Farewell to Larry Sultan

I was saddened to hear that one of my favorite photographers passed away today. Larry Sultan died of cancer at the age of 63. If you don't know his work, you should. This photograph "Mom Posing By Green Wall and Dad Watching TV" is one of my all time favorite images - brilliant. Sultan's NY Times obituary is available here.

-Kimberly

New Section of Digital Photography II & last day of labs

Due to popular demand, we have opened one more section of VAFA 210-Digital Photography II for the Spring semester. The new section will be on Monday nights from 6-10pm. If you are interested in this class sign up now!

In other news. . .the last day of open labs for photography will be Wednesday, December 17. If you have any work on the NewArts server or on the storage drive of any computer in M&M or Hicks 120 back it up now. Everything will be deleted at the end of this week!!!!!

Sex, lies and Photoshop

There is an interesting article and accompanying op-ed video and in the NY Times today on the retouching of photographs in magazines and ad campaigns.

There is a political debate happening in France about requiring any photographs that have been retouched to label themselves as such. You can read the article and watch the video here.

I think that there are compelling arguments from each side, including the following;

Dominique Issermann, a French fashion photographer, thinks that Ms. Boyer has not only misunderstood the problem, but also the nature of photography itself. “There is this illusion that photography is ‘true,’ ” she said. But a camera can easily distort reality through the use of a different lens without any retouching. “As soon as you frame something you exclude something else,” she said, adding that photographs are “a piece of reality, but the reality of the world is different.

“If someone wants to make life a success, wants to feel good in their skin, wants to be part of society, one has to be thin or skinny, and then it’s not enough — one will have his body transformed with software that alters the image, so we enter a standardized and brainwashed world, and those who aren’t part of it are excluded from society.”

grab a coffee and discuss.

Chad

PHOTO CLUB MEETING THIS MONDAY!

Monday, December 7 - last photo club meeting of the semester.

We will be discussing plans for next semester, what we have accomplished this semester and. . . 

see the first THE PHOTO SLIDE SLAM!  Several students will have 7 minutes each to dazzle you with a quick presentation of their newest work! Come and see what your classmates are up to!  Sign up to SLAM during the next meeting!

This just in: second section of Studio & Light open!

Due to popular demand, we have opened one more section of VAFA 211-Studio & Light. The new section will meet on Thursdays from 8:30-12:30 during Spring semester 2010. Register now!

Great exhibition opportunity for photo students.

Stephenson University is hosting a juried photo show open to students in the Mid-Atlantic region. The jurors are: Kathleen Ewing from the Kathleen Ewing Gallery in Washington, DC, Jay Fisher from the Baltimore Museum of Art and Bob Sasha from Mediastorm in NYC. You may submit up to 4 digital or film based images. There is no fee to apply! The deadline is December 15. For more details click here. Selected works will be exhibited in the gallery at Stephenson University this winter.

IMPORTANT INFO - STUDIO & LIGHTING FOR SPRING 2010

As many of you may have noticed, the Spring section of VAFA 211 Studio & Light is now full. If you planned to register for this class and have been closed out, please place yourself on the wait list. We are currently trying to determine how many students are still interested in taking the class. Thanks.

Open Lab Hours for Thanksgiving.

Open lab hours for Thanksgiving week are as follows:

Wednesday - Darkroom & Digital open lab 1-6pm

Thursday & Friday - CLOSED

Saturday - Darkroom & Digital open lab from 10-4pm

A safe & happy Thanksgiving to all.

Black Friday Photo Competition

Great competition oppurtunity! Below is a quick synopsis of the theme of the competition and you can find out further details by going here. May the best shopper win!

Every year, Black Friday rings in the yearly holiday shopping season, with hundreds of thousands of people getting up before sunrise to queue for bargains and deals; when the doors are unlocked, the stores being besieged by their own customers. During Black Friday last year, security guard Jdimytai Damour, was trampled to death by crazed shoppers as he tried to hold back bargain seekers at a Walmart in Long Island . Unfortunately, the uproar in the media was mostly over by the end of the weekend.

Picture Black Friday is a photojournalism project that aims to revisit and analyze a combination of forces- a worsening economy, financial desperation, excitement, fear, and a distinctly American cultural tradition- that culminate the morning after Thanksgiving.

More specifically, Picture Black Friday is an open call for photographers throughout the U.S. to go out and produce images that document Black Friday- how you see it, on your terms. Imagine this project as an open assignment: you have freedom to approach this event from any angle you wish, returning with single images or even a mini-project that documents Black Friday like no other media outlet will. A selection of these images will be exhibited on this site.

Chad

Filmmaker Errol Morris has an interesting new post on his NY Times Blog. The post begins with the following:

Question: What is the difference among these three photographs?

Is it photojournalism, propaganda or art, and why? To read Morris' own response as well as the thoughts of NY Times readers you can go to his post here.

Registration & Advising

That time has come again - time to be advised and register for the Spring semester. Priority registration begins November 23. The following photo courses are available in the Spring Semester:
•VAFA 110 - Digital Photography Fundamentals - learn how to use your digital camera and the basics of photoshop
•VAFA 210 - Digital Photography II - advanced photoshop and portfolio development.
•VAFA 151 - Photography I - intro to black & white film - process your own film and print in the darkroom
•VAFA 157 - Photography II - advanced black & white darkroom work & portfolio development
•VAFA 211 - Studio & Light - Learn to use professional studio lighting - photograph portraits, products, etc in the studio.
•VAFA 196 - History of Photography - Learn the fascinating history of photography from Daguerre & Fox Talbot to contemporary artists.

SATURDAY OPEN LAB HOURS.

For the rest of the semester, we will have open labs in the darkroom & digital lab on Saturdays. Saturday lab hours are from 1pm-4pm. Please be cleaned up and ready to go by 4pm if you take advantage of these lab hours. Enjoy!!

Mitch Epstein Lecture - Thursday night

Photographer Mitch Epstein will be speaking about his work and signing copies of his new book "American Power" Epstein's new work investigates the generation and use of energy in the American landscape. Epstein will lecture from 7-8pm and then sign books from 8-8:45. This is a great opportunity - don't miss it. This event will take place at the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center. For address and more information click here.

The Sweet Flypaper of Life. . . farewell to Roy DeCarava

Photographer Roy DeCarava passed away this week. DeCarava is best known for his book "The Sweet Flypaper of Life" - a collaboration with poet Langston Hughes. DeCarava's photographs documented his Harlem, NYC neighborhood. DeCarava was both an artist and a civil rights activist. He will be missed. To read his obituary in the NY Times click this link. To see some of his images click this link.

Congratulations Chris Kirk & Victoria Yokota

Congratulations to Chris Kirk & Victoria Yokota. Their work was selected for the Juried Student Exhibition at this year's joint Mid Atlantic-Northeast regional conference of the Society for Photographic Education.  The conference will be held at Montclair State University on November 6 & 7.

Frankencamera. . . another leap forward in digital photography

Researchers at Stanford University have developed what they are calling the "Frankencamera." This new camera uses open source code (rather than proprietary software) in order to function. The use of open source code allows for infinite customization. The developers are also attempting to make a camera which will have an extended dynamic range. Read the fascinating article here and see the future.

trips, trips, trips. ..

•The Bucks Art Dept trip to NYC is this Friday, October 23. We are trying to fill a 3rd bus! Buy your tickets today in the Art Office in Hicks. Tickets are $25. The bus leaves Bucks at 8am on Friday and returns around 10pm. Chad States & Kimberly Witham will be making the rounds of the photo shows in Chelsea. You are welcomed to tag along.

•As if that is not enough. . . The Photo Club will be taking a trip to the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center on Sunday, October 25. Students will be carpooling from Bucks. The tour of PPAC is scheduled for 1pm, but students will be meeting early (10 am at Bucks) to photograph for a while. See Nick Ramsey, Amy Kalicragas or Robin Odland for more info.

Farewell Irving Penn (1917-2009)

Photographer Irving Penn died on Wednesday. Penn was an influential fashion and art photographer. His work appeared frequently in Vogue. He photographed many of the famous artists, actors & writers of his day. To see a slide show of Penn's photographs and to read his full obituary go to this link.

Next Photo Club meeting. ..

The next photo club meeting will take place on Monday, October 19 from noon-1pm in Hicks 118 (the photo classroom). We will discuss our trip to Philadelphia on Sunday, October 25. We are hoping to visit the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center and Project Basho. We would love to see you there.

Exhibition Opportunity!

The Society for Photographic Education (SPE) is looking for student work to be displayed at the joint Northeast - Mid Atlantic conference in November. This is a great opportunity to have your work seen by other photographers and by photo faculty members from schools across the area. There is no fee to apply, you just need to email three of your BEST photos and a short (300 word) statement to SPE by October 10. Don't miss this great opportunity! Submit some photos today. For more information, click on this link: http://www.spema.org/conferences/conference_2009_exhibition.php

PHOTOGRAPHERS WANTED

Bucks athletics is seeking student photographers to shoot sporting events.
Students will compile photos, videos, and recaps of sporting events, making them accessible to all students, including those who are part-time students or those who are unable to be active participants themselves. There will be opportunities to be published electronically and in print to gain more exposure. Interested? There will be a meeting this Thursday, Sept 24 at 12:30 in the gym lobby.

New York Trip

The Bucks Art Dept. trip to NYC will be held on Friday, October 23. The bus will leave Bucks at 8am and return around 10pm that night. We will make stops in Chelsea to visit the art galleries and at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is a great chance to see some amazing artwork. Tickets are $23 if purchased before September 25 and $25 if purchased after September 25. The Chelsea Galleries are free and the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a "pay as you wish" admission fee - pay one dollar and you are in! Kimberly will take interested students to photo galleries in Chelsea. Sign up today! Tickets are available from Susan Cafieros in the art office.

Photo Club Meeting

The Photo Club will be holding their first meeting of the semester this Monday, Sept 14 from noon-1pm in Hicks 118 (the classroom outside the darkroom). All are welcomed to attend. We will be discussing Photo Club activities for the fall semester. Hope to see you there.

A War Photographers Dilemma. What do you think?

The New York Times photo blog (Lens) is updated daily with images and stories.  A recent post caught my eye.  While covering the war in Afghanistan, photographer Julie Jacobsen captured an image of a mortally wounded American soldier.  Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard died shortly after the image was taken.  The soldier's family did not want the image released.  The AP elected to release the photograph along with images taken immediately before.  

“What it does is show — in a very unequivocal and direct fashion — the real consequences of war, involving in this case a U.S. Marine,” said Santiago Lyon, the director of photography at the A.P. “And that becomes very personal and very direct in some way, because we have a name, we have a home town, we have a shared nationality and we have, to a certain extent, a shared culture and some common values.  

Images and the story are available through this link: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/behind-13/

Photographers wanted

A "Light the Night" walk will take place at Bucks on Saturday, October 3 from 4:30-8pm.  This event benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  The organizers are looking for student photographers to document the event.  There is no pay. . but it is a good opportunity to build your portfolio while doing a good deed!  If you are interested in photographing this event, please call Kate Weissman - phone:  610-238-0360 ex. 225.  Thanks!

SPE Conference Scholarships & Awards.

Attention all photo students.  The Society for Photographic Education national conference will take place this March in Philadelphia.  This is a great opportunity to show your work and meet photographers and photography professors from across the country.  SPE is offering scholarships to the conference and cash awards.  Interested in applying?  You should be!  The link is here:  http://www.spenational.org/conference/conf2010/pdf/SPE_Scholarshipform_10.pdf

Apply today.  See Kimberly, Chad or Kate if you have any questions!

open lab hours for fall 2009

Open labs begin this Wednesday (9/2) in both the digital lab and the darkroom.  

Mondays:   noon-1pm & 5-10pm in the digital lab, 

9am-1pm & 5-6pm in the darkroom.

Tuesdays:   10am-6pm -  digital & darkroom

Wednesdays:   9am-1pm & 5-10pm -  digital & darkroom

Thursdays:   12:30-10pm - digital & darkroom

Fridays:   noon-7pm - digital & darkroom

Get to work!!

WELCOME BACK!!

We hope everyone had a productive and enjoyable summer.  Open labs - both digital and darkroom - will begin next week.  The schedule will be posted on the blog and in the labs as soon as it is available.  The next photo club meeting date & time will be posted soon as well.  

Dominic Nahr photo essay in the NY Times.

I was blown away by Dominic Nahr's photographs of Kenya in a recent times article.  Not to be missed.  Click on the NY Times link here.

Image ©Dominic Nahr 2009

RIP Kodachrome (1935-2009)

Kodak announced on Monday that it will be discontinuing production of Kodachrome slide film.  Kodachrome was the first commercially available color film.  Many of the most iconic images in the history of (color) photo were captured on Kodachrome.  To read an article about the end of the Kodachrome era click on this link to the NY Times article.  The Kodak website currently features a small slideshow of some of the iconic Kodachrome images from the last 74 years.  Steve McCurry's photo of an Afghan girl (above) was shot on Kodachrome.  

To Photoshop or not to Photoshop. . .

Have retouchers gone too far? An recent article in the NY Times asks that question. As an example, the author cites the three images of Reese Witherspoon above. On each magazine cover she looks completely different. Read the article here.

Library Mind Space contest winners.

Congratulations to Jessica Badgley, Amy Kallicragas and Jen Hamilton. Their photos have been chosen to hang in the new Mind Space and the quiet study area in the BCCC Newtown library.  The selected photos are posted above.   Images ©2009 (from top to bottowm) - Amy Kallicragas, Jen Hamilton & Jessica Badgley.

Important end of the semester news

•A new section of Digital Photo II has just been opened.  The new section will be on Wednesday afternoons from 1-5pm this Fall.  

•If you are having trouble registering for VAFA 211 Studio & Lighting, please contact the art office.  We will sign you into the class.

•Don't forget to take all of your work from the NewArts server, all information will be erased in the next week or so!

•Have a great summer and make sure to check in on the photo blog!

News from photo land. .

Open Lab Hours:

There are some changes in the open lab hours during the last few weeks of the semester - 

•Friday, May 1 - the Hicks digital lab will be closed from 9-1 for a scheduled class.  Students who wish to work in open lab can use MM 17 during this time.

•Saturday open lab hours for the end of the semester:

Saturday, May 2:  Digital lab 10am-5pm, darkroom 2pm-5pm

Saturday, May 9:  Digital lab 10am-5pm, darkroom 2pm-5pm

THIS SUNDAY ONLY OPEN LAB (DIGITAL ONLY) from 1-4pm during Arts at Bucks.

Don't forget to come to Arts at Bucks with your friends and family.  There will be a reception and awards presentation for the student show on Sunday, May 3 from 1-4pm.  

•The Photo Club will be holding a print sale during Arts at Bucks from 1-4pm on Sunday, May 3.  Get psyched, bring $$$$.  You can buy some great art before these folks become famous!

Good luck with finals and the rest of the semester!!

Studio & Lighting . . .a BIG thanks to Freestyle Salon and our models!!

On Thursday students in VAFA 211 Studio & Light worked with stylists from Freestyle Salon in Newtown and 5 fabulous models for a very successful shoot.  Thanks to the generous stylists at Freestyle who gave their time and talents for an afternoon and thanks to our models Lisa, Mita, Ross, Margo and Dayna.  Photos above by (from top to bottom): Victoria Yokota, Nikkita Paterson, Sharon Mastrosimone, Meghan Thorrick & Jim DiPaolo.  All images ©2009.

Congratulations Sue Kott & Sharon Mastrosimone

Photographs by  Sue Kott and Sharon Mastrosimone will be included in the 27th Annual Ellarslie Open Exhibition at the Trenton Museum.  An opening reception will be held April 25 from 5-9pm.  For more information, you can click on this  www.ellarslie.org 

WORK ACCEPTED FOR THE STUDENT SHOW

The works listed below have been selected for the student exhibition.  We had to make some very difficult decisions, we had about 200 entries for around 30 spots!  The competition was tough.  Congratulations to all on your hard work this year.  If your work was selected you must pick up your piece and return it matted by noon on Monday, April 20.  Be sure to put the label on the back of the piece.  All work is now available for pick-up in the photo office.

In no particular order:

Sarah Setting Patterns
Kaitlyn Campbell Washington Monument
Molly Nadav one two three
Adam Burke Untitled (girl sleeping in comfy chair)
Laura Landau Flowered Joy
Nikkita Patterson Sherman Still #5
Jessica Badgley Childhood
Nicole Ogborn Linda
Kate Hargreaves She’s Waiting
Stacey Gerlach Michelle
Mike Mastronardi Freight Wait
Joshua Tolby Swept Away
Susan Kott Brown Pears I
Meghan Thorrick Spellbound
Sharon Mastrosimone Skating Beauty
Victoria Yokota Harnett’s Violin
Nancy Sher Brittany #1
David Wagner Woman Shopping
Dave Carter Speeding
Carol Elliot Diner
Emmett Gallagher Hydrant and Shadows
Chris Kirk Untitled (night exposure of building)
Burns Austin Self Portrait
Danielle Duffy Washington Crossing Park
Robert Beighley Sycamore Drive
Jim Carry Untitled (3 buildings with reflection)
Jaime Lee Monreal Flying Seagulls
Robin Odland Untitled (man playing harmonica)
Jim DiPaolo Peek a boo
Janice Watson Rushing
Jettie Sailor Scenery from the River
David Wagner Woman Shopping
Bill Kraus BCCC Photo II Darkroom Instruction
Molly Nadav Wires Flowing
Linda Bontempi Night Bocce
Nicholas Ramsey Jettie Sailor
Nicholas Ramsey Brittany
Hayley Tomlinson Oma

Ben Manns Untitled

Advising & Registration.

That time has come again.  Be sure to sign up for an advising appointment ASAP.  Registration starts at the end of April.  You can not register until you have been advised.  If you wold like to take a photo class in Fall 2009, we will be offering the following classes

Photography I - VAFA 151 - Learn how to expose, process and print black and white film in the darkroom.

Large Format Photography - VAFA 257 - Learn how to use a view camera (just like Ansel Adams).  Cameras are provided for student use.  Prerequisite:  Photography I

Digital Photography I - VAFA 110- Learn digital camera techniques and the basics of Photoshop.

Digital Photography II - VAFA 210- Learn advanced digital photography techniques, color correction and digital printing. Prerequisite:  Digital Photography I

Studio & Light - VAFA 211 - Learn how to use studio lighting equipment (strobe and continuous tone) to photograph people and objects in the studio.  Prerequisite:  Digital Photography I OR Darkroom Photography I and VAMM 100.  

PHOTO CLUB NEWS

In case you missed the photo club meeting last Thursday:

•We will be holding a print sale during Arts at Bucks May 2-3.  We are looking for darkroom and digital photo donations.  All proceeds from the sale will go to the Photo Club.  Donations can be placed in the box in the photo office in Hicks.  

•The Photo Club and the Photo Blog are combining to sponsor an online juried photo show.  You may submit as many photos as you would like saved as jpegs and labeled with your name.  They can be placed in the "Photo Club Contest" folder on the New Arts server.  Photo club members will vote to choose the winning submissions during the meeting on Thursday, April 28 at 12:30.  Submit your work and come to the meeting to vote for  your favorites!

•Next photo club meeting to discuss a possible spring trip as well as the print sale and photo contest will be on this Thursday, April 23 at 12:30 in the photo lab.  

NEXT PHOTO CLUB MEETING!!!

Join us for the next meeting of the Bucks Photo Club. We will be meeting in the photo area in Hicks on Thursday, April 9 from 12:30 to 1:30.  We are going to discuss plans for an informal photo trip and photo contest.  Please come!  All are welcome.

The Library Mind Space wants to buy your photo!!

The Newtown campus library is creating a new "Mind Space" area with computers and assistance for students working on multimedia projects.  They are looking for a large digital photo to fill some of their wall space.  We are seeking digital entries from photo students.  The winning piece will be printed on the Epson 9880 printer and purchased by the college (yes, you will be paid!!) The deadline for entries is May 1.  More information will be posted soon in the Hicks digital lab and darkroom space - in the meantime start shooting.

Congratulations Jim DiPaolo

Jim was hired to photograph the new First Federal Bank of Bucks County inside and out.  Jim's photos are on the cover and an inside spread of "Outlook" magazine.  You can see the spreads at the Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce Website. When you see Jim, congratulate him on the publication of his work.

News from the Photo Club

WOW!  26 students attended the first meeting of the Bucks Photo Club.  We are now on our way to making this an official club recognized by the Bucks Student Government.  We will announce our next meeting shortly - most likely we will meet in early April.  We have plans for at least one Photo Club activity this Spring.  Congratulations to our new officers

Amy Kallicragas - President

Chris Kirk & Nick Ramsey - Co-Vice-Presidents

Nancy Sher - Treasurer

Danielle Pigeon - Secretary

We are interested in any suggestions you may have for trips, fundraisers and photo club activities.  You can click on the small "comment" tab below and leave us a note with any ideas you can dream up.  Please let us know what you think!

BUCKS PHOTO CLUB FIRST MEETING!

Its finally here.  The first meeting of the Bucks Photo Club.  We will be meeting in the photo classroom (Hicks 118 - outside the darkroom) on Thursday March 12 from 12:30-1:30.  We will  discuss what we need to do to start the club and make it official.  We will need to elect officers!  Please come to the meeting!

Want to save the earth?  A new Eco-Club is also forming at Bucks.  If you are interested, the first meeting will be held this Wednesday, March 11 in Rollins Center room 111.  If you want to join but can't make the meeting, email Dominic McGraw:  mcgrawd@bucks.edu

More from Karl Baden:  A few weeks back, we were talking about Karl Baden.  You may recall he has been photographing himself every day since 1987!!  He has just posted the entire project on a new blog.  You can check it out through this link:  Karl Baden Everyday.  Thanks to Karl Baden for sharing his project with us.  

GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!

This is a great opportunity to have your work exhibited in CHINA!  Please read:

Breaking Boundaries II - 100 Images from American Colleges and Universities

Photography students are invited to participate in a juried exhibition of the best of American College and University student photography. The work will be exhibited at the 2009 Pingyao, China International Photography Festival, held each September in the 2,700-year-old walled village, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Students are eligible to submit up to three high resolution images (no size limitation) on a non-returnable CD or DVD. Included on the CD/DVD must be thumbnail versions of the images, titles, sizes, identification of the college they attend and a brief (50 word or less) artist statement intended for translation. Postmark deadline for submission is May 15, 2009. There is no entry fee. Accepted entries will be professionally printed and prepared for exhibition in China.

Deadline: May 15, 2009

Pingyao International Photography Festival
Susan Dooley, Chair, NCC Art Dept.
6 Ruxton Rd.
Miller Place, NY 11764
(631) 807-0151

Contact: Susan Dooley, dooleys@ncc.edu

Walker Evans' Postcard Collection

Photographer Walker Evans amassed a collection of over 9000 picture postcards during his lifetime.  These postcards and many of Evans' works are now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.  The Art Dept. trip to New York is the perfect opportunity to see this show!  More on the show here. 

Congrats Chris Kirk!

Bucks photo student Chris Kirk hits the BIG time.  Chris was hired to photograph the stylists at Redz Hair Studio -  his photograph is now on this billboard!

For all you digital photo students out there, I just found a fun competition for you to enter. The gallerist at Danziger Projects in NYC is holding a contest for the next week for the best homage to Harry Callahan's famous photograph of his wife Eleanor. Not only could you win a catalog of the Harry Callahan exhibition but also a box of chocolates. I am serious. If the box of chocolates wasn't incentive enough it is also a great way to practice using adjustment layers. Though I am in it for the chocolate.

If you are interested click here for more information.

Good luck!

-Chad

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Join us for the Bucks Art Dept trip to NYC.  

Date:  Friday, March 27,  the bus leaves Bucks 8am and returns around 10pm.

We will make stops in the gallery district in Chelsea and at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of art.  Please come along, you can bring a friend. Bucks faculty members will be on the trip to show you around.  Chad States & Kimberly Witham will guide interested students on a tour of Chelsea photo galleries. 

Ticket Prices:

$23 for tickets purchased by Feb 13

$25 for tickets purchased between Feb 13 - Feb 27

$27 for tickets purchased after Feb 27 - buy now and save!

A bad week to be Shepard Fairey

This just out. . . Shepard Fairey was arrested on his way to the opening of his solo exhibition at the ICA in Boston.  Fairey is well known as a tagger and street artist.  He was the originator of the Andre the Giant "Obey" campaign.  He was arrested for allegedly tagging private property with his "Obey" logos. . . More on his troubles here

Shepard Fairey's work contested

In light of the recent post about the use of appropriated photography in artwork, here is the latest controversy to arise. Shepard Fairey's now iconic poster of Barack Obama is being challenged in court because of its direct use of Mannie Garcia's photograph. Read more here. chad.

Do you want to join the photo club?

We are considering starting a photo club at Bucks.  Are you interested?   Sign up sheets are posted in the Hicks digital lab and  outside the darkroom in Hicks.  Sign up with your name and email address.  We will contact you for our first meeting.

Mark your calendar

•••There will be a meeting of all art students from noon-1pm this Wednesday, February 4 in the Hicks woodshop.  Food and drink will be provided. You must attend!!

•••The Art Department trip to NYC will take place on Friday, March 27.  The bus will leave at 8am and return around 10pm.  We will make stops in Chelsea and at the MOMA and the Met.  Kimberly Witham will be on the trip leading students to the best photo galleries in Chelsea.  Get your tickets now!!

Speaking of appropriation. ..

Thomas Ruff has recently been working on a series of appropriated images as well.  Ruff selects images from pornographic websites and then prints the low-rez images at an extra large scale.  Due to the poor quality of the original images the resulting prints are soft and painterly, far removed from their original context.  By stripping the images of their detail, Ruff removes much of their erotic value.  He also points to a conflict between the personal nature of these images and the highly public space of the internet. . . 

-kimberly

Richard Prince

It was bound to happen eventually. Appropriation artist Richard Prince is currently being sued by photographer Patrick Cariou for the unsanctioned use of his photograph in Prince's most recent body of work. PDN has article on it that you can read here.

For years Richard Prince has been appropriating photographs and using them in his works. Most famous are his re-photographs of the Marlboro man ads. What I find most interesting about Prince's practice his ability to re-contextualize images in a way that sheds light on to their subliminal meaning, especially in his use of advertisements.

His work, which came about in the late 70's and early 80's, is connected conceptually to the work Barbara Kruger who also appropriates images of advertising but adds text to inverse or add a new layer to their intended meaning.

OPEN LAB HOURS FOR SPRING 2009

Open lab schedule for Spring 2009.

Labs begin on Monday, January 26

B&W Darkroom:

Mondays:   9am-1pm &  5-10pm

Tuesdays: 12:30-10pm

Wednesdays:  9am-1pm

Thursdays:  8:30am-6pm

Fridays:  9am-8:30pm 

Hicks Digital Lab:

Mondays:  noon-10pm

Tuesdays:  8am-1:30pm & 5:30-10pm

Wednesdays:  noon - 4pm

Thursdays:  5:30-10pm

Fridays:  9am-8:30pm

Studio & Lighting Lab (Hicks 104)

Mondays:  10am-10pm

Tuesdays:  9am-10pm

Thursdays:  6-10pm

Fridays:  9am-8:30pm