It has been a great process working with so many artists, both musicians and photographers to prepare for an exhibition of my music photography. The exhibit opens this week with under the direction of Jesse Groves, the gallery director at Brooks Institute.
Jesse’s knowledge and taste in music is a cut above, and his sensibilities as a photographer far eclipse mine. With his direction and planning, this exhibit of music portraiture is in the best hands I can imagine. Like with all things, the nuances addressed and attention paid to both craft and concept can be a long list. Jesse has delivered on all accounts to this work, and shared his process in countless phone calls over the last 2 months. The results should prove to be a fine collection of portraits that share a glimpse into today’s musical landscape.
Preparing for this exhibit has also been an exercise in translation from the visual to verbal. I have not seen the finished prints yet, and won’t until I arrive in California the day the show hangs. The only understanding I have of these images and how they will be framed and displayed has come via words spoken in phone calls. (And the occasional iPhone image of matte cuts to establish margins and proportions.) Phone calls with Jesse and the show’s printer, Terrance Reimer have exercised our collective vocabularies to explain photography; to attempt to communicate objects whose essence does not exist in words we speak.
My understanding of these photographs will be put back to their native language, when I travel west to see them for myself this week. The exhibit opens June 10, and is on display until August 5th, 2010 at the Visions Gallery, Ventura CA, USA.