Friday, November 20, 2009

Loss of a Great Collaborator


Jeanne-Claude, of the collaborating group Christo and Jeanne-Claude responsible for The Gates, has passed away at 74. Here is the New York Times obituary.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work served to inspire many, and not just those in the art community. Their large and involved installations brought attention of the general public the concept of process and instillation art. I am saddened to say that I have never been able to experience one of their works in person, having just missed The Gates. However, I did come to know their work and be impressed by it at and early age. I was first introduced to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work when I was in high school. I was at a summer program for the arts and we saw sketches of their work for Sounded Islands. What amazed me the most about these work, beyond the shocking pink, was that a single piece of art could be so large. I will never forget seeing those sketches and the feeling that anything could be accomplished.

Jeanne- Claude poetically stated that their worked expressed “the quality of love and tenderness that we human beings have for what does not last.” Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work reminds us that nothing is forever. Much time and effort is spent to enjoy only a brief moment, that moment, as with their works, is all the more special because of it temporary nature.

She will be missed and I hope Christo plans to continue with the works they had in progress.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

The Cities

Thursday night was the open of The Cities of Jean-Michels Berts at Sous Les Etoiles Gallery. This is an exclusive series printed in carbon ink. This entire exhibition was printed in house by me. I am happy to say the photograph and many others were very please with my work. I enjoyed printing this images in an edition of 5. It brought me back to my time in the darkroom. The process, thought it is digital, is quite close to working with wet prints in that the 'dodging and burning' is very evident. The difference thou is the amount of control on has with digitally adjusting and image and the tonal range of the process. The 7k ink systems allows for a tonal range close to that of platinum/palladium printing. It is quite subtly beautiful and worth seeing in person. The show will be on exhibit though January 2010.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

John van der Schilden


This week I had the pleasure of working with Canadian photographer John van der Schilden. He has shot for various magazine and has made an appearances on Canada's Next Top Model as a guest judge. He is a great guy and has some really awesome images. The spared Show Stoppers, in the October 2009 issue of Flare is a beautiful redeclaration of a behind the scenes of a movie shoot. Check out John in action in this Flare produced video.