When literature and photography intersect, a unique landscape of narrative and image emerges. This is vividly exemplified in the exhibition ‘Exteriors: Annie Ernaux Photography‘, a collaborative endeavor between Nobel-prize winning author Annie Ernaux and curator Lou Stoppard, currently on display at Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris. The show, which intertwines Ernaux’s keen observations from her book ‘Journal Du Dehors‘ with a curated selection of photographs from the MEP’s collection, offers an immersive exploration of the mundane yet profound facets of daily life.

Intertwining Narratives and Visuals

The exhibition stands as a testament to the power of combining textual and visual narratives. Ernaux’s ‘Journal Du Dehors’, a slim volume capturing fleeting encounters and observations, gains a new dimension when juxtaposed with the MEP’s photographic collection. Through this pairing, Stoppard and Ernaux invite visitors to traverse between the lines of Ernaux’s prose and the captured moments in the photographs, creating a dialogue that deepens the understanding of both mediums. The show features works by renowned photographers like Harry Callahan and Hiro, alongside contemporary pieces that depict modern violence and social decline, echoing Ernaux’s themes of observing ordinary life and societal issues.

Reflections on Modern Society

The carefully curated photographs not only complement Ernaux’s writing but also expand on her exploration of societal issues. From urban landscapes to intimate portraits, the images offer a visual counterpart to Ernaux’s sharp, often critical observations of social dynamics. This synergy between text and image encourages viewers to consider the subtleties of social interactions and the underlying currents of societal change. The inclusion of contemporary works depicting scenes of modern violence and decline adds a layer of urgency, prompting reflections on the state of today’s world and our place within it.

A Platform for Dialogue

Through ‘Exteriors: Annie Ernaux Photography’, Stoppard and Ernaux have created a platform for dialogue—not only between text and image but also among visitors. The exhibition invites an active engagement, encouraging attendees to draw connections between Ernaux’s words and the photographs, and perhaps to see the world around them through a more observant and critical lens. It is this invitation to dialogue, to see the everyday in a new light, that stands at the heart of the exhibition’s appeal.

As the exhibition at Maison Européenne de la Photographie draws to a close, it leaves behind a trail of questions and reflections. What does it mean to truly observe the world around us? How do literature and photography intersect to deepen our understanding of society? ‘Exteriors: Annie Ernaux Photography’ not only showcases the potent blend of Ernaux’s prose with compelling photography but also serves as a reminder of the power of art to provoke thought, evoke empathy, and inspire change. In a world often characterized by fleeting encounters and superficial connections, this exhibition underscores the importance of pausing, observing, and engaging deeply with the narratives that shape our understanding of society and ourselves.

Boise Camera Club (BCC) gears up to celebrate 90 years of photographic excellence with a special banquet and program coming up this month.

BCC is Idaho’s oldest camera club founded in 1934, and they’re inviting the community to join them in commemorating 90 years of photographic excellence. The celebration will take the form of a special banquet and program at The Riverside Hotel in Garden City, Idaho, on Thursday, March 28th, 2024, from 5:30-9:30pm. More details below!

The event promises an enriching experience for attendees, featuring 2 distinguished keynote speakers.

Don Johnson, an award-winning fine art, portrait, and architectural photographer, will share his insights on “The Timeless Essence of Photographic Excellence: Past, Present, and Prescient.” Johnson, who is also the Assistant Superintendent for the Photography Department of the Western Idaho Fair, will use the theme “90 Years of Photographic Excellence” as a creative springboard for his thought-provoking talk.

Adding a global perspective to the celebration, world-renowned photographer and best-selling author David duChemin will present a virtual lecture titled “The Heart of the Photograph.” DuChemin’s exclusive pre-recorded session is designed for photography enthusiasts seeking to elevate their work to the next level. Accompanied by award-winning photographs from around the world, this presentation will highlight 10 powerful ideas for creating more engaging photographs.

Tickets for the banquet and program are available for $37.50 for BCC members, $45 for students, and $55 for the general public. As seating is limited, reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested individuals can secure their tickets here.

The Boise Camera Club, recognized by the Photographic Society of America for its continuous 66-year membership, meets weekly in Meridian, Idaho. For more information about the club and a calendar of events, visit www.boisecameraclub.org.

At the upcoming State of the Union Address in Washington, D.C., Montana will be represented by a distinguished figure from the realm of photography. Larry Mayer, a legendary photographer from the Billings Gazette, has been extended a special invitation by Montana Congressman Matt Rosendale (R-MT02) to attend the prestigious event as his guest this Thursday. This recognition is not just a personal accolade for Mayer but a moment of pride for Montana, highlighting the significant contributions of its residents on a national stage.

The Journey to Recognition

Larry Mayer’s journey to the State of the Union Address is a testament to his illustrious career and the impact of his work. Over the decades with the Billings Gazette, Mayer has captured moments of history, emotion, and the natural beauty of Montana, earning him both local admiration and international attention. His photograph of the China spy balloon over Billings nearly a year ago catapulted him into the global spotlight, marking a pivotal moment in his career. This invitation by Congressman Rosendale serves as a recognition of Mayer’s dedication to his craft and his role in documenting significant events.

Significance of the Invitation

The opportunity to attend the State of the Union Address as a special guest is a rare honor, reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions in their fields or communities. Each Senator and Congressman is allowed one guest for the event, making the selection process highly competitive and the invitation a mark of considerable esteem. For Mayer, this is not just an invitation to a political event; it is an acknowledgment of his contributions to the journalistic field and the broader narrative of American life. His presence at the State of the Union Address underscores the importance of photography in storytelling and historical documentation.

Reflections on a Momentous Occasion

This invitation comes at a time when the role of journalists and photographers is increasingly under scrutiny and their contributions to society more critical than ever. As Mayer prepares to attend the State of the Union Address, his thoughts likely reflect on the journey that led him here, from capturing everyday life in Montana to documenting events of national significance. His presence in the gallery will serve as a reminder of the power of photography to capture moments that define our collective history. As Montana’s Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) recognized Mayer on the one-year anniversary of the spy balloon incident, it is clear that Mayer’s work has not only captured moments of historical importance but has also brought recognition to Montana on a national level.

As Larry Mayer takes his place in the gallery at the State of the Union Address, his attendance is more than a personal honor; it is a celebration of the role of journalists and photographers in shaping our understanding of the world. It reminds us of the enduring power of visual storytelling and the importance of documenting history as it unfolds. For Montana, Mayer’s invitation is a source of pride and a testament to the significant contributions its residents make to the national dialogue. As Mayer represents Montana at this momentous event, his journey from local photographer to honored guest at the State of the Union Address encapsulates the essence of American resilience and the unyielding pursuit of excellence.

An exhibition in Milan peels back the layers of Daniele Tamagni‘s incredible photography. The Italian photographer, who died in 2017 at age 42 after battling a long illness, is heralded for his work celebrating street style across Africa. His work combines street photography, photojournalism, and fashion photography in a way that is uniquely his.

Ninety of his images are now on show at Milan’s Palazzo Morando until April 1. Daniel Tamagni Style is Life is the first retrospective dedicated to the award-winning photographer’s work. The show encompasses seven years of his photography and brings us on a journey across the globe. From action-packed images of Bolivia’s “flying cholitas” to incredible portraits of the Sapeurs of Congo, who use dapper fashion as a form of social resistance, Tamagni’s ability to infiltrate global subcultures is astonishing.

“In choosing countries and cities far outside the usual context of fashion, I not only wanted to offer an overview of the phenomenon of globalized style, but also record the resistance to and preservation of traditions,” Tamagni once shared.

“Daniele undertook a mission to show that Africa is diverse, housing many untold stories,” says co-curator Aïda Muluneh. “In my perspective, art revolves around conveying our personal truths. He deliberately focused on individuals at society’s edges, those challenging norms, prioritizing self-affirmation over societal endorsement—trailblazers of their unique journeys.”

The exhibition and accompanying photobook are a wonderful way to honor Tamagni’s legacy and bring his photography to a wider audience. As we travel with him to heavy metal festivals in Botswana or learn about the female fashion designers in Dakar who are elevating Senegalese fashion, we also understand a bit more about his passion for life and his unending quest to discover more about the diverse people who make our planet unique.

A retrospective exhibition in Milan celebrates the work of photographer Daniele Tamagni.

Portrait of a Sapeur wearing hot pink sunglasses and matching tie, holding a pipe in his mouth. Brazzaville, Congo (2008)

Dixy in London, from Gentlemen of Bacongo, 2009.

Tembisa Revolution #2, from Joburg Style Battles, 2014.

Tamagni traveled the world to photograph subcultures, with particular attention to street style.

The Playboys of Bacongo, from Gentlemen of Bacongo, 2008.

Carmen Rosa flying, from The Flying Cholitas, 2010.

Dignified Queen and Katy, from Afrometals, 2012.

Untitled, from Afrometals, 2012.

Though Tamagni passed away in 2017, the influence of his work can still be felt.

Model at Dakar Fashion Week, 2011.

Portrait of a member of the Piccadilly Group wearing a bowtie and an eye patch. Brazzaville, Congo (2008)

Izis Boys, from Joburg Style Battles, 2014.

Daniele Tamagni Style is Life is on view at Palazzo Morando in Milan until April 1, 2024.

Smarteez #2, from Joburg Style Battles, 2014.

Boy with kite, Cuba, 2005.

Daniele Tamagni Foundation: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Daniele Tamagni Foundation.

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Photographer Bruce Mathews of Oak Bluffs views his latest subject, flowers, in a very different way than that of most other artists. While shooting various species in a dedicated studio space in his Oak Bluffs apartment, he discovers life and vibrancy in the blooms he collects at local florists.

These qualities truly shine in Mathews’ exhibit of 28 images, currently hanging at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse art space. Set against stark black or white backgrounds, his botanical subjects display their beauty and individuality in a surprisingly intimate and almost animated way.

“At first I thought of an imaginary land where flowers have this kind of life to them,” says Mathews, describing what inspired him to focus on his most recent subject. “They live their lives in privacy, and no one sees them.”

Hence the title of the exhibit, “Flowers When No One’s Looking.” Fortunately for viewers, Mathews has managed to reveal this secret life in an astonishingly compelling way, focusing not just on color, but on form and detail.

The sight of gardens overflowing with various flowers proved irresistible to Mathews’ sense of design. He admits to having plundered a few (only if there were plenty to spare), drawn by something that attracted his artist’s eye. As much as the colors, Mathews found himself struck by the beauty of his botanical captives, once he had separated them from the pack.

“I was struck as much by the colors as by the intricacy and patterning that can be found by looking closely at blooms and foliage,” he says. “I’m very keen on elements of design — on composition and light and shadow.”

Light and shadow, along with the “still life” quality of the studio-based arrangements, impart the look and feel of an old master painting to some of his photos. Although he never heightens the natural colors of his subjects, he sometimes plays with deepening shadows somewhat to bring the images to three-dimensional life.

Mathews has found that flowers, once plucked, are not the easiest subjects to work with. “I’m working against time,” he says. “They don’t sit there looking pretty. They droop and fade. I work on these things for hours. and in that time it’s right on the cusp of losing their freshness.”

Although Mathews is reluctant to reveal his trade secrets for the black background images, he does offer some insight on his webpage on how he creates the images set against a white background. An art critic for the Record recounts the details shared by Mathews in an interview: “He finds ingenious ways of manipulating flowers — suspending them in water, freezing them, tugging apart their blossoms or seed pods — even flattening them on a car windshield and shooting [from inside the car] against a luminous sky.”

For the white-background series, Mathews often deconstructs the flowers, and arranges them in artistic “poses” that in some cases mimic the fluid movements of dancers and other people in motion.

In some of the black background photos, the careful positioning of the blooms and/or torn pieces of petals suggest other forms — a bird of paradise flower appears to have taken off in flight; a deconstructed white lily could easily represent a flock of snow geese, the colorful stamens hinting at bright orange feet.

The artist himself sees human forms in his series of monochromatic milkweed pod images. He mentions tableaux that he imagines rising from the combination of filaments and seed casings — a clutch of people waiting at a bus stop, a gathering of demonstrators.

Before retiring to the Island, Mathews enjoyed a successful career as a New York City–based commercial photographer. After 25 years in the city, he moved to the Vineyard and started focusing on producing fine art images, clearly influenced by his love of design and composition.

The critic who wrote about Mathews’ flower images concludes his review with the following: “In a digital age, Mathews is a purist: What you see is what he saw in his viewfinder: an alternate botanical universe that was always there, waiting to be discovered.”

“Flowers When No One’s Looking,” a solo show of photographs by Bruce Mathews, will hang at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse lobby art space through April 19. 

The late American fashion photographer David Seidner (1957-1999) was influential in his life, but his work has, sadly, gone underappreciated in the decades since his passing. The International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City aims to change that through an ongoing exhibition of Seidner’s work called “Fragments.”

David Seidner Was a Groundbreaking Photographer Unbound By Rigid Genres

“Fragments” showcases a survey of Seidner’s fine art photography and portraiture from 1977 until 1999, the year he died due to an AIDS-related illness at only 42 years old. Throughout his career, Seidner routinely pushed artistic boundaries and defied easy categorization. Yes, he shot portraits and created fashion images, but his techniques and creative approach were far outside the norm.

The exhibit’s name comes from one of Seidner’s photographic techniques, fragmentation, where he split a subject across multiple parts of the frame through double exposures and reflections. This was quite the technical tour de force to pull off in the analog era. Although, it is not straightforward to do effectively in the digital age, either.

His subjects ranged from groundbreaking dancers to well-known artists, and his final project was an abstract series of still-life photography focused on orchids.

Beyond his personal work, he was also a prolific editorial photographer for world-famous publications like Harper’s Bazaar, Harper’s & Queen, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, and international editions of Vogue. The photographer even earned exclusive photography contracts with designers, including Yves Saint Laurent.

“Even though he photographed with and for the leading fashion designers of his time, Seidner was an artist who made work no matter where it appeared or how it circulated,” says Elisabeth Sherman, ICP’s Senior Curator and Director of Exhibitions and Collections.

“This quality of Seidner’s work — being at once timeless while expressing the particularity of his own voice — is exactly what drew me to him initially,” Sherman tells PetaPixel over email. “I also think the way in which he made his career, working between fashion, editorial, advertising, and contemporary art is truthful to how many photographers live and work but, not until recently, have they been able to acknowledge and celebrate these various facets of their careers and how they relate to one another. He was very prescient in that way.”

David Seidner was a pioneer, and it is long past due that his work receives the attention it deserves.

The ICP has been the repository for Seidner’s archive since 2001 when it was gifted to the organization. Sherman believes that today, with sufficient historical distance, people will have a better understanding of how innovative the photographer was throughout his career.

So far, visitors have proven her right.

“I think the most consistent takeaway is surprise and amazement at the strength and range of the work and the poignancy of seeing the whole of his career together for the first time,” Sherman explains.

As for her personal opinions of Seidner’s body of work, Sherman loves the “disinterest” he had concerning the boundaries between different photographic genres.

“The blending of his passions across artistic disciplines is what makes him such a singular and enduring photographer.”

David Seidner’s Work Is on Exhibit Until May

“David Seidner: Fragments, 1977-99” is on exhibit at ICP in New York City as part of its 50th anniversary celebration until May 6, 2024. To learn more and get tickets to see the show, visit the ICP’s website.

Image credits: Photographs by David Seidner and provided by the International Center of Photography