Richard Ross: Abu Ghraib and Access from Aperture Foundation on Vimeo.
In this video clip, Richard Ross speaks about his experience documenting the notorious Abu Ghraib prison, revealing a disturbing observation made while photographing there. Ross also explains how he gained access to so many official and confidential spaces typically inaccessible to both the public and press.

The exhibition Architecture of Authority is currently on view at Aperture Gallery through July 31st. With this body of work American photographer Richard Ross presents unsettling pictures of architectural spaces that each exert a kind of power over the individual. From a Montessori preschool, to churches and mosques, to an interrogation room at Guantánamo and segregation cells at Abu Ghraib, Ross’s photographs reflect the state of our post 9/11 world—one in which he believes the public has become accustomed to the abuse
of power, erosion of individual liberty, illegitimate authority, and constant surveillance.

Catherine Chalmers: American Cockroach

Exhibition on View: Saturday, July 12, 2008 — Sunday, November 09, 2008

Gallery Talk with the Artist: Thursday, August 7, 2008, 5:30 PM

Boise Art Museum
670 Julia Davis Drive
Boise, Idaho
(208) 345-8330

In her American Cockroach project, Catherine Chalmers records the half-imaginary life of the domestic pest known as the cockroach. The exhibition at the Boise Art Museum highlights the Chalmers’ photographs, sculpture, and video work. Chalmers explores the question of what it is to be human and what is man’s relationship to the insect world, examining preconceived notions about insects and specimens. As Chalmers notes, “Today, people tend to deny the obvious fact of death and violence in their world.” And this is especially true with regard to animals, which tend to fall into the category of either pests or pets. Our connection to nature and the animal world has been domesticated. “In the past, animals had a much higher value in peoples’ understandings of themselves.”

Chalmers’ series theatrically dissects the life of the prehistoric cockroach and the sometimes-surreal operations of nature that deposited the creature plunk in the middle of modern kitchens and bathrooms. American Cockroach offers up an ecosystem where the laws of roach life and survival become strange and distorted human manifestations, not so much a biology but a mythology of the common house roach. Her eco-system is at once natural and exquisitely overwrought, seen schizophrenically from behind the lens of a camera as well as shot from the one-on-one perspective of the roach itself.

View installation images here.

The related book, American Cockroach, published by Aperture, can be found here.

Catherine on ArtDaily.com

This week’s TIME magazine cover story, How to Save Afghanistan, features photographs by Zalmaï. See the previous post with images of Zalmaï on assignment in Afghanistan.

Richard Ross: Structures of Socialization from Aperture Foundation on Vimeo.

Watch an interview with Richard Ross during the installation of his exhibition at Aperture Gallery: Architecture of Authority. In this clip, Ross gives a guided tour of several images from the show, highlighting the dialogue between two photos in particular—one taken at a military camp and the other at a mental institution. Ross also explains how being the son of a police officer has influenced his work on this project.

The exhibition Architecture of Authority is currently on view at Aperture Gallery through July 31st. With this body of work American photographer Richard Ross presents unsettling pictures of architectural spaces that each exert a kind of power over the individual. From a Montessori preschool, to churches and mosques, to an interrogation room at Guantánamo and segregation cells at Abu Ghraib, Ross’s photographs reflect the state of our post 9/11 world—one in which he believes the public has become accustomed to the abuse of power, erosion of individual liberty, illegitimate authority, and constant surveillance.

Since the American-led invasion in Afghanistan began in 2001, more American and coalition troops have died in July compared to any preceding month. The Taliban insurgency has also reclaimed control over some southern and eastern parts of the country.

Photojournalist and former Afghan refugee Zalmaï joined British troops in southern Afghanistan recently. He emailed Aperture Book Publisher Lesley A. Martin in May, writing of a difficult life. They were surrounded by the Taliban, who were less than one mile away. Zalmaï was scheduled to leave for Kabul by helicopter but the trip was postponed after two helicopters were shot down in two days. They were also attacked by small arms and RPGs (rocket propelled grenades).

The images below show Zalmaï and some of the British troops in Afghanistan while Zalmaï was on assignment for Time magazine. Zalmaï is in the blue helmet.

Read the article “Afghanistan: A War That’s Still Not Won” in Time magazine here. View more images in the web-exclusive The Challenge of Helmand, where Zalmaï documents a British unit playing cat and mouse with the Taliban in a strategically vital province of Afghanistan. All photographs by Zalmaï.

In his upcoming book Silent Exodus (Aperture, November 2008), Zalmaï chronicles the plight of Iraqi refugees who have fled to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Andrew Sloat is a long-time Aperture designer – Among other books, he has designed Stephen Shore’s Uncommon Places, Small Wars by An-My Lê, My Life in Politics by Tim Davis, Shuffle by Christian Marclay, LS/S by Beate Gütschow, and most recently, Michael Wolf’s The Transparent City. He will be speaking about his work at a talk hosted by the AIGA/NY at the Apple Store in Soho.

Wednesday, July 16, at 6:30

Apple Store, Soho (at the corner of Prince and Greene)

We wanted to give our devoted blog readers a little inside scoop and a sneak peak at the new Limited-Edition Photograph created by Thomas Allen expressly for Aperture. We will be releasing this work later in the summer. To create Suspended, 2008 exclusively for Aperture’s Limited-Edition Photographs program, American artist Thomas Allen selected the pulpiest of pulp paperbacks and then lovingly sliced out the cover figures, folding them into position and constructing the witty scene that he then photographs. We were thrilled that Thomas agreed to participate in our program ( a big thank you to Michael Foley of Foley Gallery, who represents Thomas Allen’s work in New York for also thinking it was a good idea ) , and even more thrilled that he decided to create a work expressly for Aperture. States the artist, “this image makes me laugh every time I see it. I found the book with the woman seated at a desk some time ago, but didn’t have a clue as to what to do with it. I didn’t find a “mate” until I began thinking about the limited-edition print ideas for Aperture. Truth be told, I found two books – one I used and this one:

but I felt it didn’t spark the tension like the one in the final print does-two coeds schooling us on the primal art of getting noticed.”

Allen enjoys taking on different roles in creating his photographs, ” in addition to being a photographer, I play talent scout, casting director, stage manager, lighting supervisor, and film editor.” He photographs these vignettes in shallow focus, with a four-by-five inch camera, rendering his prints with the dreamy effect reminiscent of the View-Master stereoscopic toy that inspired him from his childhood. Aperture proudly published his debut monograph Uncovered in 2007. This print will be coming to the Aperture website soon so be sure to sign up for notification online so you know when it will be available.

Today marks the 100-year anniversary of Minor White’s birth (1908-1976). White, who co-founded Aperture magazine in 1952 along with seven other visionaries, had an impact on photography that extends far beyond the realm of this foundation. During his lifetime, White was a photographer, critic, poet, writer, editor, and educator. His life and work is extensively detailed by James Baker Hall in Minor White: Rites and Passages, published by Aperture.

When Minor White was a child, his grandfather instilled in him an appreciation and love of photography. White took photography classes in college but, after graduation, he was unable to afford the necessary equipment, so he channeled his creative energy towards poetry. Five years later, White bought a 35mm Argus for $12.50 and headed west with $100 in his pocket to pursue a career in photography. His new career was interrupted by World War II, where he served in the Army Intelligence Corps. Upon his return, White began to rediscover photography and define his relationship to the art. Hall notes, “The rest of White’s life, after his release from the army in 1945, can be seen as one sustained effort, more and more successful as time went on, to find a spiritual home.” It is often said that White found spirituality through photography. This kinship between art and its meaning vastly influenced his work. White also used photography as a way of self-discovery. Without abstracting images, his photographs exemplified his metaphorical concepts.

Minor White strove to take photography beyond the mechanical aesthetic. In the post-war world, photography ran the risk of becoming a resource: a mechanism used solely for documentation. White wanted to revisit photography as an art form and thus engineered a way to explore it that went beyond providing basic information. As editor of Aperture magazine from its creation in 1952 until his death in 1976, he committed himself not only to influencing the way photographers think, but how the audience thinks as well. In a world where anyone can pick up a camera and take a picture one must wonder what makes a photograph art? White used Aperture to boldly distinguish between photojournalism and journalism about photography. Over half a century later, Aperture continues to play with these distinctions. The Summer 2007 issue, for example, portrays Iraq-war veterans in a way that is both provocative and informative. To expound upon the literal and find meaning in photographs is the embodiment of White’s philosophies. White not only had a significant role in the development and creation of Aperture, but he helped to heighten photography to a new level of art form. On his hundredth birthday, it seems only fitting to not just celebrate his life, but also to celebrate his legacy.

Ever wonder where those guys selling the newest, choicest art books on the streets of Soho and Union Square get their wares? Are they filched at the warehouse upon arriving in the U.S. or smuggled out of the printing plants and sold to an underground network of art-loving fences?

Photographer Michael Wolf, author of the forthcoming Aperture title The Transparent City was surprised to encounter copies of his book already being enjoyed by the population of Hong Kong a mere couple of weeks after being on press with the book himself! As proof of this nefarious ring of pre-publication book trafficking activity, Wolf sent Aperture the following photographs. In the upcoming months, look for copies of this title in fine bookstores (and folding-table street vendors) near you!

Thomas Holton‘s series The Lams of Ludlow Street ( 2003-5), which was featured in Aperture magazine issue #186, is part of the group show “Eminent Domain: Contemporary Photography and the City” at the New York Public Library through August 29, 2008. Read a review of the show here in the New York Times.

The Lams are currently living in Red Cross housing following an electrical fire in their building on June 14. The family made it out safely, but their building is closed for inspection. Their landlord and NYC building inspectors are assessing the structure to decide if it can be rebuilt. The Lams have to be out of their temporary housing in December and chances are they won’t be able to move back into the Ludlow St. building, so Holton is selling limited “benefit” edition prints from the series, with all proceeds going to the family as they try to rebuild their lives.

Fourteen different images are available, they will be color 11×14 C-prints, $175 each, with discounts available when purchasing more than one. This offer is good through July 4, 2008. Contact Holton directly at thomas@thomasholton.com or you can call him at (917) 364-8044 to purchase prints and help the Lams. Most of the available images can be seen here.