Category Archives: Laura Storck

Spinning

Spinning Yarns: Photographic Storytellers featuring Carol Golemboski (left) and Blue Mitchell (right)

Spinning Yarns : Photographic Storytellers

Written and photographed by Laura Storck

To spin a yarn: (idiomatic) To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched (Source: wikitionary.org). The twenty-three photographers featured in this show reach outside of the scope of this simple definition. They are masters of their craft as portrayed through the feelings provoked by the stunning narratives that each artist individually conveys to the viewer.

Rachel Girard Reisert, Still series, archival inkjet prints

Spinning Yarns was curated by Anne Leighton Massoni, UArts Photography Program Director, and Libby Rowe, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. After nearly five years as a traveling exhibition, this show is wrapping up and the photographs will be auctioned off to support student scholarships for the UArts Photography program. Eighty-one framed images are available for purchase.

Rachel Girard Reisert, Bee (from Still series), 2007, archival ink jet print

Several of the artists’ stories are personally moving, such as Joy Christiansen Erb’s series Portrait of a Mother, which explores motherhood, family, and illness. Rachel Girard Reisert’s Still series shines a light on a smaller universe that routinely takes shape in the backyard. Anne Massoni’s project, Holding Leighton, explores concepts of memory and evidence of experience and existence. And each amusing image that Andy Bloxham’s Beta series provides a limited glimpse into a larger anecdotal account.

Morgan Konn, Rebecca, Undergraduate Student, Art (from Her House, Her Clothes series), 2006, Lightjet Print

Using photography as their chosen art form, each artist’s narrative simply pulls the spectator in…further…beyond the image, and subsequently plugs both into an engaging dialogue. A new awareness can emerge, as well as a distinctive ending, all depending on the unique experiences and mindset of the viewer — thus the yarn has spun.

Morgan Konn_First Year Law Student (from Her House, Her Clothes series), 2006, Lightjet Print

All images can be seen and starting bids made here: www.paddle8.com/auction/uarts. However, I encourage everyone to see these photographs in person, if possible, on display at UArts’ Hamilton Hall. For me, the experience of tangibly engaging with each of these images in person is ethereal, intense, and penetrating.

Joy Christiansen Erb, Portrait of a Mother Series, 2010, archival pigment prints

The online auction is already taking place through noon on Friday, October 9th, with a live auction and closing reception from 6-8 pm. Auction catalogs can be purchased from Anne Massoni at amassoni@uarts.edu for $15. For more information, please visit: http://www.uarts.edu/spinningyarns.

Grace Weston, Fuji Crystal, Archive C-prints

Participating Artists:

Anne Leighton Massoni, Holding Leighton series, archival pigment prints

The University of the Arts, Hamilton & Arronson Galleries, 320 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, (215) 717-6300

Written and photographed by Laura Storck

Laura Storck Photography ARTIST. SCIENTIST. PHOTOGRAPHER. ROCK STAR.: https://laurastorck.wordpress.com/

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PHOTOgraphy

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PHOTOgraphy 2015 Juried Exhibition, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Laura Storck, Untitled (My Philadelphia), 11″ x 14″, archival pigment print

PHOTOgraphy 2015 Juried Exhibition at The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Written and photographed by Jeff Stroud

Going to The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s PHOTOgraphy 2015 Juried exhibition reception, I went as a fellow photographer to support friends and members of photographic clubs in the city and local areas. I did not go to review this collection, so, my view of the work is not as extensive has it could have been. The best way to see any collection is to go during regular gallery hours which in this case, are Wed. Fri. Sat. Sun. 1:00 to 5:00 PM.

PHOTOgraphy 2015, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Susan Knott, Incomplete, 4″ x 5″ negative scanned and digitally printed, 20″ x 20″

You will find works “utilizing any photography process, traditional and digital, black & white and color.” There are nature landscapes; there are street scenes, studio work, and creative blurs (abstracts). There are works from long time photographers who know their craft, there are brilliant photographs from photographs who recently begun making photos, getting the feel of genre. Creating for the jurors a task that I don’t envy, jurors Melvin Chappel, Stuart Shils, and Ron Tarver’s selections offer a vision for the senses.

PHOTOgraphy 2015, The Philadelphia Sketch Club, Molly Carpenter, The Burlap Bag, photograph, 11″ x 17″, Third Prize

I am not going to select particular photos or photographs to feature here as favorites, for that would not be fair, to all the other wonderful creative works involved. To me having one’s art juried into the show is an honor in itself. To be selected to exhibit at The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s annual PHOTOgraphy exhibition is a prize worthy to place in each photographer’s artist statement.

Give yourself an artistic treat and go visit The Philadelphia Sketch Club’s galleries, the show is on display until August 15^th.

The Philadelphia Sketch Club 235 South Camac Street, The Avenue of the Artists, Center City, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, 215-545-9398

Written and photographed by Jeff Stroud

View the The Philadelphia Sketch Club online exhibition here.

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A Moment

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Arnold Newman, New York City, 1979, platinum print

Michael Somoroff: A Moment.

Master Photographers, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, UArts

Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts

Written and photographed by Laura Storck

As a photography student at The University of the Arts, I make every effort to take advantage of the wonderful rotating exhibits on display Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography on the 15th floor. I was especially motivated to see the current exhibit by ‘Michael Somoroff: A Moment. Master Photographers‘ which includes several gorgeous platinum prints of well-known luminaries such as Elliott Erwitt, Mary Ellen Mark, Frances McLaughlin-Gill, Ben Somoroff, Ben Stern, and Arnold Newman.

moment2 Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts

According to The University of the Arts May 2015 news release of this exhibit:

Between 1977 and 1983, Michael Somoroff, then a young New York photographer, had the privilege of photographing photographers who played a dominant role in shaping the medium during the climax of analog image making, including Robert Doisneau, Elliott Erwitt, Ralph Gibson, Jacques Henri Lartigue, Duane Michals and Helmut Newton, among others. He was first introduced to many of these icons through his father, Ben Somoroff, who studied under Alexey Brodovitch at the School of Industrial Arts in Philadelphia, now The University of the Arts, and had become a well-known and respected still life photographer working in both Philadelphia and New York. These portraits were originally created as a kind of visual journal, a tribute to the modern masters of the medium by a young photographer. Intensely personal, the images were never intended for publication and were put aside for many years. Thirty-five years later, this body of work is finally being shown and published.

Ben Somoroff, New York City, 1977, platinum print

Michael Somoroff studied art and photography at the New School for Social Research in New York, opening his own studio in the mid-seventies, eventually moving for a time to Europe. In Europe, he contributed to such publications as Life, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Stern, Time, and Der Spiegel. His work is represented in collections including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; and Museo Correr, Venice; it has been exhibited at the International Center of Photography, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. In 2006, Somoroff created a large-scale outdoor installation, “Illumination I” for the Rothko Chapel in Houston, as the first artist invited to do so since Barnett Newman. Somoroff’s homage to legendary photographer August Sander, “Absence of Subject,” was presented during the 2011 Venice Biennale, the only private exhibit in the artistic history of the city to be placed on Piazza San Marco. Since 2011, “Absence of Subject” has traveled continuously throughout Europe and soon in South America. In 2012, “A Moment. Master Photographers: Portraits” by Michael Somoroff was awarded Best Photo Books of the Year prize chosen by American Photo.

moment9 Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts

Upon viewing the beautiful platinum printed image of each master photographer, I felt inspiration, connection, and catharsis. The platinum print process is prized for its rich, long tonal range that includes lush blacks as well as delicate gray mid-tones and for its ability to show fine detail. Somoroff rendered his subject’s essence with the utmost expertise and transcendence. To pay personal homage to the images of these icons felt akin to a spiritual journey in a sacred space.

moment8 Mary Ellen Mark, New York City, 2011, platinum print, Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts moment5 Ben Stern, New York City, 1979, platinum print Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts

I felt especially moved when seeing Mary Ellen Mark’s portrait, and particularly saddened by her recent passing. I remember first learning about her work when visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art in September 2012 for her exhibition Prom: Photographs by Mary Ellen Mark. This exhibit occurred in conjunction with her husband’s work, cinematographer Martin Bell’s film Prom (2010), and I was very fortunate to witness a roundtable discussion among Mary Ellen Mark, Martin Bell, and the curator of photographs of the PMA, Peter Barberie. Mary Ellen Mark’s photography has been a major influence on my desire to capture documentary and street images, which has therefore inspired and helped me to feel more empathy, compassion, and responsiveness toward the human condition.

moment6 Elliott Erwitt, Easthampton, NY, 1979, platinum print, Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts

This experience forces me to ponder where my photographic path may lead…Will my portrait ever adorn a gallery wall? All I can offer with certainty is that I appreciate every little struggle and triumph along life’s serpentine journey; I cherish and find value in the many relationships I have formed; and I strive to keep going with continued optimism. Peach and love to all.

moment7 Frances McLaughlin-Gill, New York City, 1978, platinum print, Michael Somoroff: A Moment, Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, The University of the Arts

Now in it’s 37th year, the Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography offers a year-round regular schedule of exhibitions of contemporary photography. The only endowed gallery in Philadelphia dedicated solely to the exhibition of photography, the Mednick Gallery earned the Photo Review Award for service to photography. Associate Professor and former director of the Photography program Harris Fogel, who founded Gallery 1401 in 1999, has been director/curator of both galleries since 1997. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00am – 5:00pm., Saturday and Sunday by appointment. The exhibit is on display through July 31st.

The University of the Arts, The Sol Mednick Gallery of Photography, Terra Hall, 15th Floor 211 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) 717-6300

Event page – http://www.uarts.edu/about/sol-mednick-gallery

website – www.uarts.edu

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Written and photographed by Laura Storck except where noted

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Monochrome

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Monochrome Visions

By Laura Storck

The Monochrome Visions photography exhibition of silver emulsion prints is nothing short of a visual feast. This show features handcrafted black and white prints made by the students of Fleisher Art Memorial‘s ‘Art of the Fine Print’ class taught by the venerable Rick Wright. As a former member of Rick’s darkroom, I’m always amazed at the quality and nuances of the beautiful images produced by the talented individuals in this class. Fascinating and thought-provoking are the slices of life that are captured from each photographer’s perspective, and subsequently coaxed into physical manifestation through the combined magic of light, chemicals, and paper.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Paula Brumbelow Burns, Fire, 2014

This exhibit contains approximately 40 photographs which adorn the walls of Red Hook Coffee and Tea arranged salon style on rustic brick. Each black and white image has an amaranthine quality and evoke simple yet powerful feelings of connection with the photographer. What was he or she thinking at this exact moment of capture? What message is being conveyed? Every piece – each moment – seems to have a special meaning to each photographer as he or she spent the time to enlarge, transfer, and develop each image to perfection on photographic paper. Simply put, the photograph contains an emotional investment of time and artistry.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Ed Keer, Philadelphia Walk #1

Developing a picture in a darkroom for the first time is a timeless experience that everyone should experience at least once in their life. The cathartic feeling that you get when you first see an image appear on a once blank sheet of paper is simply magical and spellbinding. Nothing can compare.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Amanda Abramson, Shadfest, Lambertville

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Carlos Chan, Azulejos

Stop into Red Hook to see the Monochrome Visions exhibit between now and June 18th and experience it for yourself. Sit on a comfy chair in this charming cafe, enjoy a deliciously crafted Iced Honey Mint Latte or a tasty bowl of corn chowder, and allow the colorful panorama of Monochrome Visions to wash over your soul.

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Andrew Siegel, Capri, Italy

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea, Gene Renzi, Heavenly

Red Hook Coffee and Tea, 765 S. 4th St. Philadelphia, PA, 215-923-0178

Participating artists:

Amanda Abramson
Paula Brumbelow Burn
Carlos Chan
Chrissie DiAngelus
Edoarda Frangi
Rachel Glidden
Eddie Goldstein
Ed Keer
Katie Marcucci
Scott McClellan
Alexandra Orgera
Gene Renzi
Andrew Siegel
Rick Wright

Monochrome Visions, Red Hook Coffee and Tea

Written by Laura Storck

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Krimes

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Jesse Krimes: Apokaluptein16389067: II

By Laura Storck

As a native Philadelphian, I’d never visited the Eastern State Penitentiary, which is attributable to my own design as well as lack of desire. Known as America’s most historic prison, Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous prison in the world due to its grand architecture and strict disciplinary practices. Notions of such harsh discipline, imprisonment, and being confined to small spaces renders fear and paralysis in my mind. However, after learning about the May First Friday unveiling of several artists at the ESP, this art enthusiast felt it was a perfect time to make the guarded effort to see this well-known space.

Jesse Krimes: Apokaluptein16389067: II, Eastern State Penitentiary, photograph by Laura Storck

I was especially intrigued after reading about the installation ofJesse Krimes, entitled Apokaluptein 16389067: II. Jesse is a Philadelphia-based artist, who was indicted by the U.S. government on non-violent controlled substance charges, and served a 70-month federal prison term. While serving his term, Jesse produced a breathtaking and evocative 39-panel landscape on bedsheets. His process is just as magnificent: Jesse transferred cutout images from the New York Times using a plastic spoon and hairgel he had purchased from the commissary. He used the spoon to press the sheet and hairgel onto the newspaper cutout which resulted in an inverse image on the sheet. Lastly, the images were blended together with color pencil. With the help of prison guards who had supported his work, he was able to store the sheets in a prison locker before having each panel mailed home piece by piece upon completion. Jesse kept a running dialogue in his mind of each of the sheets, as he didn’t see the entire grouping of panels until his release.

Jesse Krimes: Apokaluptein16389067: II, Eastern State Penitentiary, photograph by Laura Storck

In it’s original iteration, Apokaluptein16389067 is 15 feet tall and 40 feet long. The images are a grouped according to three major sections: the bottom represents Hell, the middle portion is a depiction of Earth, and the upper portion signifies Heaven. A facsimile of the original is on display along the interior walls of an abandoned cell at the ESP. I spoke with Jesse about his artistic process, and he explained that the current installation was made by scanning the original bedsheets onto a large scanner and making a large print. He then made a copy of the large print (to mimic the inverse images that appear on the bedsheets due to the transfer) and affixed those pieces onto the walls of the prison cell exhibition space using hand sanitizer and a sealant. Jesse feels that this project has reached it’s zenith in as it’s final iteration at the Penitentiary.

Jesse Krimes: Apokaluptein16389067: II, Eastern State Penitentiary, photograph by Laura Storck

This installation is a brilliant collage of color, form, and text. The texture is reminiscent of decoupage or encaustic painting. In their entirety, the panels serve as an artistic time capsule.

The original title, Apokaluptein16389067, references the Greek origin of the word apocalypse which means to reveal; by definition, it is a cataclysmic event. The numbers reference the artist’s Federal Bureau of Prisons identification number. Of all the works on display at this First Friday event, I felt especially compelled to see this exhibit as I am both amazed and in awe of the power of human resilience. Last year, I read wonderful meme that has since stuck with me: “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity”. Jesse Krimes‘ work is the epitome and personification of this proverb. I hold much admiration for his creative self-motivation in making this impressively transcendent work of art during his own personal apocalypse.

Jesse Krimes: Apokaluptein16389067: II, Eastern State Penitentiary, photograph by Laura Storck