No More Tic, No More Toc, the new sound is hmmmmm……these are the three bursts of text from a Times Square marquee captured in Louis Fauer’s recently discovered 1960’s film, Time Capsule.   Four panelists conceded that his mindset was decidedly that of a photographer shooting stills. Present were Vince Aletti, critic and curator, Deborah Bell, Deborah Bell Gallery, Howard Greenberg, Howard Greenberg Gallery, Brian Wallis, Chief Curator, ICP, and moderator Lisa Hostetler, Curator of Photographs, Milwaukee Art Museum.  

The ICP-hosted panel discussion coincided with STREET SEEN: The Psychological Gesture in American Photography, 1940-1959, being exhibited at the Milwaukee Art Museum through April 25, 2010.  The exhibition, according to Ms. Hostetler, makes “public use” of the space we call the street its subject, focusing on the role of the unconscious and the subjective experience, not the street itself.  

In addition to screening the film, made in an era when filmmaking was still not considered an art form, panelists described why American photography in the 1940’s and 50’s, specifically the street photography of Lisette Model, Robert Frank, Louis Faurer, Ted Croner, Saul Leiter, and William Klein looked the way it did.  

Several clues were given.  It was a time when photographers held day jobs with magazine publishers, one of the few places where photographers found employment.  Deborah Bell spoke to the high status accorded photographers whose work appeared in Harpers Bazaar or Flair, and the role magazines played a role in helping photographers transition their work.  Also, the “impulse to create books was missing”, according to Aletti, as was a market for photographs, let alone the galleries to exhibit them. Brian Wallis suggested how, with time, images become “something other than straight journalism”, citing Capa’s “slightly out of focus” style which created interest. 

But it wasn’t until the 1970’s that the credibility of photography hit stride, Hostetler added. 

Photos top to bottom:  Lisette Model, William Klein, Ted Croner, Saul Leiter

What do Richard Nixon, Marilyn Monroe, Brigette Bardot and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor have in common? The answer is jumpology, the scientific art captured by photographer Philippe Halsman, now on view at the Laurence Miller Gallery show “Jump” through May 28, 2010.  It is the first time the series has been exhibited in New York.

In addition to the 101 Life magazine covers to his credit, Latvian-born Halsman boasts a 37 year collaboration with Salvador Dali which is captured in the 1949 Popcorn Nude, one of the show’s most gravity-defying images featuring popcorn, nude model, and baguette in mid-air, Dali himself propelling the explosion of popcorn by kicking a bread warmer.  The innocence and spontaneity of the shot is contraindicated by Halsman’s demand of all of his subjects, namely, JUMP!

Artcards learned that Halsman hired his future wife, Yvonne Halsman, who printed many of the works shown, as an apprentice in an attempt to get rid of the competition, “by hiring them” according to one of Halsman’s daughters, Irene,  who was present at the opening.  Additionally, she noted that Einstein and President Roosevelt’s wife played critical roles in helping Halsman immigrate to the States. 

“Capturing the essence of his subjects’ character” is what Halsman’s daughter  was most intent on highlighting as the significance of her father’s work.  While Halsman indicated that “the jump denotes a lack of ambition and sensuality”, it’s a characterization that is more a reflection of his singular ability to persuade the most conservative of adults to show the camera what inhibition or joy looks like.

Photographers Lecture Series @ ICP

untitled grapevine series

Susan Lipper recently gave an ICP audience a new reason to appreciate her photographic work.  Yes, she presented some five projects individually—starting with the posed 1983 portraits of fellow Yale art students and ending with her new installation of video portraits from Grapevine, West Virginia, juxtaposed against small  black and white landscapes of wilderness. In between, were Lipper’s seminal photobooks Grapevine (1994) and trip (2000) – a collaboration with the writer Frederick Barthelme.   Continue Reading More »

El Museo del Barrio hosted a panel discussion on Wednesday, 3/10 as tribute to the conclusion of BBBP, the Bronx Blue Bedroom Project.

Many participating artists attended, including Matthew Burcaw, who also wore a curatorial hat during the two years the Blue Bedroom served as an unconventional community art space.

The robin blue “space” was the bedroom of Mexican-American artist Blanka Amezkua who made her bed scarce when receiving visitors coming to see the art installations, which changed each month. Through the use of such an intimate place, she accomplished two goals simultaneously. First, she created a haven for artists to exhibit their completed work or create site-specific work for the immediate, surrounding community, better known as neighbors. Secondly, she gave artists with no previous show experience the encouragement, AND the opportunity to present their work to the public for the first time.

As measured by the packed house and enthusiasm of the audience, BBBD successfully crossed multiple cultural boundaries to create an impact on a community. Moving forward, Ms. Amezkua expressed an interest in getting out of the bedroom and taking her project to the street. Given her huge success in the Bronx, crowd control may be an issue next time around.

Read more on the closing of the project, known as “Blue Was Never My Color, Anyway!”

The Art Book Swap New York at MoMA blended noble intentions with fun and ingenuity.

NADA and Regency Arts Press, Ltd. sponsored the event on Saturday, February 6, 2010, from noon-5pm.  What’s this all about and how is it done, you ask?  Keyword answers are free books, simply, and effortlessly…bring your art books and swap them for the same number of art books donated by others.  “Others” included New York City art galleries, the MOMA book store, plus folks who attended the event and donated books from their personal libraries.

“…remaining books are donated to prison libraries…”

Perhaps a few examples of titles that one of our contributors from Artcards.cc swapped would illustrate why this was such a worthwhile event:

George Condo:  Existential Portraits
Adam Fuss:  Photograms of Life and Death
Rudolph Burckhardt: An Afternoon in Astoria
Amy Cutler:  Paintings and Drawings
Artists’ Sketchbooks: 1st exhibition catalog for Matthew Marks’ new gallery (1991)
Lighthouse Series I-XIV by Helen Frankenthaler

Excellent titles, yes, but more importantly, the event promoted the discovery of titles and/or artists that you might not have previously had an inclination to learn more about.  Discovery, yes, that is why this art book swap was so engaging.

Do not miss the next event!  It will take place in another U.S. city yet to be determined.  See www.regencyartspress.org for more information. Many thanks to the MOMA staff for their help and enthusiasm!