Photo-Poetics

This catalogue presents an important new trend in contemporary photography, offering an opportunity to define the concerns of a younger generation of artists and contextualize them within the history of art and culture. Drawing on the legacies of conceptual and commercial photography, these artists pursue a largely studio-based approach to still-life photography that centres on the representation of objects, often printed matter such as books, magazines and record covers. The result is images imbued with poetic and evocative personal significance that resonate with larger cultural and historical meanings. Driven by a deep interest in the medium of photography, these artists attempt to rematerialize the photograph through meticulous printing, using film and other disappearing photo technologies, and by creating photo-sculptures and installations. Artists include Claudia Angelmaier, Erica Baum, Anne Collier, Moyra Davey, Leslie Hewitt, Elad Lassry, Lisa Oppenheim, Erin Shirreff, Kathrin Sonntag and Sara VanDerBeek.