The Abstract Visions Exhibition
Ellen Butler
The Abstract Visions Exhibition
Abstract photography is connected to the external world in mysterious and ambiguous ways, to stimulate something within us. As you look at such images, you not only have something to think about, but may also have some feelings stirred up, since there are a variety of ways to interpret images that are not straight-forward; your associations for each image are part of your individual experience. Formations and shapes, colors, movement and juxtapositions may cause you to linger and let your mind and heart wander and wonder… I was very pleased to see a range of levels of abstraction in what was submitted for this theme, because there is also a range of levels between what is real and what is unreal, especially these days.
The included submissions constitute an amazing array of abstract visions. Congratulations to Ellen Butler for having her image chosen as the key image, and kudos to all the participants for their imaginative work: Bill Collins, Bill Edwards, Diane Reeves, Douglas Stockdale, Ellen Butler, Gerhard Clausing, Jan Brueckner, Janos Lanyi, Jim McKinniss, Paul Anderson, Roger Bennett, Scott Mathews, and Stan Kuran. Given such interesting diversity in the approaches taken, I have arranged the images alphabetically by first name. All images are Copyright © by each individual photographer, with websites available by clicking the name when underlined. In order to let the images speak for themselves when first viewed, I have decided to list the titles, as supplied, at the end of the exhibition.
Enjoy!
Gerhard “Gerry” Clausing, Exhibition Curator
Bill Collins
Bill Edwards
Diane Reeves
Douglas Stockdale
Ellen Butler
Gerhard Clausing
Jan Brueckner
Janos Lanyi
Jim McKinniss
Paul Anderson
Roger Bennett
Scott Mathews
Stan Kuran
Titles of the images:
Bill Collins: Almost Monochrome
Bill Edwards: Abstract
Diane Reeves: Arial 58 – Arial 83 – Homage to Miró
Douglas Stockdale: Angst – Confusion – Loss, all from the series Memory Pods
Ellen Butler: Untitled – Untitled – UPS
Gerhard Clausing: Arrival or Departure – Fake World – Punctured Recollections
Jan Brueckner: Abstract 1, Abstract 2, Abstract 3
Janos Lanyi: Don’t Let Them Wear You Down – Here Be Monsters – Light My Fire
Jim McKinniss: Three Horses on the Beach – Horse on the Beach #14 – Horse on the Beach #5
Paul Anderson: Oblivious – Symphony #1 – The Conversation
Roger Bennett: Torrey Pines – Yosemite – Lower Antelope Valley
Scott Mathews: Chaos – Flow – One Stone
Stan Kuran: Curtain Pattern – Calla Lilies – Eucalyptus Abstract
Report on the Opening Night of the Photo Independent and Fabrik Expo Show
Last night I had the great pleasure to attend the opening of this important annual event, held at the Reef in Downtown Los Angeles.
It is a great opportunity to get in touch with old friends and make some new ones as well. The ever so gracious host, Chris Davies of Fabrik Media with his great staff, did a fabulous job making everyone feel welcome and taken care of.
Especially noteworthy this year was the attraction called Skulpturengarten, which even included a set of nature scenes on large panels by Sandra Mann – photography as sculpture. Other attractions were architectural shots by Richard S. Chow, abstracts by Jonas Yip, the work by Cathy Immordino, which has a special appeal, as it combines old and new elements; check it out below. On the even more edgy side, there were nudes and other provocative images by a number of gifted photographers; I was particularly impressed by the work presented by Vlad Kenner, Carl Shubs, and Milan von Brünn. A special treat was the series Dressed by Jerry Weber: his fascinating work that touches many subjects – especially gender, culture, and fantasy – was ably enhanced by the presence of some of his models in costume, as you can see in my images below.
Since I am on the Editorial Board of The PhotoBook Journal, I was also looking out for interesting books. Jonas Yip, Richard S. Chow, Ara Oshagan, and Douglas Stockdale were ably conversing with many interested guests concerning previous and new book projects; check out our forthcoming book reviews for more details. Not only that, but the renowned printing company Dual Graphics of Brea, California, whose work goes back all the way to Ansel Adams, was present to consult with potential authors.
A most enjoyable event; as announced in previous posts, the show continues through Sunday, October 7. Don’t miss it!
Gerhard Clausing
Dennis Keeley, Chair of Photography at Art Center College of Design, in conversation with Chris Davies (right)
Jonas Yip
Richard S. Chow
Cathy Immordino
Upper picture: Douglas Stockdale, whose books are printed by Dual Graphics. Craig Evans, lower picture right, explains the finer points of quality printing to a potential customer.
Where does reality end and fantasy begin?
All photographs above Copyright © 2018 by Gerhard Clausing
Survey of Contemporary Landscape
Diane Reeves, Pyramid, Nevada
The investigation and image capture of the landscape dates back to the earliest photographs made by a camera in 1826 by Joseph Nicephore Niepce and the landscape still remains as one of the classic photographic genres.
Photographers have romanticized the landscape as part of the Pictorialist movement in the early 1900’s and incorporated it into the Modernist movement of the f/64 group in the 1940’s through the late 1960’s. The landscape photograph evolved with the Conceptual art movement, harking back to the New Topographics exhibition in 1975 at the George Eastman House exhibition. Today landscape photographs have become ubiquitous, either in the multitude of family vacations or the documentation of the surrounding urban/rural environments posted on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or other social media.
The images in Contemporary Landscape in this on-line exhibition are a broad investigation of the myriad ways in which we investigate the landscape through art and photography. It is a photographic survey of current landscape practices; whether investigating “classic” unadorned nature or the gritty urban landscape, as an abstract concept or a straight rendition while being created using digital capture, analog/film, digital manipulation or in combination with other medium and artistic expressions.
The 13 artist/photographers in this exhibition include: Paul Anderson, Jan Brueckner, Ellen Butler, Frank Cancian, Gerhard “Gerry” Clausing, Jim McKinniss, Jim Koch, Stan Kuran, Janos Lanyi, Scott Mathews, Marc Plouffe, Diane Reeves, Douglas Stockdale.
Cheers!
Douglas Stockdale, Exhibition Curator
Survey of Contemporary Landscape
Paul Anderson
Jan Brueckner
Ellen Butler
Frank Cancian
Gerhard “Gerry” Clausing
Jim McKinniss
Jim Koch
Stan Kuran
Janos Lanyi
Marc Plouffe
Diane Reeves
CONNECTIONS
copyright Jim Koch
CONNECTIONS exhibition
Photography is a medium that allows us to connect: to communicate with other individuals as well as with the world as our ever-present backdrop. While in our current time digital processes seem to create distance, the medium of photography cuts through this digital omnipresence and enables us to address human concerns and to draw parallels and achieve insights that are at the core of our existence. Time, place, light, and emotions inspire the photographer to create images which are intended to engage the viewer in our shared human experience, and a multitude of human emotions can be elicited through images that range from the tangible to the abstract and metaphorical.
The images in CONNECTIONS present individual interpretations of the myriad ways in which we connect to each other through photography. As the images were created, a connection between the subject and the photographer was established. A second level of connection may be shown or implied through the elements depicted in the photograph. A third connection then is created by the viewer’s interpretation of the image. Thus the process of CONNECTIONS is indeed a multifaceted and creative one that reaches beyond the depiction itself and is intended to share human experiences and interpretation, facilitated though the medium of photography.
Artists & photographers who are included in this exhibition include: Diane Andrus, Diane Reeves, Douglas Stockdale, Ellen Butler, Frank Cancian, Gerhard Clausing, Jan Brueckner, Janos Lanyi, Jim Ashcroft, Kathy Shapiro, Jim Koch, Marc Plouffe, Michael Weitzman, Paul Anderson, Raquel Landworth-Kleinhenz, Robert Staeck, Roger Bennett, Scott Mathews, Stan Kuran, & William Edwards. Copyrights belong to each exhibitor.
Curated by Douglas Stockdale
Exhibition:
Diane Andrus
Diane Reeves
Ellen Butler
![ellen butler Anne [right]](https://thephotoexchange.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/ellen-butler-anne-right.jpg?w=720)
Frank Cancian
Gerhard Clausing
Jan Brueckner
Janos Lanyi
Jim Ashcroft
Kathy Shapiro
Marc Plouffe
Michael Weitzman
Paul Anderson
Raquel Landworth-Kleinhenz
Robert Staeck
Roger Bennett
Stan Kuran
William Edwards
LACP Exposure 2018 – Portfolio Reviews, Workshops, Seminars – July 20-22, Registering Now
Registration for Exposure Weekend 2018 conducted by the Los Angeles Center of Photography is now in progress. The portfolio reviewers and workshop/seminar presenters this year are a particularly interesting group. You can get your work assessed, learn some new things, and meet some more fellow photographers! Highly recommended!
EXPOSURE 2018
Friday – Sunday, July 20-22, 2018
Hotel MdR in Marina del Rey, CA, near LAX airport
Registration is now open for the following portfolio reviewers, workshops, and seminars:
Photo by Julia Dean
Portfolio Reviewers still available:
Chad Attie, Gallery Director, Eastern Star Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Sherrie Berger, Photo Consultant, Los Angeles, CA; Jonathan Blaustein, Contributor, NYTimes Lensblog and A Photo Editor; Kyle Bradley, CEO/Founder, Nava Print Studio, Chicago, IL; Susan Burnstine, Contributor, B+W Magazine (UK); Marisa Caicholo, Founder/Curator of Building Bridges Art Exchange, Los Angeles, CA; Catherine Couturier, Owner/Director, Catherine Couturier Gallery, Houston, TX; Chris Davies, Founder/Director, Fabrik Projects Gallery and Photo Independent, Los Angeles, CA; Michael Dawson, Owner, Michael Dawson Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Crista Dix, Founder/Director, Wallspace Creative, Santa Barbara, CA; Christy Havranek, Photo Director, Huffington Post; Virginia Heckert, Curator, Department of Photographs, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA (Almost SOLD OUT); Anne Kelly, Gallery Director, photo-eye Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; Randi Kreeft, Gallery Director, the Loft at Liz’s Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Dhyandra Lawson, Curatorial Asst., Department of Photography, LA County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; Douglas Marshall, Independent Curator/Appraiser; Kristina Newhouse, Curator, University Art Museum, Long Beach, CA; Cindy Rowe, Art Producer, Saatchi & Saatchi, Torrance, CA; Aimee Santos, Editorial Picture Editor, Shutterstock; Cheyanne Sauter, Executive Director, Art Share LA, Los Angeles, CA; Hannah Sloan, Founder/Director Sloan Projects; Sybylla Smith, International Curator, Educator and Consultant; Aline Smithson, Founder/Editor, Lenscratch (Almost SOLD OUT); Mackenzie Stevens, Curatorial Assistant, Hammer Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA (Almost SOLD OUT); Douglas Stockdale, Founder/Editor, The PhotoBook Journal; Yessica Torres, Curator, Dab Art, Ventura, CA.
Cool workshops and seminars, including:
Friday, July 20
10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Workshop – Now What? Re-energizing Your Photography Career with Aline Smithson
10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Seminar – Steps to Success for Photographers with Sherrie Berger
02:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Seminar – The Business of Gallery Representation with Crista Dix
Saturday, July 21
09:30 am – 5:00 pm – Workshop – Concept Aware: Enhance Your Creative Practice with Sybylla Smith
10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Seminar – Fine Art Digital Printmaking: Why and How with Cheryl Kelleher Walsh & Eric Joseph
02:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Seminar – Untangling The Web of Social Media with Paul-Michael Carr
Sunday, July 22
09:30 am – 5:00 pm – Workshop – Pushing Your Work Forward with Jonathan Blaustein
09:30 am – 1:30 pm – Workshop – Street Shooting on Venice Beach with Julia Dean
01:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Workshop – A to Z Grantwriting with Linda Vallejo
SoCal Photo Exchange is a proud media sponsor of Exposure 2018
Douglas Stockdale – Artist talk at Fabrik Projects June 2nd
Middle Ground exhibition, Fabrik Projects, photograph by Don Webb II
One of the requests that apparently reoccurred during my opening reception is for an artist talk about this exhibition and artist project. The artist talk is now scheduled to coincide with the exhibition closing reception at 4pm on Saturday, June 2nd (2018) at the Fabrik Projects gallery.
To talk about myself and my art projects is not always the easiest thing for me to do. To write about it as I have on this blog is okay, perhaps something I am more comfortable with in that I have an opportunity to develop what I write and the edit before I commit to publishing it. Even then when I have some second thoughts, I can come back and edit what I wrote. I am also very comfortable teaching a workshop about a subject that I am very familiar with, such as my book development class with LACP. Talking about myself and my art projects, perhaps not so much.
What does help if I start taking some notes to outline what I want to convey, then leaving plenty of time for questions and answers. I am going to try to cover the basics about this artist project: what, where, when, how and maybe the most critical; why. I also suspect that this will be a walking talk, not a formal group sit-down, which will help me a little bit more in that it’s a bit easier for me if I can walk and talk about the exhibition.
The photograph above is the exhibition space that I had envisioned for this project in how the photographs (barriers) would ring around a room and thus surround the viewer. One of the many exhibition trade-offs; larger prints but then less images in this space. It will be interesting to get some more feedback during my talk as I already plan to defer to some open ended questions for the group.
Location: Fabrik Projects; 2636 S. La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles (near Culver City)
Artist talk & reception: Saturday, June 2nd, 4 -7pm
Cheers & hope to see you there!
Doug Stockdale, Associate Editor
Douglas Stockdale at LACP Fine Art Exhibition opening Friday, May 25th, 2018
America, Middle Ground/En Medio Tierra, 2016 copyright Douglas Stockdale
As a member of the Photographers Exchange, I am very excited to announce that two of my photographs from my Middle Ground/En Medio Tierra project were selected by Scott B. Davis for the Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP) annual Fine Art Exhibition. The two photographs are America, above and the photograph San Diego Port of Entry, below.
The theme for this year is Expanding Boundaries. Although my project has as it’s primary subject a series of barriers, a form of physical boundary, the series also documents how these barriers are deteriorating and include passage ways that allow access. Thus providing an element of hope to individuals in order they might contemplate that they can overcome any barrier that they might encounter in life.
The exhibition opening is this Friday, May 25th, 2018 at the LACP facility in Los Angeles from 7pm – 10pm. LACP is located at 1515 Wilcox Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028
The LACP exhibition will is available for viewing from May 25th thru June 22nd.
I am equally excited that this LACP exhibition of Middle Ground/En Medio Tierra is overlapping the full exhibition of this body of work at Fabrik Projects. Another two-fer for this body project! As a reminder, my artist book of this body of work is available from me or from Fabrik Projects as well.
Cheers!
Doug
Douglas Stockdale – Gallery representation – Fabrik Projects
Surveillance (Middle Ground/En Medio Tierra) 42″ x 52″ 2016 Douglas Stockdale
I have a really wonderful announcement to make; I am honored to become a represented artist of Fabrik Projects!
I am joining a group of talented artist, including Sarah Hadley, Tami Bahat, Martin Cox, Christopher Sheils, Cia Foreman, Glen Wexler, Andy Burgess and many others.
This gallery representation coincides with my upcoming exhibition at the Fabric Projects gallery in May;
Middle Ground/En Medio Tierra
May 5th – June 2nd, 2018
Artist reception: Saturday, May 12th, 6 – 8pm. Hope to see you there!
Fabrik Projects: 2636 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles (near Culver City), California
Note: My self-published artist book of the same title, Middle Ground/En Medio Tierra is now available for pre-order. Already this artist book is now planned for shipment to new homes in Germany, Hong Kong and of course here in the United States. Your pre-orders really do help me with this self-publishing event. Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Cheers!
Mourning the Loss of Local Photographers Mark Chamberlain and Laura Aguilar
We are very sad to report the passing of two local photographers this week.
Mark Chamberlain passed away at age 75. Many of you will remember him and have fond memories of his engaged participation in our community. As Scott Mathews wrote on our website, “He was such an active force in Laguna Canyon over the years for environmental measures as well as fostering the arts. I know our appreciation for Mark and the support of BC Space with the group show in 2015 will never be forgotten. He will be dearly missed.” You can read the LA Times story here; Stu News Laguna tribute here.
Also, Laura Aguilar, who was very instrumental in producing interesting body images as well as dealing with gender issues, passed away at the young age of 58 this week. You can read the LA Times story here.
Special MOPLA Event This Week: LOST ROLLS AMERICA Featured April 12-15
A special event sponsored by the project LOST ROLLS AMERICA will be featured this week as part of the 10th Month of Photography Los Angeles, to take place at the Line Hotel, April 12-15. I spent a bit of time familiarizing myself with the project and would like to share some of my thoughts.
Ron Haviv, well-known award-winning photographer, and Lauren Walsh, Director of NYU Gallatin’s Photojournalism Lab, are the forces behind the project. The idea was to solicit undeveloped film that might be hiding in people’s drawers, almost forgotten, but perhaps worthy of seeing the light of day. The deal was, you sent them your undeveloped roll of film, they had it developed by FujiFilm, and the finished images were then returned to you, with the option of incorporating one or two into the archive, after some questions regarding time, place, subject, and photographer’s reaction and memories evoked are answered. Here is the project’s original description:
Lost Rolls America is a national photo archive created by a democratized process: Anyone can submit their lost roll of film to the project for processing (the images must be at least 3 years old), and the images are subsequently returned to the originator. These contributors, who are members of the general public, are asked to select one image, answer several questions that are provided, and return it to the project for inclusion in the archive.
This photography project is the brainchild of Ron Haviv, Project Creator and Emmy-nominated, award winning photojournalist and co-founder of the photo agency VII, and Lauren Walsh, Project Director and Director of NYU Gallatin’s Photojournalism Lab. Her work focuses on the history of photography, contemporary visual culture, war reportage and journalistic ethics. Ron’s prior book, The Lost Rolls, was the jumping off point for this project.
Meanwhile, the archive has grown into several hundred images, and these can be studied along with the fascinating answers to the questions, on the website devoted to the project.
Here is the poster for this week’s event:
Studying the pictures in the collection is a great adventure into recent popular, “vernacular,” and even some professional lost photography. Forgotten places and people take on a mysterious aura: friends, relatives, and pets in long-forgotten moments of levity or seriousness remind all of us about the fleeting nature of life. Indeed, even experiments with fine art photography may be hidden among the undeveloped rolls still hidden in your closets or other places, as the images submitted by Melanie Chapman and Chris Jurgenson demonstrate. I leave it to you to find these and other images in the archives and to read the responses of the photographers who found the films. Not every ambiguous moment can be disambiguated! And yet, memories from our past, when shared, can become a part of our universal experience and help us understand our common concerns.
Gerhard Clausing
© Walker Sayen / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
Anne Olmstead (assumed), © Jeff Olmstead / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
© Melanie Chapman / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
© Chris Jurgenson / Courtesy Lost Rolls America
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