Minter

In case you missed the opening or if you're just curious to get a better idea of what the Marylin Minter show up at Regen Projects is about, The Flog documented it for you here.

I was most struck by how painterly some of the pieces felt (due to a lack of focus used to nice effect) and by the strange resin she'd covered some of them with. Definitely worth checking out.

Quote of the week - Henry Wessel

Copyright Henry Wessel

In honor of the opening of New Topographics at LACMA this Sunday:

"The process of photographing is a pleasure: eyes open, receptive, sensing, and at some point, connecting. It's thrilling to be outside your mind, your eyes far ahead of your thoughts."

- Henry Wessel

Cody Cloud talks on Camera Obscura

Cody Cloud talks about his Shanghai Zoo series, which I previously featured over on Camera Oscura.

Holy Crap! VC for JB

This one is right up my alley, having done my MBA (just one letter off from an MFA, right?) and specialized in entrepreneurship. It turns out Jen Bekman's 20x200 just received $800k in first round start-up financing. Man, I'd kill to get my hands on this business plan.

This leaves me wondering:

a) how much Jen put down and what percentage she retained - $ 200k would net her 20% of her business for example.

b) since when do people invest in art galleries, online or otherwise?

c) how could she really grow this business and what does she need the capital for, when expenses are all post-sale and her "storefront" outside of the gallery space is virtual and seems to run just fine (I'm sure the investors have good answers to this question).

d) Does this mean Hey Hot Shot entry fees will be waived in the future? :)

Speaking of HHS, the deadline is this Tuesday so get editing.


UPDATE: Todd Walker brought my attention to this NYT blog post also. Thanks!

Saturday Openings - One more

Looks like I forgot to include this one, which merits a mention for sure. While technically also at M+B, this makes four concurrent openings on Saturday within a one block radius.

A preview can be seen here.

Brewery Walk, Classes & Free Print @ Translight

To coincide with the upcoming bi-annual Brewery ArtWalk this weekend, Translight Colors is giving away a free 8x10 this Sat. & Sun. from 11am - 6pm. Just bring in your file prepped to that size at 300 dpi and they'll print one from their Epson 9800 beast, which they also rent out at a price I guarantee you beats any lab in town.

Translight is the last remaining lab where you can rent out B&W or Color darkrooms by the hour and they've also got you digitally covered with that Epson and a Nikon Super Coolscan 9000ED.

Also, they'll be hosting some super interesting classes coming up shortly at very affordable rates:

LITH PRINTING AND TONING WORKSHOP

Instructor: Francesca di Leo
Dates/Times: Sundays, Nov 8, 15, 22, & Dec 6 from 11am-2:30pm (14hrs total)
Workshop Fee: $200 + $140 lab fee
Location: Translight Photography Center

In this four week workshop, students will explore the world of Lith printing and a whole new way to express themselves artistically. Attendees will learn how to “expose for the highlights and develop for the shadows”, which is the basic principle in Lith printing. The last day of the workshop will involve toning previously printed Lith prints to really evoke a mood and bring greater depth to the image. All students who attend this class should have a basic knowledge of traditional black in white printing.

Platinum/Palladium and Cyanotype Alternative Processes Workshop
INSTRUCTOR: Norma Smith
DATE: Sat 11am-2pm, October 31 - December 12
No class 11/28
code: ALT-PP-Oct
CLASS FEE: $335.00 Plus $100 Lab Fee

This six-week workshop offers students hands-on experience in print making using both processes. Students will learn how to choose the best negative contrast, and how to coat, expose, and process his or her paper or fabric. Since both techniques are contact printing processes and require negatives the same size as the desired print, there will be a demonstration of traditional darkroom techniques for making enlarged negatives, as well as a discussion of making negatives digitally using ink jet printers. This highly experimental workshop will provide participants with a basic understanding of the platinum/palladium and cyanotype mediums and the ability to use each in order to add new spice to their images.

Saturday Openings Galore!

Yes, things have been a bit quiet here on the blog front due to a nasty cold I've been battling and also because not a whole lot has been going on. As I'm sure you can tell by my barage of posts today, all that seems to have changed.

This Saturday we've got two (three?) great openings in store and I'll be at both if anyone would like to say hello or make a field trip out of it. They're across the street from one another too.

First up is Marylin Minter at Regen Projects from 6-8pm.

Regen Projects and Regen Projects II
633 N Almont Drive and 9016 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Tel. (310) 276-5424


Copyright Marylin Minter

Then, head across the street to M+B Gallery from 7-9pm to see Mona Kuhn's new series, Native, which was shot in her native Brazil.

M+B
612 North Almont Drive
Los Angeles, California 90069
Tel (310) 550 0050


Copyright Mona Kuhn

Bonus: While there's no word of an opening on Kopeikin's site, they typically do have opening receptions on Saturdays so I'm quite sure you can then walk just one block down from M+B to catch the opening of Susan Anderson's High Glitz at Kopeikin.

Kopeikin Gallery
8810 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, CA. 90069
(310) 385-5894 tel


Copyright Susan Anderson

That's right, folks. Three openings within walking distance. It's like Chelsea in LA. Who's in?

Free events at Calumet

Calumet's celebrating their 70th anniversary with a number of free events.

New Topographics at LACMA!

Copyright Frank Gohlke

Yes, the infamous New Topographics show has been rehashed with some new additions and will be traveling the country. We are blessed to have it at LACMA starting on Sunday. I was able to finagle myself a ticket to last night's preview, which was great. They said in the introduction that New Topographics is the second most cited source in photography writing, yet very few people actually saw the show at Eastman House back in the 70's. This is not one to miss.

The show has been given top billing and occupies the second floor of BCAM along with The Sum of Myself: Photographic Self-Portraits from the Audrey and Sydney Irmas Collection, which contains many self portraits I'd not previously seen by the masters. Imogen Cunningham with her grandchildren particularly warmed my heart.

The first event tied to the show happens this Saturday. Frank Gohlke will discuss the show and topics from his new book.

All info on other related events and artist walkthroughs can be found here.

Go get your man-altered landscape on.

Booksigning tonight - the Sartorialist

Yes, tonight the Sartorialist himself, Scott Schuman, will be signing copies of his new book, which is quite affordable. Not only does he have a great fashion sense, Scott is one hell of a street portraitist.

Thursday October 22nd
8pm-10pm
The Beverly Center
8500 Beverly Blvd
8th Floor, Outdoor Terrace

Flak + Simon Roberts + FB = Book Giveaway

FlakPhoto is giving away another book and since one of my readers won the last one, I thought I'd make sure to let you all know again. All you have to do to win a copy of Simon Roberts' new publication, We English, is post a link on Flak's Facebook page to your favorite photo on Flak. Details here.

Opening Saturday - Chris Anthony

Copyright Chris Anthony

Chris Anthony, who's prior show I featured will have a few new pieces in a group show at Merry Karnowsky Gallery on La Brea through November 7th. The opening is tomorrow night from 8-11.

If you hit that up, swing by Melrose Lightspace after, where I'll have a piece up in a group show for the evening with wine and cheese also from 8-11.

Show - Brian Bress @ Cherry and Martin

Copyright Brian Bess

I found the work of Brian Bress through Ian Aleksander Adams' blog post last week. His work definitely has it's own feel to it, which is refreshing. If you act quickly, you can catch his show up at Cherry and Martin through next Saturday the 24th.

Feature - Ed Freeman

I came across Ed Freeman's work through the Art of Photography Show, curated by Charlotte Cotton.

I'm featuring work from his "Desert Realty" series.

UPDATE: Ed was just selected for Critical Mass `09. Congrats, Ed!

Contests

The Magenta Foundation's Flash Forward just began accepting submissions for it's 2010 edition and the deadline for the current Hey Hot Shot competition is next Friday, Oct. 23rd. Get those entries in.

Last chance - Andrew Bush Vector Portraits at M+B

Copyright Andrew Bush

Just a reminder that Andrew Bush - Vector Portraits closes this Saturday at M+B. This is definitely one to see if you haven't yet.

Quote of the Week - Edward Weston

"My work has vitality because I have helped, done my part, in revealing to others the living world about them, showing to them what their own unseeing eyes had missed"

- Edward Weston


In researching for my trip up to Carmel this weekend for the festival I came across this really lovely NYT slideshow about Weston and the area narrated by his grandson and photographer Kim Weston. I highly recommend spending 5 minutes with it.

Here.

Irving Penn - RIP

"

"A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective."

- Irving Penn 1917 - 2009

Feature - Craig Doty

Craig Doty graduated from Art Institute of Chicago and then went on to receive hi MFA (one of 8 or so per year accepted, I believe) from Yale.

Craig just moved out to Los Angeles from Chitown so here's a big warm welcome. I can't say I'd want to be involved in any of the scenes his images depict but it sure is fun being a fly on the wall.


"Greco"

"Milk Chuggers"

"Die! Die!"

"Untitled #5"

"Craig"

"Untitled #3"

52 Editions

52 Editions features one photo per week at 8x10" in a limited, very affordable edition. I'm proud to have my photo "The Walk" featured this week.

This is a great way to get an affordable piece at just $45 unframed so please head over and take a look! Be sure to check out the catalogue too and join their mailing list to be notified of future editions.

Thanks, Arnaud!

From the site:

52 Editions is the anti-gallery

Our weekly goal: to demolish the misconception that collecting great photography is a privilege solely for the hoity-toity. We're knocking it off its pedestal, and bringing it live, to your walls.

As the cliche goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And the eye behind 52 editions, Arnaud Gregori, is no ordinary beholder. A curator and all around international man of the photo world, Gregori is also a self-proclaimed French snob. Translation: he has the exquisite taste and the chops to back that up, having spent hardcore time working with pro-photogs. Seriously, trust a frere.

Here's how it works: each week, 52 Editions features a different photograph for $45, published in a limited edition of 275. This postmodern approach to art dealing is more about spreading shutterbug love than making a buck. It's contagious, let's start a pandemic...

The photographs we feature are selected on a case-by-case basis. So, if Gregori thinks its good, it doesn't matter whether the artist is an amateur or professional, famous or anonymous. It doesn't matter to our prices either.

Making each photo inexpensive means if you love it, you can buy it. If we have it our way (and artsy-fartsy elitists be damned, we mean to!) a piece of art you've purchased isn't always a bank-breaking, life-long commitment. It's a gift to yourself, or a gift for another.

We hope to continuously expose you (you didn't really think you'd get through this without a darkroom pun, did you?!) to great works of art that will make your day as much as they make ours.

Trailer - Untitled

This looks hilarious and I can't wait to see it. Out Oct 23rd.

trailer

Mitch Epstein - American Power @ LACMA

Copyright Mitch Epstein

This coming Saturday, Mitch Epstein will present his new book, American Power in the Bing theater at LACAM at 2pm. Tickets are free and available on hour before his talk.

This one should be good! I think this is loosely related to the upcoming New Topographics show opening on the 25th, which will be on everybody's list to see.

Info here.

Feature - Cody Cloud

Cody Cloud, who is one half of dynamic duo fashion team JUCO with Julia Galdo, also shoots personal projects and editorial. I wanted to feature work from his Shanghai Zoo series but be sure to check out his Cities series also and JUCO's fashion work.

As always, click each image to view them large.

Yousuf Karsh @ the Downtown Libray

The Central Library's first floor gallery features portraits by Yousef Karsh to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday. He only made it to 93...photographers do seem to have a secret for longevity.

If there was a major personality of the 20th century, Karsh shot their portrait and extremely well. He tells a little about each one on his comprehensive website.

I couldn't resist selecting this one to show, as I'm currently re-reading Islands in the Stream.

This weekend: Free Museums!

Pretty much every museum in town and in the OC except LACMA (which is free next Monday on Columbus Day) is free this weekend as part of Museum Free for All.

Thanks, PixFeed!