What do you think, do kitchen appliances like stoves and refrigerators count as "furniture"? Is "furniture" only something you sit on/at, like a chair or table? Or put stuff on/in, like a dresser or a vanity? Large kitchen appliances could fit those criteria. I could look up the definition of "furniture", but I can't think of anything else to talk about for this post, so there you go.
I posted this one here before in a different form. That first one is a scan of a print that I made in the darkroom. For this new one I scanned the negative directly. I melted and scratched up the negative, so it's all rippled and bent. So the point of focus may be different every time you put it in a darkroom enlarger or negative scanner.
This is the first photo I ever posted here! I scanned the original negative and ended up having to digitally extend the bottom and top to make it fit a 16"x20" format.
David Prifti is in possession of this original print, which he uses in his classes to show kids how to be adventurous in their photography. He could easily just show them his own work exclusively to demonstrate that, so it's certainly an honor to have my work used for that purpose.
The process of how this image came to be is a long one: the picture of the girl is taken from a book or a magazine, I can't remember which. I made a print of that, and then scraped up the paper and burned it with a lighter. Then I took a slide of the piece (which was part of my college application portfolio. It worked!) I recently found that slide, scanned it into the computer, removed a few distracting dust spots, changed it to black and white, and printed it out 16"x20" for the show.
In hindsight I can't decide if making it black and white was the right choice. And then I smack myself in the face, because somebody liked it enough to buy it, so don't worry about it, stupid. But something just seems off about it to me, I guess because I've been living with the color version all these years. But even printing it out in color wouldn't have captured the tactility of the burns and scratches anyway. So in the end I think the black and white works just as well in a digital print medium, and it fit in better with my other pieces, which were all black and white as well. For the record, here's the original, with yellowed burn marks and all, mounted on a white board which I "smoked" with a lighter:
Big belated thanks to everyone who came out to the Beebe Estate in Melrose for the Various Perspectives show. It was great fun as usual. Above are some of my pieces from the show. I'll be posting them individually here over the next few days.
This was New Year's Eve 05/06. I found that folding chair outside a Back Bay apartment and brought it all the way home. I set it up in the middle of the aisle on a sardine-can-packed Green Line train and sat my butt down for the long ride.
I totally forgot to mention that I'm exhibiting in a new group show at the Beebe Estate this month.
The reception is tomorrow night, 7:00-9:00 PM at the Beebe Estate, 235 West Foster St., Melrose, MA. Free admission, free parking.
As always, there will be a bounty of snacks and booze. Also, art of all kinds. I'm showing four large photographs, samples of which are above. Last night I got a sneak peak at most of the other artists' work, and there's some really great stuff.
Artists include:
Adrienne Belyea Joe Boo Sharon Bradbury Aaron Morris Christopher Mullins Bo Petran Mike Polcari Anna Salmeron Chris Spuglio Hope to see you there. Mention you heard about the show here and I'll hold a cluster of grapes over your head so that you may feast on them in a decadent manner.
A black and white negative that I melted a little bit over a flame and then printed. This is actually a scan of a slide of a print. So that makes this particular image the great-grandchild of the original. I think? Whew.