New York Times Magazine's Top Photo Books of 2011

We’re pleased to see The New York Time Magazine‘s Top Ten Photo Books of 2011 features two excellent titles by past Light Work Artists-in-Residence Christian Patterson and Brian Ulrich, who both participated in the residency program in 2010.

Redheaded Peckerwood (MACK, 2011)
by Christian Patterson


(Note: This video pictures the original artist book that Patterson produced in an edition of 10 copies during his residency at Light Work, not the version published by MACK.)

Patterson takes his inspiration from the story of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, an Eisenhower-era teenage couple who murdered 10 people in Nebraska over three days before they were captured by authorities. Patterson, who approaches their story “as a poet and a gumshoe,” in the words of Luc Sante, whose essay accompanies the book, combines historical photographs, documents and his own creative wanderings into an unsettling dance between evidence and myth. – NY Times

Is This Place Great or What (Aperture/Cleveland Museum of Art, 2011)
by Brian Ulrich

A blunt assessment of Americans’ obsession with consumption. In 2001, after 9/11, Ulrich was struck by a speech in which President Bush linked “the vitality of the American economy” with “the willingness of Americans to spend.” The first two chapters, “Retail” and “Thrift,” of the ensuing project were photographed before the financial crisis of 2008. The final chapter, “Dark Stores,” which was started that year, examines the fallout of the Great Recession and serves as a sobering coda to the earlier work. – NY Times

See The New York Times Magazine‘s Top 10 here.

Season's Greetings – Last Minute Gift Ideas


Coulson Family, 2008 by Deana Lawson

Light Work has a number of excellent gifts for photography lovers, including signed books, limited edition prints and subscriptions to Contact Sheet.

Treat a loved one or yourself to something special this holiday season.

In stock items ordered by MIDNIGHT on Wednesday, December 21st will ship on the 22nd. Add next-day shipping to receive your item on the 23rd!

Visit www.lightwork.org to explore.

[hyphen] AMERICANS at The Lubin House, NYC

Light Work cordially invites you to the preview reception for Keliy Anderson-Staley’s [hyphen] AMERICANS, Wednesday, December 14 from 6-8pm in The Palitz Gallery at The Lubin House in New York City.

Keliy Anderson-Staley: [hyphen] AMERICANS
December 15, 2011 – February 9, 2012

Gallery reception: December 14, 6-8pm
Gallery talk with the artist: December 14, 5pm

The Palitz Gallery
Syracuse University Lubin House
11 East 61st Street
New York, NY

RSVP by December 7, 2011 to sulubin@syr.edu or 212-710-5583

More information and images can be found here.
Contact Sheet 163: Keliy Anderson-Staley can be ordered here.

Light Work's Holiday Giveaway Package

Light Work is giving away an exciting publication-filled package to one very lucky online fan, and just in time for the holidays!

The Holiday Giveaway Package includes three monographs, two unique publications, and four issues of Contact Sheet (a $250 value!):

Pitch Blackness by Hank Willis Thomas ($35)
Social Studies by Carrie Mae Weems ($75)
Genetic Self-Portrait by Gary Schneider ($35)
NY State Barge Canal by Michael Bishop ($5) – Accordion-fold set of postcards.
Stereo Views by Jim Pomeroy ($50) – 3D stereo View-Master artist book.
Contact Sheet 129: John Gossage ($15)
Contact Sheet 136: Suzanne Opton ($10)
Contact Sheet 158: Laura Heyman ($12)
Contact Sheet 164: Scott McCarney ($12)

There are three ways you can enter. Increase your chances by doing them all!

1. Visit our Facebook page, LIKE us and write a ‘recommendation’ on the right sidebar, mentioning what you love about Light Work!

2. Visit our Twitter page, FOLLOW us and then Tweet @lightwork_photo telling us your favorite issue of Contact Sheet.

3. Sign up for a Subscription to Contact Sheet at any level (including print or book purchase) and when checking out write “Holiday Giveaway” in the comment box.

The randomly selected winner will be announced on December 15th, 2011.

If you see something in the giveaway package that you just can’t go without, know that you can purchase any of these items and more in our Online Store.

Happy holidays from Light Work!

UPDATE: Congrats to Liza Mindemann, winner of our Holiday Giveaway Package! She’ll receive books by Hank Willis Thomas, Carrie Mae Weems, Gary Schneider, Michael Bishop, Jim Pomeroy, John Gossage, Suzanne Opton, Laura Heyman, and Scott McCarney. Interested in these titles? They can all be purchased online at www.lightwork.org

Thank You, Miami!

Thanks to all who came out to visit Light Work at SCOPE Miami! We had an excellent time, enjoyed the many conversations, and truly appreciate the support.

If you saw something you liked at our booth and are still thinking about it, know that you can purchase our limited edition prints and signed books online. The 2012 Subscription Program includes a Master Print by William Wegman, as well as Fine Print Program prints by Kelli Connell, Tony Gleaton, and Susan Worsham.

We hope to see you again soon!

Find Light Work at SCOPE Miami

Light Work visits SCOPE Miami to feature the stunning prints and books from our 2012 Subscription Program, including a Master Print by renowned photographer William Wegman, as well as Fine Print Program prints by Kelli Connell, Tony Gleaton, and Susan Worsham. There will be many other prints available for purchase as well.

November 29 – December 4, 2011

SCOPE Pavilion
Wynwood Arts District
NE 1st Ave (Midtown Blvd) @ NE 30th St
Miami, FL

Stop by Booth # A18 to meet Program Manager Mary Lee Hodgens, Promotions Coordinator Jessica Reed, and Associate Director Shane Lavalette, hear about our programs, and support Light Work and artists by buying a print, book, or subscription to Contact Sheet, our journal featuring emerging photographers. Every penny we make at SCOPE Miami goes right back into our programming, which assists artists working in photography and electronic media through exhibitions, publications, artist residencies, and a community-access digital lab facility.

2012 Subscription Program: Great Cause. Great Art.

Light Work is pleased to announce our 2012 Subscription Program, including limited edition signed prints by William Wegman, Kelli Connell, Tony Gleaton and Susan Worsham. In addition, our Book Collector’s Offer includes signed copies of Soldier / Many Wars by Suzanne Opton and American Portraits by Leon Borensztein.

Light Work, an artist-run, non-profit organization, has been supporting emerging and under-recognized artists working in photography since 1973. Here’s how to help us continue that support and get something in return:

SUBSCRIBE to our award-winning journal Contact Sheet and receive five annually printed issues of one of the longest-running photography magazines in the world, plus FREE online access to our digital archive of over 160 back issues!

PURCHASE signed and numbered original prints from our exclusive 2012 program.

COLLECT special signed editions of newly released photography books.

Support Light Work at the Benefactor Level and receive all of the items from the 2012 Subscription Program (a savings of $540 on prints and books) as well as special signed copies of Contact Sheet!

Browse this year’s prints and books here.

Suzanne Opton on NPR: Seeing Veterans Up Close

An excellent feature by 2005 Artist-in-Residence Suzanne Opton was published on NPR today. Opton recently delivered a powerful talk about her work as part of the programming of the SPE Conference hosted by Light Work.

Take advantage of our 2012 Book Collector’s Offer and get signed copies of Suzanne Opton’s new book Soldier / Many Wars, Leon Borensztein’s American Portraits, as well as a subscription to Contact Sheet.

Photos of the SPE Regional Conference

We’re happy to report that the SPE Regional Conference was a great success on many levels. The cell phone snap above says it all: a crowded atrium at the Everson Museum of Art, as it began to fill up following Alec Soth‘s SOLD OUT keynote.

We’ve begun to assemble a collection of photographs from the conference for you to view in an album on the Light Work Facebook page. Please leave a comment on this post linking to any images you might have to share, or want to add to this album. We’re happy to do so!

We’ll be following up soon with the much anticipated video of both the “Photo 2.0” panel discussion with Andy Adams, Phillip Toledano, Amy Stein and Molly Landreth as well as the John Gossage talk that wrapped up the conference programming. Stay tuned!

The Daily Orange on Scott McCarney's "VisualBooks" Exhibition at Light Work

“I get excited about the materials of the book… The physicality of the book is an ephemera of experience.” – Scott McCarney

There’s a nice write-up about Scott McCarney’s “VisualBooks” exhibition in The Daily Orange.

The exhibition will remain on view in the Light Work gallery through December 16th.

Nov. 5 Live Stream of Photo 2.0 and John Gossage

We will be live streaming two fantastic talks from the SPE Regional Conference, both of which will be available to watch here on Saturday, November 5th.

UPDATE: Thanks to those who watched the live stream here. The player has now been removed, but video of each of these talks will be posted on the blog soon!

4:30 – 5:45pm EST
Photo 2.0 — Online Photographic Thinking
Panel discussion with Andy Adams (moderator)
Molly Landreth, Amy Stein and Philip Toledano

7:30 – 8:30pm EST
Featured Speaker John Gossage

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In addition to the blog, tune into Light Work’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates throughout the conference.

SPE Regional Conference 2011

The SPE Regional Conference programming kicks of today with some great events and speakers. Here’s the full schedule for your convenience!

Friday, November 4

9:00 – 6:00pm
Registration and Badge Pick-up

9:30 – 11:30am
Artist Book Workshop (pre-registration required) Bird Library

10:00 – 11:30am
Tours through Light Work and self-guided gallery tours to campus exhibitions (maps available)

Lunch

12:00 – 4:00pm
Portfolio Reviews in Schine Student Center, Room 304ABC

12:30 – 1:00pm
Opening Remarks

1:00 – 1:45pm
Colette Copeland
Publish or Perish—the artist as critic

2:00 – 2:45pm
Anne Whiston Spirn
The Power of a Book to Change Its Author: Dorothea Lange and An American Exodus

Coffee Break

3:15 – 4:00pm
Paula McCartney
Expanding My Audience (faster, cheaper, more!)

4:15 – 5:00pm
Featured Speaker Mary Virginia Swanson
To Be Published or Self-Publish? An Overview of Options for Artists

Dinner

Evening Events at Everson Museum of Art

6:00 – 6:45pm
Buses to Everson Museum of Art, leave from Sheraton Hotel
Opportunity to see exhibition From Here to There: Alec Soth’s America

7:00 – 7:30pm
Honored Educator Award to Doug DuBois

7:30 – 8:30pm
Keynote Speaker Alec Soth
From Here to There

8:30 – 9:00pm
Reception for exhibition, From Here to There: Alec Soth’s America

9:00 – 10:00pm
Buses back to Sheraton Hotel

Saturday, November 5

10:00 – 10:45am
Tate Shaw
Artist publications at Visual Studies Workshop

11:00 – 11:45am
Ken Schles
The Photographic Books of Ken Schles

Coffee Break

12:15 – 1:30pm
Suzanne Opton: Soldier

Lunch (Schine Student Center)

2:15 – 3:00pm
Members Meeting in Schine Student Center

3:30 – 4:15pm
W.M. Hunt
W.M. Hunt and “The Unseen Eye”

4:30– 5:45pm
Photo 2.0 — Online Photographic Thinking
(Panel discussion with Andy Adams (moderator), Molly Landreth, Amy Stein and Philip Toledano)

Dinner

7:30 – 8:30pm
Featured Speaker John Gossage

8:30 – 9:00pm
Buses to Spark Gallery from Light Work (continue to circle until 11:00p)

8:30 – 11:00pm
Closing Party at Spark Gallery

11:00pm
Last bus leaves to hotel

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In addition to the blog, tune into Light Work’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates throughout the conference.