Saturday, 4 January 2014

PHOTOGRAPHERS GALLERY REVIEW

Home Truths:

 The Home Truths exhibition aimed to challenge societies perception of 'motherhood' and what exactly means to be a mother in today's day and age. The exhibition was made up by the work of eight contemporary photographers- Janine Antoni, Elina Brotherus, Elinor Carucci, Ana Casas Broda, Fred Hüning, Leigh Ledare, Katie Murray and Hanna Putz. The photographs addressed issues such as gender roles, domesticity, the body and the identity of the individual in a family unit. 
Fred Huning
Fred Huning- 'Einer' 
One of pieces which I found really touching was done by German photograph Fred Huning- a father, not a mother. Huning's work consisted of three small books which documented the journey of Huning and his wife, through their love and loss combined with tragic family events. 'Einer' tells the story of the birth and death of their first child and the struggle which followed as they try to cope with their loss. 'Zwei' shows the couple's healing process, in their attempts to rebuild their relationship and Huning's wife discovers she is pregnant again. And lastly, 'Drei' is the celebration of new life and love as the family is once again made whole by the arrival of their second son.

This piece really touched me, and I felt almost connected to the artist as he shares a massive part of his life with the viewer, it is hard not to. The photographs seem like everyday moments and events that should be documented which again makes me feel a lot more connected to the work.

Katie Murray
Katie Murray – Mother Gazelle The Kitchen Chalkboard Blog Interview We are thrilled to introduce artist, Katie Murray. Born and raised in Queens, NY, Murray received her undergraduate degree from The School of Visual Arts (SVA) and her MFA at Yale University. A respected fine art photographer and video artist, Murray’s warmth, wit, and infamous Queens accent lights up any room she enters. And if you are lucky enough, one day you might get to sample her Sunday sauce (more on that below). Taking inspiration from the people and everyday scenes around her, Murray’s work in video and in photographic portraiture persistently interrogates gender stereotypes. A large body of her work, begun during her graduate studies at Yale, centers on images of Murray’s family members and friends posing casually in ordinary settings. Using the camera to circumscribe intimate, and at times, awkward perspectives, Murray’s images appear ambiguous, probing her subjects’ vulnerability. While seemingly familiar, they are far from stereotypical–part of Murray’s strategy to keep the images open-ended in terms of the readings and reactions they elicit. In Murray’s video of a high school girls’ drill team in Queens, New York, images, movement, and sound converge to offer a riveting collective portrait and commentary on the nature of femininity, urban popular culture, group dynamics, and contemporary ritual. Murray’s newest video, Gazelle, examines the suffocating demands of motherhood through a gazelle defending herself from her attackers. CHALKBOARD: How did growing up in a large, Catholic family in Queens, New York influence your palette? MURRAY: As in quite a number of large families, there was never quite enough to afford going out to restaurants on a regular basis. Most meals were home cooked by my stay-at-home mother, who learned to cook from my paternal Italian grandmother; so I would generalize and say that my palette at an early age was geared towards traditional Italian American cuisine. CHALKBOARD: We hear that you make a mean Sunday sauce. Would you mind sharing the origin of the dish and how it came to be your signature dish? MURRAY: Sunday sauce or “gravy” as some call it is a signature dish of most Italian Americans, as it serves many purposes. For one it can feed a large number of people, but more than that it is a reason for families to gather. Rather than just a meal it is a tradition almost akin to ritual. I follow my grandmothers’ recipe; she was a first generation Italian American from Naples. The recipe was not written down, it’s learned from watching, and that is how I learned it. I enjoy making Sunday sauce most; it is usually a six-hour process. I start with the meat first (chop meat, pork, and sausage) and build the sauce up from there, adding many spices and most importantly stirring. CHALKBOARD: As a wife, mother-of-two, and artist, time must be in short supply. Do you have any favorite quick dinners/snacks that keep everyone happy and healthy? MURRAY: Happiness is relative…putting that aside, I do have a few dishes that go over well with the family, and are easy with my schedule. Quick easy snacks include edamame, fresh mozzarella cheese, olives and cherry tomatoes (always best when picked from my garden) another great snack I do for the family is turkey bacon and lettuce wrapped around a cherry tomato held together by a toothpick. For a relatively healthy quick meal, I make a simple potato and egg pie. CHALKBOARD: Living in the ultimate American, melting pot neighborhood, you must have your pick of great restaurants. Any healthy favorites that come to mind? MURRAY: It is true there are many great mostly Italian restaurants here. I think the best Pizza in New York is New Park Pizza and every chance I get I love to introduce visitors to this gem. Gino’s is another neighborhood staple, with a great selection of fresh fish, seafood, and a number of delicious salads, my personal favorite is the Spinach Salad: baby spinach,fresh strawberries,sliced almonds,goat cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette. Another healthy option is the Antipasto Caprese: fresh mozzarella and tomatoes or the Antipasto Gino: eggplant, fresh mozzarella, and zucchini. Many thanks, Katie! View Katie Murray’s photography and video work HERE. For recent news and shows, visit Katie Murray’s Tumblr page 
'Gazelle' 
The second piece which I found completely refreshing was the piece done by American photographer Katie Murray. 'Gazelle' is a video which showcases the artists attempts to get in shape. After the birth of her second child, Murray set out to lose weight by using the Gazelle- a total body workout machine she bought in a garage sale. Fearing that she may harm one of her children whilst they run around the living room, Murray decided the only logical answer was to strap two children to her back and front. All whilst the voice of Tony Little- America's Personal Trainer, shouted out 'motivational' clichés. The video also kept cutting between a nature footage of a mother Gazelle suckling her young and escaping an attack by a pair of cheetah cubs, another concept of the video which made it all that much more 'exciting'.

Murray's piece had a very simple concept but it represented a struggle that many mother's face in today's society- the attempt to balance the demands of a wife, mother and also an artist all at the same time. I thought this piece was not only amusing but also very inspiring in that it shows, that women are always under constant pressure to look a certain way, and mother's are no exception.

Jacques Henri Lartigue: Bibi
The exhibition Bibi showcased the journey of Lartigue and his first wife Madeleine Messager- Bibi. Lartigue's photographs are presented in chronological order and divided into three sections. Starting off in 1918 when he met his future wife Bibi, the exhibition ends in 1930 the year before the couple's divorce. The years in between capture the young couple enjoying their life of travelling both alone and with friends.

In the first section includes Lartigue's wedding and the birth of their only son Dani, the second section beginning in 1922, when the couple slowly become part of the bustling scene of art and high society in Paris- an image of Bibi on a boat in Cannes. Up until that point Bibi was Lartigue's muse and was always the subject of his photographs. In the third section however, that , the couple's distance is clearly witnessed. Bibi is no longer the main subject in Lartigue’s photographs; instead, she is often in the background, represented with other women or in the middle of a crowd. 

Bibi et Michèle Verly, Lac d’Aix-les-Bains, mai 1928 Jacques Henri Lartigue
  Bibi et Michèle Verly, Lac d’Aix-les-Bains, mai 1928
This is one of my favourite photographs from the exhibition. I found this image to be very calming and it shows the cheap thrills of the era. One woman completely lost in her book, whilst the other naps letting the sun warm her skin. To me, this would be a perfect way of a spending a summer day and it gives you a great insight on how Jacques and his wife spent their time. 
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