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LaToya Hobbs Emphasizes the Tactile in Her Laboriously Carved Portraits of Black Women

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

“Erin and Anyah with Hydrangeas” (2023), acrylic and collage on carved wood panel, 48 x 60 inches. Photo by Ariston Jacks. All images © LaToya Hobbs, courtesy of the artist and Frist Art Museum, shared with permission

The belief that rest is a fundamental human right grounds the works of LaToya Hobbs, a Baltimore-based artist who carves stylized woodblocks of Black women. Often using her family, friends, and self as subjects, Hobbs creates densely textured prints and paintings depicting quiet moments of affection and connection.

In “Erin and Anyah with Hydrangeas,” two young women—Hobbs’ stepdaughter and niece originally photographed by the artist’s husband Ariston Jacks—look directly at the viewer. One rests her head on the other’s shoulder, with puffy white flowers decorating the pinstriped backdrop. In “Flourish,” a thriving snake plant and anthurium frame the room and subject, who sits comfortably on a chair and peers out the window.

a black and white print of a woman wearing a gown and lounging on a couch with pillows behind her

“Unbothered” (2023), woodcut on Rieves BFK cotton paper, 24 x 32 1/4 inches

Emphasizing the necessity of care for oneself and others, these portraits are included in Hobbs’ upcoming solo show at Frist Art Museum in Nashville. Opening early next year, Carving a New Tradition celebrates the artist’s significant contributions to printmaking and considers how her oeuvre amends the art historical canon. The show contains works on paper and painted carvings, along with interpretations of works by artists like Alma Thomas, Kerry James Marshall, and Elizabeth Catlett, who often depicted Black mothers with reverence and strength.

While Catlett tended to present her subjects working, Hobbs offers an alternate mode of being, instead focusing on rest and relaxation. “The act of carving and its removal of material carries symbolic meaning related to the carving away of negativity and stereotypes needed to reveal the real version of oneself,” she says. Gouged with impeccably thin lines and delicate crosshatching, the works evidence the artist’s laborious process and profound admiration for the tactile, in both the tangible, ridged properties of her carvings and the connections elicited by human touch.

Carving a New Tradition will run from January 26 to April 28. Until then, find more of Hobbs’ work on her site and Instagram.

a brown and black scene of a woman resting in a chair surrounded by plants and looking out the window

“Flourish” (2023), acrylic on carved wood panel, 96 x 96 x 2 1/2 inches

a print showing a family gathered around a dinner table with artworks in the background

Detail of “Carving Out Time” (2020–21), oil-based printing ink and acrylic paint on 15 carved cherry plywood panels; 96 x 720 inches. Image courtesy of The Baltimore Museum of Art

a triptych black and white woodcut of a woman seated or resting on a chair with her head on her arms

“In need of rest” (2023), woodcut, 4 1/2 x 33 inches

a brown and black woodcut of a woman holding a vessel with her eyes closed

“A Moment of Care” (2023), woodcut; 32 1/4 x 24 inches

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article LaToya Hobbs Emphasizes the Tactile in Her Laboriously Carved Portraits of Black Women appeared first on Colossal.

Beaky Barnes and the Devious Duck

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Printmaking

We’re kicking off the week with a preview of Beaky Barnes and the Devious Duck, by David Ezra Stein, which will be published by Penguin Workshop on January 4, 2024. This is the second book in the Beaky Barnes series, which the publisher recommends for readers in grades 1-4, and it introduces a new character, […]

Thom Browne Curates a Selection of Sotheby’s American Art and Design Auctions Next Month

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Native

Thom Browne selected Thomas Moran’s *Green River, Wyoming*, 1883 among nine works to be offered at Sotheby’s “Visions of America” week that resonate “with his collecting vision,” according to the auction house.

Courtesy of Sotheby’s

American fashion designer Thom Browne is playing a central role in Sotheby’s retooled American sales in late January, selecting nine artworks and objects to highlight among a series of sales and events featuring centuries of art and design.

Browne, who is chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, or CFDA, will also promote a sale of American design that the auction house is holding in partnership with the council. Proceeds will go to the CFDA Foundation for scholarships and business mentoring.

“American art comes in so many different forms and tells so many different stories that allow me to see my own stories in new ways—to elevate them and challenge how I think about the world,” Browne said in a news release.

The designer, credited with “modernizing today’s uniform,” chose art and objects being offered in various auctions throughout a week Sotheby’s is calling “Visions of America.” With Browne’s partnership, the auction house hopes to draw more collectors to American craftsmanship, according to a spokesperson.

Browne’s selections include fine art, furniture, and design objects, such as a Chinese export “Hong” punch bowl from the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, 1780-85, and an American silver ice pail made in 1872 to appear as if it had been damaged by waves in a shipwreck. Chinese export porcelain was made in China for European and American markets and is held in many private collections.

The designer also chose to focus on a circa-1795 portrait of George Washington by Charles Willson Peale, offered with an estimate range beginning at US$2 million, and an orange-and-yellow hued 1883 landscape of Wyoming’s Green River by Thomas Moran, estimated to achieve at least US$1 million.

Browne’s other picks include a Chippendale-carved tea table, circa 1755, with a low estimate of US$800,000, a pair of Chippendale-carved mahogany tassel-back chairs, circa 1779, with a low estimate of US$10,000, and a federal “gentleman’s secretary,” circa 1880, estimated to achieve at least US$30,000.

Another new charitable component of the sales are three collections of photographs depicting a 2018 restaging of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms paintings made to “represent the multitudes of American identities that make us who we are today,” according to Sotheby’s. The remaking of Rockwell’s paintings was done in 2018 by Hank Willis Thomas and Emily Shur, in collaboration with Eric Gottesman and Wyatt Gallery, for For Freedoms, an artist-led nonprofit. Proceeds from each collection (with a low estimate of US$50,000) will benefit the nonprofit.

Interior design will also play a role during this American-focused week, with Corey Damen Jenkins designing a 1,000-foot gallery space at Sotheby’s with art and design being sold throughout the week.

In all, there will be five live auctions, including, for the first time, a sale of American bourbon and rye and a sale of real estate celebrating “American culture and creativity” from Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions. The whiskey sale includes “the President’s Choice Private Barrel Select for Haabs Restaurant,” a 112.8-proof bottle from 1963 expected to achieve at least US$60,000, and a Twisted Spoke 16-year-old 105 proof NV, with a low estimate of US$10,000.

Four online sales throughout the week will include the CFDA auction and an auction of Native American art.

According to Sotheby’s, the newly designed Americana week also will feature yet-to-be-announced events featuring designers, historians, journalists, and curators.

What is the State of the Post-Brexit British Art Market? Here Are 5 Takeaways From a New Report

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Concerns about future of the art market in the U.K. have occupied the industry over the past several years, as galleries, auction houses and collectors have faced economic hurdles caused by Brexit, the pandemic, and the war between Ukraine and Russia. But what exactly do the financial figures say?

The British Art Market Federation has commissioned Clare McAndrew’s firm Arts Economics, which also conducts the UBS Art Basel art market report, to dive deep into U.K. art market data. The result is the first of its kind financial report focusing on the British art trade since 2017. Here are five key takeaways.

The U.K. is still the world’s second biggest art market—for the time being

The U.K.’s art market accounts for 18 percent of the global industry by value in 2022, according to the report, making it the world’s second biggest behind the U.S., which had a 45 percent share. It swapped positions with China, which came in second with 20 percent in 2021, when the U.K. occupied third place with 17 percent. China’s market share dropped to 17 percent in 2022, making it the world’s third largest.

Global Art Market Share by Value 2022. Source: British Art Market Report 2023. Courtesy British Art Market Federation and Arts Economics. © Arts Economics (2023).

The French art market is not as big as most people think, despite the hype

The art world has been pivoting towards Paris in recent years, amid Brexit and the premiere of and welcome reception for the art fair Paris+ by Art Basel. International dealers have also been flocking to the city, further fueling the hype of Paris taking over London as Europe’s art market hub.

But Art Economics’s report suggests that the idea of Paris ousting London from its cultural throne is far from reality. France is the fourth biggest art market, but it only holds seven percent of the global share in 2022, less than half of that of the U.K. The U.K. also holds a bigger share than the European Union altogether, which had a 12 percent share in the same year.

But U.K.’s art market share had been declining long before Brexit

Many industry players, from dealers to auction houses and art fair operators have been citing how Brexit has been affecting their businesses since the decision to leave the European Union came into effect in January 2020. But how bad is it?

The U.K. accounted for 20 percent of global art sales in 2020, the year when the country officially left the E.U. The country’s art market sales also hit the lowest in that year with a total at $9.9 billion.

The country’s art sales gradually picked up in 2021, totaling $11.4 billion, and inched forward to $11.9 billion in 2022. The market share percentage in 2021 (17 percent) and 2022 (18 percent), however, fell below that of 2020. It also remained below the pre-pandemic level of $12.2 billion in 2019.

The declining trend, however, began much earlier. In fact, since its 2008 peak, when the U.K. cornered 34 percent of the global art market, its share has been steadily dropping through to 2016, when it had a 21 percent portion.

By comparison, the U.S. market appears to be recovering well from the pandemic. From 2020’s $21 billion in art sales (a 42 percent share of the global market) its share rose to $28 billion in 2021 (43 percent) and $30.2 billion in 2022 (45 percent).

The Treasure House Fair, London. Courtesy of the Treasure House Fair.

The U.K. is selling fewer high-value artworks at auctions

The report also took stock of the sales of high value artworks, noting that the U.S., the U.K., and China, the world’s top three art markets, together accounted for 96 percent of the auction sales of lots over $1 million, with 32 percent of the lots priced at $10 million or more.

The U.K.’s share in this category has been declining, however. In 2022, 14 percent of the lots valued at more than $1 million were sold at U.K. auctions, and 13 percent were priced more than $10 million. The numbers were up slightly from 2021 but they were substantially lower than those in 2019, where the U.K. accounted for 19 percent of lots pricer over $1 million and 18 percent of those more than $18 million.

The U.K. art market’s global status hinges on its cross-border trade

Global trade is decisive on whether a place can be an art market hub and this can be reflected by its imports and exports. Data from the U.N. Comtrade collected by Arts Economics showed that the U.K.’s imports of art and antiques dropped significantly after Brexit, from $3.2 billion in 2019 to $2.1 billion in 2020, dipping further to $1.9 billion in 2021 before climbing back up to $2.8 billion in 2022. The trend also corresponded to the decline of the U.K.’s global art market share.

Import and export data collected from the U.K. government’s customs bureau HMRC shows that the trade has been declining since 2019, with non-E.U. trade accounting for 55 percent of the imports and 71 percent of exports in 2022.

New works by Damien Hirst at Gagosian’s booth at Frieze London. Photo: Linda Nylind, courtesy of Linda Nylind/Frieze.

Although artworks can be brought in to the U.K. under temporary admission, dealers have said that the increasing red-tape for imports and exports of artworks after Brexit has made it more challenging to bring art to sell in the U.K. While places like the U.S. and Hong Kong, which is the main art trading hub of China, have no tariffs on art (but tariffs are applied on art imported from China to the U.S.), this is not the case in the U.K.

The U.K. government has vowed to review these measures in 2024.

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Kelly Wearstler’s Design for Ulla Johnson Delivers Retail Therapy

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Design

A symphony of rich textures play while gossamers dance in the sunlight of Ulla Johnson’s Los Angeles, California, flagship store designed by Kelly Wearstler whose repertoire of collaborations with furniture makers, craftsmen, and artisans give the space its local gusto.

Ulla Johnson flagship facade with a weeping mortar brick finish

The immersive shopping experience begins upon arrival as visitors park in an oasis-like lot – designed in collaboration with landscape architect Miranda Brooks – and proceed through the structure’s side entrance. The facade’s weeping mortar brick finish is a simple prelude in contrast to the warm, duetting styles that resound throughout the expansive 3,000-square-foot urban building.

“Ulla’s collections are layered and colorful, so the design needs to embody these elements. The inherent femininity of her style presents a fascinating challenge in crafting an interior that can juxtapose those characteristics,” Wearstler says. “The goal is to ensure that Ulla’s fashion remains the focal point, with the space serving as a beautiful backdrop to showcase her pieces.” And so it is with an ensemble of European White Oak parquet flooring accented by Rosa Corallo stone inlay, polished plaster, and woven raffia fringe walls by CMO Paris that syncopate with the visual merchandising.

Store details of bathroom and dressing area.

Image Left: Vintage sconces by Barovier & Toso; Custom wall tile by Bantam; Vintage Italian mirror circa 1950s; Custom sink by Jonathan Cross Image Right: Raffia Frange wallcovering by CMO Paris; Custom bench by contractor; Custom cushion by Kelly Wearstler; Vintage African runner sourced from Jamal’s Rugs; Afrital Stool by Christian Astuguevieille; Ceiling lighting: Vintage flush mounts by Lisa Johansson-Pape

Earth echoes through the entry into an airy, two-story solarium flanking the rear and reaches the most intimate of programming – quite literally – anchored by a 16-foot indoor Brachychiton tree. The casual public realm on the ground floor is reflected in the decor of two spaces joined by a passageway, which conceals service components and change rooms, that feel plucked from a personal estate more so than staged to be points of sale.

Interior shot of airy shopping space that looks like a living room.

Vintage Nictea ceiling pendants by Afra and Tobia Scarpa; Bisque Terracotta Planter by Taliny Chhung; Vintage Cornaro 140 Armchair by Carlo Scarpa; Vintage coffee table circa Belgium 1970; Side table by Hiroyuki Nishimura

Generous skylights allow every textural element from furniture to fabrics to be sun-kissed while customers lose themselves in conversation encouraged by intentional seating. LA-based Ross Hansen’s sculptural resin table and California artisan Vincent Pocsik’s table anchor microcosms for socialization.

Perspective of ground floor with shelving and cabinets.

“Burl Wood Room” featuring consoles by Jeff Martin; Vintage planters by Willy Guhl

Jewelry from collaboration Ulla Johnson x Kentshire collaboration

Adjacent to the solarium is a lavish display for accessories and objets coined the “burl wood room.” It reads more like the interior of a jewelry box than a simple showcase and mimics a Wrightian technique of compressing space, which accentuates this whirling textured enclosure, before releasing patrons back into breathier rooms. The shift adds to the impact of revisiting a double-height volume. Canadian artist Jeff Martin’s eccentric jigsaw tables add to the effect.

Two views of interior tree and grand staircase.

Oak and stone flooring by FAME; Vase right “Growing Pains” by Dee Clements; Vase left Normany Deco Urn by Chris Brock, on loan from JF Chen; Wall Sconce by Olivia Bossy

Behind the flora and opposite the accessories is a mirrored staircase that ascends to an area exclusive in access, which hosts a generous VIP fitting room and can accommodate press events or the discretion required for particular clientele.

Large perspective of upper shopping space.

Custom console/bench by Kelly Wearstler; Vintage lamp by Gianfranco Frattini for Arteluce; Vintage wood chair circa 1980s; Corner plant stand by Brittany Mojo; Vintage lounge chair by Joe Colombo, upholstered in vintage textiles; Custom Floret table by Ross Hansen

Wearstler’s staging throughout is masterful. Every interior vignette is as anthropological as it is the practice of interior design. Retail items are positioned in staccato between a mixture of both vintage goods and locally sourced contemporary designs. Three sconces crafted by Olivia Bossy hang in the main atrium while a handmade ceramic sconce by French artist Olivia Cognet stuns in the VIP fitting room not far off from a Moisart chair by French artist Christian Astuguevieille. Noteworthy still is a pair of Carlo Scarpa 1970s Cornaro wood-framed armchairs, Ingo Maurer’s fan-like Uchiwa wall lights, and a high-backed carved wood hall chair by Urano Palma.

Upper floor details that look like a living space.

Moissart Chair by Christian Astuguevieille; Jabin Totem side table by Daniel Orozco; Vintage wall sconce by Gunna Asplund; Custom plaster wall covering by Studio 1 Plaster

The project marks a significant milestone for the renowned interior designer. “It was our first exterior architecture project. The building hadn’t been updated in decades, so we needed to revive the architecture first and foremost,” Wearstler says. “We embraced tons of natural light and found opportunities to bring the outside in. The Brachychiton grounding the center of the boutique near the staircase couldn’t have existed prior to the renovation.”

Implications of the store’s location are twofold for the fashion designer. “We already have a connection with many of the makers, producers, and incredible denim dye houses here, and now our proximity allows us to harmoniously create custom and exclusive pieces for the store,” Johnson says. “I look forward to expanding what we can make in L.A for L.A.” But more importantly is its positioning with potential to serve as a hub in West Hollywood’s Design District. “Creating community and public space here felt very important, the local makers, and the women who have long been supporters of the brand,” Johnson continues. “This intention is aligned with some of the initiatives West Hollywood has undertaken, in so far as nurturing permeable soil and creating a rich pedestrian life.”

Photography by Adrian Gout.

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. A regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.

‘Power Figures’ Share Messages of Love and Healing in vanessa german’s Totemic Assemblages

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

“Of Thee We Sing” (2023), steel, plywood, dibond, and resin, 144 x 96 x 96 inches. Photo by Steve Weinik. All images © vanessa german, courtesy of the artist and Kasmin Gallery, shared with permission

Through found materials that range from feathers to glass bottles to astroturf, vanessa german (previously) assembles evocative, ritualistic sculptures that she describes as “power figures.” Often life-size or larger, german’s totemic sculptures are tied to the artist’s activism, confronting systemic racism and white supremacy, misogynoir, discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, and the destructive extraction of natural resources.

The lists of media for each work read like poems of love, hope, and grief. In “Blue Bird,” Nike trainers pay homage to a young man killed on a street corner in Pittsburgh, where german is based. In “I love you in the house. Or, The Multidimensionality of Resilience,” she emphasizes the heaviness of “used stories, stories used up, the weight of it all—refracted as tho through a prism.”

Many of german’s pieces contain visual symbols or written messages that tap into societal expectations, desires, or fears, like the mirrored face of “Epigenetic (Grace),” which reflects the words “You look like your Mother” back to the viewer as the figure holds out another mirror. In “SITTING IN THE POWER OF BEING EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE,” a glass dessert cloche, which we associate with displays of sweetness, forms the sculpture’s head. Inside, handwriting on a pink sheet of paper reads, “The thing that hurt me the most: abandoning myself.”

german draws on the history of Congolese Nkisi figures, spiritual vessels that contain sacred substances, which supernatural forces may bring forth into the corporeal world. Using textiles like denim jeans, garments she has worn on special occasions, quilts, and various yarns and twines, she adds objects ranging from keys and nails to beads and bright paint. The artist grounds us in our physical reality through the use of recognizable everyday objects, summoning creativity and tenderness as tools for healing.

Find more of german’s work on Kasmin Gallery’s website, and follow the artist’s Instagram for updates.

A mixed-media sculpture of a bird-like creature with Nike shoes on its head and a chair with an air conditioner on its back.

“Blue Bird” (2022), street bird: like fast-talking street corner creatures with leather jackets, grief bird, sorrow bird, heartbreak bird tryin just to figure out how it all goes, love bird, angel bird, wood, tar, oil pastels, ceramic bits, for how we love to talk about the flying Africans, love, earthling love songs, gold chains inspired by fast-talking street corner men, carved wood ashtray feet, blue Nikes for the boy who they killed on the corner of Kelly and Homewood and how he sold water and had a whole life ahead of him—which is a cliche that i am certain not everyone even believed on his behalf, old wooden chair with chippy paint, old boom box, Astro turf, how it feels to outlive children, a love song for the open sky, liberty, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes., 70 1/2 x 24 x 48 inches. Photo by Diego Flores

“SITTING IN THE POWER OF BEING EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE” (2022), 26 x 24 x 14 inches. Photo by Wendy Timana

A mixed-media sculpture made of different pairs of blue jeans all balled up with yarn and twine.

“I love you in the house. Or, The Multidimensionality of Resilience” (2023), blue jeans, blue genes, yarn, twine, wire, wood, foam, used stories, stories used up, the weight of it all—refracted as tho through a prism., 62 x 40 x 30 inches. Photo by Wendy Timana

A mixed-media sculpture of a wooden figure with bright green paint on its body, with multiple faces made from masks. It sits on a sawhorse with a swan.

“BLACK SWAN, or, THE ENVY” (2022), green, green with, green with envy, sick, sick to, sick to my, sick to my stomach, heart ache, green pigment, white, pigment, pink pigment, blue pigment, black pigment, a clutch of 7 knock-off tribal masks found in nyc before my Madison square park talk, love of the big body, the constant ache of being under the eye of white supremacist delusion, a wholeness calling up the night, a random punch drunk miracle, a hope song, a body bag filled with lies, a shoe horn aching to be a unicorn, a critical neighbor with a big mean mouth, grief, letting go, a saw horse, hand carved black swan., 97 3/4 x 28 1/2 x 43 3/4 inches. Photo by Diego Flores

“Epigenetic (Grace)” (2023), wood, blue, silk flowers, mirror, a way of being alive that is feeling first, the sunrise, glass beads, beaded glass trim, locks and keys, a holiness, wire, twine, yarn, vintage French beaded flowers, ceramic flowers, key chains, the inclination to fold the tongue over inside of ones own self, cloth, falling in love, bird figurines, small black dolls, safety, glass leaves, a wail, grace., 65 x 28 x 40 inches. Photo by Jordan Whitten

A mixed-media sculpture of a stylised Black figure seated on a white swan, which is seated on a sawhorse.

“WHITE SWAN” (2022), saw horse, disco body, fabric, wire, twine, hair grease, rage, hurt in the heart, a snarl, a fat ass, a hero, hand carved white swan decoy, a place to hide in plain sight, plaster, wood glue, plaster gauze, the burden of the ego, bullies becoming bullies, 18k gold leaf, glory, heart ache healed, glory, rest, sequin fabric, heat, love, masturbation, a mirror to help you watch yo back, yarn, wire, found body form, grace, redemption, a healing., 92 1/2 x 29 x 39 1/2 inches. Photo by Diego Flores

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article ‘Power Figures’ Share Messages of Love and Healing in vanessa german’s Totemic Assemblages appeared first on Colossal.

Best of the best: The 2023 Editor’s Choice gift guide for photographers

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Over the past years, we’ve made it our mission to cover as much gear as possible and let you know what we think. Everything from cameras and lenses, to backpacks and tripods.

So after all the testing, what are some of our favorite products that we’ve gotten the chance to test out? Read on for our favorites.

Thanks to B&H Photo, Mylio Photos, Radiant Photo, MPB, Lumecube, Platypod and Tamron, the sponsors of this year’s Holiday Gift Guide.

Lowepro Trekker Lite SLX 120

Read review | $83.99; available via B&H

This is an almost minimalist, lightweight, low-profile pack that still somehow holds a full-frame camera and a couple of lenses. I also like how the bag is designed to retain its shape more. This provides easier access and protection for camera gear than a regular waist-pack might provide.

I give Lowepro extra points for having a very visible light-colored interior and yellow zipper pulls. This is a high-quality, no-frills pack that I recommend for photographing while moving around all day.

Best camera for pros: Sony a1

Read review | $6498; available via B&H

If you’re looking for a camera that does it all, look no further. The Sony a1 combines the best of stills and video to create a professional-grade package that you can rely on again and again! Offering a 50.1-megapixel stacked sensor, you’ll get superb clarity and dynamic range in your images. With Real-Time Eye AF, you can be sure that you’ll lock in on your subjects every time.

On the video front, the a1 is equally as impressive, with recording up to 8K at 30p and 4K at 120p. I picked up this camera shortly after it was released, and I have to say, it’s been an absolute joy to use.

Best camera for enthusiasts: Canon EOS R6

Read review | $2499; available via B&H

Canon's new mirrorless camera: The EOS R6

The Canon EOS R6 is one of the best cameras on the market for those who are serious about their photography and for those who are starting out their professional careers. The camera boasts one of, it not the best autofocus system on the market, a great 20-megapixel sensor that produces detail filled images with tons of dynamic range, a fully articulating screen, class-leading IBIS and plenty of weather sealing. The camera also has some the easiest to use menus out there. Overall, the Canon EOS R6 is a stellar camera that deserves it’s place on our editors choice list.

Best camera for beginners: Fujifim X-S10

$999; available via B&H

For just under $1,000 the Fujifilm X-S10 packs a lot of tech into a small lightweight body. The camera has a vari-angle LCD, a good EVF, IBIS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity for easy image sharing, and, of course, the fantastic 26.1 Megapixel X-Trans sensor.

The images that come out of the X-S10, both RAWs and JPEGs sing. You won’t be disappointed. The design of the X-S10 is also pleasing and the controls are easy to learn. This is without a doubt, the best entry-level camera that you can currently get your hands on. If you’re ready to step up from your smartphone, this is the camera to do it with.

Best camera accessory: Datacolor Spyder Checkr Photo

Read review | $99.99; available via B&H

Overall, the Datacolor Spyder Checkr Photo is an excellent tool for those who need to ensure that the colors they work with are accurate. The Checkr Photo is not a tool that the average everyday snapper would need. However, if you’re a fashion photographer, an event or wedding photographer, a portrait photographer or a photographer who works exclusively in a studio, the Datacolor Spyder Checkr Photo is a tool you’ll likely find valuable.

Best computing accessory for beginners: One by Wacom Creative Pen Tablet

Read Review | From $49.95; available via B&H

While my experience with the One by Wacom is strictly for photo editing, I think it would be a great tool for learning other artistic methods. I don’t think experienced photo editors will find that it has enough functionality for what they do.

If you’re just starting to learn how to edit images, this will be a great addition to help you step up your game. You’ll likely find it more natural than using a mouse or touchpad.

Best fixed lens camera: Ricoh GR III

Read review | $896.95; available via B&H

The Ricoh GR III keeps the same minimalist design we have come to love.

The Ricoh GR III is hands down the best camera you can put your hands on if you’re a modern street photographer. This compact camera can easily slip inside your pocket so you can take it anywhere with minimal fuss. Incredibly, Ricoh managed to stuff a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor and IBIS into this tiny camera.

The images you can produce with the 28mm equivalent lens will blow your mind and the JPEGs that the camera spits out will leave you speechless. Tack on the fact that this camera features snap-focus, which is one of my favorite features in any camera I’ve ever used and you have a pocket powerhouse that will let you be creative no matter where you want to go. At under $900, this camera is a serious bargain. See what all the fuss is about in our full review.

Best “fun” accessory: 35mm Film Rocks Glass Sets

$160; available via Photogenic Supply Co.

We’re big fans of whiskey (who isn’t), and these 11oz Rocks / Whiskey glasses with a genuine used 35mm film canister are quite the treat. Coming with four custom-made wooden camera aperture coasters, you’ll impress your fellow photographers when you gather for a drink.

Best mobile device: iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

Read review | Starting at $999; available via Amazon

The best iPhone yet is here, and it includes a plethora of photo and video upgrades! Capture the tiny world around you with Macro mode, or create the next Oscar-winning film using Cinematic mode. Updated cameras means better performance in low light, and best yet, it’s all in a single device that fits in your pocket!

Best lens for E mount: Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master

Read review | $1998; available via B&H

They said a Sony f/1.2 lens couldn’t be done. Well, here it is, and Sony is proving all the naysayers wrong. The 50mm f/1.2 GM lens is absolutely gorgeous, creating breathtaking bokeh with a fast autofocus and superb sharpness. For anyone looking to upgrade to a better 50mm, you simply can’t get much better than this if you use a Sony camera.

Best lens for E and L mount: Sigma Contemporary series

Read review: 24mm f/3.5, 35mm f/2, 65mm f/2 | $539, $639, $699

Sigma’s I series lenses turned heads when they hit the streets. These prime lenses are part of Sigma Contemporary line, however they feature a premium all-metal build, some weather sealing, an aperture control ring, and stunning optics. We have reviewed the Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN ($539), the 35mm f/2 DG DN ($639) and the 65mm f/2 DG DN ($699) and we were blown away by their optical performance and premium feel. They’re available for both Sony E mount and L mount cameras.

Best lens for E and XF mount: Tamron 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3

Read review: E mount or XF mount | $699; available via Tamron

Tamron has proven with the 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 that it can produce high-quality optics, even for APS-C sensors. This lens provides a versatile look at the world, perfect for anything from travel to capturing kids’ sports. The autofocus is quick and accurate, and the picture quality exceeds expectations!

Best lens for Micro Four Thirds: OM SYSTEM 20mm f/1.4 PRO

$799; available via B&H

If the first lens from OM SYSTEM is anything to go by, the future is bright for fans of the company formerly known as Olympus. This 40mm equivalent fast prime is a stunner.

The lens is razor sharp at f/1.4, it renders gorgeous colors, and the bokeh it produces is nice and smooth. To top it off, it has pro-grade weather sealing. blazing fast autofocus motors and a minimum focusing distance of just 9.8 inches. I haven’t been this excited about a lens in a long time. If you shoot with Micro Four Thirds cameras you need to check this lens out.

Best lens for RF mount: Canon 50mm f/1.8

Read review | $199; available via B&H

An honest to goodness nifty fifty, the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 is one of the only Canon RF mount lenses that has brought a genuine smile to my face. This isn’t to say other RF lenses are bad, they’re not, but the RF 50mm just lets you go out and enjoy your photography.

The lens is incredibly small just like the old DSLR version. It’s very light, the optics are fantastic for the price and it actually has some character! A rarity in most modern lenses. If you own a Canon mirrorless camera and you don’t own this little gem, you’re really missing out on something special.

Best lens for Z mount: NIKKOR 14-24 f/2.8 S for Z mount

Read review | On sale for $2196.95; available via B&H

The Nikon wide-angle shows the world how wide-angles should be. Beautiful optics, snappy and reliable autofocus and the details that matter. The NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8 lens for Z mount cameras is an absolute joy to use, whether you’re capturing real estate, architecture or landscapes.

Best light: Godox V1

Read review | $159; available via B&H

A flash that I use on a daily basis for portraits, product photography and more, the Godox V1 is easily one of the best flashes you can get. It’s unqiue roundhead design opens up a lot of options thanks to the magnetic mount that surrounds it. You can quickly attach diffusers, color gels, grids and more.

The build quality is fantastic, the rechargeable battery is good for over roughly 400 full power flashes per charge, and the quality of light is great. With the consistent output you know what you’ll get every time you use it. You can even use this flash off camera when you purchase an X2 remote trigger for your camera brand. The flashes and triggers are available for Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax and Sony. Don’t let the low price fool you, this is one serious flash that will open up many creative doors for you.

Best software: Capture One 23

Read review | $99; available via DxO

DxO PureRAW has quickly become one of our favorite pieces of software in 2021. Tasked with capturing photos in dark, outdoor environments, with little to no light, DxO PureRAW has come through time and time again. It’s not only taken care of the noise in images, but it’s also performed lens and color corrections for a more accurate picture. This software will pay for itself 10 times over again; we can’t recommend it enough.

Best storage device: SanDisk Professional 2TB Pro-Blade Transport

Read Review | Starting at $229.99; available via B&H

The SanDisk Pro-Blade Transport and SSD Mag external drives are lightweight, compact and easy to use. For the traveler looking to carry less to the photographer looking to add external storage at home, it’s an innovative system that works well.

Best tripod Accessory: Platyball

Read Review | from $299; available via Platypod

The Platyball marks Platypod’s first-ever ball head. The company promises supreme ease of use and ultimate flexibility. Whether you’re photographing architecture, landscapes, portraits or nightscapes, the Platyball is a great option for any photographer.

Best video accessory: Manfrotto Gimbal MVG-220

Read review | $287.99; available via B&H

Are you ready to up the production quality of your videos? If so, you need to check out the Manfrotto MVG220 Gimbal. This 3-axis stabilizer will work with most camera and lens combos that weigh less than 4.85 lbs. It’s easy to balance your gear, the touchscreen menus are easy to navigate and use, and the included briefcase handle makes it comfortable to hold.

The rechargeable battery is good for seven hours of use and the built-in modes for Instagram and TikTok creators will surely please. I have used this gimbal extensively and I can say that I have been nothing but pleased with it.

Customized Merch with The Maryland NIL Store – University of Maryland Athletics

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

On This Site – Native Long Island With Indigenous Artist Jeremy Dennis

Dec 4, 2023 By Admin in Native

On Sunday, December 17, at 3 p.m., The Leiber Collection hosts a captivating afternoon with visual artist Jeremy Dennis as he presents and signs copies of the second edition of his acclaimed book, “On This Site — Native Long Island.”

Delve into Long Island’s rich Native American history through Dennis’s mesmerizing 2016 photo series, brought to life in this beautifully updated edition. Immerse yourself in the stories of the land and its people through his stunning photography and profound narrative.

Dennis is a contemporary fine art photographer, a tribal member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, and lead artist and founder of the nonprofit Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. on the Shinnecock Reservation.

His work explores Indigenous identity, culture and assimilation from the perspective of an Indigenous artist.

“My photography explores indigenous identity, cultural assimilation, and the ancestral traditional practices of my tribe, the Shinnecock Indian Nation,” said Dennis. “Though science has solved many questions about natural phenomena, questions of identity are more abstract, the answers more nuanced. My work is a means of examining my identity and the identity of my community, specifically the unique experience of living on a sovereign Indian reservation and the problems we face.

“Despite 400 years of colonization, we remain anchored to our land by our ancient stories. The Indigenous mythology that influences my photography grants me access to the minds of my ancestors, including the value they placed on our sacred lands,” he continued. “By outfitting and arranging models to depict those myths, I strive to continue my ancestors’ tradition of storytelling and showcase the sanctity of our land, elevating its worth beyond a prize for the highest bidder.”

Ma’s House is a project that began in June 2020 and serves as a communal art space based on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton. The family house, built in the 1960s now features a residency program for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) artists, a shared art studio, and a communal library, along with hosting an array of art and history-based programs for tribal members and the broader local community.

For more information on the program, visit leibermuseum.org. To reserve tickets, visit eventbrite.com and search “On This Site – Native Long Island.” Tickets are by donation and support future programming and educational initiatives at The Leiber Collection.

The Leiber Collection is located at 446 Old Stone Highway in the East Hampton hamlet of Springs. For more information call 631-329-3288.