Instruments of Empire

Tweet

JC Penney © Brian Ulrich

"In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments."

– Napoleon Bonaparte

Thursday night is the opening of my two-person show with Brian Ulrich, Instruments of Empire, at Caption Gallery in Brooklyn. The exhibition will feature new work from my Stranded series and Brian’s Dark Stores series, plus work we created specifically for the show where we reference each other’s projects.

On the surface our two series couldn’t be more different; one, portraits of stranded motorists and the other environmental landscapes of abandoned box stores. Look deeper and you’ll see two artists engaged in long-term projects examining the real and metaphorical effects of a country strained by the collapse and corruption of our social institutions. This timely and telling exhibition of photographs debuts as the economic crisis continues and Americans are forced to reexamine their long held assumptions of entitlement, privilege and permanence.

Here are the details:

Instruments of Empire: Photographs by Amy Stein and Brian Ulrich
January 28 – March 25
Caption Gallery
55 Washington Street, No. 802
Brooklyn, NY

Opening Reception: January 28, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

In addition to the photographs, Brian and I are planning some additional programming surprises during the run of this exhibition. Stay tuned and see you at the opening.

Big Night

Tweet

Glamorous Hair © Tim Davis

Boy there are a lot of great shows opening in the next few weeks. Of course, I will be preoccupied with my own opening at ClampArt on Thursday night so I wont be able to see these other great exhibitions for a few days:

Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, Nottinghamshire © Simon Roberts

Simon Roberts' We English at Klompching Gallery
If you can’t make it out to Brooklyn on Thursday, Simon will be giving a talk and book signing on Friday at 6:30pm. I may be missing his opening but I’ll be there for this!

Todd Hido A Road Divided at Bruce Silverstein
Todd is a big hero of mine and I always enjoy seeing his work.

Nicolai Howalt Car Crash Studies at Bruce Silverstein
I blogged about this wonderful series a few months ago and I'm excited to see the prints in person.

States of Union 8 © Alix Smith

Alix Smith States of the Union at Morgan Lehman
Fellow SVA grad and newlywed, Alix Smith, will be showing her new, highly anticipated body of portraiture work.

New York doesn't have exclusive rights on kick ass openings. In a land far far away called San Francisco, friend and all around great guy Brian Ulrich’s double header with Charnay is opening at The Koch gallery.

And, back in New York this Saturday...

Tim Davis’ The New Antiquity at Greenberg Van Doren Gallery

Talia Chetrit’s Reading at Renwick Gallery
Her work is intelligent and mesmerizing.

Brian Ulrich Wins a Guggenhiem

Tweet

Powerhouse Gym © Brian Ulrich

The substantially talented Brian Ulrich was just awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. Congratulations, Brian. It's well deserved.

MoCP Recap

Tweet

Amy, Jon and Brian, three sheets to the wind

I have been a nomad of late and haven't had time to reflect on some recent adventures. Freshest in my mind is last Thursday's opening of Beyond the Backyard at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago. Karsten Lund did an amazing job of curating a strong group exhibition that was true to the theme and full of individually interesting photographs. Not an easy task. I especially enjoyed seeing the large Crewdson, Bill Owen's work and the beautiful images of Nic Nicosia.

The opening was packed with Chitown photo luminaries including Brian Ulrich, Jon Gitelson, Gerg Stimac, Colleen Plumb, Kelli Connell, Catherine Edelman, Deanna Dikeman, Mike Sinclair, Karsten Lund, Karen Irvine, Natasha Egan and Stumptown's own Shawn Records.

We ended the evening in fine Chicago tradition with many beers, tater tots, fried mac-and-cheese (surprisingly delicious!) and great conversation. I always seem to have the best time when I'm visiting Chicago.

I get to spend the next few days home in NYC, but will be heading to San Francisco this Thursday for the opening of my show at Koch Gallery.

Saturday Night Party Then Sunday Afternoon Kong

Tweet

Edinburgh, UK 2003 © Brian Ulrich

Last night I went to a party at the fabulous home of photography collector Joe Baio. Each year Joe throws a big shindig during AIPAD to show off his amazing collection of photographs. The walls were covered in photographs by Sally Mann, Brian Ulrich, Arthur Tress, Vik Muniz, Loretta Lux, Angelika Rinnhofer, Muzi Quawson...the list goes on and on.

The joint was packed with a who's who of gallerists and photographers featured in Joe's collection. I found myself in many amazing conversations with people I have admired for a very long time but never had the opportunity to meet. I had about three glasses of wine too many, but I think everyone else did too. It really was a special evening and I am now counting the days until next years party.

This afternoon I am paying the price for my partying ways. I am nursing a decent hangover and consuming copious amounts of coffee so I can get on with the business of the day. During my downtime I watched the documentary King of Kong. If you haven't seen it yet you must stop everything you are doing and watch it now.

Now I am off to AIPAD one last time.

Bunny Hops to F-Stops

Tweet

Brian Ulrich and Todd Hido getting rad!

Last Tuesday at Aperture I saw a great lecture by the talented Todd Hido. As he talked about the long hours he spends driving around looking for his next subject and finding influence in the work of Robert Adams I realized that we share a very similar vision and approach to working. It really was an inspiration.

Much of what Todd said will soon become career canon for me, but one thing he mentioned really piqued my interest. His early years were spent in Ohio on a BMX bike.

This got me thinking about another photographer I know who rode BMX back in the day, Brian Ulrich. I started to wonder if there was a correlation here. Maybe the future stars of MoMA can be found getting agro on the dirt tracks and in the parking lots of America. Perhaps photography grad schools should cut the curriculum and just show this to incoming students:

Hmmm...

If you are a modern photographer genius who spent their youth doing tail whips, table tops and endos, let me know and please send me a photo. I think I can get a grant for this.

Photographer Googlegangers

Tweet

Mike © Amy Stein (not me)

If you know Brian Ulrich then you know he performs smooth jazz the way you like it. Perhaps you know about Brian's ministry that serves up the word with sweet and easy saxophone music.

Oh, wait. Did you think I was talking about Brian Ulrich, the godless photographer from Chicago who beatifies his dark photo lord with an evil ritual of BMX, anti-consumerism, and gut wrenching guitar salvos? It's an easy mistake if you are like every other person in the world and use Google as your entry point for any and all information.

Brian Ulrich meet Brian Ulrich. You are brethren in name and in search results. You are Googlegangers.

I have my own Googlegangers. For many years when you searched my name there was a good chance that the first results would be for Santa Fe based artist and healer, Amy Stein. Or, maybe you would find Amy Stein, the Chairman of Manatee County Board of Commissioners. (Commissioner Amy Stein is currently embroiled in a messy landfill debate.) Still another Amy Stein, the teenage poet, could haunt your Google searches with her lovelorn prose of teenage despondency.

Luckily, my husband is a bit of a online marketing genius and he's managed to push me, the real Amy Stein, to the top of the Google search results. On occasion, I still cross online paths with my Googlegangers in RSS feeds, but my attention of late has been focused on the Internet twins of some of my fellow photographers.

So, let me reintroduce you to Shen Wei, the dancer. Or, how about Nathan Baker, Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Washington University in St. Louis. How about the ace work of Alison Brady?

I'm curious about your Googlegangers. Have you every reached out through the tubes and introduced yourself?

Viernes Gigante!

Tweet

This Friday will henceforth be referred to as Viernes Gigante! Big Friday! A big opening in SoHo and a big closing in Chelsea and me without my roller skates to zip between the two.

First up, the opening for a great show with some top notch photographers curated by two fabulous people.

© Shen Wei

A New American Portrait
Curated by jen bekman + Jörg Colberg
Opening: Friday, June 22, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
jen bekman gallery
Featuring photographs by Christine Collins, Jen Davis, Benjamin Donaldson, Amy Elkins, Peter Haakon Thompson, Todd Hido, Alec Soth, Brian Ulrich, and Shen Wei

© Zoe Strauss

From there it's across town to Chelsea and Silverstein to celebrate the closing of If You Reading This with Philadelphia's third greatest export ever, Zoe Strauss. (Number one is the US Constitution and number two is Dr. J, naturally.)

Zoe Strauss: If You Reading This Closing Party
Silverstein Photography
Friday, June 22, 8:30 p.m.

Should be a great evening with great friends.

Installation Shots from Versionfest

Tweet

Alas, the 43rd Annual Versionfest Photographic Invitational has come and gone. In case you didn't get a chance to see this epic photo event, Brian Ulrich just sent some installation shots. The images below represent the work of yours truly, Bill Sullivan, Jack Edinger and Todd Deutsch, Julian Montague, and Zoe Strauss.

My Kind of Town... Part 2

Tweet

A Motive For Change © Carlos and Jason Sanchez 2004

Right off the bat I have to confess that art fairs make me uneasy. It's like a field trip to the sausage factory. I am happier not knowing about this uncomely, but necessary side of the art world engine. Given my art fair apprehension, our trip to Art Chicago was a mixed bag. I appreciate seeing individual pieces by photographers I respect, and it's satisfying to see your work in the mix, but the naked commerce and shotgun context leaves you wanting to head for the exit the moment you walk through the entrance.

I managed to pull it together and tour a few of the aisles at Art Chicago. I was amazed at the number of Burtynsky's, Polidori's, and Hofer's hanging on the temporary walls. Large scale prints of empty places would seem to be the currency of contemporary photography. The highlight for me was seeing work by my favorite photographer siblings, Carlos and Jason Sanchez, at the Cutts Gallery booth. I have been a fan ever since I saw their work in the Ecotopia exhibit at the ICP

After several hours at the art mall of America, the Versionfest exhibition curated by Brian Ulrich and Jon Gitelson was the perfect palate cleanser. Any time you can fill a warehouse with cool people to view some great photography while drinking PBR, you know you are in with the right crowd.

My Kind of Town...

Tweet

Just back from three fabulous days in the Windy City. More on the trip later, but quick highlights include the 43rd Annual Versionfest Photographic Invitation, Art Chicago, staying with Matt and Betsy, cheap beers with Alec Soth, hanging with Julian Montague, and Sunday brunch with the crew. The Chicago photography scene is tight, focused, and just plain fun. Again, more detail later, but what a wonderful time. Thanks to Brian Ulrich and Jon Gitelson for making it possible.

Come On Feel the Illinoise!

Tweet

I have finally cracked the inner sanctum of the Loyal Order of Chicagraphers. Grand Poobahs, Brian Ulrich and Jon Gitelson, have curated the 43rd Annual Versionfest Photographic Invitational and graciously invited this New Yorker to commune with the Chi-town faithful. I have spent the better part of a month practicing for the initiation ceremony, but I'm still not sure if I need to provide my own goat for the ritual sacrifice...

The line-up for the Versionfest exhibition is a Murderers' Row of photographers. In addition to my Domesticated work, the show will feature works by Bill Sullivan, Jason Lazarus, Zoe Strauss, Shawnee Barton, Todd Deutsch, Michael Northrup, Julian Montague, Mary Farmilant, and Jack Edinger. Definitely not to be missed.

43rd Annual Versionfest Photographic Invitational
Zhou B Center, 2nd Floor
1029 W. 35th Street
April 26 - May 6
Artist Reception: Saturday, April 28, 7 - 9:30 PM

If you'd like to see the Domesticated prints in a more commercial setting, stop by the Paul Kopeiken Gallery booth during Art Chicago.

Art Chicago
The Merchandise Mart
April 27-30

I will be in Chicago this weekend for both events. If you're in town and would like to meet up, drop me a note.

I *Heart* Zoe Strauss

Tweet

© Zoe Strauss

I admit it. I have a complete photo crush on Zoe Strauss. I have never met her, so it's hard to nail down why I have become so enamored of late. The source of my shine may be the immense talent that put her in the Whitney Biennial. It may be because she is single-handedly stripping away the crusty mantle of art world pretension that has built up between artists, their subjects, and the public. It may because she has pulled back the curtain and demystified the creative process making her photography completely accessible and her progression refreshingly democratic.

I think these are crush-worthy qualities, but what really has me smitten is that she seems to do it all with an infectious combination of bad ass spunk and a pure, unflinching glee. Zoe's energy is an addictive force, not unlike chocolate covered crack. You can get a sense of it in the trailer for the new documentary about her and her work, If You Break The Skin.

I consider myself pretty fortunate to be in a group show with Zoe this month in Chicago. The show is part of Version Fest and is being curated by the dynamic duo of Chicagraphy, Brian Ulrich and Jon Gitelson. I will post more about the show later.

Zoe, if you go to the opening I promise to keep the fawning to a minimum.

Meet Me at the Fair

Tweet

In case you haven't heard there is a perfect art storm happening in New York this weekend. Pulse, Scope, The Armory Show, LA/Art, ADAA, DiVA...if you love crowds, temporary walls, and booths chock full of marginal art, then rush on down to one of the too many art fairs going on right now in NYC. A quick rundown of the weekend so far:

LA/Art -- Highlights included the Marcel Dzama pieces at Richard Heller and Rachael Papo's print at Paul Kopeikin's booth.

Pulse -- Standout photos by Brian Ulrich, Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao, and Didier Massard at the Julie Saul booth. I am not a big fan of Massard's fantasy landscapes -- they remind me of Yes album covers -- but I loved the Rhino.

Gurnee, IL © Brian Ulrich 2003

Dinner with Peeps -- Friday night our posse had velocity. We met up with Bill Sullivan, Shen Wei, Amy Elkins, Brian Ulrich, Paddy Johnson, and Kevin Faulkner for some tasty food and some quality post Pulse conversation.

The Armory Show -- One hour lines to pay $20 to see "SHIT" in neon? Oh yeah! Contemporary photography not represented well in the big show, EXCEPT Pieter Hugo's work at the Michael Stevenson booth. I think we are going to make the big leap and buy one of his beautiful prints.

UPDATE: We just bought this Hugo print! Woohoo!!

Morris Toe, Monrovia, Liberia © Pieter Hugo 2006

5 Things Meme Tag...I'm It

Tweet

Brian "Pegboy" Ulrich has called me out with a '5 things meme' blog chain letter challenge. Well, world, this is the unknown me:

Queen of Leisure: I was the youngest ever resident of the assisted living paradise that is Leisure World. They enforce a strict over-55 age policy, but I managed to skirt the law for a few months to take care of my father. While there I made extra cash working ham salad duty at Honey Baked Hams.

Hot Dog: I am card carrying member of the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) and had dreams of being the first woman to battle the mighty Kobayashi for the Coney Island hot dog crown. My gurgitator dreams were dashed with the sudden rise of the Black Widow, Sonya Thomas, and my own fears about the potential rise in my cholesterol level.

Camp Nerd: For three straight summers during the 80s I attended Champlain College Computer Camp. You can't get much more nerdy than a summer of canoeing, smores, and FORTRAN.

Just Say Whoa, Man: Selected as my high school's representative for a "Just Say No" conference at the White House with Nancy Reagan. Attended the event and met with Nancy and Ronnie while nursing a vicious hangover.

That's My Cookie: My husband is a Girl Scout! Seriously.

I'll tag: Shen Wei, Jen Bekman, Shane Lavalette, Lisa Hunter, and Amy Elkins

Photo Show Madness

Tweet

© Brian Ulrich 2003

So many good photography shows going on in Chelsea right now. Finally caught Brian Ulrich's work at Julie Saul. Wonderful stuff and I overheard gallery folks saying the prints were flying off the shelves like so many patriotic chairs. Brian has had so much praise heaped his way of late he doesn't need me to tell him how amazing the work is, but I will say it anyways. Brian, the work is amazing.

Also worth seeing are shows by SVA faculty member, Andrew Moore, at Yancy Richardson and SVA alum, Suellen Parker, at Daniel Cooney, as well as Adam Bartos at Yossi Milo.

Pelt Featured in September Edition of "Group Show"

Tweet

Group Show is a monthly online gallery that features the work of emerging and established photographers. This month's show includes my photograph "Pelt" as well as some other amazing work by talented artists like Brian Ulrich and fellow SVA alum, Molly Landrith.

Domesticated Work Selected for Saatchi Gallery/Guardian Competition

Tweet

Saatchi Gallery and The Guardian newspaper have teamed up for an art contest called Your Gallery @ The Guardian.

The judges are artists Marc Quinn and Cornelia Parker; Mollie
Dent-Brocklehurst, co-director of the Gagosian gallery in London; arts
broadcaster and White Cube gallery director Tim Marlow; and Guardian
art critic Jonathan Jones. They chose 30 artists from over 10,000 registered artists on the Your Gallery site and I was fortunate enough to make that shortlist. Also making the cut is the extremely talented Chicago-based photographer, Brian Ulrich.

Visitors to the Guardian site can now vote for their favorite three artists from the list of 30 and the top ten will be awarded a show in London in late October. May I suggest the following voting strategy: 1. Amy Stein, 2. Brian Ulrich, 3. Amy Stein. Vote Now!