VoxPhotographs Weblog

“Photography” in York

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS, Maine on December 8, 2009 by voxphotographs

Mary Harding, longtime Director at the George Marshall Store Gallery in York, has curated her first photography exhibit and it’s a terrific viewing experience. (disclosure: Mary Woodman, exclusively represented by VoxPhotographs is one of the participating artists.)

There are 36 artists included in the show and that’s a feat in itself to pull it all together and stay sane, but I gather Mary Harding is an old hand at that. The end result makes the process look seamless.

Aroostook Song © John G. Kelley

My first impression of “PHOTOGRAPHY” was the WOW one. Walking in the front door on a sunny day, the gallery is full of reflected light and the show is so well presented it’s hard not to feel pretty delighted. I really appreciated two things – the variety of work styles, and the fact that Mary didn’t take the easy way out in selecting participating artists – there are many with whom I wasn’t familiar and should be, and the artists start as young as 17 years old, so she did her job and got digging, not skimming the obvious off the top. Yes, you’ll see work by Jeffrey Becton, John G. Kelley (you MUST see John’s photograph “Aroostook Song” in the bathroom -one of my favorites in the show!) and Sean Alonzo Harris, but I bet you’ll enjoy work by artists you don’t know yet as well.

I was immediately struck by two Corey Daniels images: one is on the right in the first room and the other beautifully “framed” by two doorways that lead into the back room. I e-mailed Corey and he has a website in progress, but here’s the image in the back room at George Marshall Store Gallery (note its size). I’m sorry no reproduction of these two images will do them justice. You have to go and see them in person to understand how successful they are:

To your left in the front room is a huge image from Denise Froehlich – 4′x6′? I really like what Denise did with this and would love to see a group of her images similarly presented. I don’t see “Old Port Road, Kennebunkport” on her website, but sure had fun looking at everything else – some terrific work there.

Old Port Road, Kennebunkport © Denise Froehlich

A discovery is Nancy Wilson Fulton – she is doing some different things and her two images “Two, but not a pair” (very painterly when you see it at the gallery) and “Cloud Study” are strong testaments to her talent and eye.

I first saw Elizabeth Cecil’s work this fall at Aarhus Gallery in Belfast – the Bug Jars (canning jars with gum bichromate images of bugs on vellum slips of paper inside) and they are again on display (perfectly) in a sunny window on the lower floor of the gallery. However, close by are four exquisite 4.25″x4.25″ “Tomatillo” printing-out-paper (POP), gold toned pieces. I would love to have these on my own walls. They are beautifully presented as a group of work.

Tomatillo #6 © Elizabeth Cecil

One of the best things in this show is Mary’s willingness to include young photographers who deserve the limelight. Elizabeth Ellenwood, a photography student at the New Hampshire Institute of Art has a couple of original urban landscapes on view that show a maturity and design sense that is unusual in a young artist. They are quite powerful.

Two of my favorite images in the show are by 17 year old Cameron Karosis. Check them out in the lower gallery room. I think they are beautifully rendered pieces and I hope he keeps working at his craft. (Cameron’s dad is also in the show with two beautifully rendered black and white landscapes…)

Coral Weed © Cameron Karosis

Sea Lettuce © Cameron Karosis

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Before I reproduce the entire show in this posting I’ll talk about two more artists and button up.

I was delighted with Sara Gray’s two square format images – have seen much of her commercial work in Down East magazine and elsewhere, and figured her work leaping across commercial photography lines in such a show as this could possibly be dismissed. Uh-uh. Take the time to read them closely – they’re gorgeous and well-deserving of the inclusion. I’m just surprised I haven’t seen more of her fine art photography work around.

Open Gate, Morristown, VT © Sara Gray

And finally, Jay Goldsmith’s two 10″x10″ pinhole platinum/palladium images are to die for. This type of work really gives me the ol’ “art endorphin rush” and the one below is perhaps my favorite image in the show. Jay is a commercial photographer who is making successful leaps over the fence into fine art photography by the looks of these images.

American Slide © Jay Goldsmith

The images reproduced in this review are a mere whisper of the real prints on the wall at the gallery. So treat yourself – GO. Tell Mary I sent you…

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Artists trying to be poets…

Posted in Uncategorized on December 3, 2009 by voxphotographs

Please, I can’t take much more hilarity! I’m still chuckling, hooting and grinning whenever I think of the latest issue of Black and White magazine – it’s Special Issue/2010 Single Image Contest Awards. The SEASCAPE/WATER section has some doozies.

No, it’s not the images… it’s the titles many of the artists have given them! It’s just plain perplexing why artists work so hard at being poets and writers. I must protest. Isn’t it enough that you are a talented photographer or painter or sculptor? Must you play at being a poet or writer as well? Lemme tell you, give it up. There are experts out there.

Make a New Year’s resolution for 2010: I will not write artist statements. I will not title my images goofy things like: “Life’s Journey” or “Goodbyes Are Never Easy” or “Eternity of the Moment”. Holy Smokes, nothing ruins a piece of artwork faster than a ridiculous or clever or sappy title.

If you feel the need to give the viewer narrative context for your work, go out and keep shooting. Or become a filmmaker. Your photograph doesn’t need a narrative context if it’s your best work. Please… let me bring my own self to your work – make room for ME, the viewer. If you think your picture is about “goodbyes”, fine. I may think it’s about terrific design or I may not think it needs to be about anything at all. And if you need to tell me water is “fluid”, I must be cross-eyed.

In the Photojournalism/Documentary section there is a searing photo of Auschwitz. It’s title? “Sad Landscape #7″. Thanks for the help, but I don’t think there is a person in the world who needs to be nudged in the feelings dept. when viewing Holocaust prisoner camps.

It’s also surprising how many artists name their work with the exact description of what you are looking at. Why do you do this? There’s a photo in the Photojournalism/Documentary section titled “Man in Wheelchair with Flag, New York City, New York”. Yep, the artist got it right! That’s exactly what the photograph depicts. I can see if for myself, so I know he/she got it right! How about just “New York City” or “Madison Avenue” or “Independence Day” if those are the simple facts?

You should really order a copy of this Special Issue if you don’t already subscribe to Black and White because there are some great photographs in it worth studying. But artists need to leave the clever wordsmithing to someone else and stick to what they know – creating art.

Jeanne-Claude, Cristo’s wife and artistic partner since 1960, just died. Here’s a quote from the obituary as written in The Week, the news magazine I read from cover to cover immediately upon receipt: “Our art has absolutely no purpose, except to be a work of art. We do not give messages.”

Thank goodness for that. If their work can speak for itself, so can yours.

Photo: Bryan Obrien, The Sydney Morning Herald

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“Making history”…. at UNE Gallery

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS, Maine on November 25, 2009 by voxphotographs

Until Sunday, January 31, 2010, you have an incredible opportunity. At the University of New England Gallery, 716 Stevens Ave. in Portland, is a 24 artist exhibit of historic processes. These artists are currently making photographic images using 19th century photographic processes – they live in CT, MA, NH and Maine. The exhibit was curated by Steve Halpert. Anne B. Zill is the Director of the Gallery.

At the opening reception of GOING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK – Practicing Historic Photographic Processes in the 21st Century – on Nov. 21, several people said they thought this exhibit may be the biggest of its kind ever mounted. With over 150 images and approximately 16 processes represented, it certainly is “making history”!

There’s no doubt these artists are pushing the limits to find out as much as they can about their chosen process. Several of the artists are experts at more than one process.

On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Gallery will hold some of the artists captive: they are traveling up to 4 hours to talk with you one-on-one about their work – how it’s made, and why they do it. From 3-5 that day, they will be stationed in front of their work with their cameras, props, mistakes (!) and materials to answer your questions. Why would anybody miss this?

Many of these artists show their work all over the world and they are coming to YOU on 12/5. (A second ARTISTS DAY is scheduled for January 30.)

So….whether you are a person with a curious mind, a photographer, an art student or teacher, there’s only one event to put on your schedule that day – the ARTISTS DAY at Univ. of NE Gallery, 3-5. Totally free. Totally fantastic.

The University of New England Gallery is located at the back of the campus at 716 Stevens Avenue in Portland. Hours: Wed – Sun, 1-4. Thursday, 1-7. Call: 207-221-4499.

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New resource – photographmag.com

Posted in ONLINE AWESOME on November 16, 2009 by voxphotographs

I’ve already told you my favorite photography magazine is PHOTOGRAPH. It reads like a what’s-what for the current photography scene between the short, sharp articles and the NYC gallery ads and listings.

Now they have a new website that is also sharp and really quick to get around to see what’s happening: www.photographmag.com. Shows, exhibits, books and blogs. Glom on to it.

cover

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“Amazing” comes to Portland/UNE

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS, Maine on November 5, 2009 by voxphotographs

For months I’ve been working with Anne Zill, Director at Univ. of New England Gallery in Portland, and Curator Steve Halpert to create an amazing exhibit: Going Forward, Looking Back: Practicing Historic Processes in the 21st Century. 24 New England photographers are featured, exhibiting over 150 photographs from ziatypes to salt prints to palladium prints and many, many other processes from the 19th century. The exhibit runs through January 31, 2010 and then travels to three other locations, two in MA and finally winding up at Maine Media Workshops in October, 2010.

It opens Nov. 17, but the Opening Reception is not to be missed on Nov. 21, from 3-6. Here, from 3-4 France Scully Osterman will be lecturing – a real treat to have this illustrious artist and teacher come to us to talk about her work and others’ work. Her lecture will be “Serendipity and the Exquisite Manipulation”. Miss this and you will be missing a real gift to photographers in Maine.

YourBraid_lg Your Braid © Dan Estabroook

AND – on Dec. 5 (3-5) and Jan. 30 (3-6) many of the artists will be at the Gallery just to talk one-on-one with you and show you the materials and cameras they use. On January 30 from 3-4, famed photographer and history of photographer lecturer Brenton Hamilton will lecture “19th Century Photographers and Their Processes.”

Tondo Circa 1480 Redrawn © Brenton Hamilton

Both lectures (Nov. 21 and Jan. 30) are open to the public and are $10 at the door.

The whole shebang is an opportunity not to be missed. Go early and often. If you really care about photography, you’ll need several visits to soak up this amazing opportunity.

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Ed and I (Burtynsky that is)

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS on October 28, 2009 by voxphotographs

I am a Canadian. I was born in a city close to the US border and north of Niagara Falls called St. Catharines. Yes, the spelling here is correct. It is wrong everywhere else usually.

I was in Boston last year at the wonderful Institute of Contemporary Art.For some reason we wandered around the back of the building and there were a couple of photographs on the back wall obviously by Edward Burtynsky. He had taken them during the construction of the building. I would think they were copies of course! In fact, I hope I have this all straight in memory.

Well, there was also a small blurb on Burtynsky with the photos and I am still speechless to think I found out standing on that spot that Edward was born in… St. Catharines, Ontario too! Big deal, I know. But it IS a big deal. Who the heck is ever born in St. Catharines, Ontario? Plus, Ed (I can do this) went to Ryerson and Niagara College and most interesting to me is that the GM plant, where his father was employed,in St. Kitts (I can do this too) was an early inspiration to his work which “explores the intricate link between industry and nature…” That huge GM plant was the largest employer in the area – it is now shuttered, or close to it, I think. He was born in 1955 and I was born in 1954. To think we probably passed each other in the street somewhere in the next couple of decades or went to the same school is interesting to me, not because of his impending fame, but because it was St. Catharines that birthed this brilliance! Of all the mundane and not very interesting places, this was Mr. Burtynsky’s beginnings? He’s now based in Toronto – definitely a good move.

On October 6, the Bangor Daily News featured an article about Mr. Burtynksy’s exhibit currently at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The exhibit is titled “Edward Burtynsky: Oil”. Mr. Burtynsky spent twelve years exploring the subject of oil, the article says, and it quotes the artist as follows: “It’s like trying to photograph something that you never see. We don’t see crude oil. It’s like blood in our veins. It runs through our body, but if we see it, there’s a problem usually.”

The 55 photographs range from Bangladesh (those oh-so-intriguing photographs of workers breaking down oil tankers for salvage) to Alberta. The exhibit is traveling through 2012. But I imagine Washington DC is the closest it’s going to get to Maine, so if you can, take a trip to the Capital before December 13.

burtynsky_large OIL FIELDS #22, COLD LAKE PRODUCTION PROJECT, COLD LAKE, ALBERTA, CANADA 2001. PHOTOGRAPH © EDWARD BURTYNSKY, COURTESY OF NICHOLAS METIVIER GALLERY, TORONTO/ADAMSON GALLERY, WASHINGTON, D.C.

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It’s all about Robert Frank…

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS, NYC on September 6, 2009 by voxphotographs

And rightly so. Fifty years ago, in 1959, The Americans was released in the U.S.

The Met opens an exhibit: “Looking In – Robert Frank’s The Americans” on September 22 which runs through January 3, 2010. The staying power of The Americans supports the generally accepted theory that this book was revolutionary in more ways than one.

263-001 Parade – Hoboken, New Jersey, 1955 © Robert Frank

The image above is one of my favorites in the book, which is a ridiculous statement considering each of the images is permanently etched on my brain because they are all so perfectly powerful.

And considering how far photography has come in 50 years, it’s pretty easy to understand why this book was vilified when it was released. First, Frank was a foreigner/non-American who was commenting not altogether positively one might say, on the American way of life. Second, he was commenting, not altogether positively, on the American way of life. So daring to go where no other photographer had gone yet was courageous, but from what I’ve read about Frank, he did it because he wanted to take these pictures and make this book. Not the type of guy to care about fallout.

robertfrank-trolley-385 Trolley, New Orleans, 1955 © Robert Frank

“Trolley”, above, is one of the most iconic images in American photographic history. It makes me catch my breath to even think of these images not existing. The exhibit at The Met will include the contact sheets Frank used to create the book, a process that was all his from cover to cover.

In July, I went to a lecture by Jeff Rosenheim, Curator of Photographs at The Met, at Maine Media Workshops in Rockport. He talked about Frank and specifically this exhibit coming up. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see all 83 vintage images in one place, together with supporting materials. Why would anyone who cares about fine art photography miss this? There’s no good answer.

At the same time (October – December) Robert Mann Gallery has works by Frank on view. The works included are from The Americans, but also rounded out by “earlier works from London and Paris”.

The September/October issue of PHOTOGRAPH shows so many wonderful gallery shows of photography in these fall months, NYC is going to have to be a required pilgrimage for all of us sometime before Christmas. See you there.

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Mundane, Yet Essential, Items for Digital Printing

Posted in HELP!! Doing it right... on September 1, 2009 by jimnickelson

Sometimes the simplest items can make your life so much easier. If you are doing digital printing with glossy or luster prints (or having someone do those sort of prints for you), you may have noticed some complications compared to the matte prints that most of us used previously. Two things that seem to come up quite often are:

1) How do I sign this – the pencil doesn’t work!

2) Why is the print so curly? How do I get it flat?

Well, there are solutions to both of these problems – one very inexpensive, one not so much.

sakura pen For signing these glossier prints, the solution is straightforward. Pencil doesn’t really work, so you need to use pen. Most pens (including Sharpies), however, are in no way archival and you don’t want to bring questionable elements into an archival fine art print. The solution? Archival pens. The only such pens that I know of are the Sakura Pigma Micro pens, which should be available for a couple of dollars each at your local art supply stores or online at places like Dick Blick. These pens use pigments inks similar to the inks used in the Epson, Canon, and HP high-end printers.

I use the black inks and the 02 thickness – too much smaller of a point and I find that it doesn’t write smoothly, and too much larger of a point I find to be distractingly visible. Try some out yourself and see which one works best for you. I wish we could just use pencil with these lovely new papers, but the Sakura pens provide a great archival alternative.

As for how to get these papers flat, the answer is equally simple but unfortunately much more expensive. If you buy sheet paper this likely won’t have been a problem for you, but if you use roll paper, you likely will have had to deal with severe curls at some point. One solution that has worked great for me is known as the D-Roller.

What is the D-Roller? Well, it is hard to describe. Basically, there is a long metal rod with a plastic sheet wrapped around it many times. You roll out the sheet, place your paper in there, and roll the whole thing up tightly, and then unroll it. Your paper, no matter how bad the original curl was, will come out flat. Completely flat. Here’s a photo of it in process and you can find a review (with video) at the Luminous Landscape site:

d roller

For the life of me, I can’t figure out how this thing works from a technical standpoint – it is clearly some sort of magic. But work it does. I’ve tried stacking up weights on the paper and other homemade solutions, but nothing works as well or as quickly as the D-Roller. So, if you use a lot of roll paper and have problems with curling, I highly recommend buying one of these. One great vendor for buying this is Shades of Paper – here is where it listed on their website.

- Jim Nickelson, Nickelson Editions

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Edward Weston at the Boston MFA

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS, New England on August 11, 2009 by voxphotographs

Until November 2 you can see some different Westons at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. They, along with a couple of Bravo, Modotti and Strand images (and a couple of Brett Weston’s too) are part of the exhibit: Viva Mexico! Edward Weston and His Contemporaries.

ctr_image_8235

As the exhibit blurb says, it’s a wide range of subject: from nudes to Mexican toys. I wouldn’t RUN down to Boston to see this, or make a special trip. But if you’re going to the Museum, certainly take a look. Chances are you won’t have seen most of them before.

What IS worth going to is the Museum store – especially the bookstore. I dare you to leave without purchasing a book! I picked up “PHOTOGRAPHY”, part of the MFA Highlights series. My copy sits on the table still shrinkwrapped, but as soon as I reach the end of this sentence, I’m going to break it open and disappear for an hour so I need to tell you that in 1924 the MFA received a gift from Alfred Stieglitz of 27 of his photographs and that’s what launched their photography collection, based on donations only until the 1960’s and there is a great little “history of photography” lesson at the beginning of the book full of great images and then their own collection is represented as divided into categories by content: figures, landscapes, city views and still lifes!

Look out couch, here I come!

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Freddie Gould steals my heart…

Posted in EXHIBITS/SHOWS, Maine on July 22, 2009 by voxphotographs

I’ve run into Freddie Gould twice now at the Portland Museum of Art, and each time I see him, I fall further in love. He’s the son of a local fisherman and that suits me just fine. (Sorry, Linden, but…). I intend to see him there again. In fact, several times before September 7.

cupid_pl36 Cupid, 1866 (Freddie Gould) • Julia Margaret Cameron • Private collection

Because September 7th is the last day anyone can view the marvelous exhibit “For My Best Beloved Sister Mia” – An Album of Photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron. You wouldn’t be reading a photography blog if you thought Cameron’s 1860’s photographs are just dated, dusty portraits that suffer from scratches due to poor handling, so I’ll spare you the history of this iconic artist.

We are lucky in Maine to have this opportunity to study Cameron’s work. The congenial security guards at the PMA are watching, but allow me to put my face pretty darn close to the glass of these photographs, and I can stare for as long as I like. I saw two of her originals at AIPAD this past March and they were one of the highlights of my day there. The photographs in this PMA exhibit were all bound into an huge album Cameron had sent to her sister Mia, who was in London and ailing. The album, when initially sent, contained only other photographers’ work in the back half of the book. Cameron made the promise to Mia that she would fill up the front half of it with her own work. She was a person who kept her promises.

Learning from Curator Susan Danly that Cameron grew up surrounded by sisters, aunts and female cousins is one of the most important pieces of information to know as you view the work. Cameron’s deep connection to her subjects and the palpable intimacy that glows from the photographs confirms an empathy and understanding that cannot be faked.

It’s hard to choose favorites in this show of glowing stars, but I have them. Starting with the boy Freddie Gould obviously! There are 6 or so photographs that include Freddie and he is an angel incarnate in them. No one can deny that Cameron has produced a miracle with this model – you can practically have a conversation with him, she has been so successful working with him.

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ewensbride_pl46
My Ewen’s Bride of the 18th of November 1869, 1869 • Julia Margaret Cameron • Private collection

Her images of Julia Jackson and Annie Chinery are so moving it’s difficult to find words to describe them. Whether it’s Julia in a gorgeous big hat with her huge eyes looking directly at you, or Annie in her bridal photograph, you won’t find finer portraits anywhere.

What did Mia think as all of these photographs arrived on her doorstep over the years, I wonder? Could she have possibly known how inspired her sister’s work was? Many of Cameron’s photographs are blurry, smudged and scratched. She saw her photographs as serious works of art and all of these effects are very deliberate. There were few precedents anyway: photography first saw the light of day in 1839.

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sirhenrytaylor_pl35-1

A Rembrandt (Sir Henry Taylor), 1864 • Julia Margaret Cameron • Private collection

Her photographs of Alfred Lord Tennyson (“The Dirty Monk”, 1865) her husband, Charles Hay Cameron, and an absolute masterpiece of Sir Henry Taylor (“A Rembrandt”, 1865) are worth several trips to the exhibition themselves.

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The Kiss of Peace 1869 The Kiss of Peace, 1869 • Julia Margaret Cameron

Two of Cameron’s most important images are in the exhibit: “Yes or No”, 1865, and “Kiss of Peace”, 1869. I don’t have to explain why because you’ll be seeing them for yourself and you will know why when you do.

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Summer Days-April 1866 Summer Days, April 1866 • Julia Margaret Cameron

There are three group portraits in this exhibition that brought tears to my eyes (okay – I’m a nut when it comes to photography). Cameron’s “Summer Days”, 1865, featuring three young women and Freddie Gould sum up Cameron’s power in a single image.

The other two group shots are by Oscar Gustave Rejlander. One, of four of Cameron’s five sons, “My Cameron Clan”, 1863, is worthy of many minutes of study. All four young men have taken stances that exude their personalities in detail and the photograph is just a beauty.

tennyson_pl65
Lionel, Emily, Alfred and Hallam Tennyson, circa 1862 • Oscar Gustave Rejlander • Private collection

Rejlander’s “Tennyson Family”, 1862, of Alfred Lord Tennyson, his wife and two children walking through their garden towards the photographer is so breathtaking that I actually considered if it would fit in my purse. (No.) Can you imagine being able to look at it every day for the rest of your life (if you are allowed invaluable photographs on cell walls)?

And Rejlander’s exquisite photograph of young “William Bayley”, 1860 should be the standard for all portrait photographers. How the heck did he do it?

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Born in 1815, Julia Margaret Cameron was given a camera in 1863. She was considered an exacting director when it came to setting up her subjects for their photographs. Many of her images reflected her devotion to the Christian faith, and the popular custom of the time – setting up “tableaus” that reflected allegorical subject matter.

Her work is so singular and so vital to understanding contemporary photography that I suggest you avail yourself of the book available at the Museum shop: “Julia Margaret Cameron – A Critical Biography” if you don’t already have it. And of course, owning it means you can appreciate Freddie Gould any day of the week.

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