The context of Re-constructed Vision : related texts
PHOTO START
September 14 - December 5, 1982
Rotunda, Bronx County Courthouse 851 Grand Concourse
Photo Start presents the work of 19 artists who regard the photographic image as the initial stimulus to their art work. That bond immediately yields to a variety of technique and expression-an impressive richness that characterizes manipulated photography.
In order to come to terms with such diversity, Photo Start is organized along the thematic lines of 'place' and 'figure' with emphasis on the methods in which the artist modifies such imagery to achieve his or her intended statement. This orientation not only bespeaks of renewed contemporary interest in certain representational subject matter but also situates itself within the tradition of photographic alteration, a tradition as old as photography itself.
The techniques used by the artists in the exhibit range from elaborate and experimental procedures conducted in the darkroom (toning, blocking, kwik printing) to the relatively traditional practice of hand coloring the print with dye, oil or acrylic. Within these parameters fall additional types of manipulation including cutting, collaging, airbrushing, applique and texturing.
These excercises, performed separately and in combination, have intentionally highlighted the presence and activity of the artist's hand, avoiding the purely laboratory (i.e., anonymous) processes. The image, already fraught with associations in isolation, assumes a new identity as it is subjected to medium hybridization and uniquely accented by hand operations.
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Lynton Wells, undated, oil on photosentized linen.
Note: we do not know which Lynton Wells work was in the exhibition - this uploaded as an exmaple of his work
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Photo Start presenta la obra de 19 artistas que consideran la imagen fotografia como el estimulo inicial de su obra de arte. Ese vinculo produce inmediatamente una gama de tecnicas y de modos de expresion: es la impresionante riqueza que caracteriza la fotografia manipulada o alterada. Para poder convenirse a tal variedad, Photo Start se ha organizado siguiendo las trayectorias tematicas de "lugar" y "figura", haciendo hincapid en los mdtodos utilizados por el artista al modificar tales imagenes para lograr la manifestacion deseada. Esta orientacion no es tan solo indicativa del re- novado interes contemporaneo en cierta tamatica figurativa, sino que tambien se situa dentro de la tradicion de alterar fotografias, una tradicion tan antigua como la fotografia misma.
Las tecnicas usadas por los artistas de esta exhibicion fluctuan desde procedi- mien tos elaborados y experimentales realizados en el cuarto oscuro (matizar, retocar, hacer positivios al "kwik") hasta la prdctica-relativamente tradicional-de colorear el positivio a mano con tinte, oleo o pintura acrilica Dentro de estos parametros se encuentran otras formas adicionales de manipulacidn tales como el corte, el mon- taje, el aerdgrafo, el sobrepuesto y la textura. Estos ejercicios, llevados a cabo separada y conjuntamente, han realzado intencionalmente la presencia y actividad de la mano del artista, evitando asi los meros procesos andnimos del laboratorio. La imagen, ya prenada de asociaciones aisladas, adopta una nueva identidad segifn se le somete a hibridacion de los medios y se recalca singularmente por medio de operaciones manuales.
Artists in the exhibition
Los artistas de esta exhibicion
Roger Anthony, Helen Block, Ellen Carey, Susan Dekleva, Daria Dorosh, Russell Drisc,h Robert Flynt, Benno Friedman, Charles Hovland, Gerald Incandela, Owen Morrel, Bea Nettles, Elaine Norman, D. Paul/Small, Juan Sanchez, Judy Seigel, Jeffrey Silverthorne, Gwenn Thomas, Lynton Wells.
Link to web site for Lynton Wells
Return to Re-constructed vision
Link to Gael Newton's Essays and Articles
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