There is a tight consistency and pattern of study or inquiry that appeals to my aesthetic sense and architectural interest which draws me to these wonderfully rich photographic images of Bergbauer’s. The exploration of natural forms and resulting patterns or “structure” resonates for me in the direction of a “quell the clutter” approach… Jurgen Bergbauer is an artist that I am to watch for upcoming work for sure….
Moodtrain capturing a little of the mood of the online folk who browse the NYT… a clever little work by Gabriel Dance, Aron Pilhofer and Andrew Kueneman/The New York Times – this is the stuff of the new
Difference in results of course evident when certain questions are asked and answered with words compared to certain photographs so tagged “About the Economy”…. Then again… photographs themselves don’t always tell us much to they? It takes a filter of sorts….
My comments…..the orb is particular in capturing the moment (trace?) in this picture of the art piece. The reflection in the all seeing – the instant of recording – context, photographer and apparatus. The picture preserves a trace of the subject/viewer relationship that in “reality” is always shifting and requires that you be present in the now to participate…
I love how the photo provides another space for interpretation of the piece.
The photograph provides a separation distance between you and the orb – more precisely, the presence of an image in your likeness which can only occur obviously given the situation “in real time” between you and the orb… You see your likeness in the mirror… Here through the photograph – the separation distance is quite apparent as it offers a glimpse of the relationship to the moment when a photograph was taken….
Gerhard Richter
Kugel
1989
Diameter: 8 cm
Ball of high-grade steel
signed, dated and numbered by engraving “A.P. 5/5 Richter 1989″
UPDATE
What does this have to do with “modern photography”? … The work by Matthew Jordan comes to mind…
Wim Bosch, Yard, 2006, pigmented ink on paper, aluminium, 101 x 142 cm
Wim Bosch, Blossom, 2006, pigmented ink on paper, aluminium, 105 x 135 cm
I came across this person’s work via Mrs. Deane recent post on photo books – but what caught my eye is something about Wim Bosch’s work , I’m not exactly sure, I just can’t put my finger on it, but I like the newer work. Something about the newest / latest (more subtle?) constructed photographs appeal to me like beautiful mysterious paintings… yet these are not paintings – nor or they photographs… but I like them for these images appear to contain some of the best parts of either tradition.
West Virginia, by Daniel Shea from the series Removing Mountains 2007
Removing Mountains and Coal River
March 6th through 29th
Opening Reception: Friday, March 6th 7-10pm Artist Lecture: Saturday, March 7th, 12pm
Newspace Center for Photography
1632 SE 10th Ave. Portland, OR 97214
I’m hopeful to get to see / hear about Daniel’s work – been watching it for some time and to find out it’s coming to Newspace is wonderful news. Get out and see it!
Shea’s images flirt with his stated interpretation in the vein of a social documentary narrative and at first glance for me are simply quite beautiful photographs. It will be fun to see the group of photos in context and in print.
It’s an interesting consideration and challenge to pursue making contemporary pictures with a strong sense and execution of a current contemporary aesthetic to convey a sense of place and people.
“Street artist Shepard Fairey was arrested last night in Boston on two warrants after he allegedly tagged property in Boston with graffitti based on his Andre the Giant street art campaign, reported the Boston Herald. ”
…”Fairey’s Obama image has been sold on hundreds of thousands of stickers and posters, and was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington in the days before Obama’s inauguration.
After some time, it seems the momentum of the dispute – as characterized by those with second hand (or even more remote) knowledge – tends to muddy the waters… I wonder who in the end will benefit the most?
‘dissolution’, 2005 – video still -artist Bill Viola
A still from the video artist Bill Viola is but a hint of the the real thing – which come to think of it is actually a lot like photographs – just a hint … but I have to say in this case a hint is better than nothing.
Speaking of art as experience – My first experience with any of Viola’s work was with a small piece – (and I’m hoping my memory serves me correctly in attributing this memory to Viola) – at the Des Moines Art Center, in Iowa. I may have it all wrong and I can’t seem to find any information to confirm what I remember, but it was a little plexiglass cube with a white orb – head shaped – and just large enough for this shape to be fully immersed in water. The entire thing was just about chest high – but low enough so you could look down on it. Upon that cube was a projection of a man holding his breath looking back up at you – the thing is that he’s running out of air. Peering over the cube you could see him looking back up at you – the murmuring sound gets more urgent – nearly getting to a shout underwater – but you know what happens if you have ever tried to scream under water.
That simple gesture – a “video sculpture” lets call it – was thrillingly disturbing – all the elements of suspense hard to leave or look away – the unforgiving loop presents a never-ending struggle to come up for air. I remember it still clearly being – to hear the murmurs – tiny bubbles escaping his lips… but in this case just an illusion and clearly set up to reveal itself – pull the extension cord out and the whole thing stops.
Bill Viola, Acension, 2000 video still
My second experience was with Ascension – a 10 minute loop from a dull rumbling blackness to startling plunge in a small dark and dimensionless room – My kids and I watched the sudden but slow fall, rise and fall of man – with all the religious allusions – yet my experience in watching this brought on an entirely different level of understanding. I felt their fear as they jumped and clung close to me – grasping on to me for assurance perhaps that they too might not ever fall into the water. Somehow – my being there assured them.
Below is a clip of another work by Viola and with a little imagination….. yet I hesitate… because the real experience of seeing a work such as this relies on the total environment to full effect – it points out to me the importance of creating the circumstance for art to exist – and the apparent shortcomings of all that is the web…
“Just by my nature I’ve always been drawn to slowing things down, really out of a desire to see things more completely, to quell the clutter and the agitated stream of stuff that’s coming at you constantly, so you can feel yourself living, thinking, breathing.” – Bill Viola - “Bill Viola’s x-ray vision,” The Art Newspaper, June 22, 2006
Perhaps this is a cue to consider more strongly in still photography.
UPDATE: It appears as though the work is classified as “sculpture” – according to import tax ruling… article via the Art Newspaper… seems like a “no-brainer”…
