Automaton #06, 2010. © Paolo Ventura

The Automaton of Venice

Exhibition on view:
September 8th–October 15th, 2011

Hasted Kraeutler:
537 West 24th Street, Ground Floor
New York, NY
(212) 627-0006

The Automaton of Venice by Paolo Ventura is the upcoming exhibit at the Hasted Kraeutler gallery. Using his own hand-made miniature sets and figurines, Italian photographer Paolo Ventura creates fictional photographic narratives set in his native country. Ventura’s series Winter Stories is a staged narrative revolving around a carnival set in a Northern Italian village.  Aperture published Winter Stories as a monograph and a limited-edition book and print box set. Ventura’s work was also featured in Aperture magazine issue 203.

Paolo Ventura is also one of the many artists featured in our upcoming 2011 Benefit & Auction. Click here to preview artworks and start bidding!

By Anna Carnick

Erwin Olaf, Angels in America, 2010

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Now showing: Erwin Olaf: De La Mar at Hasted Kraeutler.

For his latest series, Erwin Olaf casts his highly stylized, cinematic eye on the theatre world. Commissioned by the DeLaMar VandenEnde Foundation for the new De La Mar theatre in Amsterdam, Olaf’s series reinterprets scenes from eight classic plays, with a star-studded cast of Dutch film and theatre actors. The De La Mar series was shot primarily in film studios and theatres in and around Amsterdam in 2009.

Describing the role of theatre in his work, the Dutch photographer says, “I have always been involved with the theatre and dance world, mostly through theatre posters, but also as an inspiration, so there is a close relationship and love for the theatre.” He goes on, “I have always been influenced a lot by film, and I think this is one of the most literal translations of that influence.”

For the series, which will be permanently displayed at the new theatre, Olaf chose scenes from Angels in America, A Streetcar Named Desire, Amadeus, Cyrano, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Sunshine Boys, Waiting for Godot, and Three Sisters. Describing his selection, Mr. Olaf says, “We were looking for classic plays which have iconic scenes in them, instantly recognizable to the visitors of the theatre. Plays that the actors are very fond of, as well as the audiences.”

Notably, in several of the photographs, at least one individual seems to be working behind-the-scenes, such as a stagehand or ticket-taker. “The little people should not be forgotten,” Olaf says. “It’s the whole crew that makes a play, movie, or photograph.”

According to gallery partner Joseph Kraeutler, what makes the series most impressive is the modern twist Olaf has given to such classic plays. “Although these plays were originally produced on paper, they have been translated to the stage time after time by various theatre productions, each with their own views,” he says. “Olaf takes the imagery of these plays and injects both his unique style as well as Dutch celebrity into the imagery, making them entirely his own, as well as modernizing the images to fit into current Dutch culture. He does this while still staying true to the original story of the play. The ability to depict a play in a single image is not just a monstrous undertaking, but also one that invites criticism as different interpretations range dramatically and [are] fueled by the passions of theatre goers.”

Erwin Olaf: De La Mar is on view at Hasted Kraeutler’s Gallery 4 through July 1.

Hasted Kraeutler
537 West 24th Street
New York, NY
www.hastedkraeutler.com

Look for more of Mr. Olaf’s work in the upcoming Aperture book and exhibition, The New York Times Magazine Photographs. Mr. Olaf’s self-titled monograph, published by Aperture, is available now here. And his limited-edition portfolio – I WISH, I AM, I WILL BE – is available here.

*All images courtesy of Hasted Kraeutler.

Robert Frank
Rodeo, New York City, 1954, printed c. 1954

Great Photographs of the 20th Century: From the Street will feature work by Robert Adams, Richard Avedon, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, Abbas Kiarostami, Lisette Model and Gary Winogrand.

Exhibition on view
May 19 – July 1, 2011

Reception and Panel Discussion:
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Reception at 5:30 pm
Panel discussion at 6:30 pm

Hasted Kraeutler
537 West 24th Street
New York, NY

LaToya Ruby Frazier (Save Our Community Hospital) Campaign for UPMC Braddock Hospital 2011

Always The Young Strangers

Higher Pictures presents Always the Young Strangers, an exhibition of 17 young artists. The exhibition is modeled after and takes its name from a show curated by Edward Steichen at the Museum of Modern Art in 1953. The work in our show is cohesive, chaotic and expansive. The artists are highly tuned-in, producing work that vaporizes the traditional 20th century approach to medium and style. For the artist today, these have entered the hyper-real – they leave us only with references to medium and style. Aided by technologies beyond the camera, their art discloses a hybridized world made by hand. Collectively this work feels and speaks of individuality and possibility.

Erica Allen, Cortney Andrews, Talia Chetrit, Jessica Eaton, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Anna Krachey, Jessica Labatte, Andrea Longacre-White, Aspen Mays, MPA + Katherine Hubbard, Yamini Nayar, Emily Roysdon, Carrie Schneider, Kate Steciw, Letha Wilson, Ann Woo.

Higher Pictures
764 Madison Avenue
New York

Opening reception: Thursday May 19, 6 – 9 pm
Exhibition on view: May 19 through July 9, 2011

Arthur Ou, untitled (Screen Test 1) 2007, courtesy the artist

The exhibition Undressing the World presented by Conveyor will feature Aaron Gustafson, Arthur Ou, Christine Shank, David Horvitz, Elizabeth Bick, George Pitts, Haley Bueschlen, Hrvoje Slovenc, Laura Bell, Leif Huron, Nicholas Alan Cope, Penelope Umbrico, Simone Douglas, Claudia Sohrens, Sophie Barbasch, Stephen Cardinal, and Sylvia Hardy.

The launch party will kick off with a performance by Hypercolor.

Conveyor will be hosting a series of artist talks, live music and perhaps even performance art throughout the weekend at 25CPW.

Stay tuned to our website for more details: www.conveyorarts.org

Conveyor is an organization dedicated to supporting photographic-based artists, through the production and circulation of new works in the medium. In partnership with Conveyor Print Space, we provide artists with opportunities for printing, exhibition and publication.

The Conveyor Magazine Issue One {Curiosities} includes Review on the Photographic Universe Conference: Images and Writing from Arthur Ou, Penelope Umbrico, Andrea Geyer, Wafaa Bilal, Lorne Blythe, Daniel Small, Luca Antonucci and Simone Douglas.

Click here to purchase the Penelope Umbrico Photographs book.

Primary Photographic Gallery is pleased to present “2001″ an exhibition of photographs by New York photographer Tim Barber.

Opening reception: Thursday, May 19th, 6-10pm

Exhibition on view: May 19th – June 15th

Tim Barber grew up in Amherst Massachusetts, lived for a few years in the mountains of Northern Vermont, studied photography in Vancouver B.C. and now lives in New York City. A photographer, curator and designer, Barber runs the online gallery and image archive tinyvices.com, where visitors are encouraged to submit their photographs and artwork. He is represented in the US and UK by Webber Represents.

Following this show Barber will be curating a series of solo exhibitions for Primary Photographic Gallery featuring the artists Asger Carlsen, Brooke Smith, Greg Halpern and Kate Steciw. Stay tuned for schedule information.

Primary Photographic Gallery
195 Chrystie St.
New York, NY 10002