where he is the Susan Weber Professor in the Arts.

Susan Bright & Sarah Pickering Talk and Book Signing Wednesday, March 31, 2010 6:30 pm FREE Aperture Gallery & Bookstore 547 W 27th Street, 4th Fl

Interview with Jeff Mermelstein

I thought this would help inspire anyone who is having trouble finding interesting subjects in the city... Interview with Jeff Mermelstein Best know for his photographs of quirky inhabitants in New York City, Jeff Mermelstein is considered one of the world's most prolific photojournalists. After completing an internship in photography in 1981, Jeff Mermelstein began a career that has combined personal photographs with assignment work for major publications including Life Magazine, The New Yorker, and The New York Times Magazine. In 1991, he received the Aaron Siskind Foundation Individual Photographer's Fellowship, and in 1999 he won the European Publishers Award for Photography, which resulted in the publication of his first book SideWalk (Dewi Lewis Publishing, 1999). His advertising clients include AT&T Wireless, Commes des Garcons, Intel, Samsung, Red Stripe, Clarks Shoes and Hewlett Packard. Can you tell us about your background and how you got into photography? As a biology student in college I was very unhappy. I had been taking photographs since the age of 13 after I was given a camera from my older brother for my Bar Mitzvah. I am one of those lucky ones who never struggled to find what to do with their life. I was born a photographer. My mother would rather I had been a dentist but that is another story. What were some real turning points in your career? In 1983 GEO Magazine gave me my first big break in magazine photography at the age of 25. I proposed doing a feature story on Animal Actors such as Morris the Cat, Benji, Lassie, The Exxon Tiger etc., and I was given the assignment which ended up as a cover story. Another huge turning point for me was winning The European Publishers Award for Photography in 1999 which enabled my first book Sidewalk to be published. Who or what has been the biggest influence on your work? Ultimately it is the people around you that influence you the most. For me it was and is my family. I am the son of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to America in 1947. I know that the Yiddish speaking family that surrounded me has fed my drive and help to define my curiosity, humor and way of dealing with life. All artists are also influenced by other artists and I am no different. Arbus, Winogrand, Friedlander, Eggleston, Lartigue, Weegee, Faurer. There are so many and they keep changing. What are you excited about right now? I remain as excited as ever making pictures mostly in New York. I never tire of it and maintain a constant passion, love and obsession for my next New York image. New York is attractive to me because it has an edge. A grey grit even in color. There is an energy unlike any other city. It never bores me. Which part of the process of photography is it you enjoy the most? Is it meeting the people, viewing the final image or something else? Of course going out and making the pictures is exciting. But what is even more exciting is the feeling that I get in viewing pictures I made for the first time. Sometimes it is more than a month or two before I first view pictures I have taken. There is a perpetual thrill of catching up. How do people generally respond to your voyeuristic curiosity, and has it ever got you into trouble? There is a danger in what I do because I can not ask people ahead of time to take their picture to get the kind of picture I am looking for. I avoid tension. There have been rough moments, but I like to forget about them. Much of your work looks at re-occuring patterns in human behaviour; notably the hair-twirlers and runners in New York city. Does your search for such themes ever become something of an obsession for you? My obsession is with making photographs. I generally do not have a theme when in the act of photographing. Themes emerge after the photographs begin to accumulate. This happened in a clear way with my new book and exhibition Twirl / Run. For me picture taking is pure instinct. Gut. That is why I love doing it. I'm not thinking when I am working. What are your thoughts on the validity of photojournalism as fine art? Of course photojournalism can be fine art. The photojournalism of Winogrand is fine art of the highest order. Photojournalism with a personal point of view and expressiveness is fine art. As the world is steadily becoming over-saturated with digital images, how do you see the future of photography? Good images will always be good images and the huge increase in image numbers doesn't really effect what is good but just makes it harder to sift out. Do you have any advice for young photographers? In my opinion what is most important is to stay true to your personal vision and create a body of work that expresses that. I never believed in making pictures with the goal of showing those to obtain commercial work. Do what you do best and love the most and you will be doing all that you can to be happy. See more of Jeff Mermelstein's work online, or to see his portfolio, drop us an email Check out the Pocko Blog and join us on Twitter

Matthew Clark

Matthew Clark is a NY photographer who does some really amazing surfing photography, capturing the culture from both inside and outside of the ocean. Not only does he have a uniquely original vision of surf culture, his sequencing is very inspirational to me. Since we are going to be focusing on the sequencing of our photographs very soon I recommend checking his website out and just looking at the way he chooses to present certain photographs. It sort of opened my mind up to different ways of sequencing photos as well as to how I will continue to photograph in the following weeks.

http://www.clarkography.com/

Ancient / Historical photographs

http://www.smashinglists.com/top-25-most-ancient-historical-photographs/

Artists Wanted

http://www.artistswanted.org/promo/invite.html

Friday (TODAY) 7 pm - 10pm

Materia Buena

I met this lady who curates Cuban/Latin American art exhibitions. She recommended to look at the works of these photographers. Each photographer brings a different style to the table.  

Mario Cravo Neto

http://www.cravoneto.com.br/

Sebastiao Salgado

http://www.photography-now.us/02/06/salgado01.html

Alberto Korda

http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/photography/Alberto-Korda.html

Food for Photographic Thought

I thought this NY Times article was interesting since I've been struggling with how I feel about using Photoshop in photography for more than simple edits to an image, but more so to create an image. I'd love to know your opinions about this.

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/photoshop-and-photography-when-is-it-real/

31 Women in Art Photography / Affirmation Arts 523 W. 37th Street / Saturday, March 6 – Saturday, April 10, 2010

Landscapes of Quarantine / Storefront for Art and Architecture 97 Kenmare Street New York, NY 10012

Christopher Wozniak

Here's a link to my friend's website 

I credit him for inspiring me to pick up a camera and pursue photography through the years. 

He's helped me discover new ways of seeing and continues to challenge my view of the world. 

His work/attitude towards the medium has influenced me to stay curious. 

This photograph here is part of his Maspeth collection

http://www.geocities.com/chriswozniakphoto/

http://jeffreyladd.com/

Helsinki School / Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery / 3-2 to 4-3

Daido Moriyama / Luhring Augustine Gallery / 2-13 to 3-13