Houston FotoFest

I recently arrived back from 5 days reviewing work at the Houston FotoFest 2010, founded in 1983 this was the 13th Fotofest.
The following entries are of some of the work I viewed (on average one see's over 20 photographers a day) so of course this is only a selection!.
Along with the review sessions (which last a month in total) there are many shows instigated by the festival.
The show Whatever was Splended: New American Photographs, curated by Aaron Schuman, in my opinion was not just the highlight of these exhibitions but also hands down wins best title for any of the shows. Whatvever was splended featured work by Will Steacy, Michael Schmelling, Greg Stimac, Tema Stauffer, Jason Lazarus, Jane Tam, Richard Mosse, Craig Mammano, Todd Hido, Hank Willis Thomas, and RJ Shaughnessy.
(All images are of the Whatever was Splendid Exhibition)
One of the other larger shows was curated by Natasha Egan Associate Director and Curator, Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago, an interesting photographic survey of where America stands now, entitled Road to Nowhere? Egan says:
“The artists in this exhibition address a repertoire of diverse but related themes including politics, surveillance, race, war, and economic insecurity. While the work is oftentimes critical, a quintessentially American optimism is evident.”
Anyway more about that later..

David Gray's Drift

Another fine publication of photographic fiction has just been published by photographer Davis Gray as part of his ongoing series that I have mentioned before....
It is now available in the gallery or online here....
Drift is a rootless wanderer in search of purpose, a change in fortunes, cursed with the the unquenchable hope of a big win. From San Francisco and the coast roads to LA and on via the car park of the Bellagio casino, through death valley and onto to the salt flats of mono lake, there are glimpsed fragments of the human condition strewn by the highways.

Drift is the fourth in the dream that days break portfolio series, featuring the photography of David Gray. Each series sees the release of a limited edition photographic prints and accompanying book. Vampire, Surge and Thunderbolts Way have preceded this latest release.
A 10" x 8" print is accompanied by a 10" x 8" 28 page singer sewn soft cover book containing all the images from the series as well as a written response by Paul Summers. Both are individually signed, numbered and in an edition of 100.

Seba Kurtis New Website and New work....

Seba now has a new website up, which you can see here. It has lots of new work and well worth a look.... The images here are all from Shoe box:

"In the late 80’s Aregntina suffered another crisis, where my father lost his business and our house and our belongings got repossessed...

A shoe box with all the family memories was the one thing that remainded.

They had all been damaged in a flood...." Seba Kurtis

Maurice Broomfield Show at Pallant House, Chichester..

Maurice will be showing at Pallant House, in Chichester until the 9th May 2010, If you have not been to Pallant House before I strongly recommend it, and if Pop Art is your thing they have an incredible collection, including this great Richard Hamilton....
Also please click here to see a slideshow and audio interview with Maurice.....

Joanna Pallaris at Exit Gallery

This evening (10 March) is the private veiw of an exhibition of polaroids by Joanna Pallaris entitled Nursted House
Consisting of images shot on a single day during the autumn of 2007, the work also focuses on life within the home, including family members, with particular attention being paid to a young woman. These shifts from meditative spaces to studied portraits create an atmosphere of intimacy, but also hints at an underlying narrative.The Exhibition runs until the 30th April
EXIT GALLERY is at Claire de Rouen Books

First Level
121- 125 Charing Cross Road
London WC2 0EW

Arnhel de Serra's Appleby

This is some of Arnhel de Serra's work in progress on Appleby, and here is some text from him about it:
'When the little chavvies gets up,they take the grails down the pani...then we all have bread and kel and a piece of stinger..’ Zilla Roberts describing Appleby Horse Fair, quoted by John Ezard in 1976.
Appleby Fair has existed since 1685 under the protection of a charter granted by James 11.Held in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, it is world famous and probably the most well known of the horse fairs attended by Romany families who travel early June each year to conduct business and catch up with friends.
The fair is an extraordinary spectacle which is shared by both gypsy,tourist and local people a like. Whether this is expressed through the traditions of trotting and racing down Flashing Lane, or through the horses being ridden and washed in the River Eden en mass, the horse is at the heart of this week long event.
The culture of Apple Fair is a healthy two fingers up to an ever increasingly over regulated,globalised society that is forcing minorities to the margins of society.

Sneak Peek: The Gallery Changes.....

Its Friday and we are taking the weekend as an opportunity to make some changes in the space, will all be ready for Ed Kashi's show being hung Monday ready for his talk Monday night, and then reception opening Tuesday evening, so do come and join us for a glass of something....
H

Kurt Tong: Memories, Dreams; Interrupted

Good news, HOST Gallery now has selected works from Kurt Tongs seres Memories, Dreams; Interrupted available in the gallery, prices starting at £350.00, do get in touch if you wish to see the work....
Here is some background from Kurt about the project:
This series explores the concept of memories. Scientists have suggested that memories are stored like jpegs, broken down into small pieces and stored. When we recall an event, the pieces are then put back together, any parts missing are filled in automatically by our brain, thus altering our memories of the event. The images are taken at places where I spend a lot of time with my daughters, where memories are made. These spaces are familiar to them and yet are shared, beyond the security of our home and constantly changing beyond our control. They are interpretations of our memories.
The spaces are shot using films, working with different lighting conditions and several other technique to 'degrade' the film, the images are then reconstructed through digital means.

Ed Kashi and Colin Jacobson on the sofa

An evening in the gallery, Monday the 8th to mark the opening of Ed Kashi's show, Curse of the Black Gold, more info here...

Last few days of the Eggleston at Victoria Miro

Yikes, if, like me you have not seen it yet, hurry down there..

Book Launch: Defiant Images 18/02/10

Tomorrow, Thursday the 18th, we are hosting the UK book launch of Darren Newbury's Defiant Images: Photography and Apartheid South Africa... Please join us for a drink from 6:30 Pm....
More info here...

Cowboy up Cupcake...

I have just started reading The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller, which so far is great, anyway it reminds me of Jane Hilton's Dead Eagle Trail work (which is currently being made into a book) Jane's work as I have mentioned before will be showing in the gallery in April....
But on a wet, dark Tuesday evening a nice end of the day quote from fullers book seems apt:
"Cowboy up Cupcake, everyone has their freakin problems....."
Photograph: Jane Hilton

Taking Portraits

Just a quick link to a great article on the Concientious blog, its based on Franz Fiedlers books Portrait photography, well worth a read here....

Teenage Years

Here is some work in progress by photographer Soraya Hocine, its from a body of work called Teenage Years, which is being shot around a skate park in London's Camden.. Its a little bit Jo Szabo and a little bit Ed Templeton...

The pictures Seamus didnt take....

The Telegraph has done a nice little questionaire with Seamus Murphy here.... Well worth a read...
Photograph: Seamus Murphy