sunday april 5th: Matt Siber

Matt Siber's series "Floating Logos" nails on the head some of my feelings towards my series. "References can be drawn to religious iconography, the supernatural, popular notions of extraterrestrials, or science fiction films such as Blade Runner. Each of these references refers to something that can profoundly affect our lives yet is just beyond our control and comprehension." -artist statement

Siber was born in Chicago and raised in the Boston area. He received his undergrad in History & georgraphy from the University in 94 & his MFA in Photography from the College of Columbia, Chicago. He has been published many times commercially, & has had several solo exhibitions, both stateside and internationally. He currently works as adjunct faculty at the COlumbia College Chicago. He is represetned by 3 galleries internationally.

Thursday april 2nd: commercialsim & it'seffects

commercialism
noun
-the principles, spirits, and acts of commerce

which of course begs the question......

commerce
noun
-an interchange of goods or commodities, especially on a large scale

I'm interested in the ties that the spirit of commercialism has to the economy, the money spent, and of course my project. I found a wonderful article from the Center for the Study of Commercialism in Washington DC. The Culture of Commercialism: A Critique goes in depth into the effect commercialism may have on us as individuals, as well as the culture on the whole. The majority of the criticism is, as to be expected, negative. Besides the obvious, here are some interesting observations:
-"Commercialism contributes to environmental problems by encouraging wasteful use of natural resources. Over-packaging, disposable goods, and buying things we don't really need all contribute to unnecessary use of limited resources. "
-"Commercialism has influenced our political process. Many politicians try to attract votes with an image created by advertising and media coverage."
-"Ads cost us more in taxes, too. Advertising is a fully tax-deductible business expense. Because of this, state and federal treasuries receive billions of dollars less in business taxes each year."
-"Ads take a lot of our time. The average person spends almost an hour a day reading, watching, or listening to ads through TV, radio, theaters, videotapes, newspapers, magazines, mail, or telephone. "
-"Commercialism does not just promote specific products. It promotes consumption as a way of life. "
The article goes on to summarize these effects into the conlcusion that "Commercialism has clear parallels with industrial pollution. Just as modest amounts of waste can be absorbed by the natural environment, so modest amounts of commercialism can be assimilated by our cultural environment." Interesting to note that we have to walk a fine line here; many photographers pay their pills with the bread & butter work of advertising shoots. It's a push & shove, how much is too much, how much isn't enough? Where do we cut off industrys to rescue the earth or promotoe the industry to rescue the jobs? oxymoronic indeed....

article found on: http://www.media-awareness.ca

Sunday march 29th: Eric Smith

Eric Smith is a commercial & fine art photographer working out of Detriot michigan. He studied fine art photography at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, but doesn't appear to have a BFA or MFA. I've chosen to highlight his work for a couple reasons. First, he is working from a place where the economy is certainly rock bottom & a mjaor industry is failing. Secondly, his subject in this series is a building that is no longer functioning as they were originally intended.
These photos are created using HDR photography. Although his site doesn't explain his specific proccess, normally HDR is a compilation of 3 or more images which both over & underexpose the scene, and then together ensure all details are hyperealistic. (There are some plugins & programs which imtate the process, but I don't think Smith is using these).
His statement explains "In a series of portfolios Eric Smith photographs architecture in Detroit, using it to illustrate the city’s ongoing transformation. In his contribution to the Midwest Photographers Project Smith focuses on the abandoned Michigan Central Station, a train depot in the Beaux Arts style that was built in 1913 and closed in 1988. Although it shows years of neglect, the building’s marble walls and Doric columns are solidly intact and the space retains its majestic scale."

Smith is represented by the Monroe Gallery of Photographyin Santa Fe, New Mexico: http://www.monroegallery.com/
his personal site is: www.ericsmith.us

thur march 26th: Progress

Progress
noun

-developmental activity in science, technology, etc., esp. with reference to the
commercial opportunities created thereby or to the promotion of the material
well-being of the public through the goods, techniques, or facilities created.

-advancement in general.

-growth or development; continuous improvement: He shows progress in his muscular coordination.

Could the recession be having progressive impact on the american lifestyle? Several social critics & trend forecasters say yes. Information gathered from several articles suggest the following

1. We're slowing down.
"Nightlife and the restaurant business have slowed down considerably, which is rough on everyone in the industry, but makes city life quieter. " (www.savvysugar.com)

2. Increased FDIC insurance
"Recent legislation increased the limit of FDIC insurance on all of our bank accounts from $100,000 to a pretty snazzy $250,000." (www.kirbyonfinance.com)

3. Reusing, recycling, making it last"Tony Framlkin, Anderson ford's general managing partner says...'Right now, people are more likely to repair a belt or something minor right away rather than wait because they plan on trading it in' " (cars are just one example: www.stjoenews.net )

I'd be interested to hear of other upsides you're seeing in your own lives....

Sun March 22: Brian Ulrich

*Paul recommended this artist during a meeting & I feel in love with his work.





















An exerp from Ulrich's artist statement:
In 2001 citizens were encouraged to take to the malls to boost the U.S. economy through shopping, thereby equating consumerism with patriotism. The Copia project, a direct response to that advice, is a long-term photographic examination of the peculiarities and complexities of the consumer-dominated culture in which we live. Through large scale photographs taken within both the big-box retail stores and the thrift shops that house our recycled goods, Copia explores not only the everyday activities of shopping, but the economic, cultural, social, and political implications of commercialism and the roles we play in self-destruction, over-consumption, and as targets of marketing and advertising.

Photographer Brian Ulrich received his BFA from the University of Akron and his MFA in photography from the Columbia College, Chicago n 2004. He has had several solo exhibitions, including at the Institute of Art in Chicago. He currently lives & teaches in Chicago, IL at both Columbia College and SAIC. He is represented by three galleries; the Robert Koch Gallery, the Rhona Hoffman Gallery, & the Julie Saul Gallery.

artist site: www.notifbutwhen.com
gallery: kochgallery.com

thur march 19th : Consumerism

Consumerism:

noun

the fact or practice of an increasing consumption of goods

As I delve further into my series, the work is becoming less about the physical subject (gas stations) and more about the idea upon which that subject is built off; the supply and demand, the economic market, the consumerism and it's aura today.
A lengthy report published by online journal Nutraceuticals World aproaches the topic of ethical consumerism: that is consumers taking a social responsibility for their purchases. Here is an exerp from their data:

"NATURALITES (19% of U.S. adults) make most purchase decisions based on benefits to their personal health. While they are interested in protecting the environment--an interest mostly driven by personal health reasons--they are not as involved in planetary health."

"At 25% of the general population, the largest segment is the DRIFTERS. Motivated by the latest trends, their commitment to any issue, including sustainability, is constantly shifting. As the youngest segment, DRIFTERS are more likely to view price as a barrier to green living."

"CONVENTIONALS make up 19% of the population. Driven by practicality and frugality rather than pure environmental benefits, these consumers are not particularly environmentally conscious. "

"The portion of the population that exhibits no sense of environmental responsibility is considered to be the UNCON-CERNEDS (17%)"

What interests me most about the info, and relates to my project, is that consumerism is so multi-faceted. I don't feel its possible, especially in accordance with the numbers, to represent one view in my images. Depressing, these abandoned buildings? maybe. or maybe we're moving on to better things. This is not just about what you see. It's about what was before, what got us here, & where we're going.

citation: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb223/is_8_11/ai_n28582082

Artist Lecture: Amy Stein

On March 4th, young photographer Amy Stein spoke to a group of students at Virginia Commonwealth. She is very well spoken and her lecture style is easy to listen to. She was by far the best speaker the photo department has hosted.
Stein received her MFA in photography from the School of Visual Arts in 2006, and currently resides in New York City as faculty at SVA.
Stein came into photography after a career in webdesign, when the internet bubble burstin '01 and she found herself out of work. She started studying at IOP .
Her "Women & Guns" series is profound work, and she explained she came into it photographing a community she knew absolutely nothing about. In this group of photographs, Stein explores the relationships women have with teheir guns and goes into theirenviroments to capture the images.
This series eventually led her to her next work, "Domesticated". For this series, Stein worked with a taxidermist, who she strongly tauts as very much a true artist, to reenact stories and legends of animal encounters in a small town. Though Stien was living and studying in New York City at the time, she was "not intersted in the urban", but pursued instead stories in an agressive way. "This work had to me made, and I was desperate to make it", she explained. (This really struck a note with me, because that is how I felt when I began my series, which is a complete 180 from anything I've ever done.)

Sunday March 8th: Robert Voit

"In New Trees, Robert Voit employs delicate irony to demonstrate that the background noise of verbal communication, so to speak, has long since reached the visual domain.

His pictorial inventory, a work-in-progress since 2003, of mobile phone masts in the guise of artificial trees erected in real space in the U.S., Great Britain, South Africa, Korea, Italy and Portugal pays superficial tribute to a diffuse creative will driven by a basic desire for conciliation....

Robert Voit, who studied at the academies in Munich and Dusseldorf, satirizes the strict typological corset which has become the trademark of the so-called Becher School of photography. Classified thus as unique objects, formally these fake trees take on an absurd dynamism which creates a need for natural artificiality. In New Trees, the tree, a traditional carrier of meaning, mutates into a grotesque foil for longing."

-Christoph Schaden (the accompanying text from Voit's website)

Robert Voit, German born (1969) lives and works as a in Munich. He received a degree from the Art Academy in Munich (2001) & also from the Art Academy at Düsseldorf (2005). Both appear to be 4 year degrees. He has received over 7 grants since 1999, as well as the same number of solo exhibitions. He has been published numerous times, mainly his "New Trees" series, pictured above.
His typology feels honest and therefore extremely successful. I think Schaden has reiterated was I was thinking when viewing Voit's work, and while I won't be using humor in my series, I hope it can hold up beside the images of Voit because I have alot of respect for his work.
artists website: http://www.robertvoit.com

Artists Lecture: Jared Kames

Jared Kames, VCU graduate and former Photography & Film major (he changed his concentration to independant studies), spoke to a medium sized group of students in the Business Building of Virginia Commonwealth. Kames it the founder and owner of OneTribe, a company which designs, creates and distributes original, organic body modifcation jewelry. Kames lecutured on both the artistic and commercial aspects of his ownership.
Kames discussed how contrary to todays culural climate, body modification is nothing new; it holds roots in ancient traditions, religions and cultures. He feels a connection to the myan and aztec artists, and is strongly influenced by anthropoligists. Kames became interested in creating his own jewelry as he bgan to realize that existing jewlery was totally uninspired. "These are things we do to make ourselves aesthetically pleasing", he explained, going on to say "You can find inspiration in anything."
Launched in 2003, Onetribe is now doing quite well financially. They have one retail spac, two jewelry workshops (one here in Richmond and the other in Bali). Current undertakings include the perfect reproduction of original myan/aztec jewelry, something that has never been done before. He described his company as "an art kid and four of his friends." He feels that Onetribe bridges for all societies and races, that "we're all connected". His enthusiasim is evident and his creations are very earnest, so that each piece of jewelry becomes like a little treasure.
http://onetribe.nu/

Thur March 5th: appraisal

ap⋅prais⋅al

 noun
-the act of judging or estimating the value of something or someone
-the classification of someone or something with respect to its worth

"It is important that an aim never be defined in terms of activity or methods. . . . . The aim of the system must be clear to everyone in the system. The aim must include plans for the future. The aim is a value judgment."
Dr. W. Edwards Deming 1900-1993, American Statistician

The end of the semester is closing in...a light at the end of the tunnel or a train on a fast collision course? It's time to start pulling the series together with a serious endgame in mind. The method has been well established, almost become routine. Locate station, photograph in said manner, edit & print.
The final goals are dependent upon how I expect my final series to interact with the viewer. In the general frame of contemporary mind, it would seem bigger is better. But it seems to me that such a mentality is what got America to this predicament in the first place and no matter how I try to finagle around it, the reason that "more people will like it" does not silence my other concerns. I think the size will combat the message, & the message is what spoke to me in the first place. I am not interested in making pretty pictures.

Sunday March 1st: Simom Roberts

Simon Roberts, a photographer born 1974 in the U.K., Received his BA Honors degree in Human Geography from The University of Sheffield in 1996 and a a Distinction in Photography from the National Council for the Training of Journalists in 1997. The majority of his exhibitions and publications have been in overseas .He also has work residing in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago) and MOMA.
The photos shown above are from Roberts "Motherland" series. To capture the images, Roberts spent nearly a year visiting some 200 locations in Russia.The group does include portraits, but I chose these images which I felt related better to my work. According to Robert's artist statement, "Motherland is a bold visual statement about the nature of contemporary Russia, fifteen years after the collapse of the Soviet Union."


artists website: http://www.simoncroberts.com
blog: http://we-english.co.uk/blog