His photographs are like an open window on a world that is forever lost, the traditional world of Eastern European Jewry.

From 1935 to 1938, Roman Vishniac, with little more than a pair of cameras and film tucked into his luggage, crisscrossed communities large and small in Poland, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. He captured a priceless record of the daily life of Jews suffering under the crushing burden of poverty and dislocation. It was made worse by newly passed antisemitic laws and government regulations.

His many trips through the region were financed through the European office of America’s Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which saw — in his powerful portrayal of communities under stress — a way to help raise both money and public awareness.

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The mid to late 1939s were a stressful time for the impoverished communities of Eastern European Jews.

Now, for the first time, Vishniac’s monumental record of Eastern European life and his long career as a photographer of rare skill and sensitivity are the subject of a new documentary by director, Laura Bialis. The documentary will have its Atlanta premiere in a pair of screenings at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

Bialis was given full access to Vishniac’s vast archives of more than 23,000 images and had the extensive on-camera participation and support of Vishniac’s daughter, Mara, who lived just 10 minutes from Bialis’s home in California. Over the four years that the two women were involved in the project, Bialis developed what she described as her transformation under Mara’s influence.

This portrait of an old Jewish man was featured on the cover of a book of Vishniac’s photos that won a National Jewish Book Award in 1984.

“It was like a very slow unwrapping of everything Mara had experienced growing up with her father and their long relationship. And we became friends. She was this incredible person and was so wise, but also still had that childlike interest in looking at the world through something her dad gave her, her gift of observing people. I feel like I was transformed by Mara.”

Mara and her family, with some assistance from the Joint Distribution Committee, made a miraculous escape from Nazi-occupied Europe on one of the last ships to bring refugees to America at the end of 1940.

For the film’s director, Bialis, there is something in Vishniac’s photographs of those doomed communities and their residents in the 1930s that transcends the mere recording of everyday life.

“I feel like when you look at his photos, you’re getting right into the face of someone, and you really meet them. This is a real person in their real habitat. He was somehow able to capture their essence — their personality. It was a spark that he captured. Photography is not just light and film. There’s a thing that happens, a magic spark for a second that happens between the photographer and his subject. And he had something that was able to get these people to give him that.”

Vishniac’s Eastern European photos were financed by the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

After his arrival in America on the eve of World War II, Vishniac worked to reinvent himself. During the last 50 years of his life, before his death in 1990, he shifted from being a deeply intuitive photographer of people to becoming an intense observer of the natural world, particularly as a pioneer in the use of microphotography to study nature up close.

His work was featured in Life Magazine, and he lectured widely about nature and basked in his celebrity. But arguably, his scientific photography never achieved the richness and depth of those pre-Holocaust years when he was searching out the many faces he fleetingly captured in Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, and Munkacs.

“Vishniac’s” director, Laura Bialis, says that the photographer had an ability to capture the unique relationship between photographer and subject.

“Vishniac” is one of those rare documentaries which has a professional artistic finish that honors the profound artistry of its subject and his work. The production, which effectively integrates a number of recreations of many of the incidents in both Mara and her father’s life, was put together by producer Roberta Grossman, who has been a frequent presence at the AJFF. She was joined by the executive producer, Nancy Spielberg, Steven Spielberg’s sister.

The script, by Sophie Sartain, that neatly wraps up the many strands of Vishniac’s professional and personal life, and the music by Todd Boekelheide, subtly and effectively punctuate the film. Finally, the deft handling of all the many elements that make up the final production by the editor, Chris Callister, is truly remarkable.

The documentary is one of Bernstein and Bahr’s Best Bets at the festival, It arrives in Atlanta after a heavy schedule of screenings domestically and internationally, where it was the closing night film at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival and was chosen best documentary in this year’s Jewish film festival held in, of all places, Hong Kong.

Storage Tribeca director, Onyedika Chuke, is launching a new project space, Storage APT, opening on Valentine’s Day with a solo exhibition of Barbara Nitke’s photography series, American Ecstasy.

Chuke conceived of Storage APT (Art Presentation Template) as a “deeply intimate, lesser commercial setting” and is running the space out of his own Bowery apartment. While apartment galleries have a long history in urban centers, Chuke notes that, for him, “it’s a matter of creating a space that lets people get closest to the work and fosters community.”

Chuke views Storage APT as a live/work experiment and plans to host artist talks, dinners, and experimental projects out of the space. He is also intrigued by the inherent vulnerability in this venture. “I’m making myself vulnerable by letting the public into my apartment…viewers are also making themselves vulnerable…but there’s an intimacy, a warmth, a quality of light that you won’t find in a traditional gallery space.”

Chuke is opening Storage APT with a solo exhibition of Barbara Nitke’s series, American Ecstasy—a provocative retrospective of photographs taken by Nitke (b. 1950) while she was working as a photographer on adult film sets in New York City in the 1980s.

Chuke explains that his discovery of Nitke’s work happened quite by accident and feels there is a sort of serendipitous magic in opening his apartment art space with this exhibition. “I discovered Barbara’s work after returning my rental truck when I moved to this apartment…I was walking down 23rd Street and saw a pop-up exhibition. I was immediately intrigued and had to learn more…I realized her work—which was largely shot on sets in New York City apartments, was perfect for my vision of Storage APT.”

The exhibition explore Nitke’s color photographs of adult film actors on set between 1982 and 1991 and “reveals the elegant and spiritual connections between [adult film] actors.”

Intimate, raw, and at times silly, Chute was drawn to the power of Nitke’s female gaze in a male-dominated industry. “It was important to me to show Nitke’s work in a way that allows viewers to get close to her subjects…there’s an element of voyeurism but I love that she is taking back the male gaze.” Chute is also interested in the retro nature of the work, noting that Nitke is now in her 70s, as are many of the featured actors. “They’ve all moved on with their lives,” Chute says, “some of them are grandparents! It really made me think about the art world’s fascination with youth and what it means to age in our society.”

Chute is looking forward to exploring the possibilities of programming at Storage APT. “We’re excited to build community…one night we’re going to serve the food the actors had on set, we’re going to have the actors in for talks—we really want Storage APT to be a space to learn and explore. It’s counter-market and it’s niche, but that’s all very attractive to me.”

American Ecstasy opens at Storage APT February 14th from 5-8pm. RSVP Only.

Please contact info@storageartgallery.com or DM Storage Archive for more information.

Photography, much like any artistic or professional pursuit, thrives on the establishment of clear goals. Setting objectives not only provides direction but also serves as a catalyst for growth, pushing creatives to explore new territories, techniques, and perspectives.

Coming to you from e6 | Craig Roberts, this engaging video emphasizes the importance of goal-setting in photography. Roberts discusses how setting goals can lead to greater achievements with minimal effort by offering a clear target to aim for. He presents a nuanced view, questioning the traditional notion of goals and suggesting that while having an end target is beneficial, the focus should equally be on the journey towards achieving these goals. This approach encourages continuous learning and adaptation, ensuring that the process of reaching a goal is as rewarding as the achievement itself. Roberts’ perspective is particularly relevant in a field as dynamic as photography, where external factors such as weather can often derail well-laid plans, highlighting the importance of flexibility and enjoyment of the creative process.

Moreover, Roberts elaborates on practical strategies for setting and achieving photography goals, such as planning for obstacles and having contingency plans. He suggests that goals should not solely be about improving skills or capturing specific shots but also about appreciating and learning from each step of the journey. This mindset shift from goal obsession to process appreciation is crucial for photographers to avoid disappointment and find joy in every shoot, regardless of the outcome. By emphasizing the importance of planning, adaptability, and setting realistic expectations, Roberts provides a blueprint for photographers to follow, ensuring that their passion for photography remains ignited through both successes and setbacks. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Roberts.

“In the Beginning: Anselm Kiefer & Photography” is a luminous exploration penned by Jean de Loisy, Sébastien Delot, Heiner Bastian, and Christian Weikop, delving into the arcane layers of Anselm Kiefer’s artistic practice.

Published by Thames & Hudson on February 29, 2024, this book is an informative guide to Kiefer’s profound engagement with photography alongside his monumental paintings and installations, thus enriching our comprehension of his multifaceted oeuvre.

Born in the aftermath of World War II in Donaueschingen, Germany, Kiefer emerges as a pivotal figure wrestling with the intricacies of his nation’s post-war identity. His work, intricately woven with cultural, literary, and philosophical threads, resonates with echoes of ancient texts, mystical ideologies, and the poignant verses of literary giants. Through an alchemy of art and literature, Kiefer transcends the realm of representation, plumbing the depths of history and the primal myths of human existence.

Central to Kiefer’s artistic odyssey is his exploration of photography, a facet often eclipsed by his more conspicuous endeavours. Within the pages of this groundbreaking book, readers are presented with over 130 works, each unveiling Kiefer’s profound symbiosis with photography and its pivotal role in shaping his artistic vision. From manipulated photographs to intricate collages, Kiefer’s manipulation of images is a testament to his relentless quest to unearth the essence of memory, myth, and spirituality.

Heiner Bastian, Sébastien Delot, Jean de Loisy, and Christian Weikop, esteemed scholars and custodians of art, offer invaluable insights into Kiefer’s artistic evolution. Through meticulous scholarship, curatorial expertise, and profound understanding, these luminaries unravel the intricate layers of Kiefer’s photographic explorations, guiding readers on a transcendent journey through the corridors of memory, myth, and meaning.

“In the Beginning” celebrates Anselm Kiefer’s towering legacy, cementing his place as one of the preeminent artists of our time. With its astute research and new visual documentation, this seminal work invites readers to embark on an enlightening journey where the boundaries between past and present blur, and the deep resonance of Kiefer’s artistry reverberates.

PCR Artlyst 2024

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Anselm Kiefer & Photography, In the Beginning, Thames & Hudson