Good photobooks require having good photographs. But good photobooks need more than that. Photobooks, when done well, are not merely collections of photographs. They are pieces of art in their own right, which means that the contributions of the non-photographers are crucial.

–Joerg Colberg, in his review of The Dutch Photobook (Aperture 2012)

This Wednesday, June 13, 2012, Frits Gierstberg, curator of the Netherlands Photomuseum, comes to Aperture Gallery to speak on the important collaborations between graphic designers, printers, and Dutch photographers that have earned Dutch photobooks so much praise.

Gierstberg, who co-authored Aperture’s latest “book on books,” The Dutch Photobook: A Thematic Selection from 1945 Onwards along with Rik Suermondt, will be explaining some methodology behind his selection in the text, and discussing not only those  books included, but omitted as well.

We’re most excited for the hands-on reception after the presentation during which audience members will be offered a special viewing of a selection of contemporary Dutch photobooks. Joining Gierstberg will be special guest Dutch photographers featured in the book, Jacqueline Hassink, author of the 2009 Aperture monograph Car Girls, and Dana Lixenberg, whose monographs Jeffersonville Indiana and Last Days of Sishmaref won Best Dutch Book Design in 2005 and 2008, respectively.

Attendees will also receive complementary copies of Aperture’s The Photobook Review Issue 002, edited by publisher Markus Schaden, which features extensive coverage of photobook studies and photobook dummy-making.

Read Joerg Colberg’s full review of The Dutch Photobook on Concientious. The work has also been reviewed on Photo-Eye Blog, where you can flip through a few spreads as well.

The Dutch Photobook: Presentation and reception with Frits Gierstberg
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
6:30 p.m.

FREE

Aperture Gallery
547 West 27th Street, 4th floor
New York, New York
(212) 505-5555

Cambridge England (Cocktails on carpet), 2005, © Martin Parr
Photo courtesy of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Group exhibition Embarassment of Riches explores the different applications of wealth in recent day and age around the world through photography and other media works. While the monetary status of some countries today flourishes steadily, many others remain in a state of flux – surging and quickly falling. Contemporary artists, including Jacqueline Hassink, Martin Parr, Cindy Sherman, and Sze Tsung Leong, give visual insight to a culture within a culture: an elite group scattered globally that can buy endlessly and not think twice, wine and dine with the utmost sophistication, and transform the appearance of themselves and the cities they live in. Abundant and sometimes excessive in prosperity at first, these lifestyles can be fleeting and their effects tumultuous. Embarrassment of Riches is a commentary on society and its rich inhabitants from the past decade.

Embarrassment of Riches: Picturing Global Wealth, 2000-2010
On view Thursday, September 16, 2010 – Sunday, January 2, 2011

Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Harrison Photography Gallery (365)
2400 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-3000

Attendees of Aperture Foundation’s reception for the exhibition No Singing Allowed: Flamenco and Photography (currently on view at the Aperture Gallery and at Instituto Cervantes) were audience to a thrilling and moving performance by the influential contemporary Flamenco dancer Pastora Galván.

No Singing Allowed: Flamenco and Photography is curated by José Lebrero Stals and covers more than one hundred and fifty years of images, presenting an extensive survey of how photographers of different eras have approached the universe of flamenco, whether documenting the dance itself, gestures that recall it, or the culture that has developed around it.

Please enjoy the following edited excerpt of Galván’s performance and be sure to explore the No Singing Allowed: Flamenco and Photography exhibition in-person at both Aperture Gallery and Instituto Cervantes.

Stop by the Aperture Gallery this Saturday, March 6th, for Aperture’s  Armory Brunch and peruse the images from this historic show as well as greet other members of the Aperture community. The event will feature exclusives on books and limited edition prints and special appearances by photographers including Zwelethu Mthethwa, Eirik Johnson, Susan Meiselas, Doug Dubois, Donna Ferrato, Joel Meyerowitz, Jacqueline Hassink, and Gillian Laub. Refreshments will be served.

No Singing Allowed: Flamenco and Photography
On view through April 1st

Aperture Gallery
547 West 27th Street, 4th floor
New York, New York
Monday – Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Amster Yard Gallery at Instituto Cervantes
211 East 49th Street
New York, New York
Monday – Friday: 10:30am-6:30pm
Saturday: 10:30am-1:30pm

View the New York Times Review of No Singing Allowed: Flamenco and Photography

Copyright Zwelethu Mthethwa

The New York Armory Show and the many art events that coincide with it are nearly upon us! When planning your week, keep in mind these exciting events at the Aperture Foundation:

Zwelethu Mthethwa and Okwui Enwezor in Conversation

Tuesday, March 2nd, South African photographer Zwelethu Mthethwa will be talking at Aperture with internationally acclaimed curator Okwui Enwezor who contributed an essay to the long awaited self-titled monograph Zwelethu Mthethwa. The book’s editor Joanna Lehan will introduce their discussion.

Tuesday, March 2nd, 6:30PM
Aperture Gallery and Bookstore
547 West 27th street, 4th floor

Armory Brunch

Aperture will host an all day Armory brunch at the gallery and bookstore in honor of the week’s events. Aperture artists such as Zwelethu Mthetwa, Eirik Johnson, Joel Meyerowitz, Jacqueline Hassink, Matthew Montieth, Gillian Laub among others will be available to sign their books. There will be special offers on limited edition prints and more. Refreshments will be served.

Saturday, March 6th, 10:00 AM-1:00 pm
Aperture Gallery and Bookstore
547 West 27th Street, 4th floor

Aperture at the Armory Show

Be sure to visit Aperture at the Armory Show where the foundation will be featured in the publications area.

March 4th – 7th
Pier 92, Booth L16
55th street and Twelth Avenue

Aperture at PULSE New York

We will also be featured at this year’s PULSE Contemporary Art Fair in New York, booth P-6 will feature exclusive new limited-edition books and prints by such artists as Jowhara Alsaud, Barbara Crane, Robin Schwartz, Shadi Ghadirian, and many others.

March 4th – 7th                                                                                                                    Booth P-6 330 West Street
New York, New York

Jacqueline Hassink on Domains of Influence from Aperture Foundation on Vimeo.

Watch a short interview with Dutch photographer Jacqueline Hassink speaking about her book Domains of Influence: Arab Women Business Leaders in a New Economy, part of the Aperture Curated Collection. In this clip, Hassink explains the origin of the project, how she collaborated with The Arab International Women’s Forum to reach out to these thirty-six powerful Arab women from eighteen Arab countries and created a unique portrait of them, capturing both the boardroom tables and dining room tables instead of their faces. The resulting work gives the viewer both an alienated and incredibly intimate view of how her subjects conceive of and project their identities and positions. Hassink also gives insight into the design of the book created by Irma Boom. She finally explains the different layers of her artistic projects from the aesthetic to the social level. “I have noticed over the years that my work is not only appreciated in the art world but also in other areas of society,” notes Hassink, “Architectural, sociological and economic readings have all been welcome contributions to the way I think about the work.”

Click here to view Jacqueline Hassink’s video interview on her newest book Car Girls

Visit the Car Girls microsite via Aperture

Click here to purchase your copy of Car Girls

Click here to view Car Girls limited-edition portfolio

The International Center of Photography unveils Dress Codes: The Third ICP Triennial of Photography and Video, showcasing over 100 recent works by 34 artists from 18 countries — all on the general subject of “fashion” (and costume, clothing, disguise, gender and culture) as a part of ICP year-long investigation of fashion photography. The curatorial team includes Vince Aletti, Kristen Lubben, Christopher Phillips, Carol Squiers and curatorial assistant Judy Ditner.

Participating artists: Yto Barrada, Valérie Belin, Thorsten Brinkmann, Cao Fei, Olga Chernysheva, Nathalie Djurberg, Stan Douglas, Kota Ezawa, Jacqueline Hassink, Hu Yang, Miyako Ishiuchi, Kimsooja, Silvia Kolbowski, Jeremy Kost, Barbara Kruger, Richard Learoyd, Kalup Linzy, Tanya Marcuse, Anne Morgenstern, Wangechi Mutu, Grace Ndiritu, Alice O’Malley, David Rosetzky, Martha Rosler, Julika Rudelius, Cindy Sherman, Laurie Simmons, Lorna Simpson, Hank Willis Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Milagros de la Torre, Janaina Tschäpe, Pinar Yolaçan and Zhou Tao.

Exhibition on view:
Friday, October 2, 2009–Sunday, January 17, 2010

International Center of Photography
1133 Avenue of the Americas, New York
(212) 857-0000

On Monday, April 20, Hugo Gajus Scheltema, Consul General of the Netherlands, hosted an exclusive salon event with Jacqueline Hassink, a Dutch artist whose works deal with issues of power and social relations. Along with Aperture Book Publisher Lesley A. Martin, Ms. Hassink presented her project and Aperture’s Spring 2009 publication, Car Girls—a culmination of a five-year journey to car shows in seven different cities on three continents—to an intimate group of thirty Aperture patrons, art and photography enthusiasts, and select members of the Dutch community.

View The New York Times review of Car Girls.

Click here to preview the limited-edition book Car Girls through Aperture.

Click here to purchase the limited-edition porfolio from Car Girls through Aperture.

Jacqueline Hassink was signing copies of her new monograph, Car Girls, at Dashwood Books last night, which happened to coincide with the New York International Auto Show. An instant hit with the New York Times, the luscious, glossy pages of the book, designed by Irma Boom, are in line with the sleek automobiles featured inside. Next week, Aperture hosts another opportunity to meet Jacqueline at an artist talk and book signing at Aperture Gallery. Details below.

Click here to read the full article on Jacqueline Hassink’s Car Girls in the New York Times.

Car Girls, Jacqueline Hassink
Artist’s Talk and Book Signing
Tuesday, April 14, 2009  6:30 pm

FREE

Aperture Gallery
547 West 27th Street
New York, New York
(212) 505-5555

In this video interview, Dutch photographer Jacqueline Hassink presents her new book Car Girls (Aperture, 2009) coming out this month. Hassink explains how she began this project five years ago. Photographing major car shows in seven different cities on three continents, Hassink discusses how she captured moments of these women’s performances and then how she “mapped” the project by dividing these car girls into different categories. Her project takes a subversively fun yet conceptually astute approach to issues of gender, power, and commodification. Hassink also speaks about the sexy and clever design of the book by award-winning Irma Boom and shares her memorable experience as she dresses up as a car girl in one of the auto shows. If you want to meet the artist and hear more about the project, Jacqueline Hassink will be in New York for a book signing on Tuesday, April 7 at Dashwood Books followed by a talk and book signing at Aperture Gallery on Tuesday, April 14.


Car Girls, Photographs by Jacqueline Hassink
Book Signing
Tuesday, April 7, 2009  6:00 pm

FREE

Dashwood Books
33 Bond St.
New York, New York
(212) 387-8520

Car Girls, Jacqueline Hassink
Artist’s Talk and Book Signing
Tuesday, April 14, 2009  6:30 pm

FREE

Aperture Gallery
547 West 27th Street
New York, New York
(212) 505-5555