New blog features

The Collection Connection is one of several new columns that we are initiating for the Light Work blog. In addition to the Collection Connection we will be introducing From the Files, Best of the Rest, and featuring monthly giveaways of signed prints and books to readers of our blog. We hope you find these new features of interest and plan to return often.

The Collection Connection will feature articles written about work contained in Light Work’s permanent collection of over 3,500 photographs and photo-based objects and installations. The entire collection is accessible online in a searchable image database. There are many great features of the database including the ability to search for any word or combination of words across all data fields and the ability for viewers to save selections from the collection and view or present them as slide shows.

These features make it easy to create exhibitions from the collection and in the coming months we will create opportunities for readers to put together exhibitions from the collection and present them both on our blog and our main website.

There are many things that make the Light Work collection unique. Unlike most collections at museums, universities, and cultural institutions that were built with specific criteria, areas of interest, and noting of connoisseurship, the Light Work collection contains work primarily made by artists who have participated in our international Artist-in-Residence program. An overwhelming number of works in the collection were produced in Syracuse either in the darkroom, computer lab, studio, or in the field. There are very few collections in the world where the creation of work in a single location both defines and feeds the collection.

Also because our mission is to support emerging and under recognized artists the work in the collection has early works by important contributors to the field including Cindy Sherman (shown here), Laurie Simmons, James Casebere, James Welling, Zeke Berman, Dawoud Bey, Fazal Sheikh, Carrie Mae Weems, Andres Serrano, and many others.

So we hope you find this brief introduction to the collection informative and you take the time to view the collection online and check back here for further articles and insights into this unique collection of contemporary photography.