What you will see: Ed Snyder’s passion for “dark tourism” began in the 1990s. Visiting and exploring locations most people avoid has become his passion, and one of the subjects for which he is best known. Whether it involves climbing a fence into a locked cemetery or exploring and researching abandoned ones, he documents his (sometimes shocking) experiences on his blog, “The Cemetery Traveler.”
Even the Angels Cried, Ed Snyder (click for large image)
The attraction to death for most people is a primal force. We avoid it for the most part, but when confronted with images that suggest our own mortality, we find that we cannot look away. While his photography can be experienced in a seemingly voyeuristic manner, there is no doubt that many of these images will haunt your dreams.
“Ed Snyder began this blog in order to share his decade-long experience with all things cemeterial. As a photographer specializing in images of cemetery statuary, I’ve run into some interesting people, had some unexplainable experiences, and had a lot of fun.” – The Cemetery Traveler
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” – Pablo Picasso
“Church St. Art & Craft is an eclectic art space. We are a cooperative art gallery in the historic Mill Race Village in Mt. Holly, NJ. We are a custom frame shop, a place to gather and create art and a shop to purchase charming hand made gifts. In short, a wonderfully creative place to visit!” – Church St. Art and Craft
Newspeak: Ignorance is Strength, from the Newspeak installation, Dread Scott
PROPELLING HISTORY FORWARD
Revolutionary artist Dread Scott examines racial and cultural disparity in contemporary society
GLASSBORO, NJ – Renowned for making “revolutionary art to propel history forward,” acclaimed American artist Dread Scott, in his first New Jersey one person exhibition, opens the Rowan University Art Gallery at High Street’s new season with A Sharp Divide, an exhibition that tackle the racial and cultural disparities within our criminal justice system. The exhibit is on display from September 6 – November 5, 2016.
An artist’s presentation and panel discussion with Dread Scott, presented by the Office of Social Justice, Inclusion, and Conflict Resolution, is scheduled for September 15 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in Eynon Ballroom, located in the Student Center on the university’s Glassboro campus. A reception to welcome the exhibition follows from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at the High Street gallery, 301 West High Street in Glassboro. Shuttle service between the Student Center and the gallery will be provided to students and the public following the panel discussion.
The exhibit serves as a survey of Dread Scott’s public engagement, performance-based, and multi media based works, completed from 1987 – 2014. In examining racial disparities, the work explores the complexities of the criminal justice system such as the criminalization of youth, profiling and discrimination, stop and frisk tactics, and other civil rights issues. The selected pieces include video, photography, recordings, and audience interactions.
“This is a world of profound polarization, exploitation, and suffering and billions are excluded from intellectual development and full participation in society,” Dread Scott explains. “It does not have to be this way and my art is part of forging a radically different world.”
He notes that his work “illuminates the misery that this society creates for so many people and it often encourages the viewer to envision how the world could be.”
Dread Scott works in a range of media including performance, photography, screen printing, video, installation and painting. His works can be hard-edged and poignant. His art has been exhibited at the MoMA PS1; the Contemporary Art Museum in Houston; The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis; the Pori Art Museum in Finland; and in the Whitney Museum’s inaugural exhibition at their new building. The Brooklyn Academy of Music presented his performance Dread Scott: Decision as part of their 30th Anniversary Next Wave Festival, and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts presented Dread Scott: Welcome to America. Recent work has been presented in several showings in New York and his sculptures have been installed at Logan Square in Philadelphia.
He first received national attention in 1989 when his art became the center of controversy over its use of the American flag. He was denounced by the President and the United States Senate, which soon after passed legislation to “protect the flag.” His opposition to this law resulted in a Supreme Court case and a landmark First Amendment decision.
The gallery is located at 301 High Street. Free public parking is available on High Street and neighboring streets. Municipal parking areas are available off Lake Street (behind Little Beefs Deli) and near the Barnes and Noble shopping complex between New Street and Rowan Blvd.
Admission to the gallery, lecture, and reception is free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 10 am to 5 pm; Thursday – Saturday, 10 to 7 pm. Directions can be found on the gallery website. For more information, call 856-256-4521 or visit www.rowan.edu/artgallery.
Support for programming at Rowan University Art Galleries has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Thank you to Mary Salvante, Rowan University Art Gallery at High Street, for the content of this post.
This exhibit is truly a diverse collection of images based on the idea of “home” from the myriad viewpoints of 35 local photographers. To be honest, I looked forward to seeing others’ interpretations of this topic with incredible anticipation and intrigue.
“There are many items throughout our home that are photographable and from time to time have been photographed. Most of them have been taken for granted as household decorations or ignored until I decide to photograph some of them. Such is the case with these figurines, tucked away on a shelf in a dark corner of our living room, behind a table lamp. Often seen and taken for granted – until now.” – Richard Montemurro
Mabel by Melissa Hellwig: “Home is where the heart is and my heart is my beautiful daughter, Mabel. I took this photo during her monthly photo shoot when she turned 6 months old. She loves having her picture taken!”
What is home? According to the prospectus: “Home” will be a show of images that presents compelling photographs on any of the aspects or themes of “home”. Images submitted should be those that the photographer connects to an idea of “home” – this is inclusive of any definition or personal connection and could be home sweet home, home run, home town, home stretch, homey, home free, home base, etc.
“Twenty Gammons Road passed into memory February, 2012. Its passing was attended by its most recent resident as witness to the 94 years of shelter it provided beginning in 1918. Twenty Gammons Road is survived by the memories of life lived within its walls.” – Ellie Wright
Christine Foster, Joey’s House (2013). archival giclee print, shot on film with a Holga
Pat E. Fitzgerald, Homemade Apple Pie (2015), chromogenic print
“Ever since I ate a piece of Carolyn’s homemade apple pie, I have not been able to eat one that is bought at a store, served in a restaurant, or homemade by anyone else. As you can see from the photo, the consistency of the crust enhances its taste, but what makes Carolyn’s apple pie so perfect is that every apple slice is deliciously soft–there isn’t one hard apple slice in the entire pie!” – Pat E. Fitzgerald
Sandra C. Davis, Home Invasion-Stealing Fruit (2015), archival pigment print
“The Home Invasion series are images which will be published in book telling the story of old toys that have been put away in a box and left forgotten in the basement. They come to life and make their way out of the basement and into the home to begin making mischief while the humans sleep. Did you ever wonder how that piece of fruit ended up in the middle of the floor? Or what happened to that other sock? How did that book get knocked from the shelf? Perhaps they are in your home and are answer to those unsolved mysteries.” – Sandra C. Davis
“My friend and I participated in a community outreach at a housing project in Newark where residents received free food and clothing. While there I noticed an elderly woman looking at us from a distance through her window. I was intrigued so I grabbed my camera and took the first photo. As I walked closer to the subject I saw all of the broken and boarded up windows in her building. Amazingly, she secured her windows with store grates! I’ve seen a lot of peculiar things over my life but having store grates inside someone’s apartment was incredulous.
I approached the senior and asked if I could take her picture. She obliged and then told me that she has lived there for over 40 years and has seen her community decline because of crime and drugs. I asked her why she doesn’t simply move away from there because it’s so dangerous. She replied, “Baby, I can’t leave, this is my home.” Her weighty words taught me that compassion plus commitment is the foundation of any community.” – Erik James Montgomery
When I was invited by curator Norm Hinsey to participate in the group photography show themed HOME at the Markeim Arts Center, I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to participate. To me, the word home evokes ideas of a warm, fuzzy, safe, and nurturing place — also a place of which I have never felt connected. After much pondering, Billy Joel’s ballad “You’re My Home” came to mind. Yes, that’s it. This song resonates with me. Home for me is not a physical place, but a feeling. Relationships. Comfort. Self-acceptance. Authenticity. Love. “Look within yourself”, my inner voice whispered, “and you’ll find your meaning.”
Laura Storck, Revelation as a Wife and Mother (You’re so cramped here.), 2011, silver gelatin print
After much recollection and pondering, I realized that because of my nomadic spirit and constant cravings, the concept of home isn’t a place, it’s a sensibility. It’s the notion of feeling secure within myself.
My image “Revelation of a Wife and Mother (You’re so cramped here.)” was a decisive moment for me. Several years ago, I had just started a Holga camera and darkroom class at the University of the Arts and was playing around with the new detachable flash that had arrived in the mail. While watching a Serbian film with English subtitles made in the late 1960’s, I randomly snapped a photo while firing off the flash to figure out how it worked. It wasn’t until printing the enlarged 120mm film image in the darkroom did I hold a clear vision of what I had captured — not just a black and white image of my messy living room, but a snapshot which perfectly conveyed how I truly felt on that cool October afternoon in 2011.
Anne M. Ferara, Grandma’s China (2016), chromogenic print
“This image evokes memories of home and family gatherings.” – Anne M. Ferara
Ola Wilk, Suzy (Walkersville, Maryland), 2014, chromagenic print
“Suzy, a proud teenage horse trainer and show competitor, at the entrance to a trailer on her horse farm in rural Maryland.” – Ola Wilk
Steve Tornone, Home-cooked Meal (2015), silver halide print
Lionel Goodman, Home Sweet Home (2015), archival pigmented inkjet
“This photograph of a Roma (gypsy) was taken summer 2014 on the busy Paris left-bank boulevard, Rue Vaugirard. It is noteworthy that the photograph depicts a common Parisian street scene well before the Syrian migration. These (illegal) homes on the street frequently include tents, babies and even pets. Except for the Champs Elysees right-bank quarter they are generally tolerated by the police. These Roma encampments in Paris reflect a long standing internal European migration problem.” – Lionel Goodman
I draw much contentment and energy from the beautiful relationships I’ve formed over the years. Most of all, I’m learning to feel completely whole by allowing myself to pursue my deepest interests and passions without abandon — my art — thus evolving to self-actualization (finally) without judgment but with encouragement, patience, and pride. This is home to me — being comfortable in my own skin. I haven’t made it home yet but the journey is an interesting, poignant, and exciting adventure.
Collection of Norm Hinsey, Marvin’s Photo Album, Polaroid SX-70
Participating artists in HOME include: Anne Ferara, Ava Hartline, Blaise Tobia, Christine Foster, Dave Magyar, Ellie Wright, Erik James Montgomery, Geoff McClain, Gloria Whitney, Heather Siple, Hope Ardizzone, Joan Wheeler, Joel Blum, Joseph Gilchrist, Kate McGovern, Kevin Provost, Laura Storck, Lionel Goodman, Melissa Hellwig, Ola WIlk, Pat Fitzgerald, Peter Burt, Richard Montemurro, Ruth Haines, S Gili Post, Sandra Davis, Scott Johnson, Sky McClain, Steve Tornone, Susan Spitz, Valerie Williams, Vera Hinsey, Vera Resnik, Wayne Klaw, and Whit McGinley.
Curator Norm Hinsey is a photographer, as well as director of CREON Gallery in New York City. He has curated several shows at the Markeim, including MYSTERIOUS, ALL NATURAL, INSPIRED, EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, and PORTRAIT. CREON has recently shown a retrospective of photographs by Krzysztof Zarebski; and hosted EXPOSED, an exhibition that included work by Ellen Carey and Amanda Means exploring new and unique photographic processes.
HOME will be on exhibit at the Markeim Art Center, 104 Walnut Street (Lincoln Ave & Walnut St) Haddonfield, NJ 08033 through March 5, 2016, 856-429-8585 info@markeimartscenter.org
Objet D’ Art, Group Photography Exhibition at Church St. Art & Craft Gallery, Curator Jeff Stroud
Call to all local photographers! March Photography Exhibition Church St. Art & Craft Gallery of Mt Holly, NJ, has invited me to curate this year’s photography exhibition which will be held in March 2016. The theme this year is: Objet D’ Art: A small object that is valued because it is beautiful or interesting; an object that artist value.
The theme here is to show your creative artistic side by exhibiting small objects you find in your home, everyday object you use or collection, or any small found objects that catch your imagination while creating a single image of fine art.
Drop off dates Feb 26-28th during business hours Wednesday– Friday 11-6:00 pm, Saturday10-6:00 pm. Sunday12-4:00 pm
There is a $10 submission fee. You may submit up to 3 photographs, framed and properly wired for hanging. The show will run from March 2nd through the 26th and we will be holding a meet the artists reception on March 12th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Open to the public and there will be refreshments served.
I look forward to hearing from you as well as curating this exhibition. You are welcome to invite friends and share this post with other photographers.
Objet D’art: Photography Exhibition, the exhibit for the month of March at Church St. Art & Craft Gallerywill be non-juried and curated by our guest photographer Jeff Stroud.
Theme: Objet D’ Art: A small object that is valued because it is beautiful or interesting; an object that artists value.
“The theme here is to show your creative artistic side by exhibiting small objects you can find in your home, everyday object you use or collect or small found object that catch your imagination while creating a single image of fine art with blurred/bokeh background.” – Jeff Stroud
For any questions regarding the theme or medium, please contact Jeff at jeffstroud.52@gmail.com
In/Dwelling: Meditations on Built Environments as Cultural Narrative February 22 – April 14, 2016
Introducing our new location 301 High Street, Glassboro New Jersey
Artist’s talk and reception Thursday, February 25, 5 – 8 pm
Rowan University Art Gallery at High Street explores built environments, both external and internal, as emblems of a cultural past, present, and future with In/Dwelling:Meditations on Built Environments as Cultural Narrative. The exhibition is on display from February 22 to April 14, with an artist’s lecture and reception onFebruary 25 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
We are compelled to imagine a time when architectural spaces and objects were new representations of manufacturing, design, and aesthetic tastes and trends. The urban / suburban motifs have time and again provided artists with the perfect vehicle in which to explore universal topics such as: the complexity of infrastructure, commerce, demographics, and identity as inspiration to create new work. In this exhibition the participating artists imbue architectural structures and domestic objects with interpretations of historical experiences, social customs, and emotional memories as a cultural narrative. Artists include Philadelphia based artists: Lewis Colburn, Ben Grasso, Kay Healy, Erin Murray, and Miriam Singer. Chicago based artist Ann Toebbe, and New York based artist Brian Tolle. A work by Louise Bourgeois is included courtesy of the gallery permanent collection.
The catalyst behind the framing of this exhibition concept was the print Femme Maison, 1984, by Louise Bourgeois from the gallery collection. Femme Maison, which means both “woman-house” and “house-wife,” is one of Louise Bourgeois’s most famous motifs. For the artist, who was raised in France, the home was closely connected to female identity. By combining residential architecture and the curvaceous female body, Bourgeois portrays a woman who is obscured and entrapped by the domestic realm that she simultaneously supports.
The selected artists for this exhibition approach domesticity, architecture, and everyday objects from singular and accumulative perspectives. Brian Tolle creates a cross-wiring of reality and fiction in his sculptures and installations and blurs the border between the contemporary and historical with recurring themes of architecture, site, and technology. Lewis Colburn, of Philadelphia, sees objects as unreliable tour guides. He investigates ways in which we re-interpret and re-tell the past through the filter of our current experience. Ben Grasso, of Brooklyn, NY, presents a re-imagining of what actually exists and recasts these things in new terms creating a re-alignment of logic that makes plastic the anxiety underlying objects in the world through his painting. Miriam Singer, looks perceptually at multiple locations in Philadelphia and expresses the fragmentation of a fictional city as a collage of noise, pattern, and density.
By recounting memories of unique, collective, or habitual memories these artists investigate identity and history through interior and exterior experiences. Kay Healy, a Philadelphia based artist, creates large-scale screen printed and stuffed fabric furniture based on other people’s descriptions of their childhood homes and investigates how we relate to objects and cope with the fact that there is no way to truly return home. Ann Toebbe, a Chicago based artist, creates meticulous paintings using reconstructed memory and multiple perspectives to depict domestic and architectural spaces in cut-out paper doll fashion. Erin Murray, of Philadelphia, relates to buildings and built forms as being understood to represent our physical body, our cultural history, our economic reality, and our long-formed habits.
Brian Tolle, from New York, offers a lecture on February 25. He has completed several public art installations in New York, including the Irish Hunger Memorial in New York City. He has exhibited around the world and his work is included in numerous museum collections. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from SUNY at Albany; a B.F.A. from Parsons the New School for Design, NY; and an M.F.A. from Yale University in New Haven, CT.
The lecture will be presented at Westby Hall Room 111 beginning at 5:00 p.m. A reception follows at 301 High Street in Glassboro at 6:00 p.m.
Shuttle vans will be provided for guests traveling from Westby Hall to High Street. Return service will not be provided, but High Street is only a 15-minute walk away. Free public parking is available on High Street and neighboring streets. Municipal parking areas are available off Lake Street (behind Little Beefs Deli) and near the Barnes and Noble shopping complex between New Street and Rowan Blvd.
Images: top, Brian Tolle, Outgrown, platinum silicon rubber, toys. Courtesy the artist and CRG gallery. Bottom: Ann Toebbe, Jim’s Apartment, paper, gouache and pencil on panel.
Thank you to Rowan University Art Gallery for the content of this post.
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Head Blood Red, Ed Snyder
The Embrace, Ed Snyder
Even the Angels Cried, Ed Snyder (click for large image)
A Light Snow, Ed Snyder
Voodoo Doll, Ed Snyder
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Headshot 
For any questions regarding the theme or medium, please contact Jeff at 
