Report on the Medium Festival of Photography: John Divola Lecture and Paris Photo/Aperture Book Selections
The Medium Festival of Photography in San Diego is one of the most delightful and productive photography events in Southern California, with many useful activities, as we have reported several times, such as our impressions and experiences at the 2017 and 2016 Medium Festivals, along with announcements in between.
This year, the Keynote Speaker was John Divola, whose lecture encompassed many examples of his work, beginning with the 1970s. Particularly interesting was his performance art applied to abandoned buildings, which, once photographed, became new art, with some of it subjected to further enhancements; work at abandoned military installations, fierce encounters with dogs in the desert, and experiments with color and light in many locations were further fascinating photographic adventures presented in an appealing and forthright manner by this local luminary, a professor at UC Riverside. He also did a book signing of his 2018 volume Vandalism:
The Executive Director, scott b. davis, introduces the keynote speaker
John Divola delivering his keynote presentation and signing his latest book, with Douglas Stockdale
At the Gym Standard in North Park, San Diego, the Paris Photo/Aperture PhotoBook Exhibition was a great opportunity to examine a number of outstanding photobooks first-hand. The following four books stood out to me as particularly noteworthy; I am showing a double-page spread from each, right below each bit of information:
Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikonen, Eyes as Big as Plates (Oslo: Forlaget Press, 2017), covering the role of the elderly in society, presented in nature:
Mayumi Suzuki, The Restoration Will (Self-published, Tokyo, 2017), dealing with the loss of her parents in the tsunami of 2011:
Senta Simond, Rayon Vert (Self-published, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2017), an especially innovative approach to depicting the human face and form:
Debi Cornwall, Welcome to Camp America, Inside Guantánamo Bay (Santa Fe, NM: Radius. 2017), a comprehensive approach to detention:
Thanks again, Medium Festival, scott b. davis and team!
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
Remembering Hannes Wanderer
Hannes Wanderer — Photo Courtesy of and © Nathaniel Grann
We are very sad to note the untimely death this month of Hannes Wanderer, publisher of Peperoni Books, as well as proprietor of 25books, a bookstore on Brunnenstrasse in Berlin.
Hannes was a very special and unique person. He was totally committed to the cause – publishing and promoting photobooks, albeit to the exclusion of much else. Whenever you would go to his store, you would experience a gracious storyteller and teacher, who along the way persuaded you of the value of some of the photobooks available each time, as well as their contexts. He shared his tremendous understanding of the fields of photography and publishing, and freely gave advice if and when you wanted it, also about potential projects the visitor might have been contemplating. Stories about crowded subways in Japan, rural rituals in the American midwest, a mother in Russia and stories told to her child, a German fellow who started a family that grew and thus resulted in a three-volume set of photobooks. Well, he was able to still let me have a proof copy of the first volume of that latter set, and I have the other two as well (einer-zwei-drei by Fred Hüning); they were snapped up quickly, since the assessment of the market that Hannes had was quite realistic, and he shared all that with you each time. He had a special sensitivity toward the needs of each visitor, shown by the stories that he was able to tailor to the visitor’s goals and purposes – a rare talent. I particularly enjoyed his tales about the printing craft, especially about his collaboration with his brother in Lower Saxony, where I briefly lived as a child.
60 is way too early an age at which such a treasure should be lost to us. We will hold Hannes Wanderer in the highest esteem, as a member of the photographic community, and especially as an honest, gracious, and enthusiastic human being!
Gerhard Clausing
Medium Festival Accepting Submissions for Size Matters; Some Portfolio Review Openings
Our media partner, the Medium Festival of Photography in San Diego, Oct. 18-21, 2018, is accepting submissions for the Size Matters Exhibition throughout July. They also have a few openings for portfolio reviews left at this point.
Size Matters is the signature exhibition of the annual Medium Festival, presenting a curated selection of works smaller than 10″. The exhibition echoes our belief in small gatherings, small works, and exhibitions that highlight these values. The 2018 exhibition will be held at Sparks Gallery in San Diego’s Gaslamp district with an opening reception on Oct. 20 from 7-10pm. The exhibition juror is Brian Clamp, director of ClampArt in New York City.
Three awards are given to participating photographers, including a $500 Purchase Award where the selected work of art will be donated to a prominent museum collection. The Director’s Choice Award will include two VIP Passes to the 2019 Medium Festival, and an honorable mention will receive a significant award from our supporters.
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
Laguna Art Museum: Oskar Fischinger and the Interconnectedness of the Arts
Yesterday I had the good fortune to view some paintings of German-born Southern California artist Oskar Fischinger (1900-1967) at the Laguna Art Museum. I also met his son Richard Fischinger and his son’s wife, Mary.
At a time when we are starting to see censorship of critical art in this country (Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), it behooves us to think back to what happened in Europe in the early 20th Century, when art that did not fit the political preferences of a narrowly-focused government was labeled “degenerate” (entartet, which actually means “outside of the [politically approved] style of art”) and therefore forbidden. Oskar Fischinger had to leave Germany in the 1930s because his works did not match the preferences of the people in power.
How are his paintings and inventions relevant to our thinking about photography and other arts?
Fischinger’s works are an artistic mirror of concurrent technical and artistic developments. In a time long before the ease of digital manipulations, he set hand-drawn photographed animations to music, independently and also with some major studios. Some of these animations can be seen and purchased from the Center for Visual Music currently. He was well versed in camera work and invented a wax-processing machine that projected colorful light patterns that could be manipulated for special effects. In this respect, his work was very much in parallel with his contemporaries Moholy-Nagy and Man Ray, as well as Kandinsky, Klee, Feininger, Mondrian, and Miró. His paintings are a wonderful kaleidoscope of his time, in that they reflect the wonders of industrial achievements and space exploration through the 1960s, and the ideas are expressed in artistic forms that are now called “mixed-media”.
The two paintings below shows some of these effects as displayed at the Laguna Art Museum. I immediately felt a kinship with Oskar Fischinger, as my own work in the last few months has taken me to similar levels of abstraction. I recently showed the work “Overture” at a meeting of the Photographers’ Exchange Group in Irvine, and some members could immediately hear music in their minds. The image “The Arrival” certainly also intimates some kind of travel in time and space, although, as may be the case in all of these works, they may also be a metaphor for internal mental processes.
Oskar Fischinger, “Snow White – Red Circle,” 1943
Gerhard Clausing, “Overture,” 2018
Oskar Fischinger, “Satellite,” 1950-60
Gerhard Clausing, “The Arrival,” 2018
Oskar Fischinger also painted a lot of “Heads” in his time, some of which were visualized full of associative symbols and objects. Especially the example which Richard Fischinger showed me on his cellphone (of an Oskar Fischinger painting in his collection), shown below, reminded me of the current work of my friend Sandra Klein, who enhances large photographic silhouettes of herself and her mother with needlework and a variety of other objects as a comprehensive artistic metaphor combining past and present; both works transcend media as well as time and space.
So it is definitely inspiring to look in on the work of a universal talent from the last century, since the work and its implications can affect our own present and future work, as well as our assessment of art as part of our own expression and understanding of life. To talk with Richard Fischinger was also instructive; he was always warned by his dad to be mindful of the dangers of authoritarianism. My thanks to Richard and Mary for their insights.
The selection of paintings by Oskar Fischinger will be shown at the Laguna Art Museum through June 17, 2018. For those interested in delving deeper into this subject, a dissertation was written by Martina Dillmann at the Universität Frankfurt in 2004 (in German) that also includes a thorough inventory of the paintings.
Mary and Richard Fischinger at the Laguna Art Museum, June 7, 2018
Photography and Other Arts in Vienna
Vienna, as seen from the Upper Belvedere Museum
Last week was spent in Vienna (Austria), a city bursting with history and art, as well as home of culinary specialties including the infamous Wiener Schnitzel (no, it’s not a hot dog!).
The occasion was my participation in a workshop on curating, conducted by the enterprising and well-informed art historian Kristin Dittrich, who also happens to be the Founder and Director of the Shift School for Photography in Dresden, Germany. The location was the Anzenberger Gallery, a place known for its emphasis on contemporary photography as well as its special nurturing of photobooks through its affiliated store. All these subtopics would certainly merit separate articles, especially since the Shift School is the site of the complete Steidl Library with well over a thousand volumes, a unique contribution to the documentation and use of photobooks.
The workshop was a highly fascinating experience. Kristin knows how to combine theory with practice, as well as how to build in the experience of the participants at various points in the proceedings. Many hints on the process of curating exhibitions were included, as well as some practical exercises on how to sort topics, issues, styles, and images into an actual exhibit, along with a formal presentation and the fielding of audience responses. A museum visit (Kunst Haus Wien) and the Ostlicht Gallery and Library were also included. The Shift School is offering a variety of events and classes throughout the year, highly recommended!
Naturally, you can’t be in Vienna without visiting some other museums and cultural events. Highlights were Belvedere Castle with its Klimt exhibits, 18th century Messerschmidt facial selfie sculptures, and Klemens Brosch, who was a particularly gifted early 20th century creator of drawings that approximated photographic quality and moods, with a special bent for science fiction. Kafka’s Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) at the intimate Pygmalion Theater provided a stunning tour-de-force performance by Philipp Kaplan as the stressed outsider figure.
Lest you fear that I was lacking other sustenance, I am including a soupscape, first photographed and subsequently consumed at Anzenberger Gallery, as well as an image of a slice of walnut cake, for your vicarious pleasure. Wahnsinn!
Gerhard Clausing
Anzenberger Gallery: Gilbert Garcin exhibit, “Life is a Theater” (through May 19, 2018)
Kristin Dittrich, Director of the Shift School of Photography in Dresden, teaching the curating workshops at Anzenberger Gallery in Vienna
Sketch/model for a photography exhibit on positive aspects of aging, “Hey, we are still around!” designed by Franziska Neidhart and Gerhard Clausing as part of the Shift School Curating Workshops
Kunst Haus Wien exhibit: “It’s not me, it’s a photograph” by Elina Brotherus (through August 19, 2018)
“It’s not me, it’s my shadow”: The viewer (GC) superimposed on the video projection by Elina Brotherus
An early example of selfies: one of Messerschmidt’s 60 facial grimace sculptures of himself (this one, about to sneeze), 1771-1783; Upper Belvedere Museum
Lower Belvedere Museum exhibit featuring the rediscovered Klemens Brosch (through June 3, 2018)
Klemens Brosch, “The Crocodile on the Moon Disk” – ca. 1912, property of Österreichisches Landesmuseum
Soupscape, observed and consumed at the curating workshop, taking care of the stomach
Vienna is famous for its cakes and pastries: Walnut Cake, Café L. Heiner, Vienna
All photographs © 2018 Gerhard Clausing
An Image in Honor of President’s Day
© 2017 Gerhard Clausing
After the last presidential election, I created the self-portrait above (with some distortion) to express my feelings. And isn’t that really the main purpose of photography and art in general?
While I have been a citizen of the United States for over 50 years and have great respect for this country and the office of the President, I have had great qualms ever since this last election campaign was underway. I feel that much of what we believe in has been seriously distorted. Surely we deserve better than such divisive tactics and insulting rhetoric? And now that the occupant of that office has engaged in many shenanigans for over a year, perhaps on a day like this we should ask ourselves if we are worthy of better representation: someone who does not get elected with the help of foreign propaganda and fake news, someone who does not want to spend our money on “walls,” someone who does not emphasize tax breaks for the super wealthy, someone who does not use the government to solicit business for his own family’s enterprises?
Your mileage may vary from mine. Please send your comments and images that express your own emotions and opinions, so we may have a lively exchange here! That is what a real photo exchange is all about.
Happy President’s Day!
Gerry
Happy New Year!
Wishing all our readers the very best of everything for 2018!
Most of all unlimited creativity!
The Editors
© 2017 Gerhard Clausing
Street Shooting Around the World – One Week Left to Submit!
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