photo'11: A Photography Exhibition to Benefit Human Rights

Image: Jeff Phillips

"Tourist Crowd Encounters Storm", Inkjet / Pigment Print, open edition, 24” x 65”, 2008

January 17 – March 3
Opening Reception: Friday, January 21, 5:30-7:30 pm
Gallery Hours: Monday-Thursday 8am-8pm; Friday, 8am-5:30pm; Saturday, 9am-5pm

Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago presents “photo ’11”. This exhibition is the result of a national call for artists and presents a snapshot of the imagery currently being produced with—or through—the photographic process. The show is produced in conjunction with the annual Art of Human Rights® event to benefit Heartland Alliance. Commissions from the sale of work included in this exhibition, will be donated directly to Heartland Alliance to help their work in supporting human rights. Proceeds will help Heartland Alliance provide housing, healthcare, economic security, and legal protection services to more than 200,000 people whose lives are threatened by poverty and danger, including those living with HIV/AIDS.

Exhibiting Artists that are local to Chicago include: Jennifer Jackson [Chicago], Maggie Meiners [Winnetka], Jeff Phillips [Chicago], Ted Preuss [Chicago], Christopher Shoup [Bradley], and Debbie Yost [Park Ridge]. Additional Artists include: Ginny Mangrum [Walnut Creek, CA], James Mullen [Brunswick, ME], Gina Randazzo [Hastings-on-Hudson, NY], and Barbara Simcoe [Omaha, NE].

When the show selections were finalized, each accepted artist was asked to submit a statement defining their work. A catalog composed of the various Artist’s statements—as well as images of the included work—is available at the exhibition.

Image: Ted Preuss

"Virtue", Silver Gelatin Print, edition of 10, 14 x 20”, framed size 22” x 28”, 2006

With work featured in Zoom Magazine, Focus Magazine, and Large Format Magazine, Chicago Photographer, Ted Preuss defines his depictions of the human body as being inspired by the figurative work found in Ancient Greece as well as Renaissance, Italy. Pruess explains:

I believe there is something inherently beautiful about the human body. Using traditional techniques and a large format view camera with century old lenses, I seek to capture the elegance and natural beauty of the female spirit. My images are studies in light and form, radiating the individuality of my subjects through their emotion-laced gestures. Consequently, the images capture the subject’s warm inner beauty with a poetic and distinct vintage feel.

Jeff Phillips is fascinated by the random arrangements of public gatherings. Phillips explains:

As my crowd-spotting series evolves [image at top of post], I become better at identifying opportunities: a crowded tourist attraction, a busy intersection, and a packed subway car are all opportunity-rich environments. I look for animated characters within separate groups of people who—absorbed in their own moments—are often completely unaware of the contribution they are making to the larger scene.

Image: Jennifer Jackson

"Fuller Lane", Archival Print from Film, edition of 125, 16” x 20”, 2010

Jennifer Jackson reveals inhabitable spaces from her past. Her words and her work—poetically—tells the story:

My household turned from five to four when I was still new to this world. The home on Washington Street that makes up my first moments of life, and the only memories of my father living with us, is where my obsession with architecture began. The next three residences we inhabited; Reading Court, Fuller Lane, and Route 59, marked significant turning points in our lives.

Knowing that we would never occupy a particular space for long I grew increasingly obsessed in how one occupies a space, where they place their belongings, and how they design their environment and create a home. For me, this act of nesting mimics the manner in which one archives moments from their past. In most cases, one chooses how to store their memories as a method of coping or remembrance; we bury them to protect ourselves from pain, or they remain as fresh as the day they were created, or time picks away at the once richly layered imagery, until it fades. When one may least expect it, a memory resurfaces when confronted with a familiar smell, color, or sound. These elements trigger the memory deep within our mind until it is brought back to our consciousness.

I hope that you will have the opportunity to view this incredible collection of work—and perhaps purchase a piece to support Human Rights as well as one of these amazingly talented artists.

Photo ‘11 will be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago through March 3. An Opening Reception will take place on Friday, January 21, 5:30-7:30 pm. This exhibition is free and open to the public. All works are available for purchase. Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. Additional information can be found at gallery180.com.

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