5.23.2010

New York Photo Festival 2010

I didn't get to go to NYPH10 but trawled around the internet looking at the work i could find. The most interesting show by far appears to have been Fred Ritchin's 'bodies in question'. Here is some text taken from the press release:

Ritchin’s pavilion considers the ways bodies are newly placed into question as humans become virtual and are under constantly increasing surveillance. The show looks at a crucial crossroads in human consciousness and survival, a moment when new forms of media are powerfully emerging as much of the planet struggles to advance. The artists and image-makers comprising Bodies in Question—residing in Canada, China, Denmark, England, France, Korea and the United States—comment on these transformations in media and society, and on the identities and struggles of people who may be left behind.

The show included James Pomerantz's composite webcam images that he made whilst still sitting at his desk.




It also showed Michael Wolf's pictures made using Google Streetview.



Also in the show were Marc Garanger's pictures of Algerian Women, made in 1960 whilst completing French military service. The pictures are identity portraits where the women were forced to remove their veils and show their faces to the camera. Foto8 has a nice writeup on the work.



I'm not sure how the show visually slotted together. However it's thematic acuteness and ability to draw on current work as well as what are now historical documents, is pretty amazing.