Andy Warhol Polaroids (University of Richmond Gallery)'

"Everybody's sense of beauty is different from everybody else's" --Andy Warhol
Over the weekend, I attended the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Modlin Center for the Arts on the University of Richmond campus. Off the bat, it was quite impressive for one that a University so close had been gifted this amazing collection. Secondly, it was very impressive that a student had coordinated the whole show for a thesis project. The exhibition were selected Polaroids, silver gelatin prints, and a few of Warhol's "Red Books."
My initial reaction to the show was that it was set up very intuitively and "user-friendly" almost. For example, each wall was devoted to Warhol's quotes and writings on a certain thing, such as form, fame, and sexuality. The photos on these walls corresponded to the category.
In a way, this organization may have forced a reaction from the viewer because it only allowed for a maximum of three categorical reactions for all the work displayed. However, I think the writings and quotes and captions were sufficient extra goodies for the viewer to interpret more freely.
I was very moved by this exhibit and was uncertain as to why exactly, in comparison to other great works of art. It was only in retrospect that I realized it was because the very nature of the medium, the Polaroids. These photographs differed from others I am used to seeing in a gallery setting because they are very small. Nowadays, it seems, the norm is to show giant blown up photos in this type of a setting. Looking back on my experience, I realized how close I stood to Warhol's delicate little treasure-like images. For one, this forced me to interact with the art. Also, it made me covet it. The little Polaroids were like finding small treasures that only yourself, as the viewer, can interact with and view at one time. I found this experience to be a very personal one for this reason.
Generally, I found from this exhibit, that Warhol seemed to treat his subjects in very much the same way as I viewed them. Each subject seemed to have a very personal story and dialog within the world of Warhol. His quotations really enforced the meaning and influence he got directly from his subjects. For example, Warhol's Polaroid of Stephen Sprouse, a fashion designer and friend was included in the show. The caption told of their friendship and even that Warhol was buried in a Sprouse suit. (Sprouse Polaroid above)
Lastly, taking in this exhibit really expanded my world more than most shows I see because I gained knowledge and personal reactions to not only Warhol, but also his subjects, whom he respected greatly.

SameTime 1:04

I recently started to "follow" the SameTime blog started by a few members of the VCU Photo department. I had been previously introduced to this project through SameTime 7:15, a project in which Michael Lease, my former instructor was involved. The idea is to take an artistic but completely spontaneous picture everyday at the same time. This picture should represent in some abstract or literal way what you were doing or who you were with at that said time daily.
I wanted to follow the blog a bit before I responded to it so I could really get the get a good idea of my reaction to it.
There was a brief initial and completely irrational reflex to fear this idea, I suppose because my status in artistic academia, which sometimes seems structured around certain rules and norms. The idea of a "snapshot", which unfortunately was my initial reflexive determination of the daily photos, seemed to be outside my world of "art school". I then followed the blog, read the artist statement, and formed my lasting opinion about the project.
The grounds of this photographic endeavor, are very interesting to me. For one, it would be a relatively steep demand on the photographer, I would think, to remember to take a picture at exactly the same time everyday. Then, I realized that after the initial stress and inconvenience turns to routine, it would be a very rewarding situation. To be accustomed to finding something to reflect on artistically at least once everyday is enlightening. I have to admit, there are days that I get caught up in the seemingly important, but utterly useless bullshit of everyday life, when I would love an escape but find myself plugged into the "infrastructure" of "life". However, there are moments, like this one, when I can get completely lost in thought and investigation.
My reaction to this project makes me hope to find a spontaneous treasure at least once everyday, whether it be a picture, thought, or conversation.

Amy Stein (VCU Visiting Artist)

I attended Amy Stein's lecture before spring break. I concluded that her visit was one of top favorites I saw at VCU. In my opinion, she had the talent as well as the personality to make a great presenter and self-promoter in general. (I am just beginning to find these are both equally important qualities in becoming a professional artist--for me the very early stages of course.) I felt it very easy to relate to Stein because I always felt a little behind, only starting photography classes in Senior year of high school. It relieved me to hear her story of starting at age 30 or so as a second career. I found this a very admirable endeavor considering most people find it daunting to even change their majors in college!
Stein's work as well as her explanations were immensely intriguing to me, especially her Stranded series. At first exposure, I found the subject vaguely interesting, but random. Upon hearing her explanation and discussion about this series, however, I saw something different and huge, even epic about the series. I realized this was a series of work done by a talented artist which ended up showing something so much more than photographic talent. This, as it turned out in my brain, was a sociological endeavor of such vast importance to me as a photographer, it changed the way I view myself in this role.
The obvious implications of this theory is that people are normally viewed as dangerous and it would be a fatal move to stop and help them broken down on the side of the road. We get this assumption from cheesy horror movies. Stein's discovery of the subject's fear of her was the unavoidable irony of the message. However, her lecture showed me more than this role reversal. She spoke of more than fear, more than mistrust of the stranger, but of people's initially closed-off natures and the chance encounters which test these natural behaviors. Stein said for herself, this project gave her the "chance for very brief, intense encounters" with humans. Seeing it from the opposite perspective, her project allowed for the subjects to be enlightened or not enlightened with the same chance encounter. (Most may not have thought a half hour past it.) In general however, it was a chance to encounter human interaction much different from the normal cashier at MacDonald's transaction.
Lastly, I would like to say this presentation/revelation changed the way I think about myself as a photographer. Fear of the camera's lens has been around since its beginnings. However, I would never have imagined myself as a feared or mistrusted individual because of my role as a photographer. This gives me more of a sense of responsibility to my subject, whether a friend, model or stranger.

ArtSpace Juried Show (2nd Place!)

I entered the ArtSpace monthly juried show for February, judged by Matt Lively. Two of my three submissions were accepted and one got second place! I learned a lot from this process. One, it is very expensive to enter these shows when you don't really know what you're doing. I had to frame my photos, and without doing much resource ended up spending about as much with this as I could have made selling them. Noted...need to find more cost efficient approach to framing. Either way, I was happy to have even been accepted into the show and elated to have placed. The award check may as well have been a million dollars just because the whole experience was so exciting and rewarding.