Biennial Madness

Ode to Keiren

A fellow photographer friend, Keiren, is working on a futuristic photo project about people and bikes merging.  As I was riding my bike home on my short commute from work the other night, I realized that even if not literally merging with my bike, this year I've comfortably been using my bike as a main source of transportation.  My bike has become a good, reliable friend.  Thank you, Keiren, for helping me realize this bonding between my bike and myself. 

© Jonah Wright

 

© Jonah Wright

 

© Jonah Wright

Influenced by our environment

Charles Johnstone

Little Red Car, 2006

 

© Charles Johnstone

Kunsthandel Jörg Maaß
Rankestr. 24
10789 Berlin
Germany

13 Nov - 22 Dec 2009 

 Johnstone intentionally leaves people out of his photographs.  We are forced to form our own opinions of Havana from his series based on environmental factors.  I am attracted to this photograph because of the very boxy, aquatic blue architectural building in the background with  harsh shadows.  It juxtaposes well with the petite, rounded, bright red car parked in front of it.  Those composition choices nearly give the little red car a personality, one which I will probably continue to think about and dream about tonight in my sleep.  

Silvia Noferi 

Moments de la photographie contemporaine italienne II

Centre d'art Nei Liicht
Galeries Dudelange
25, rue Dominique Lang
3401 Dudelange
Luxembourg

31 Oct - 05 Dec 2009 

Nofari's imagery was chosen for this contemporary Italian photographic exhibition because of her artistic and political thought in the midst of current Italian culture.  This image provides such mystery and at the same time is so deep with understanding.  Even though we may not be able to see the model's face, her posture in the chair provides an 'drunk with thought' body language.  She gazes into the sunlight that floods in from the door in front of her.  What beauty and somberness.  The room that she sits in only enhances this drunken thoughtfulness.  Mmm, mystery and narration.

Kader Attia

Rochers Carrés, 2009 

© Courtesy Kader Attia and Christian Nagel Gallery

8th Bamako Encounters, Biennial of African Photography- Borders

Maison Africaine de la Photographie
Direction des Rencontres africaines de la photographie de Bamako
Bibliothèque nationale, Zone ACI 2000
BP 4075 Bamako
Mali 

November 7 through December 7, 2009

What a wonderful composition and choice of scenery.  There is a contemplation and distance in the model's body language.  Similar to Nofari's image, I enjoy how much the body plays the role in emotional capacity without relying on facial expressions.  And plus, those sculptural elements he is sitting on do the composition and photo some justice.

World AIDS Day

The Auraria Campus Library has a World AIDS Day art exhibition each year in their gallery space. HIV/AIDS awareness is something I strongly advocate and there is still a lot of work to be done in that realm.  I will be submitting this triptych this week for that exhibition.  I've recently loved playing with night photography and light writing (writing with a flashlight at night time with those long, fun exposure times) and I may look like a fool when I'm out there doing it but I've technically gotten pretty good at it.  I thought that light writing in the dark of night would be a great way to get my message across.  It's a bit on the blatant political side, especially concerning those living with HIV/AIDS in the United States.  Hopefully we can make some necessary changes.

© Jonah Wright

 

© Jonah Wright

 

© Jonah Wright

A smattering

LORNA SIMPSON

Please remind me of who I am, 2009

© Lorna Simpson

Courtesy Salon94, New York 

International Center of Photography

1133 Avenue of the Americas
at 43rd Street
New York, NY 1003

October 2, 2009–January 17, 2010

What a sweet display about identity!  Lorna Simpson acquired vintage photo booth images of African American subjects from the 1940s to '70s.  There is a voyeuristic element, as the subjects were thought to be alone behind the photo booth curtain.  In addition, I am quite intrigued by the placement and random looking nature of the placement of images.  This would be quite the installation to see in person.

BALL-NOGUES STUDIO

FEATHERED EDGE: A NEW INSTALLATION 

 

Photo by Brian Forrest 

MOCA Pacific Design Center

152 N Central Ave

Glendale, CA 91203

July 26-November 15, 2009

This photo looks a bit like the rainbow is raining into the MOCA Design Center gallery space.  I know, rainbows raining, right?  On this blog, I haven't showed much other than photography but this installation was too good to pass up.  It reminded me a bit of other textile and thread installations I've seen recently.  It's amazing how it changes the spaces and becomes a factor in the environment, not to mention how aesthetically pleasing it is!

David Wojnarowics 

Untitled, 1988

Synthetic polymer on two chromogenic prints

11 x 13 1/4 in. (27.9 x 33.7 cm)

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York 

Madison Ave at 75th Street

New York, NY

September 25, 2009–January 3, 2010

It took me a while to find an image of this work that was larger than a thumbnail.  Glad I found it finally because it is a dynamic image.  I love how the contact sheets are integrated into the final work.  Maybe that's a photo-geek thing.  The digital image of this (like the other works from this week) doesn't do it justice.  It would be wonderful to see the small bits of information to relate the contact sheet images to the larger kissing silhouettes.  What a beautiful representation of bodies.  Did someone say theory concerning the body?!

Taking it out with the trash

It might have been that I was up way too early the day after Halloween but found a few things a bit interesting on my trip around the side of the house to the garbage can.  I thought that they were worth the document.

© Jonah Wright

Beer bottles everywhere.  I'm glad folks enjoyed their Halloween but four beer bottles littering the corner around the outside of my house wasn't so enjoyable.  At least the morning light in the snow of this photo was worthwhile.

© Jonah Wright

I can't think of a better way for someone to fix a fence.  Go team.

© Jonah Wright

Poor.  Piggy.  He used to be be so shiny and new.  Now he's just so empty and... blue.  R.I.P., Piggy!

Someone missing: the still life

This week's post is inspired by an old friend of mine, Corey Seeholzer.  All three of the exhibitors' work remind me of Corey's photography.  Check out his photo blog

He has an amazing, quirky style.  Whether he includes models (by the way, wonnnnderful lighting skills!) or takes photos of environments void of people, his images provide a depth of storytelling and mystery.  These artists provide the same feeling of wonderment with their still lives.

Trent Parke

Untitled

Stills Gallery

36 Gosbell Street . Paddington

NSW 2021 Sydney

Australia

28 Oct - 28 Nov 2009

This is such a simple still life and is so beautiful.  The dark green/blue walls and the cords with the singular suitcase makes me giggle with enjoyment of the unknown.  Questioning the intent and who may have previously been in the environment is such a beautiful mystery to try and decipher.  This work reminds me a lot of Corey's environmental still lives, mentioned above.  Kudos, everyone!

Laura Letinsky

Untitled #1, 2009

 

BRANCOLINI GRIMALDI
ARTE CONTEMPORANEA

Via dei Tre Orologi, 6A

00197 Rome, Italy

23 OCTOBER – 13 DECEMBER 2009

Here is a prime example of the still life after everyone has left the party.  Letinsky is a Canadian artist who was commissioned to photograph tabletops in historic Roman Palazzi during one month this past spring.  Each photograph in the series provides a different, interesting story and is wonderfully photographed.  I love wanting to know more and I find myself continuing to look at these photographs to decipher the information that has been provided so that I can learn more of the mystery.

Chen Wei

Light on the Folding Bed, 2009

 C-Print. 100cm x 130cm, Edition of 6.

m97 Gallery

RC. Shanghai

14 Nov - 15 Jan 2010

Beaaautiful!  This still life's mirrors bring amazing visual interest to an otherwise empty room, notwithstanding the cot.  The reflections of light on the wall remind me of snow falling.  Well, maybe snow, maybe glitter.  Either way, there is a dreamlike quality to the image-sans people.