Sunday, August 31, 2008

Graphic Intersections

Ben Alper of The Exposure Project has another interesting project in the works.


In the spirit of artistic collaboration, The Exposure Project is pleased to announce the unveiling of a new, somewhat experimental photographic endeavor. Graphic Intersections, loosely inspired by the old Surrealist and Dadaist game Exquisite Corpse, is a project that will attempt to unite disparate artists in an interconnected, photographic relay of images inspired by one another. For those unfamiliar with Exquisite Corpse, it is succinctly described here:

"Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution."

Essentially, this is how Graphic Intersections will work. We will collect submissions from interested photographers until September 30, at which point we will select the participating artists and designate one of these photographers to start the whole thing off. The first photographer will be given a prompting word or concept to work from and will subsequently make photographs inspired by this idea. They will send us their favorite and most representative image from this session which we will then send along to the next artist. The succeeding artist, based solely on their visual, emotional, intellectual, or philosophical response, will in turn make photographs in artistic reaction to the one they were given. The artists involved will not be given any written material to accompany the photograph, nor will they know whose image they're responding to. This is designed to propagate randomness and avoid preconceived biases. This process will continue until the chain has been completed.

There are a few stipulations with the Graphic Intersections project. Firstly, participating photographers will be required to shoot, develop/import and submit their chosen image in no more than 2 weeks. I realize that this does not leave a tremendous amount of time to carry out this process. However, in the interest of completing this venture in under a year it seems necessary to instate a specific time frame. Secondly, chosen photographers will have to exercise a certain amount of patience and trust in the process, as there will be 15-20 artists each with a two week time slot. Lastly, images submitted for this project must be taken specifically for Graphic Intersections. Each photographer must submit a new image which does exist in a previously constructed body of work.

As visual artists, our creative decisions are largely affected by a myriad of personal, social, political and aesthetic issues, all of which impact the photographs we make. With a such a diverse array of artistic identities included in one project, we hope that Graphic Intersections will facilitate greater communication and solidarity, not only between the photographers involved, but between the images produced.

So, if anyone wants to partake in this unpredictable photographic relay race, send an e-mail to ben@theexposureproject.com with Graphic Intersections in the subject header. You do not need to send any images, bios or statements, just your website link (if you have one) and confirmation that you want to participate.


Looks like a great opportunity to do something different and get inspired while doing it. Be sure to check the Exposure Project Blog to see some great work too!

PopPhoto Interview: Rineke Dijkstra

Take a look at this year old interview for PopPhoto .com by Anne-Celine Jaeger with the very talented Rineke Dijkstra: www.popphoto.com

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Mickey Smith at CPW

Mickey Smith: Collections is on view August 30-October 26 at The Center for Photography at Woodstock. There will be an opening and lecture on Saturday, September 13.

Suzanne Opton Denied Billboard Space

Read Susan Sauly's article for the New York Times titled
Battles Over Billboard Space Precede G.O.P. Gathering published August 29, 2008, here.
See Suzanne Opton photographs at www.soldiersface.com and at www.suzanneopton.com.

The Girl in the Window

Via Women Photojournalists of Washington I came across the affecting reportage about Dani Lierow, titled The Girl in The Window, by photographer Melissa Lyttle and writer Lane DeGregory. Find out more at www.zreportage.com.

Lane Collins

We are happy to have been added to the blog roll (also know as “Blogrolliciouscrumpdiddlyumptiousness”) of Lane Collins. Like Liz Kuball, Lane offers a frank discussion of her process/ journey & the struggle artists so often face.
More about Lane Collins coming soon. Stay tuned.


? © Lane Collins

Friday, August 29, 2008

Brea Souders

(via pause to begin) Brea Souders is having her first solo show, Time Between, running from September 6 - October 12 at the Abrons Arts Center, Henry Street Settlement, in lower Manhattan. The opening reception is Saturday, September 13, from 6:30 - 8:30pm.

From her artist statement:
I’m interested in the way superstitions reflect the human urge for story telling and our need for control in an uncertain world. They act as portals to a childhood sensibility, and can transform an ordinary scene into a mysterious tableau, rich with new meaning. While researching this project, I found that superstitions morph from place to place, but certain themes remain constant. I became interested in what these themes can tell us about our fears and desires, and how they shape our psychology from an early age. Using both meditated and candid photography, I look to capture the whimsy and tension that superstitions evoke in us, and to illuminate the scope of our collective imaginings.



TIME BETWEEN
Photographs by Brea Souders
Sep. 6 - Oct. 12, 2008

Opening Reception
September 13, 2008
6:30 -8:30pm

Gallery Hours:
Tuesdays-Saturdays: 9am - 10pm
Sundays: 10am - 6pm

Address:
Abrons Arts Center
466 Grand at Pitt
New York, NY 10002
212.598.0400

Reminder: Porfolio Review Session at Enfoco

En Foco is a non-profit organization that seeks to support fine art contemporary and documentary photographers of diverse cultures and backgrounds. They often host many professional building programs like their Portfolio Review Sessions.


This workshop is only available to current En Foco Members (ALL are welcome to join). Each review session lasts for 20 minutes; photographers are guaranteed a minimum of three reviews and receive a 'gift bag.' Upon registration, participants will receive an article written by photo marketing expert Mary Virginia Swanson, on how to best prepare themselves for the Review.

Reviewer´s confirmed to date (8/13/08) include:

* Rocio Aranda-Alvarado, Jersey City Museum
* Kalia Brooks, Arts Consultant and Curator
* Mary Ann Fahey, Umbrella Arts Gallery
* Elizabeth Ferrer, Rotunda Gallery (am session only)
* Hannah Frieser, Light Work
* Elvis Fuentes, El Museo del Barrio
* Michelle Graham, Getty Images
* Charles Guice, Charles Guice Contemporary
* Lisa Henry, Independent Curator
* Stella Kramer, Photography Consultant
* Joanna Lehan, Aperture
* Vincent Nelson, The Black Book
* Edwin Ramoran, ALJIRA Center for Contemporary Art
* Elizabeth Shank, Silverstein Gallery (am session only)
* Jill Waterman, PDNedu and ASMP Bulletin
* Deborah Willis, Curator, Historian


Talk about a group of people you'd want seeing your work.

Location: Calumet Photographic
22 West 22nd Street
New York, NY
Date: Saturday, September 13, 2008
10am-5:00pm

Cost: $100 = members only (ALL are welcome to join)
$100 + $45 = non-members (click HERE to see member benefits and join!)

Space is limited, BUY ONLINE NOW to guarantee your spot, or call 718.931.9311 with your credit card.

Head over to this website to read the reviewers' bios and more details about the program and En Foco.

Annie Leibovitz in Paris

A Photographer's Life 1990-2005, the Annie Leibovitz retrospective is on view through September 14, 2008 MEP.

Maison Europeene de la Photographie
5/7 rue de Fourcy, 75004 Paris
France
Phone: +33(0)1.44787500

Thursday, August 28, 2008

A Conversation with Polixeni Papapetrou


Polixeni Papapetrou depicts a childhood much different from mine. She comes from a lush Australian landscape and I come from small neighborhoods in Brooklyn. However, most children have dreams of play in open fields and all things that remind one of fairy tales.

I came across Polixeni's work through checking up on this Fall's gallery listings. There are many good shows to open and her series, Games of Consequence, is definitely one of the gems to see. She was kind enough to share some insight to this series.


Rope & The Fall ©Polixeni Papapetrou

NP: Tell us a little about yourself.

PP: I was born in Melbourne, Australia, where I still live and work. After leaving school, I studied law and began my professional working life as a lawyer. I worked as a lawyer from 1985 to 2001. While I was a law student I met an artist who introduced me to the world of art and photography. My interest in photography went beyond looking at it and I wanted to start making pictures. I began studying photography as a part time student at RMIT University, Melbourne while still working as a lawyer. In 2001 I left the law to devote my time to photography and study. In 2007 I graduated with a PhD in fine arts from Monash University, Melbourne.


NP: How did you discover photography?

PP: I started taking photographs in 1986 and was drawn to people who were exploring the themes of personal identity expressed through dress and popular culture, the cult of the body, brand names and consumerism. The themes of dress-ups, performance and the representation of identity have been a common thread the work I have made about Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe fans, drag queens, body builders and more recently children.



Dreams Are Like Water & Miles from Nowhere ©Polixeni Papapetrou

NP: Where do you find inspiration?

PP: The birth of my two children in 1997 and 1999 inspired me to make works about childhood, although I had been thinking about this subject matter even before they born. Photographs of children hold certain magic and appeal for me because of things we don’t yet know about children when looking at their photograph: the mystery of their future and the unknown experiences and fate that lie ahead. The period of childhood is a small space of time in the context of a lifetime, yet it is the part of our life that we like to hang on to, go back to and reflect upon. I am interested in preserving the moments of a child’s life, whether staged or not, that would be forever lost to me because the photograph is stronger than my ability to remember and keeps the memory alive.

I started making pictures about childhood because I wanted to express ideas about our culture that are best portrayed through the symbol of the child, but more importantly, I am fascinated by the world of childhood. I am conscious that my work on the one hand, takes the viewer into the realms of fantasy and story telling, but on the other hand, it challenges our expectations regarding the portrayal of childhood in photography.

In my earlier work on childhood I was interested exploring the imaginative space of childhood and play. In Dreamchild (2003) and Wonderland (2004), I re-staged the 19th century photography and story telling of Lewis Carroll. In Phantomwise (2002) I explored the power of dress-ups and masks in transforming appearance and boundary crossing. After making this work I moved from the realm of fantasy into the natural world. This seemed to be an appropriate move as the children were growing older and their experience of the world was shifting from the imaginative interior world of dress-ups and make-believe into a more pragmatic experience with the world outside. I became interested in stories about children’s experiences outside of the home. So I turned to the Australian landscape to tell these stories in Haunted Country 2006 and more recently in Games of Consequence 2008.

Dight Falls ©Polixeni Papapetrou

NP: How did this project come about?

PP: In my most recent work, Games of Consequence, 2008, I wanted to explore some ideas about the changed social landscape of childhood. The process of growing up in the modern world has changed and as my children—the subjects of much of my work—are growing up, the exploration of personal individuality seemed natural for me. I think that times have changed. It’s more or less impossible now for children to just hang out with other kids and wander off only to return in time for dinner. But that’s how I remember spending my childhood and adolescence – I seemed to have lots of freedom, time felt very still for me and I wasted it away. My children’s lives are so different to mine – much more regulated and organised – which is to be expected as technology has changed our lives and our experience of the world.

The ideas for the pictures in Games of Consequence came from my childhood memories of play, whether I was out wandering by myself or playing with friends where, for much of the time, I was not overly constrained by adult supervision. My friends and I had the freedom to explore the world beyond home; places I now think of as hallowed childhood spaces. In exploring my childhood memories of play, I wanted to reflect on the liberties that we had in these arcane spaces. I would like to think that I have conveyed the idea of a free wandering and self-determination of childhood experience before life became so heavily controlled by parental involvement and keen media interest.

By exploring the world beyond the home, we created for ourselves worlds that were full of possibility wonder and adventure. As a child, I experienced the landscape as a type of contested paradise. Even though we played at what seemed to be risky locations by rivers, full of snakes in summer, in ravines or in isolated places, somehow we grew up regardless and never thought that any harm would come to us.

I sometimes remember our playing as treading a fine line between fun and peril. To tie somebody to a tree or to swing from a tree was fun, sometimes these games ended in tears, but this was part of the process. I remember these situations as exhilarating and full of risk, but we had to think, act and negotiate our way out of them and I think must have been character-building for us. We learnt to trust ourselves, our friends and the decisions we made. I think that we navigated our way into adolescence and adulthood by coping with the range of experiences thrown at us.

In the title ‘Games of Consequence’, I wanted to suggest that with some of the games that children play, there comes a point when they might perceive how their actions and moods have consequences. There is the ever-present fear of malice among the children themselves, and I wanted to capture this mood. There is always the threat of other children hurting and humiliating you. Playing with friends was a time where you could test yourself and test your friends. Perhaps this has not changed much, except that we have adult supervision of play now to prevent it. The innocent plays of the children in part symbolize the last step of childhood, the last chance for them to remain young.



NP: What difficulties did you encounter while working on this series?

PP: When working outside of the studio there are many things that are more difficult to manage such as the light, the inclemency of the weather and communicating my ideas to the children. The sun appears when I least want it to and disappears when I need it the most. The light in Australia can be very bright. When making "The storm" the weather changed unexpectedly and resulted in this photograph. I am always more conscious of the children’s safety when working outdoors and in the warmer months we had to keep a watch out for snakes if we are close to a river.


NP: What's next (in terms of future projects, shows, residencies, books)?

PP: What I hope for the future is to continue making work that explores ideas of childhood, the transition between childhood into the next stage and tracing the lives of the children for as long as I’m lucky enough to do so.

NP: Thank you!

To see more of Polixeni's work, head to her website: www.polixenipapapetrou.net. She is currently represented by Foley Gallery in New York and is participating in a solo show, opening September 4, 2008.

"Games of Consequence"
Polixeni Papapetrou
Foley Gallery
547 West 27th Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10001
September 4 - October 11, 2008

Opening reception: Thursday, September 4, 6 - 8PM


Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Penelope Umbrico

I usually throw the Crate & Barrel type catalogs in the recycle bin, but photographer Penelope Umbrico shops their pages for unexpected image tropes that reveal our desires.

Here's a link to a guest post by Umbrico on

www.Artfagcity.com

Aperture Panel Discussion with WIPNYC

September promises to be an exciting month with lots of exciting exhibits coming up such as Alessandra Sanguinetti at Yossi Milo, Polixeni Papapetrou at Foley Gallery, Michal Chelbin at Andrea Meislin, a new show at Sasha Wolf Gallery and so many more.
Another exciting event to put on the schedule is an Aperture panel discussion with WIPNYC -- which I just found out about via Amy Elkins blog.

Two Nymphoto Conversations in One Week!

While we interrupted our 'regular scheduled programming' yesterday to announce the joining of Jane Tam, we will feature our usual Thursday conversation tomorrow. The interview was conducted by Jane herself and the artist is Polixeni Papapetrou - who has a show opening at Foley Gallery next week.
Stay tuned for this great conversation.

Annika Larsson

Annika Larsson
Andrehn-Schiptjenko
Hudiksvallsgatan 8
113 53 Stockholm
Sweden
Phone: +46 8.6120075
August 28 - September 21, 2008

Opening reception: August 28, 2008 -5p.m.

tinytinygroupshow: simoultaneous 08.26.2008

See work by Hee Jin Kang, Allison V. Smith, Liz Kuball, Kelly Shimoda, Sonja Thomsen, Amy Stein & others at: kevinmiyazaki.blogspot.com in tinytinygroupshow #6.

Victoria Sambunaris @ Women in Photography

Head over to WIPNYC.ORG to see the work of Victoria Sambunaris.

Melanie Pullen

On view through September 1, 2008:

Melanie Pullen
Violent Times
Ace Gallery Los Angeles
Institute Of Contemporary Art
@ The Wilshire Tower
5514 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

A Conversation with Jane Tam

At last we want to officially welcome Nymphoto's newest member: Jane Tam!
We are really excited that Jane joined us and wanted to welcome her in style and thus she is our current Featured Artist. So head over to the Nymphoto website's Featured Artist section to read our conversation with Jane and to discover more of her outstanding work.


from Foreigners in Paradise © Jane Tam

Monday, August 25, 2008

More Rona!

Us Nymphoto Ladies are on fire these days ;)
Head over to I Heart Photograph to see more work of Nymphoto's Rona Chang.
And also to 52 Photographers, another site featuring Rona's work!


Fireworks, Kuanyin, Taiwan © Rona Chang

Polixeni Papapetrou

I can't believe September is coming up so soon! While summer is on its decline, the lineup of shows is inspirational.

Foley Gallery
presenting "Games of Consequence", an exhibition of new photographs by Australian photographer Polixeni Papapetrou.

From the press release:
With the variant, looming contours of rural Australia to serve as scenery, photographer Polixeni Papapetrou sets her adolescent models into a potent series of reminiscent yet equivocal scenes of childhood play. Her prowess in and predilection for polished composition yields Papapetrou the crisp, cinematic stills of "Games of Consequence". It is intently, the flawless articulation of these exacted elements: the leer of a black river, the pair of cardinal-red stockings, and coiled skipping rope in Papapetrou's photographs that beguile us into enchanted memories of a near forgotten past.



Foley Gallery
547 West 27th Street, 5th floor
September 4 - October 11, 2008
Opening: Thursday, September 4, 6 - 8PM

Lens Culture & Camilla Holmgren

Over the weekend Paris based Jim Casper, the editor of online magazine Lens Culture (a publication very receptive to women artists) send us a link to the work of artist Camilla Holmgren. Camilla has said about this body of work that she "became interested in the convincing qualities of imperfection" and that she was interested in exploring through a woman's eye the theme of women as erotic beings.
Camilla Holmgren represented her home country of Denmark at the Rencontres Festival in Arles. See more of Camilla's work via www.lensculture.com.


from "Don't Look Now" courtesy Lensculture/ © Camilla Holmgren

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Self-Publishing

Emily Shur wrote a while back about her experience with Blurb, and yesterday Joerg Colberg of Conscientious wrote an excellent account of his endeavor into self-publishing. This is a helpful post and hopefully it will broaden the discussion & encourage information exchange about this relevant topic.


Blurb Book 2.0 © Emily Shur

Neeta Madahar

I heart photograph is being guest blogged by the talented Michael Bühler-Rose (what a great name!), and he decided to feature the outstanding work of Neeta Madhar recently. You can see more of her exquisite nature explorations via veteran gallerist Julie Saul's website: www.saulgallery.com.
I love the Falling series, but Sustenance is one of my all time favorites -- the concept is brilliant on so many levels.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Great Oppurtunity: Amy Stein looking for a Digital Assistant

Head over to Amy Stein's blog to find out more about this excellent opportunity:amysteinphoto.blogspot.com

Women in the Arts

We are grateful to Tema Stauffer for posting about her history with Nymphoto today and to provide for newcomers to the collective some insight as to the history of the collective.
It is really exciting to see such an emergence in women artists, entrepreneurs, gallerists & curators.
20 years ago there were pioneers like Julie Saul, Mary Ellen Mark & Nan Goldin. But it seems often they had to operate in a vacuum. Times have changed and the Internet had no small part in it. Whether it is talented women photographers like Tema , the innovative 20x200 or sites like Women in Photography, blogs such as I heart photograph, the Ask Me I've Got Answers campaign or the outstanding Sasha Wolf Gallery (all run by women!) --the Internet has allowed for quicker and stronger community building worldwide (The Nymphoto blog has readers in about 50 countries!).
And thank you also to all of you readers & supporters.

Art in Review: Lisette Model

The New York Times published a short review of work by legend Lisette Model written by Ken Johnson on August 21, 2008 , read it here.
You can see Lisette Model's work until August 29, 2008 at Zabriskie Gallery.

Lisette Model 1901-1983
Zabriskie Gallery
41 East 57th Street
4th Floor
New York, NY

Friday, August 22, 2008

Intern Wanted for The Girl Project

Head over to The Girl Project Blog to find out who they are looking for: thegirlprojectblog.blogspot.com

Reminder: Jane Tam Opening Tonight

Jane Tam @
Hun Gallery: The Circular Exhibition: Term I
12 West 32nd street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001
Aug. 22. 2008- Aug. 28. 2008
Opening Reception- Aug. 22. 2008 (6pm-8pm)


from Welcome Home ©Jane Tam

Rona Chang & The Exposure Project

Head over to The Exposure Project, to see more of Nymphoto's Rona Chang's The Hold Over Water series - an impressive project that spans the globe and is beautiful to look at while simultaneously examining important issues.


Reservoir Drain © Rona Chang

Eminent Domain

There is one week (closes August 29) left to see the New York Public Library's Eminent Domain show curated by Stephen C. Pinson. The artists participating in the show are Thomas Holton, Bettina Johae, Reiner Leist, Zoe Leonard, Ethan Levitas, and Glenn Ligon. I thought it was a well curated show and well worth the time.

Eminent Domain
New York Public Library
42nd Street and Fifth Avenue

Michal Chelbin

The talented Michal Chelbin just came out with a newly published monograph, Strangely Familiar: Acrobats, Athletes, and Other Traveling Troupes, available to purchase on Aperture.

From her artist statement:

Most of the people I photograph have something in common; they are not the mainstream, and many of them are small town performers (For example, they could be dwarfs in a theatre play, ball room dancers or young contortionists). I try to photograph my subjects dislocated from their performing environment and set in casual settings, off stage: at home, on the street or in a park. Some of them with their costumes and others wear everyday cloths. I try to create a seemingly private moment, one where they are not performing or on stage. The main themes in my work are not social or topical, but private and mythical; I search for people who have a legendary quality in them; a mix between odd and ordinary.


She is also participating in a solo show at the Andrea Meislin Gallery.

Michal Chelbin
Andrea Meislin Gallery
Strangely Familiar
September 4 - October 18, 2008

Thursday, August 21, 2008

A Conversation with Tema Stauffer

Tema Stauffer also tells stories about America. However her storytelling is very universal. They are stories about struggle and humanity, beauty and life. There is certain quietness about Tema’s work and with one still image she can tell a life’s story - a true photographer.

Whether she is photographing people at a dog show, drifters out West or an ordinary gas station in the Midwest, Tema always portraits her subjects with interest and lets them shine.

Tema participated in the inaugural Nymphoto Show: Nymphoto Presents (as well as in Nymphoto's Filtered Show) and everyone at this jam-packed event loved her work -- and Tema’s Birdfeeder piece was the first to sell that night. We were not surprised. But we were proud!


Birdfeeder, 2001 & Umbrella, 2001 ©Tema Stauffer

NP: Tell us a little about yourself.

TS: I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is college town situated between Chicago and Detroit. Like the photographer, Dina Kantor, who was recently interviewed by Nymphoto, I am the daughter of a sociologist. My family existed within a close-knit circle of friends who were affiliated with Kalamazoo College, where my father taught, and who shared fairly liberal politics and strong values about the importance of education and community. Both of my parents nurtured my enthusiasm for art and literature from an early age, and I grew up playing the violin, taking art classes and reading a steady stream of books.

Probably the most significant thing about my childhood is the fact that since the moment I could talk, I was in total opposition to the idea of being a girl in any of the expected ways. My mother tells stories about how I went to grade school dressed as a cowboy, a carpenter, a clown, a tramp and a baseball player. I was essentially a scrawny and sensitive tomboy- willful and rebellious at times, but also studious and introspective. In physicality and temperament, as well as in my various curiosities and empathies, I was not unlike a 1970’s version of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird and Mick Kelly from The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

After the painful adolescence of a gay teenager growing up in a Midwestern town in the eighties, followed by a tumultuous and self-destructive period in my twenties, I am now a recently turned thirty-five year old transplant living in New York City. I spend much of my time at home writing and posting photos on the Internet, and when I do leave my Brooklyn apartment, I leave as a photographer, an artist, a window-dresser and a teacher. I constantly dream about traveling the country to explore its psychology and I plot ways to make it happen as often as I can.


Winter Gas Station, Front Yard, 2003 & Tampa Gas Station, 2007 ©Tema Stauffer


NP: How did you discover photography and what inspires you?

TS: My mother encouraged me to take my first photography class at the local art center when I was a junior in high school. I fell in love with photography immediately – it was the perfect medium to combine my interest in stories and images. My first pictures were of friends in cemeteries, abandoned buildings, rooftops and cornfields, as well as pictures of intriguing and seductive strangers who I spotted on the street – basically, the typical adolescent stuff. From as early as my first photography class at Oberlin College, it was clear to me that photography was my greatest passion and what I wanted to do with my life. Making that aspiration a reality has been a long
struggle, one that continues to this day. What inspires me has of course changed over time - from
friends and girlfriends, to quirky American environments, to the drug and crime riddled neighborhoods of Chicago, to quiet and minimal landscapes, to more recently, the history and dark undercurrent of the American West and its characters.


Car Skeleton, 2008 & White Horse, 2007 ©Tema Stauffer


NP: The other day, looking at a prospectus from your 2004 “American Stills” exhibit at The Rochester Art Center, I was struck again by how serene these landscapes are and how you seem very comfortable with solitude. In your interview on My Art Space with Brian Sherwin, you mention that you are – or were – shy. You recently posted portraits of people you encountered during your travels on your blog. Is photographing people who are at first strangers more challenging for you than photographing landscapes or organized/structured events (Chicago Police “Ride-alongs”,“Dog Show”)?

TS: I’m shy and I’m not shy. I’m a loner and I am people person. One of the aspects of photography I love the most is its ability to allow one some access to people and to experiences that might not otherwise happen. However clumsily I might approach these interactions at times, I am certainly motivated by an interest in people and a desire for intimacy.

I do appreciate solitude and empty space. I can happily travel alone for days at a time but I can barely make it a day in this city without some substantial email correspondence and a nocturnal phone conversation with a friend, as I am quite driven by communication, emotions and attachments.

I think photographing anything presents a set of challenges. Photographing people one knows intimately is challenging. Photographing strangers is challenging. Photographing an empty parking lot is challenging as it a might not be as obviously compelling as a human subject. The biggest challenge in photography for me is figuring what I want to photograph, and why, and how to put myself in proximity to that particular subject, whatever it may be.


Jesus Boy, 2007 & Spanish Fork, 2008 ©Tema Stauffer

NP: You mentioned your interest in the American West and recently posted images and stories on your excellent blog: www.palmaire.blogspot.com Your previous work also depicts America. Why do you photograph at home?

TS: Actually, I did apply for a McKnight Fellowship in 2005 while I still lived in Minnesota to work on a photography project in Japan examining the ways that the Japanese reinvent American western culture. I was a finalist for the fellowship, but I didn’t receive the grant support in the end. The project I conceived would simply not be possible to accomplish without significant financial assistance to facilitate the travel costs. But that said, and any lingering disappointment aside, I am invested in making work about America in America. The photographers whose work has interested me the most – Robert Frank, William Eggleston, Joel Sternfeld, Diane Arbus - to name just a few, have all explored the psychology of America through images of its landscape and its inhabitants. I see myself as working in an American photographic tradition that was established in the fifties, sixties and seventies - including the road trips. And perhaps some day, when I am finished making trips to the West, I’ll figure out a way to get to Japan.


NP: What’s next?

TS: I am hoping to make my next trip to Texas later in the fall to shoot new work. And if this season is anything like the last two, I will be devoting much of my energy to my various types of freelance work since this is the busiest time of year in New York for the fashion industry as well as the art world. I am also scheduled to teach a class at The School of the International Center of Photography beginning in October. So, as usual, I will be juggling a number of very different areas of my life and trying to enjoy all of it at once.


NP: Thank you!

To see more of Tema’s work visit her site: www.temastauffer.com and make sure to check out her blog: www.palmaire.blogspot.com -where you can see her latest images and find some beautiful writing from Tema about her work.

Tina Barney, Daniela Rossell, Diane Arbus & More

Also closing soon is "The Good Life" exhibit at Yancey Richardson, also in Chelsea.
This show features work by greats such as Tina Barney, Diane Arbus & many others.
The exhibition's last day is also August 22nd, 2008. Find out more about this show at: www.yanceyrichardson.com

Yancey Richardson Gallery is located at: 535 West 22nd Street 3rd floor New York, New York

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Jane, Jane & More Jane!

Nymphoto's Jane Tam has work in several upcoming shows. More info below. Congrats, Jane!


©Jane Tam

Hun Gallery: The Circular Exhibition: Term I

http://hungallery.org

Aug. 22. 2008- Aug. 28. 2008

Opening Reception- Aug. 22. 2008 (6pm-8pm)

12 West 32nd street, 3rd Floor

New York, NY 10001

The exhibition will then travel to Seoul, Korea and be exhibited at:

Gallery Ho: The Circular Exhibition: Term II

http://galleryho.com/

Sep. 11. 2008 – Sep. 20. 2008

Opening Reception- Sep. 11. 2008 (6pm-8pm)

Seocho Dong 1538-4,

Seocho Gu, Seoul, Korea


Seeking Identity curated by Jamason Chen

Pingyao International Photography Festival

http://en.pipphoto.com/

Sep. 19. 2008 - Sep. 26. 2008

Pingyao, China


SPE: Women's Caucus Exhibition (show title pending)

Northlight Gallery

http://art.asu.edu/gallery/northlight

Oct. 20. 2008 - Nov. 15. 2008

Tempe, Arizona

Young Curators, New Ideas- NOW

For those who did not here about the opening elsewhere Young Curators, New Ideas is up now!
ON VIEW: Wednesday, August 13 – Saturday, September 6, 2008

BOND STREET GALLERY
297 Bond Street | Brooklyn, NY 11231 (Carroll Gardens)
718.858.2297 | DIRECTIONS: F/G to Carroll St. or R to Union St.

GALLERY HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday | 11 am – 6 pm

BOND STREET GALLERY is pleased to announce Young Curators, New Ideas, a group exhibition organized by amani olu and curated by Alana Celii & Grant Willing (Fjord Photo), Michael Bühler-Rose, Jon Feinstein (Humble Arts Foundation), Laurel Ptak (I heart Photograph), Amy Stein (amysteinphoto.blogspot.com), and Lumi Tan (Why + Wherefore).

The exhibition examines different trends and perspectives in contemporary art photography through the bias of six new and seasoned curators. Each curator (or curatorial group), using roughly ten feet of space, aims to engage viewers in a discussion on where he or she believes art photography is today.

Hee Jin Kang in Red Wing

Hee Jin Kang has embarked on photographing & tracing the roots of her parents in Red Wing, Minnesota - something she talked about when Rona interviewed her for this blog.
Keep up with Hee Jin Kan's experience via her blog: www.heejinkang.wordpress.com

Hee Jin: we are happy you made it to Red Wing in one piece :)

Ellen Auerbach, Ilse Bing, Bernice Abbot & Many More

Last chance to see the "Of the Refrain" exhibit at Robert Mann Gallery - the show's last day of exhibition is August 22, 2008.
Beautiful work by many great photographers (and very inclusive of women artists!).
Find out more about the show at: www.robertmann.com

Robert Mann Gallery is located at 210 Eleventh Avenue in the heart of New York's Chelsea Gallery district,

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Juliana Beasley Opening

(via Amy Stein) See the work of Julianna Beasley, starting Thursday at Farmani Gallery in Brooklyn:

Human Condition
Farmani Gallery
August 21-31, 2008
111 Front Street, Gallery 212
Brooklyn, NY
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 21, 6-8:30pm

Rona Chang on 1000 Words Photography

© Rona Chang

Rona Chang is currently featured on the 1000 Words Photography blog. She submitted her "Hold Over Water" series for consideration to the magazine. The blog and the magazine are both a must-read.

Jodi Cobb

Find out more about National Geographic staff photographer Jodi Cobb, who was featured on The Charlie Rose Show: www.photography.nationalgeographic.com

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Saturday, August 16, 2008

PhotoNola Portfolio Review this December

Registration for the PhotoNOLA Portfolio Review starts today. You can find out more here: www.photonola.org

Erin Patrice O'Brien Opening

(Via Whats the Jackanory?)

Tonight is the opening reception for Erin Patrice O'Brien's
"Mamás Adolescentes: NYC 2006-2007"

A
photo exhibition that chronicles two years in the lives of Mexican-American teenage mothers in Brooklyn, NY. The photos in this exhibit are windows into a world that is largely hidden. They tell the story of Fanny, Elizabeth, Maria, Gina and Yolanda when there is no one else to tell it for them.

On View: Saturday, August 16 - Saturday, August 24, 2008

Opening Reception: Saturday, August 16, 2008 4-7pm

Artist Panel Discussion: Saturday, August 16, 3-4pm.

Moderator: Yesenia Ruiz, PhD Candidate, Anthropology

Panel: Dr. Yvette Martas, former Director of the Adolescent OB/Gyn Clinic at Bellevue Hospital, Franziska Castillo, former Contributing Editor of Latina Magazine and Public Relations Manager from El Museo del Barrio and Erin Patrice O'Brien, photographer. Curated by Nina Ziefvert.

Danny Simmons’ Corridor Gallery, 334 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238

After the birth of her own daughter in 2005, Photographer Erin O’Brien was struck by how overwhelming motherhood could be and wanted to know how being a mom felt to those barely into adulthood themselves. Dedicated to documenting the situation Erin contacted Dr. Yvette Martas, head of the Bellevue Hospital Adolescent OBGYN clinic, who in 2005 introduced her to Fanny, 14, Elizabeth , 15, years , Maria, 18, Gina, 16, and Yolanda, 17. After that Erin met with the girls on a regular basis and photographed the girls’ during their pregnancies and for up to a year after their babies’ births. Many of the girls are first generation immigrants, with limited knowledge of English, in search of new lives, but instead have wound up in tenement apartments they share with other families. Cut off from school and friends, they are dependant on their younger siblings or roommates to translate for them, and caring for their babies alone all day often results in isolation. “Erin made these young women feel important by validating their lives by photographing them when the whole society ignores them”, says Dr. Yvette Martas.

The teen pregnancy rate among Latinas is nearly twice the national average, and rising. According to the Latino Initiative’s National Campaign, the birth rate for Latinas aged 15-19 increased in 16 of 37 reporting states and the District of Columbia between 1990 and 2005. Source: www.thenationalcampaign.org

Friday, August 15, 2008

Renate Aller

Renate Aller's Seascapes-One Location (1999-2008) will be on view at Aplanat Galerie fuer Fotografie in Hamburg, Germany until September 6, 2008.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

A Conversation with Hidemi Takagi

Hidemi Takagi is one of the brightest and colorful personalities that I know and her work is a reflection of her optimism. Her Blender project takes a closer look at the products available in different ethnic neighborhoods across New York City.


Nigeria from "blender" © Hidemi Takagi
Product: Biscuits, Product of Nigeria
Store: the African Market, 494 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Neighborhood: Bed Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (C/S train Franklin Ave stop)
Ethnic Group in Bed Stuyvesant,: African, Caribbean and African American


"Nowhere is there such an intersection of cultures as in New York City. As an immigrant who has lived in New York for over 10 years, traveling among the five boroughs using public transportation is still fascinating and exciting; being in this city can feel like visiting another country. People celebrate the customs and holidays of their country by wearing folk costumes on the street. Awnings with messages in entirely unfamiliar alphabets are completely common. Many of them advertise goods catering to specific nationalities and cultures, especially foods that were brought here or requested by immigrants living in neighborhoods like Brighton Beach, Jackson Heights, or Flushing. The packaging of these products is a form of art that tells stories and helps remind people that their culture is alive. In this way, immigrants in New York City can prevent the fading of identification with their native culture.


Poland from "blender" © Hidemi Takagi
Product: Baby Food/ juice, Product of Poland
Store: Jantar Deli: 66-66 Fresh Pond Rd Ridgewood NY
Neighborhood: Ridgewood, Queens (M train Fresh pond Rd stop)
Ethnic Group in Ridgewood: Romanian, People from Former Yugoslavia, Polish, Latino and German (former)


Blender is my ongoing project in which I investigate the diverse immigrant cultures in New York City. The project includes photos of the packaging of food products from various neighborhoods with a large immigrant influence accompanied by texts (short stories as well as notes on the history, culture, and trivia relating to immigrant-heavy areas), maps, and a website. I'm showing photos and presenting short texts on the New York City neighborhoods where the photographed food products can be found.The look of these food packages often has an old-fashioned feel: bright, saturated colors and outmoded designs that are rare in both Japan, where I'm from, and America, where I now live. Through this project I hope to show that art can transcend time and language even through the simplest imagery found on a candy wrapper. Blender is a lens into New York's immigrant communities and cultures."


Italy from "blender" © Hidemi Takagi
Product: Chamomile Tea, Product of Italy
Store: Mount Carmel Gourmet Food @ The Arthur Avenue Retail Market: 2344 Arthur Avenue, Bronx, NY
Neighborhood: Belmont, Bronx (4/D train to Fordham Road then #12 bus heading east OR 2/5 train to Pelham Parkway then #12 bus heading west)
Ethnic Group in Belmont: Italian American, Albanian and Mexican



Russia from "blender" © Hidemi Takagi
Product: Milk Chocolate bar, Product of Russia
Store: Gourmet Russian Market: 1911 Ave M, Brooklyn, NY
Neighborhood: Midwood, Brooklyn(Q train Avenue M stop)
Ethnic Group in Midwood: People from the Soviet Union (the largest group), Chinese, Eastern European, Estonian, Haitian, Israeli, Pakistani, Guyanese, Jamaican, Irish, Italian, Iranian, Greek, Korean, Turkish, Polish, Latvian; Lithuanian, Mexican, South American, Syrian, and Indian



Germany from "blender" © Hidemi Takagi
Product: Rusks Product of Germany
Store: Schaller & Weber: 1654 Second Avenue New York, NY
Neighborhood: Yorkville, NY (4/5/6 Train 86th st)
Ethnic Group in Yorkville, Manhattan: Former Czech,Irish, Hungarian, German, Polish and Slovak


Nymphoto: Tell us a little about yourself.

Hidemi Takagi: I was born in Kyoto, Japan. I moved to the United States in 1997. I am currently living in Brooklyn with my husband and our one year old daughter.

NP: How did you discover photography?

HT: After high school, I moved to Osaka to attend the Fashion Institute but dropped out. At the time I didn't know what I wanted to do. I held several jobs. I worked a vintage clothing store, the Think Tank Company , and then by accident I got a job as a manager of a commercial photo studio. My job encompassed all aspects of the studio. I was the studio assistant, stylist (fashion and prop), and occasionally the model for those clients with smaller budgets (laugh). My boss taught me a great deal about photography. That was the beginning of my photography career.

I liked photography but didn't know much about it. I had never thought about becoming a photographer or an artist. In general, the Japanese don't think of an artistic career as something serious or realistic.

After I moved to NY, I tried to take basic photography classes at ICP (International Center of Photography). There was only one class available, "a roll a day" with Susan Kleckner. Susan was great and I ended up loving the class. I liked the fact that she was not only a photographer but also a film/video maker and a performance artist. I was completely inspired by her. I took another class with Susan but otherwise have not had any photo school experience. At the same time, I was working for Mikael Levin (he had solo exhibition "War Story" at ICP in 1997). He had a studio near my apt. and I worked in his darkroom. One day he told me to bring my work. He picked out twenty pictures and told me to send them to "White Columns". So I did. Within a month, I received a call for a group exhibition there. That was my first exhibition in NY.

NP: Where do you find inspiration?

HT: In nature- trees, oceans, blue skies, colorful things and 50's culture. Everything that surrounds me.

NP: How did this project come about?

HT: Since coming to New York, I have used public transportation to travel to different neighborhoods. For some reason, I have never been scared. Sometimes, I just take a bus and start looking at the changing scenery, not knowing where the bus is going to take me. I started to discover immigrant-heavy areas this way. At local markets, I saw many unfamiliar imports from various countries. Some of the packaging is cute, fun, and occasionally old-fashioned. I started collecting and reading the packages. I researched the country of origin to find interesting things about each place. I'm very interested in the "blending" of cultures here in New York. People from every single country in the world meet here. My family is an example- my husband is from Haiti and I am from Japan. Now we have a daughter who is a real "blender" baby.

NP: What's next?

HT: I just started a project about "old signs" in New York. There isn't a title for the project yet. I've been in New York for eleven years. In the beginning, I was amazed that New York was the New York that I saw in photography books or movies when I was in Japan. I love what remains of old fashioned stores such as delis. They are colorful, and sometimes still have their old neon signs. Within the last couple of years, New York City has started to develop quickly with many older building being torn down to make way for modern, more boring architecture. One day when I was sitting outside a bakery in my neighborhood, I realized the deli across the street had changed their sign. It became ugly. I have decided to record these signs before they disappear.

Thank you Hidemi! Check out new additions to Blender on Hidemi's flickr page.