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.
Miss Florida, art lover, at photo MIAMI
/in NewsCall Light Work to check the availability of Branded Chest for your collection. We only have a handful left of this beautiful print.
Light Work at photo MIAMI 2009
/in NewsWe have prints on sale from our 2009 Subscription Program, including images by Elijah Gowin, Doug DuBois, Stanley Greenberg, and Suzanne Opton, as well as a host of other images from our Fine Print Program and Master Editions. Also attracting considerable attention at our booth were the signed books Maggie, …all the days and nights, Pitch Blackness, and On the Sixth Day.
photo MIAMI opens to the public tomorrow at 11am when we’ll have more news.
Two days with the experts at Light Work
/in NewsAbove, 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 NewsFlak 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 NewsRoy 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 ExhibitionsLight 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.
Apply for a Light Work Residency
/in NewsResidents receive a $4,000 stipend, ample staff support, 24-hour access to our state-of-the-art facility, and a free apartment for the duration of the residency. We also offer a $500 printing credit in our digital lab to encourage experimentation. Yes, it’s that kind of place.
Applying for a residency is easy and straightforward. We have a rolling deadline, so please submit your application as soon as you feel you’re ready.
At right, Dean Kessmann, 2009 Light Work Artist-in-Residence.
Polaroid One-Step set for a comeback in 2010
/in NewsBut what’s a Polaroid camera without a bit of film to shake? The folks at The Impossible Project have been brought on to produce a limited edition of Polaroid branded instant films.
Both the camera and film have a projected release date of mid-2010, much to the delight of Polaroid shooters everywhere.
Irving Penn dies
/in NewsPhotographic legend Irving Penn died yesterday at the age of 92. He leaves behind a body of work that will be remembered for its elegant economy.
Whether he was photographing models wearing the newest line from Paris or artists such as Picasso and Duchamp or (more controversially) indigenous peoples, his approach was to keep the focus of attention on the subject by reducing the image to its bare essentials: subject, light, action. He applied a similar philosophy when photographing still lives, for which he is equally famous.
Click here to read an in-depth article about Penn’s art and life.
Grant winner begins installation
/in NewsIf you’re in the area, stop by and see the installation progress throughout the day. Brummund (at right) is assisted this morning by her husband Peter Brummund and by Light Work intern Gabi Lewton-Leopold. Below is a view of the installation from inside the building.
Pending sale of Polaroid Collection images
/in NewsIf you haven’t yet heard, 1,300 images from the famous Polaroid Collection, with a pre-sale value estimated at between 7 and 11 million, are slated for auction by Sotheby’s this spring. Although this story has been developing for a while now, many photographers who have work in the 16,000-piece collection remain unaware of the upcoming sale and the events that led up to it. Take a look here and here to read a couple good summaries of what’s going on and how the sale came about.
Although a Minnesota judge has approved the sale, artists who have work in the collection may have some recourse, as explained on A.D. Coleman’s blog, Photocritic International. Coleman posts helpful information for photographers who may wish to establish standing in the case.
It’s safe to assume that the artists who gave or loaned work to the collection never thought the images would be put on the auction block to potentially compete with other work in the market. Beyond those who are personally impacted by the piecemeal sale of collection, the auction poses many important questions about the ownership and intellectual property rights of artists and the responsibilities, both legal and moral, of institutions to maintain collections and notify artists when the status of the collections changes.
Community Darkrooms reopens
/in Lab, NewsAlso in Community Darkrooms, our new Tech Heads are on duty Sunday through Thursday, from 1-6pm, to help you with your image-making. The Tech Heads can get you started with scanning, working in Photoshop, and using our Epson 4880 printers. They can also help you out in the black-and-white lab. Just come in during Tech Head hours and get the answers to the questions you need help on most.
Registration for Fall workshops is also open now. Visit our website to see our current offerings and to register.