Thursday, July 31, 2008
Rosemary Laing @ 2008 Biennale of Sidney
If you are in Australia during the next month, you can see the work of Rosemary Laing at the 2008 Biennale of Sidney. The exhibit runs through September 7, 2008. More info here: www.mca.au
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Catherine Opie at the Guggenheim
Catherine Opie: American Photographer
September 26, 2008 - January 7, 2009
Guggenheim, NYC
The Guggenheim websites states:
From her early work of transgender people and performance artists to her expansive landscapes of cities like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and New York, Opie has offered profound insights into the conditions in which communities form and the terms in which they are defined. All the while she has maintained a strict formal rigor, working in stark and provocative color as well as richly toned black and white.
Upcoming: Taryn Simon @ Gagosian Beverly Hills
Taryn Simon's An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar will be on view this fall from September 13 through October 25, 2008 at Gagosian in Los Angeles.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Female Icons on Ovation TV
Good thing I have TV or else I would have missed Ovation TV's schedule of Female Icons in American Culture documentaries tonight. Right now they're showing two female photographer documentaries, Sally Mann: What Remains and after will be Nobody's Here but Me: Cindy Sherman. Click here for a schedule of American Revolutionaries programming.
Lisa Kereszi on WIPNYC
Bethany Souza
I came across Bethany Souza's Sunshine State project through F-Stop Magazine.
She states:
She states:
My current body of work, Sunshine State, is a series of photographs documenting west central Florida. The images in this series focus particularly on sites of tourism and private residences in order to emphasize the uniquely complex dichotomy between home and away that exists in the region.Her website has a larger selection of photographs from the series. Well worth it.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Katherine Wolkoff
I really love Katherine Wolkoff's series entitled Deerbeds. Does anyone know if she plans on showing them any time soon? I'd love to see them in their true form.
Nadja Bournonville
Swedish born Nadja Bournonville's work is on exhibit at Pierogi Leipzig in Germany through August 16, 2008. Pierogi also has a gallery space in Brooklyn.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Ata & Eva
Ata & Eva Ata Kandó, Eva Besnyö
From 13/06/2008 To 30/08/2008
HUP Gallery
Tesselschadestraat 15
1054 ET Amsterdam
The Netherlands
T. 0031 (0)205158589
F. 0031 (0)205158586
Gallery hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
10:00 - 17:00
And every Sunday of the month
13:00 - 17:00
From 13/06/2008 To 30/08/2008
HUP Gallery
Tesselschadestraat 15
1054 ET Amsterdam
The Netherlands
T. 0031 (0)205158589
F. 0031 (0)205158586
Gallery hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
10:00 - 17:00
And every Sunday of the month
13:00 - 17:00
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Joni Sternbach
Joni teaching an NYU class at her studio ©N.Buesing
Joni Sternbach's (who taught me at NYU) self-published book on Surfers titled "Ditch Plains" is a favorite of the staff at Blurb and Mrs. Deane likes it too. As do we here at Nymphoto.
Take a look at Joni Sternbach's work via her website: www.jonisternbach.com
Friday, July 25, 2008
A Conversation with Cynthia Wang
Cynthia Wang is a long time friend of mine and always on the creative brigade of ideas. I don't particularly see much photography like her's and always believe she sees and experiences moments and events unlike everyone else. Her photographs are emotional and sometimes whimsical but always leaves you in a state of wonder. She was kind enough to share a little bit about herself as well as her BFA thesis, currently untitled.
NP: Tell us a little about yourself.
CW: I grew up in Brooklyn. I am hearing impaired and sometimes I like to read lips on conversations from afar. Sometimes it is fun and yet sometimes I feel like a little spy. Growing up hearing impaired, I rely a lot on my eyes to compensate for my ears. It helps me understand and put me in place to where I can grasp the sounds that I hear.
NP: How did you discover photography?
CW: I am not sure when I first became interested in photography. I always admired classic black and white photographs and the Polaroids that I found in family albums. I first took a photography class during junior year of high school. I started shooting black and white film and became intrigued with the darkroom, the pinhole camera and the various experiments I've learned from my teacher, Ann Hunt Currier.
NP: Where do you find inspiration?
CW: I guess I would say, a lot of random things, life in general, both weird and beautiful things. I like watching film and getting the idea of how a certain depth of camera movements are taken or being seen from a view. Whether it is the mood or the moment I am drawn to the scenery, I become interested in capturing that one second of a frame.
NP: How did this project come about?
CW: I was a senior at Syracuse University and at the time, I was struggling with my ongoing project for the BFA show. I did not know how to present the work or myself. After some time, I realized that some of the reasons for this work is part of my complex visual perception. I had an eye infection last year and I felt I was on the verge of losing my vision. My relationship with my ears and eyes became difficult because of the fact that I am hearing impaired and near-sighted. I collected my ideas in response to the dichotomy of discovery and loss. When I was photographing these images, I took out the focus to disorientate the perception by creating a visual complex world that visually compensate to the aural.
NP: What's next?
CW: I recently graduated from Syracuse and I am not sure where to go from now. I have been taking a break on and off. I want to travel and I want to do so many other things that I have not done before. And who doesn't? Maybe eventually something will lead me on the way.
NP: Thank you so much. We hope to see more of your work!
Head over to her Flickr page to grab a closer look at her photographs. To contact her, shoot an email at cynthiadwang [at] gmail.com.
NP: Tell us a little about yourself.
CW: I grew up in Brooklyn. I am hearing impaired and sometimes I like to read lips on conversations from afar. Sometimes it is fun and yet sometimes I feel like a little spy. Growing up hearing impaired, I rely a lot on my eyes to compensate for my ears. It helps me understand and put me in place to where I can grasp the sounds that I hear.
NP: How did you discover photography?
CW: I am not sure when I first became interested in photography. I always admired classic black and white photographs and the Polaroids that I found in family albums. I first took a photography class during junior year of high school. I started shooting black and white film and became intrigued with the darkroom, the pinhole camera and the various experiments I've learned from my teacher, Ann Hunt Currier.
NP: Where do you find inspiration?
CW: I guess I would say, a lot of random things, life in general, both weird and beautiful things. I like watching film and getting the idea of how a certain depth of camera movements are taken or being seen from a view. Whether it is the mood or the moment I am drawn to the scenery, I become interested in capturing that one second of a frame.
NP: How did this project come about?
CW: I was a senior at Syracuse University and at the time, I was struggling with my ongoing project for the BFA show. I did not know how to present the work or myself. After some time, I realized that some of the reasons for this work is part of my complex visual perception. I had an eye infection last year and I felt I was on the verge of losing my vision. My relationship with my ears and eyes became difficult because of the fact that I am hearing impaired and near-sighted. I collected my ideas in response to the dichotomy of discovery and loss. When I was photographing these images, I took out the focus to disorientate the perception by creating a visual complex world that visually compensate to the aural.
NP: What's next?
CW: I recently graduated from Syracuse and I am not sure where to go from now. I have been taking a break on and off. I want to travel and I want to do so many other things that I have not done before. And who doesn't? Maybe eventually something will lead me on the way.
NP: Thank you so much. We hope to see more of your work!
Head over to her Flickr page to grab a closer look at her photographs. To contact her, shoot an email at cynthiadwang [at] gmail.com.
Xaviera Simmons
Via The Center for Photography at Woodstock I came across the work of Xaviera Simmons who studied at Bard and the Whitney (Independent Study Program). Unfortunately not much of her work is visible online. However if you find yourself in Atlanta today head over to the High Museum of Art and here the Drisklell Prize winner speak about her work.
Special Event - FEATURED EVENT
Driskell Prize Recipient: Xaviera Simmons
July 25, 2008, 6-8 p.m.
Hill Auditorium
Free.
Free.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Instant
The Instant, curated by Katharine Barthelme and Louise Ingalls Sturges, will exhibit 12 contemporary artists who currently use Polaroid photography as the foundation of their work. Earlier this year, the Polaroid Corporation announced that it would stop the production of all instant film. Check out the show this Saturday, July 26th at The Texas Firehouse in Long Island City.
Josephine Sacabo Exhibit Extended
Selected images from Josephine Sacabo's bodies of work "Nocturned" and "Geometry of Echoes" are currently on view at Galerie BMG (in collaboration with The Center for Photography at Woodstock) - the exhibit has been extended through August 4, 2008.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
NYMPHOTO on Facebook
NYMPHOTO has joined Facebook! Be a fan and stay connected to the community and up to date on events!
Hilla Becher
Over at Conscientious, there's a great translation in full of a recent interview with Hilla Becher published Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin. Read it here.
Upcoming:Susan Meiselas: In History @ ICP
(from ICP.org) Since the 1970s, questions of ethics raised by documentary practice have been central to debates in photography. Perhaps no other photographer has so closely and consistently represented and participated in these debates than Susan Meiselas. An American photographer best known for her work covering the political upheavals in Central America in the 1970s and '80s, Meiselas' process has evolved in radical and challenging ways as she has grappled with pivotal questions about her relationship to her subjects, the use and circulation of her images in the media, and the relationship of images to history and memory. Her insistent engagement with these concerns has positioned her as a leading voice in the debate on contemporary documentary practice. Susan Meiselas: In History will be the first U.S. overview of her work, and will be structured around three key projects: Carnival Strippers, Nicaragua, and Kurdistan. The exhibition is organized by Kristen Lubben, Associate Curator at the ICP, and will be accompanied by a catalogue including essays by Lucy Lippard, David Levi-Strauss, Elizabeth Edwards, and others.
The exhibit will open in September 2008.
To see Susan Meiselas work, head over to: www.susanmeiselas.com
The exhibit will open in September 2008.
To see Susan Meiselas work, head over to: www.susanmeiselas.com
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Children of God
The NYTimes just posted a preview of the Sunday's Time Magazine article Children of God, about the women of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or F.L.D.S. by Sara Corbett. The photographs that Stephanie Sinclair were able to capture for the article/ slideshow give a slightly more intimate view of these women who now are the public figures of the group.
Lisette Model, Diane Arbus @ ICP
Currently on view at ICP in New York through September 7, 2008 are the works of Diane Arbus, Lisette Model and Richard Avedon.
From ICP.org: This exhibition brings together works by three of the most important photographers of the 1960s: Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, and Lisette Model. The intense creative relationships between these three artists helped to generate a new look in photographic portraiture, an idiosyncratic approaches to both style and subjects. Even today, their works are shocking in their boldness, and at the time their works, widely seen in magazines as well as on gallery walls, were revolutionary. The fifteen now-classic works in this exhibition are drawn from the exceptional corporate collection of photography initiated at the LaSalle Bank of Chicago by Beaumont Newhall in 1969, and recently acquired by Bank of America. The exhibition is organized by Brian Wallis, Chief Curator at the International Center of Photography.
From ICP.org: This exhibition brings together works by three of the most important photographers of the 1960s: Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, and Lisette Model. The intense creative relationships between these three artists helped to generate a new look in photographic portraiture, an idiosyncratic approaches to both style and subjects. Even today, their works are shocking in their boldness, and at the time their works, widely seen in magazines as well as on gallery walls, were revolutionary. The fifteen now-classic works in this exhibition are drawn from the exceptional corporate collection of photography initiated at the LaSalle Bank of Chicago by Beaumont Newhall in 1969, and recently acquired by Bank of America. The exhibition is organized by Brian Wallis, Chief Curator at the International Center of Photography.
Monday, July 21, 2008
I Can See for Miles & More
I Can See For Miles © Emily Shur
The response to Blurb's Photo Book Contest has been oberwhelming and we will leave the sorting through all the entires to others, like Andrew Hetherington. However we wanted to highlight Emily Shur's (who we recently spoke to for Nymphoto Conversations) book:I Can See For Miles.
Joerg Colberg pointed out that it would be nice if Blurb would offer a discount on the sales price of the books entered for competition (thus encouraging people to buy the books) -- good idea. Even just a temporary sale would be great.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Featured Artist: Margot Quan Knight
Currently on view at Bard © Margot Quan Knight
Nymphoto is proud to present Margot Quan Knight as our current featured artist. Head over to www.nymphoto.com to see and read about Margot's work.
Or go up to Bard College to see her MFA exhibit -- on view through July 27, 2008.
Screenshot © Margot Quan Knight
Kathryn Cook
Kathryn Cook recently won Magnum's Inge Morath Award for her work "Memory Denied: Turkey and the Armenian Genocide". You can see Ms. Cook's work at her website: www.kathryncook.com.
Nancy Pastor
Nancy Pastor who has relocated to California, has a new website, check it out: www.nancypastor.com
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Pinar Yulacan
Via I heart photograph 's Pic of the Day (July 12, 2008) we came across the work of Brooklyn based Turkish born Pinar Yolacan - who will have a solo show at Rivington Arms in New York this Fall. Take a look at her work via Rivington Arms website, here.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Talia Greene
Hopefully you can head up to Redhook in upstate New York to see the work of Margot Quan Knight this weekend . Or if you are in the Philadelphia area, head over to The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education to see the work of another talented Nymphoto member: Talia Greene.
H.Foster ©Talia Greene
Swarm
An exhibition at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
B.A. Bosaiya
K.T. Carney
Talia Greene
Lisa Murch
Richard Ryan
Matt Stemler
Rosalind Sutkowski
May 22- August 29, 2008
8480 Hagy's Mill Road
Philadelphia, PA 19128 (215) 482-7300
www.schuylkillcenter.org
H.Foster ©Talia Greene
Swarm
An exhibition at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
B.A. Bosaiya
K.T. Carney
Talia Greene
Lisa Murch
Richard Ryan
Matt Stemler
Rosalind Sutkowski
May 22- August 29, 2008
8480 Hagy's Mill Road
Philadelphia, PA 19128 (215) 482-7300
www.schuylkillcenter.org
Claire Yaffa: A Retrospective
Claire Yaffa: A Retrospective
Through August 9, 2008
Leica Gallery
670 Broadway
NYC, NY
On Schutterbug you can read an old article about Yaffa with some interesting anecdotes, written by Rosalind Smith in February 1999, the article is titled: "Women in Photography Claire Yaffa Portrays - Hard Hitting Issues".
Through August 9, 2008
Leica Gallery
670 Broadway
NYC, NY
On Schutterbug you can read an old article about Yaffa with some interesting anecdotes, written by Rosalind Smith in February 1999, the article is titled: "Women in Photography Claire Yaffa Portrays - Hard Hitting Issues".
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Julie Blackmon: Domestic Vacations
Julie Blackmon: Domestic Vacations
Through August 31, 2008
Photo Eye Santa Fe Gallery
376 Garcia Street
Santa Fe, NM
Through August 31, 2008
Photo Eye Santa Fe Gallery
376 Garcia Street
Santa Fe, NM
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Margot Quan Knight @ Bard
See Nymphoto's Margot Quan Knight's work at:
The 2008 Bard MFA Thesis Exhibition
Sunday, July 20
2 - 5pm
UBS Gallery
7401 South Broadway
Red Hook, NY 12571
More info : www.bard.edu/mfa/
© Margot Quan Knight
The 2008 Bard MFA Thesis Exhibition
Sunday, July 20
2 - 5pm
UBS Gallery
7401 South Broadway
Red Hook, NY 12571
More info : www.bard.edu/mfa/
© Margot Quan Knight
Rules for Filming on the Streets of New York
New rules for filming on the streets of New York have been enacted.
Find out more in the article by Julie Bloom for The New York Times, here.
Find out more in the article by Julie Bloom for The New York Times, here.
Lynn Goldsmith @ The Hallmark Museum of Contemporay Photography
"Lynn Goldsmith - Rock and Roll" on view through September 21, 2008 at:
The Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography
56 Avenue A at Second Street
Downtown Turners Falls, Massachusetts
The Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography
56 Avenue A at Second Street
Downtown Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Monday, July 14, 2008
Women On the Frontlines
Currently on view (through August 3, 2008) at Foeva in Beacon, NY is "Dispatches from the Frontlines: 12 Women Photojournalists" . Included are: FOVEA is proud to present recent work by Lynsey Addario, Samantha Appleton, Kael Alford, Nina Berman, Paula Bronstein, Rina Castelnuovo, Denise Devore, Jessica Dimmock, Ronnie Farley, Evelyn Hockstein, Mona Reeder, Lana Slezic, Anastasia Taylor-Lind, with a tribute to Alexandra Boulat.
Miki Johnson wrote about the show for PopPhoto in the article "Women On the Frontlines".
Miki Johnson wrote about the show for PopPhoto in the article "Women On the Frontlines".
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Nan Goldin Interview w/The Guardian
In May Nan Goldin showed a re-edited and extended version of "The Ballad of Sexual Dependency" at the Tate Modern in London for one night (with additional live performances by John Kelly & Patrick Wolf).
For that occasion The Guardian interviewed Nan Goldin. Read the article titled "My Camera has saved my life", here. In the interview she speaks about her work, her life and analog photography.
For that occasion The Guardian interviewed Nan Goldin. Read the article titled "My Camera has saved my life", here. In the interview she speaks about her work, her life and analog photography.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Elizabeth Peyton: Portrait of an Artist
Elizabeth Peyton: Portrait of an Artist on view at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
in Connecticut - through November 16, 2008.
Karen Rosenberg wrote an article titled "A Painter's Social Network, Traced in Her Photographs" for the New York Times on the exhibition.
in Connecticut - through November 16, 2008.
Karen Rosenberg wrote an article titled "A Painter's Social Network, Traced in Her Photographs" for the New York Times on the exhibition.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Shelley Rice
Head over to Will Steacy's Blog to checkout Shelley Rice's Top Ten. Shelly Rice is a prolific and respected art critic and historian and while at NYU she taught me a lot about image making & its effects (and I think Emily Shur, Hank Willis Thomas, Wyatt Gallery and many other NYU grads would agree).
And while from the get go I was studying photography and art history at NYU, Shelley certainly solidified my interest in not just making photographs but also thinking about them -- and the art community at large.
Thanks Shelley!
And while from the get go I was studying photography and art history at NYU, Shelley certainly solidified my interest in not just making photographs but also thinking about them -- and the art community at large.
Thanks Shelley!
Hilla Becher: "Klar waren wir Freaks"
The work of Bernd & Hilla Becher is currently on view at MOMA - through August 25, 2008.
Joerg Colberg just posted touching experts from an interview with Ms. Becher on his blog Conscientious. Since the original interview(by Tobias Haberl and Dominik Wichman) was published in German for the Suedeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Joerg took the time to translate parts of this interview. See his transcript here.
Joerg Colberg just posted touching experts from an interview with Ms. Becher on his blog Conscientious. Since the original interview(by Tobias Haberl and Dominik Wichman) was published in German for the Suedeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Joerg took the time to translate parts of this interview. See his transcript here.
Reminder: Opening Reception Tonight
Tonight is the opening reception for 8 at Randall Scott Gallery
The series of exhibitions launches showcasing the works of Tema Stauffer and Kyoko Hamada.
White Horse © Tema Stauffer
8
The series of exhibitions launches showcasing the works of Tema Stauffer and Kyoko Hamada.
White Horse © Tema Stauffer
8
Alison Brady
Alexandra Catiere
Jessica Dimmock
Kyoko Hamada
Tema Stauffer
Ryoko Suzuki
Shen Wei
July 11th-Sept 5th, 2008
Artists Reception:
July 11th, 2008 7pm-9pm
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Sylvia Plachy
Goings On About Town: Sylvia Plachy
Talk and Book Signing
6:30 p.m.
New York Public Library
Mid-Manhattan Branch
455 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York
(212) 340-0849
(via Aperture) Sylvia Plachy, the first photographer assigned to shoot the opening photograph of the legendary Goings On About Town section of The New Yorker, will discuss key images from this exclusive assignment, featured in her latest Aperture book, "Goings On About Town: Photographs for The New Yorker" (co-published with The New Yorker, 2007). Plachy explores the city’s dynamics from the inside out, from the Mermaid Parade to camels walking through town on the way to the circus, revealing the vital and often wacky creativity that energizes New York around the clock. The images are quintessentially Sylvia Plachy, and quintessentially New York. Plachy will also show and discuss other never before published images from her illustrious 40-year career.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tema Stauffer, Kyoko Hamada in 8 @ Randall Scott Gallery
Randall Scott Gallery always shows interesting work and certainly gives women artists a fair shake.
A great new summer show is opening this Friday at Randall Scott Gallery:
Gas Sation © Tema Stauffer
8
Alison Brady
Alexandra Catiere
Jessica Dimmock
Kyoko Hamada
Tema Stauffer
Ryoko Suzuki
Shen Wei
July 11th-Sept 5th, 2008
Artists Reception:
July 11th, 2008 7pm-9pm
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
A Conversation with Emily Shur
This collective has always embraced diversity and prides itself on promoting all genres of photography. Photography like no other art has a wide spectrum, a complex history and often blurs the line between art and commerce.
So to mix it up a bit, today we are excited to present a conversation with Los Angeles based celebrity portraitist Emily Shur. Emily has been supportive of Nymphoto since its inception and she participated in the inaugural Nymphoto show in New York in December of 2002. She makes a living as one of the few celebrity portrait women shooters out there, while also staying committed to her fine art work. In this interview Emily speaks about how photography has brought her solace -- and one can see a meditative or reflective quality in her work whether it is editorial or personal .
Mila Kunis © Emily Shur
NP: Tell us a little about yourself.
ES: Well, since you asked! I was born in New York City in 1976. We moved around the tri-state area a bit and then eventually landed in Houston, TX when I was seven years old. I grew up in Houston and lived there until I went to college at NYU when I was seventeen. I was back in New York for almost twelve years. Now I live in Los Angeles with my husband and our dog. I am an only child. I enjoy eating sushi and drinking red wine (not at the same time of course), and I hope to excel at the expert level of Guitar Hero at some point in my life.
Forest Whitaker © Emily Shur
NP: How did you discover photography and what inspires you?
ES: I first took a photography class my freshman year of high school. I loved making art from a very early age on, but photography was definitely different than painting and drawing. I responded to the ability to turn a vision into reality with photography, which is something that was frustrating to me when I would draw and couldn’t quite make a picture look the way I wanted it to. It took me a couple years after my initial introduction to photography to really get into it, but I was a bad kid. After getting into a big pile of trouble at the age of 16 I was no longer allowed to have much of a social life. That forced me to spend my time doing other things, and I then fell deep in love with photography and being in the darkroom.
What inspires me....well....a lot of things. I would probably say music, movies, my husband, my family, dog walks, traveling, exploration, and beautiful light.
Jeremy Piven , Patricia Clarkson © Emily Shur
NP: You are an accomplished photographer. Can you tell us a person you would like to photograph, who you have not had the chance to photograph yet? And which sitting has been your favorite so far and why?
ES: Some people I would like to photograph but have not yet had the chance include (but are not limited to) Stevie Wonder, Anthony Bourdain, Jack Black, Anne Hathaway, Barack Obama, David Lee Roth, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Tina Fey, Jenny Lewis (I have shot Rilo Kiley but it wasn’t one of my best), and Morrissey. I have different reasons for wanting to photograph all of those people, and those same reasons are what would make a past shoot stand out as a favorite. Some shoots I love because I got to photograph a person I have admired for a long time and has done something that truly impacted me...say David Byrne and/or Al Gore. Some shoots I love because it’s someone I think is super talented and the shoot is a true collaboration with that person...say Jason Schwartzman, Amy Poehler, and Alan Arkin. Then there are some people that are just plain great to photograph for multiple reasons. They get it. They get the process of photography, what makes for a good portrait, they look great, they’re interesting....say Jeremy Piven, Zooey Deschanel, and more recently Amanda Seyfried.
Jason Schwartzman , Alan Arkin © Emily Shur
NP: On your blog you speak about your personal work and you have a section for it on your website. What drives your personal work? It is interesting that you photograph people for a living while they are absent for the most part in your personal work.
ES: I could bullshit this answer, but to be honest I’m not 100% sure what drives my personal work. I can say that I love exploring and wandering and documenting and feeling calm. This is exactly what’s going on with me when I’m making my personal work. I have never been a very project oriented photographer, but I do have certain long term bodies of work that I am currently in the midst of. Right now I am in love with photographing in Japan, have been for a while. I also recently began a project in New Jersey. As you said, there are barely any people in any of my personal photographs. I think one reason for this is that I make a living dealing with people and personalities. Portraits are so mental. It’s a lot of work to connect with a stranger, appease multiple people at a time, and make it look good. When I shoot for myself, I just want to deal with just one personality – my own. Mostly, I want to explore things and places that are interesting to me and interpret them and my place within them using my voice and perspective.
Images from Japan © Emily Shur
NP: One last question: You have been very outspoken about shooting film. Can you talk about that a little bit? This is an important topic to many.
ES: Having the option of shooting film is extremely important to me for several reasons. First of all, it is how I learned and first loved photography. As I mentioned above, the darkroom was a happy place for me for a long time when I first discovered photography. I quickly moved from my Canon AE-1 Program to a medium format Yashica Mat twin lens reflex camera when I was in high school. I only shot black and white and developed and printed everything myself. Now I am predominantly a large format shooter, and there is really no digital equivalent that one can shoot portraits with or use while traveling. I happily shoot digital for jobs when necessary, but it outrages me that film seems to be becoming obsolete. Terence Patrick left a comment on my blog a couple weeks ago that pretty much sums it up:
“It's amazing that a technology & craft that is well over 100 years old is quickly being killed off by one that is less than 20.”
I have a hard time envisioning the future of photography, or better yet, MY future in photography without film. I feel like it’s extremely close-minded of film companies to cease production of certain types of less popular film, which is exactly what is happening right now. I think it will only yield poor results for artists accustomed to working with film and also people who are just discovering photography.
NP: Thanks so much!
Honk Kong Skyline (Polaroid) © Emily Shur
To see more of Emily's work head over to her website: www.emilyshur.com and make sure to visit her blog, My Four Eyed Fantasy, to see more work and to get some insights.
So to mix it up a bit, today we are excited to present a conversation with Los Angeles based celebrity portraitist Emily Shur. Emily has been supportive of Nymphoto since its inception and she participated in the inaugural Nymphoto show in New York in December of 2002. She makes a living as one of the few celebrity portrait women shooters out there, while also staying committed to her fine art work. In this interview Emily speaks about how photography has brought her solace -- and one can see a meditative or reflective quality in her work whether it is editorial or personal .
Mila Kunis © Emily Shur
NP: Tell us a little about yourself.
ES: Well, since you asked! I was born in New York City in 1976. We moved around the tri-state area a bit and then eventually landed in Houston, TX when I was seven years old. I grew up in Houston and lived there until I went to college at NYU when I was seventeen. I was back in New York for almost twelve years. Now I live in Los Angeles with my husband and our dog. I am an only child. I enjoy eating sushi and drinking red wine (not at the same time of course), and I hope to excel at the expert level of Guitar Hero at some point in my life.
Forest Whitaker © Emily Shur
NP: How did you discover photography and what inspires you?
ES: I first took a photography class my freshman year of high school. I loved making art from a very early age on, but photography was definitely different than painting and drawing. I responded to the ability to turn a vision into reality with photography, which is something that was frustrating to me when I would draw and couldn’t quite make a picture look the way I wanted it to. It took me a couple years after my initial introduction to photography to really get into it, but I was a bad kid. After getting into a big pile of trouble at the age of 16 I was no longer allowed to have much of a social life. That forced me to spend my time doing other things, and I then fell deep in love with photography and being in the darkroom.
What inspires me....well....a lot of things. I would probably say music, movies, my husband, my family, dog walks, traveling, exploration, and beautiful light.
Jeremy Piven , Patricia Clarkson © Emily Shur
NP: You are an accomplished photographer. Can you tell us a person you would like to photograph, who you have not had the chance to photograph yet? And which sitting has been your favorite so far and why?
ES: Some people I would like to photograph but have not yet had the chance include (but are not limited to) Stevie Wonder, Anthony Bourdain, Jack Black, Anne Hathaway, Barack Obama, David Lee Roth, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Tina Fey, Jenny Lewis (I have shot Rilo Kiley but it wasn’t one of my best), and Morrissey. I have different reasons for wanting to photograph all of those people, and those same reasons are what would make a past shoot stand out as a favorite. Some shoots I love because I got to photograph a person I have admired for a long time and has done something that truly impacted me...say David Byrne and/or Al Gore. Some shoots I love because it’s someone I think is super talented and the shoot is a true collaboration with that person...say Jason Schwartzman, Amy Poehler, and Alan Arkin. Then there are some people that are just plain great to photograph for multiple reasons. They get it. They get the process of photography, what makes for a good portrait, they look great, they’re interesting....say Jeremy Piven, Zooey Deschanel, and more recently Amanda Seyfried.
Jason Schwartzman , Alan Arkin © Emily Shur
NP: On your blog you speak about your personal work and you have a section for it on your website. What drives your personal work? It is interesting that you photograph people for a living while they are absent for the most part in your personal work.
ES: I could bullshit this answer, but to be honest I’m not 100% sure what drives my personal work. I can say that I love exploring and wandering and documenting and feeling calm. This is exactly what’s going on with me when I’m making my personal work. I have never been a very project oriented photographer, but I do have certain long term bodies of work that I am currently in the midst of. Right now I am in love with photographing in Japan, have been for a while. I also recently began a project in New Jersey. As you said, there are barely any people in any of my personal photographs. I think one reason for this is that I make a living dealing with people and personalities. Portraits are so mental. It’s a lot of work to connect with a stranger, appease multiple people at a time, and make it look good. When I shoot for myself, I just want to deal with just one personality – my own. Mostly, I want to explore things and places that are interesting to me and interpret them and my place within them using my voice and perspective.
Images from Japan © Emily Shur
NP: One last question: You have been very outspoken about shooting film. Can you talk about that a little bit? This is an important topic to many.
ES: Having the option of shooting film is extremely important to me for several reasons. First of all, it is how I learned and first loved photography. As I mentioned above, the darkroom was a happy place for me for a long time when I first discovered photography. I quickly moved from my Canon AE-1 Program to a medium format Yashica Mat twin lens reflex camera when I was in high school. I only shot black and white and developed and printed everything myself. Now I am predominantly a large format shooter, and there is really no digital equivalent that one can shoot portraits with or use while traveling. I happily shoot digital for jobs when necessary, but it outrages me that film seems to be becoming obsolete. Terence Patrick left a comment on my blog a couple weeks ago that pretty much sums it up:
“It's amazing that a technology & craft that is well over 100 years old is quickly being killed off by one that is less than 20.”
I have a hard time envisioning the future of photography, or better yet, MY future in photography without film. I feel like it’s extremely close-minded of film companies to cease production of certain types of less popular film, which is exactly what is happening right now. I think it will only yield poor results for artists accustomed to working with film and also people who are just discovering photography.
NP: Thanks so much!
Honk Kong Skyline (Polaroid) © Emily Shur
To see more of Emily's work head over to her website: www.emilyshur.com and make sure to visit her blog, My Four Eyed Fantasy, to see more work and to get some insights.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Olivia Arthur Conversation @ Magnum
Head over to the Magnum blog to a read a conversation with 28 year old Brit Olivia Arthur who is a magnum nominees this year. She has been working on "a long-term project about women and the east-west cultural divide". You can see more of her work here.
Community Building!
The NP version and the true & tried original
The now infamous New York Times Gallerina article triggered all kinds of reactions. The formidable Liz Kuball (with some input from Amy Elkins and Cara Phillips) came up with a badge that women photographers could add to their sites and thus signal that they were part of a 'sisterhood'. We thought that was a great idea and put up a widget. Somehow it disappeared from the blog. We don't know why or how. But of course we wanted to bring it back. Since Liz encouraged people to make their own designs, we came up with the one you see above on the left. The one on the right is the original. And we highly recommend adding one to your site!
It is been great seeing everyone's badges on the blogosphere and web. And to see more and more women artist out there and speaking up. Women in Photography is another great example of the community building that is going on.
Kudos Liz Kuball!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Polly Borland, Ruth Orkin @ Michael Hoppen
Polly Borland's show "Bunny" is on view at Michael Hoppen Contemporary in London through August 2, 2008 .
Ruth Orkin's photography is on view at Michael Hoppen Gallery - through July 15, 2008.
Ruth Orkin's photography is on view at Michael Hoppen Gallery - through July 15, 2008.
Guerrilla Girls
GG in The Mistress , the Spider & the Tangerine
For the occasion of the Louise Bourgeois retrospective at the Guggenheim NY, Film Forum in New York is showing "Louise Bourgeois: The Mistress, the Spider and the Tangerine" until July 8th, 2008. For this movie portrait of the artist, the documentary filmmakers (the late Marion Cajori and Amei Wallach) interviewed the Guerrilla Girls, who rightfully hail Louise Bourgeois as a pioneer.
The Guerrilla Girls helped pave the way for women artists (and collectives like this one). Because the Guerrilla Girl might be unknown to the next generation, posted here -for the purpose of (re)acquaintance- are a link to an interview with GG www.guerrillagirls.com/interview/index.shtml and a few of the classic posters authored by the Guerrilla Girls:
some posters by the Guerilla Girls, find more here. ©Guerilla Girls
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Dina Kantor @ Newspace Center for Photography in Portland
If you are in Portland this month check out the work of Dina Kantor at the Newspace Center for Photography. Dina's work is included in the annual juried competition group show.
2008 Juried Competition
Curated by TJ Norris
July 3-27, 2008
Opening Reception July 11, 2008 @ 7 p.m.
Newspace Center for Photography
1632 SE 10th Avenue
Portland, OR
And if you are not familiar yet with the work of Dina Kantor, check out our recent interview with her (as part of Nymphoto Conversations) here.
2008 Juried Competition
Curated by TJ Norris
July 3-27, 2008
Opening Reception July 11, 2008 @ 7 p.m.
Newspace Center for Photography
1632 SE 10th Avenue
Portland, OR
And if you are not familiar yet with the work of Dina Kantor, check out our recent interview with her (as part of Nymphoto Conversations) here.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Hee Jin Kang & A Declaration of Immigration
If you are in Chicago don't forget to check out the work of Hee Jin Kang in the A Declaration of Immigration exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art.
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 West 19th Street
Chicago, IL
If you are not yet familiar with the work of Hee Jin take a look at our recent interview with her (as part of Nymphoto Conversations) here.
And also checkout her excellent blog: H.J.K.
And Happy 4th!
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 West 19th Street
Chicago, IL
If you are not yet familiar with the work of Hee Jin take a look at our recent interview with her (as part of Nymphoto Conversations) here.
And also checkout her excellent blog: H.J.K.
And Happy 4th!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
En Foco Seeking Submissions
En Foco seeks submissions for it's New Works Photography Awards, an annual program selecting U.S. based photographers of Latino, African, Asian and Native American heritage through a national call for entries.
New Works helps artists to create/complete an in-depth, photographic series exploring themes of their choice, while providing an honoraria and the infrastructure for a professional exhibition of this new work in the New York City.
Deadline: July 7, 2008 (postmark)
Juror: Deborah Willis, Curator, Author, Photographer
and Chair of the Photo & Imaging Dept at NYU/TISCH
More info: www.enfoco.org & find guidelines here.
New Works helps artists to create/complete an in-depth, photographic series exploring themes of their choice, while providing an honoraria and the infrastructure for a professional exhibition of this new work in the New York City.
Deadline: July 7, 2008 (postmark)
Juror: Deborah Willis, Curator, Author, Photographer
and Chair of the Photo & Imaging Dept at NYU/TISCH
More info: www.enfoco.org & find guidelines here.
New American Fables/ Amy Stein @ Richard Koch Gallery: Opening Reception Tonight
If you are in San Francisco tonight, don't forget to checkout the fabulous work of Amy Stein:
New American Fables | Amy Stein
Robert Koch Gallery
June 12 - August 23
49 Geary Street, 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 3, 5:30-7:30pm
New American Fables | Amy Stein
Robert Koch Gallery
June 12 - August 23
49 Geary Street, 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA
Opening Reception: Thursday, July 3, 5:30-7:30pm
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
A conversation with Hee Jin Kang
We took notice of Hee Jin Kang's project about her parents' deli, entitled "Sandy's Deli," in the Winter/Spring 2008 issue of En Foco magazine. Then Joerg of Conscientious suggested we check out her photoblog. Through Hee Jin's photoblog we learned about her participation in A Declaration of Immigration, at the National Museum of Mexican Art opening on Independence Day. We thought it would be appropriate to highlight her work for this holiday that means so many thing to each of us.
Sandy's Deli (after Walker Evans) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: Tell us a little about yourself.
HJK: I was born in Seoul Korea, and my family moved to New York- Queens specifically - when I was three years old. I grew up in Queens, and then on Long Island. Apart from school (studying in New Haven, Paris and London), I've lived in Brooklyn for most of my adult life. I currently live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Sandy's Deli (portrait with hats) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: How did you discover photography?
HJK: I randomly applied for a photo class my sophomore year in college and got in - to the question, "why do you want to take photography", I think I replied "because I don't want to major in econ". Luckily I had a couple of great professors who encouraged me.
NP: Where do you find inspiration?
HJK: Usually I find inspiration in people and things closest to me. I find the familiar and ordinary oddly inspirational.
Sandy's Deli (Halloween) © Hee Jin Kang
Sandy's Deli (Elvis at home) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: How did this project come about?
HJK: I was in NYC during Sept 11th, on my summer holiday from grad school in London. I had to go back to the UK a week after the attacks. When I moved back to New York after getting my degree, I realized that I wanted to spend more time with my parents. Photographing their store was my way of being productive while also being near my parents and documenting their lives.
Sandy's Deli (beach portrait) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: What's next?
HJK: Well there's an ongoing project about Brooklyn, primarily based on small details and found objects. Also, I've just spent two weeks in Woodstock on an artist residency shooting in Ulster County. At the end of August, I have another residency in Red Wing, Minnesota, the small town where my parents first met. I'll be photographing at the farm where my father worked as well as the town and townspeople. The Red Wing project is the prequel to Sandy's Deli.
These quiet, detailed filled still-lifes tell us so much about the occupants of Sandy's Deli. Thank you for sharing your work with us Hee Jin! Be sure to check out the complete "Sandy's Deli" portfolio and other projects on Hee Jin's website and see A Declaration of Immigration.
A Declaration on Immigration
July 4- September 7, 2008
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 West 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608
10 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday - Sunday
Admission is FREE
Sandy's Deli (after Walker Evans) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: Tell us a little about yourself.
HJK: I was born in Seoul Korea, and my family moved to New York- Queens specifically - when I was three years old. I grew up in Queens, and then on Long Island. Apart from school (studying in New Haven, Paris and London), I've lived in Brooklyn for most of my adult life. I currently live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Sandy's Deli (portrait with hats) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: How did you discover photography?
HJK: I randomly applied for a photo class my sophomore year in college and got in - to the question, "why do you want to take photography", I think I replied "because I don't want to major in econ". Luckily I had a couple of great professors who encouraged me.
NP: Where do you find inspiration?
HJK: Usually I find inspiration in people and things closest to me. I find the familiar and ordinary oddly inspirational.
Sandy's Deli (Halloween) © Hee Jin Kang
Sandy's Deli (Elvis at home) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: How did this project come about?
HJK: I was in NYC during Sept 11th, on my summer holiday from grad school in London. I had to go back to the UK a week after the attacks. When I moved back to New York after getting my degree, I realized that I wanted to spend more time with my parents. Photographing their store was my way of being productive while also being near my parents and documenting their lives.
Sandy's Deli (beach portrait) © Hee Jin Kang
NP: What's next?
HJK: Well there's an ongoing project about Brooklyn, primarily based on small details and found objects. Also, I've just spent two weeks in Woodstock on an artist residency shooting in Ulster County. At the end of August, I have another residency in Red Wing, Minnesota, the small town where my parents first met. I'll be photographing at the farm where my father worked as well as the town and townspeople. The Red Wing project is the prequel to Sandy's Deli.
These quiet, detailed filled still-lifes tell us so much about the occupants of Sandy's Deli. Thank you for sharing your work with us Hee Jin! Be sure to check out the complete "Sandy's Deli" portfolio and other projects on Hee Jin's website and see A Declaration of Immigration.
A Declaration on Immigration
July 4- September 7, 2008
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 West 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608
10 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday - Sunday
Admission is FREE
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sandhog photographer Gina LeVay
There is an exellent interview with Gina LeVay on Photoshelter. I recognized some of her Sandhog photos and discovered her other project, Las Toreras- Female Bullfighters. In 2003, I read a story titled, City of Water, in the New Yorker and have been fascinated by the idea of sandhogs ever since. Sandhogs, by the way, are guys who go 800 ft. deep into the Island of Manhattan to maintain, replace, and secure our water tunnels. I am quite interested in our water systems as you can see from my ongoing Water Management series and am in awe of anyone who goes the depth for their project.
Sara Sudhoff @ WIPNYC.ORG
Head over to Women In Photography to checkout the newest online exhibit showing the work of Sarah Sudhoff.