Two days with the experts at Light Work

/in

Last Thursday and Friday, Light Work hosted a widely anticipated Professional Practices seminar with photographic consultant Mary Virginia Swanson and internationally recognized artist Susan kae Grant. The Thursday night lecture featured two parts. First, Swanson delivered (in her well-known rapid fire style) a taste of the latest and best ideas in getting work out into the market and in front of the right eyes. Then Grant and Swanson spoke about the many phases of Grant’s project Night Journey. Rarely do viewers get such a detailed look at an artist’s process, and it is especially rare to hear the whole story of such a complex project as Night Journey, which Grant has been developing over the past decade. Together Swanson and Grant flooded the room with 1,000 ideas for making and marketing photography creatively.
On Friday morning, Swanson and Grant met with Syracuse University students starting with a lecture geared to making the most of a photographic education. Following, Swanson and Grant held portfolio reviews. It was the students’ chance to show the experts how well they had listened to their advice on making the most of a 20-minute portfolio review.

Above, right: Susan kae Grant, installation view of Night Journey
Left: Mary Virginia Swanson meets with Syracuse University graduate student Shimpei Shirafuji

Deana Lawson is today's Flak Photo

/in

Andy Adams over at Flak Photo has chosen Sharon, 2007, by Deana Lawson, as today’s featured image. It couldn’t be better timing – the reception for Deana Lawson: Corporeal is tonight at Light Work from 5-8pm.

Flak Photo has a reputation as one of the best places online to enjoy exciting new photography. The site connects international audiences to online art experiences and promotes the discovery of photographers from around the world. Produced by Andy Adams, Flak Photo provides unique opportunities for artists and photo organizations to share new work, book projects, gallery exhibitions, and event updates with a global photography audience.

Check out Flak Photo’s daily updates, and definitely stop by the Corporeal reception tonight if you’re in the area.

Roy DeCarava, 1919-2009

/in

Roy DeCarava died on October 27, 2009, at the age of 89. During his long career he photographed Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, and other jazz greats. He was, as well, a master at capturing beauty and grace in everyday life. The obituary in The New York Times said, “His books, like ‘The Sweet Flypaper of Life,’ a best-selling 1955 collaboration with Langston Hughes, and his most famous photographs were hugely influential, paving the way for younger photographers like Beuford Smith and Carrie Mae Weems.”

Deana Lawson: Corporeal

/in

Deana Lawson: Corporeal
November 2–December 23, 2009
Gallery Reception: November 5, 2009, 5:00–8:00pm

Light Work is pleased to announce the exhibition Corporeal, featuring the work of Deana Lawson.

Lawson’s photographs examine how the body informs personal, political, and historical identities.
At first glance, Lawson’s images have a seemingly straightforward quality that dissolves into a complex set of questions about representation of the self, the construction of notions of beauty, and the nature of photographing, questions that will never have clear and finite answers, no matter how hard and long we look.

Added dynamic layers emerge from the photographs as many subjects appear nude. Sometimes this exposure seems to act as a passport direct to a hidden truth, but with other images, we must come to terms with an uncomfortable feeling of perhaps hitting an invisible barrier between what is and what is not meant to be seen. The beauty of Lawson’s images is that we can’t turn away, even in this uncertainty.

Lawson holds an MFA in Photography from Rhode Island School of Design and has received numerous awards, such as fellowships with the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and The Photography Institute at Columbia University. Her work has received national recognition and is exhibited widely at venues like The Print Center in Philadelphia, PA, and the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY.

Also on view at this time is the exhibition Artists at Work: Transmedia Photo Faculty. For many years Light Work has enjoyed a close affiliation with the Art Photography department in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The faculty and students of Art Photo interact with Light Work’s roster of international artists through lectures, internships, and classroom visits. In addition, they utilize the Community Darkrooms facilities and take full advantage of the expertise of the Light Work staff. Together we share an energy, passion, and commitment to contemporary art and photography. The exhibition Artists At Work: Transmedia Photo Faculty highlights this relationship by featuring work by Doug Dubois, Laura Heyman, Yasser Aggour, John Mannion, and Aaron Hraba in the Light Work Hallway Gallery.

Light Work will host a gallery reception on Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 5–8pm to celebrate these exhibitions.

Gallery hours for these exhibitions are Sunday to Friday, 10am–6pm, and by appointment. To schedule an appointment, please call 315-443-1300. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Paid parking is available in the Marion Parking Lot and Booth Garage.

Light Work invites groups and individuals to schedule tours and gallery talks of the exhibition and facility. Light Work is a non-profit, artist-run organization dedicated to the support of artists working in photography and electronic media. Light Work is a member of CMAC, the Coalition of Museum and Art Centers at Syracuse University.

For more information about any of these exhibitions, please contact Jessica Heckman at Light Work, 315-443-1300 or jhheckma@syr.edu.

**Digital press images and image information from both exhibitions are available upon request.