Wednesday 12 March 2014

'Streets' - publication and exhibition by Seities

Long awaited copy of SEITIES magazine, winter issue with theme 'streets' arrived yesterday.
Absolutely wonderful independent publication supporting traditional photography.

Founded in Calgary 'SEITIES is a Non-profit Contemporary Photography Publication, Gallery, & Educational Organization. SEITIES aims to promote national and international artists by encouraging and supporting traditional methods of production in photography and giving an open platform to alternative analogue photographers who utilize traditional methods in their contemporary photography practices.' (info SEITIES)

Couple of months before that I received a message that 2 of my photographs will be published in mentioned winter issue. Also 2 of my pieces has been selected for exhibition which will take a place in Shelf Life Books in Calgary (Canada) with opening 14th of March while official  Publication Launch.
I feel truly honored as all photographs in magazine represents very high standard and are simply beautiful as magazine itself.

There are actually three photographs involved...
First one - Immortal 'Film House' which became almost my signature in the last years. The Winner of the B&W photographer of the year competition was published already several times in Ireland, UK, Poland and now in Canada. This photograph means a lot to me for many reasons. The most important one? It clearly explains my way of seeing...


Film House

Another published photograph it's one of the recent creations recorded on my favorite these days medium - Direct Positive Paper. Theme is still the same...streets of Dublin


Untitled
As mentioned before two photographs were selected for exhibition. 
Here comes 'Film House' again.
As only traditionally made photographs are accepted by SEITIES I had an opportunity to spend a few hours in darkroom working with my own negatives for a change. I chose  Fomaton MG Classic baryta based warmtone paper which gives truly unique look.
The second image sent to gallery (another recent creation), was an original  the one and the only print on direct positive paper (Harman/Ilford  glossy double weight baryta base paper) which you can see below.

Untitled
Both photographs (wet prints) were beautifully framed by J&J Framing LTD in Ranelagh.


All of it is really exciting and makes me believe that there is more and more people allover the world for whom traditional photography is important and means a lot. Thank you SEITIES!




Also please don't forget about the other group exhibition 'Illumine', where I am showing my work, in Darkroom Gallery (Vermont, US) which I described in previous post (LINK).


Thank you!

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Illumine.../exhibition/

2011, 2012... very active period  with a few important for me exhibitions in London (B&W Photographer of The Year) and Dublin ('Coffee Flavour', Royal Hibernian Academy Annual exhibition, Inspirational Arts Gallery and Backloft Gallery). 

That was also the time when my son was born (second child) and I started to share my everyday duties in-between work and children. Not much of it left for purely creative activity. 
I had to slow down a bit...
I also had to gain some distance to my work and think what's next. 
Now I feel  like I am getting slowly to the end of this stage...
That's why I am coming back this year after over 12 months break...
About 2 months ago I released 'Coffee Flavour' photo album  and now there are also  two exhibitions on its way.
I had a sort of idea how to start motoring again but I have to admit that the way it happened really surprised me. Especially if we are talking about the time frame...


The Mill



'The Mill', as this is the title to above piece, it's one of my recent creations.
This photograph was selected for the group exhibition 'Illumine' in Darkroom Gallery, in Essex Jct, Vermont, US.
It is quite important event for me as for the first time my work physically will be shown outside Europe. 
Certainly it's not the last one as another exhibition in Calgary, Canada along with publication in Seities magazine is coming later this month.

Building you can see on the photograph it's a Bolland's Mill located on Barrow Street in Dublin /Ireland/.
Fascinating abandoned structure with an amazing power of attraction.
Image was made on Harman/Ilford Direct Positive Paper using 4x5 large format camera. Exhibited copy is printed and framed by the Gallery.

Now why Illumine?

'Every photograph is about light. Light, which is a plastic medium capable of being physically manipulated, is the key ingredient shared by all photographs and the determinant in the look of every photograph you make. Light’s primal authority defines the essence of a subject. The powerful glue that holds your image together, light makes known the emotional and physical contents within your visual space and activates vision and meaning. Every image provides a different set of conditions in which we can experience light. If the light does not inhabit and reveal the perceived nature of the subject, the picture will not communicate the content you wish to transmit to a viewer. In that sense, pictures are about what others are able to see in them.' Juror Robert Hirsch 

Exhibition opens tomorrow, 6th of March and will run until the end of the month, 30th of March.
If any of you will be around Vermont and especially Essex Junction, please visit Darkroom Gallery where lots of very good exhibitions taking place.


Gallery Info:


Darkroom Gallery
12 Main St.
Essex Jct., VT 05452-3132


Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:00-4:00 and by appt.
(802) 777-FOTO (3686)