Monday, May 19, 2008

"NEWSPACE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY Inner Light Group, group show. What would peripheral vision look like if you tried to photograph it? Members of the Inner Light Group, a local photographer’s collective, take up that question in a largely unsatisfying group show. Much of the material here is hackneyed—a moody photograph of a cat, a child’s hand in an adult’s hand (gag!)—and the lion’s share amounts to little more than travel photography. Two exceptions are Scott Weston’s luminous untitled silver gelatin print, which channels David Hamilton, and Jonathan Brand’s intriguing narrative vignettes. 1632 SE 10th Ave., 963-1935. Closes June 2."
From Willamette Week.

I saw this show this afternoon and really enjoyed it. Unlike most of the photography shows I have seen at Newspace it was primarily made up of Silver Gelatin prints most of which were very accomplished and for that reason alone made the show worth seeing. I really don't know where the reviewer for Willamette Week comes up with calling the collection "hackneyed" especially since in Portland that's almost de rigueur. The work with a few exceptions didn't quite live up to the illusive theme but how does one compose a photograph that illustrates peripheral vision? The answer for me was found in one of the Scott Weston pieces described in the WW review as "channeling David Hamilton"(gag!) which if you really want to see "hackneyed" just take a look at his work. The picture I saw was quite remarkable because it did answer exactly the question posed by the theme of the exhibit. The photograph of a darkened room lit by a single window in the center of the image draws the eye to the the source of light which illuminates an empty room where there appears to only be a bed and a pair of woman's shoes. As you stare at the center of the photograph you become aware of the true subject of the photo in the shadows. An incredible image in a very interesting show. Hackneyed indeed. I just bet the guy that wrote that review for WW knows about channeling David Hamilton (if you know what I mean).

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