In case you’re living in a cave and don’t know about this already, there’s a very extensive retrospective of Paul Caponigro’s photographs on view at the Farnsworth Art Museum through October 9, 2011 – and he is the recipient of the Museum’s “Maine in America Award” for 2011.
Backlit Sunflower, 1965©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
I viewed the exhibit for the second time just as the museum opened on Sunday and that was the right atmosphere – the quiet time of day allowed me to focus completely. Go when you have time and the space to stand there and “read” the photographs thoroughly. You will be rewarded. Before you start, you need to understand how vital the artist’s love of music is to his photographic works – the photographs are visual scores almost each and every time.
Caponigro starting taking photographs in the 50′s, and it’s a lesson in itself to see the early works side by side with recent ones. In the late ’50′s he met and studied with Minor White. Weirdly enough, the morning after the Farnworth’s Members’ Opening on May 6, I reviewed the portfolio of an artist in Boston who had studied with them both in the 60′s, and was getting back into photography in a big way. His work reflected their influence strongly – small, black and white images, often of nature. I encouraged this artist to continue to respect his early influences but move forward with digital exploration, and test some of his work in much larger sizes, and he should have some wonderful work coming down the pike as a result of building on the foundation of Caponigro’s and White’s teachings.
Stone Arch, Reefert Church, Glendalough, Ireland, 1993©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
The Caponigro exhibit at the Farnsworth is divided into locations around the world and then one section for still lifes. His images of stone churches in Ireland are masterful, and for me the perfect-in-every-way “Meadow and Church, Glenadlough, Wicklow, Ireland, 1967″- although less dramatic than the stone entrances, windows and arches – is one of the best images to spend time with. Unfortunately, I can’t find it reproduced online, so you’ll see it fresh when you go!
Inner Trilithon, Sunrise, Stonehenge, England, 1970©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
In a similar vein, Caponigro’s pictures of Stonehenge are amazing. You must keep in mind these images were taken in the 70′s for the most part – and every Tom, Dick and Harry has taken Stonehenge pictures since. I wonder if anyone has come close to Caponigro’s “Inner Trilithon, Sunrise, Stonehenge, England, 1970″...as far as I’m concerned Caponigro set the bar very, very high. It’s one of the best images in the exhibit.
Tree and Cloud, New Mexico, 1980©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
“Tree and Cloud, New Mexico, 1980″ was a hit for everyone I talked to who has seen the exhibit. It is awkward and magnificent at the same time – that unique visual experience I’m always talking about. The “Monument Valley Storm, 1970″ is another personal favorite I spent a lot of time with.
Reflecting Stream, Redding, CT, 1968©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
Another hit for me was “Reflecting Stream, Redding, CT, 1968″. It includes so much in the way of breathtaking photographic mastery, and this reproduction doesn’t do it justice, trust me.
Shoreline, Montauk Point, 1972©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
There are pictures of France (loved “Tournous Abbey, France, 1987″) and Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. A superb, simple image that oozes mastery is “Shoreline, Montauk Point, 1972″. Take a good, long look at it. I’m still shaking my head in wonder over it.
It’s good to be reminded Caponigro was once a student too – as evidenced by the photographs of peeling paint and a long view of Acadia’s coastline. And the works of Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples left me totally cold, as they did several others who have seen the exhibit.
Two Pears, Cushing, Maine, 1999©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
Now on to the still lifes. Read the blurb of why the artist starting making these again in the 90′s and enjoy his exquisite “Two Pears, Cushing, Maine, 1999″. But two images from the 60′s take center stage for me: “Galaxy Apple, New York, 1964″ and the simply unforgettable “Backlit Sunflower, 1965″, the latter getting my vote, along with the “Inner Trilithon” image, for the top two photographs in the entire exhibit.
Galaxy Apple, New York, 1964©Paul Caponigro. All Rights Reserved
Several people I talked to about the exhibit were underwhelmed from time to time as they viewed, but, as with many of earlier masters’ works – like Weston’s F64 crew – the viewer needs to remember that being first out of the box means you’ll be inspiration for (and copied by) everyone who follows. The work can seem dated at times – because it is! It’s 60 years of work! And it’s an opportunity for us all to become very aware of Caponigro’s importance in the history of photography. Eliot Porter and Paul Caponigro’s reverence for their natural world subject matter was a whole new beginning for the decades to follow.
Paul Caponigro has never been appreciated nationally and internationally at the level I believe he should – but he doesn’t even have a website that I could find, so keeps a low profile. The Farnsworth Art Museum exhibition gives us a golden opportunity to bask in the light of this master’s life work – right here in our comfortable backyard.