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An exhibit of photography.*
November 1 - 30, 2024
showing at
Charlotte & William Bloomberg
Medford Public Library
111 High Street
Medford, MA
USA
What began in 2020.
The pandemic had a life changing effect on anyone who found themselves unemployed, and 'stuck' at home. For some it was a nightmare, and for others it was a blessing merely disguised as one. For myself, it was more an extended, long overdue 'staycation'. At my age, when anything can remind me of a previous experience, being surrounded by the photographs of a lifetime, the time at home gave me pause to look into a rabbit hole lined with an archive of photographs going back to 1976.
Given the forced isolation, my carefully maintained archive (of no particular interest to anyone other than my self), suddenly wore never before considered value. After years of ruminating the purpose of such a document, I posted a gallery online with a sampling of images, available to the masses as limited edition prints.
With limited social media skills, and using email, I reached out to hundreds of former clients from a previous career, and waited in anticipation for the flood of orders that would wash away any of the self doubt accompanying the initial setup.
The response was positive That alone would have been enough. What caught me by surprise was an invitation from an entirely unexpected direction; asking if I would be interested in exhibiting photography, in the swanky foyer of Medford's Public Library.
Being out of the 'business' of photography since '09, when my relevance as a photographer was outweighed by the need for steady income, the manna(like) invitation to exhibit was a pivotal, adrenaline-filled shot in the arm.
With 17 months until an opening, the first thing to do was - of course - to procrastinate. Where to begin planning an exhibit 17 months in advance, and 17 years out of a photography career that had not ended on a mountain top, but in an open booth installation complete with a formica desk attached to a color matching partition, in a showroom - selling cars.
I'll think of something, when I think of it.
There was plenty of time for the initial testing of images, labs, and given the generous wall space, considering the location inside the library, I settled on a relatively tame concept series of local landscapes, similar to the multi-framed composites, inspired (since the 70's) by the photography of Reed Estabrook.
And then came October 7th.
In a sci fi instant the plumes of smoke rising from the Massacre of Simchas Torah 5784 changed the known universe.
Mine no less.
The exhibit could no longer be a walk through an Ikea poster shop.
The first choice (seen below), if not for the direction of the library wall, would have been sized to fill the entire available space.
The temple wall stands as an indisputable testament, defining the ancestral Jewish homeland - a documented history dating back 3700 years.
Never Again is not just a slogan, and any exhibit - post October 7th must serve as a reminder to the world; ignoring the worst unprovoked attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
The photography exhibit now taking shape was to be a mosaic of Israeli culture intending to celebrate 75 years of modern Israeli culture, from my archive; a retrospect of influential Israelis, photographed in my Tel Aviv studio, during much of the 80's and 90's.
Actor
The attack on October 7 did not distinguish left from right, black from white, religious from secular, and there lay an ironic parallel to my portraits, which crossed every imaginable divide; a cultural cross section that is Israel's rich culture.
There was the exhibit so I thought. Sifting through ~300 separate portrait sessions of politicians, literary figures, artists, and overnight sensations whose profiles fed the ravenous and burgeoning printed media, and with the reports from Israel, the mosaic deepened my concerns for the welfare of my family, friends, and countless acquaintances encountered while living there.
Prep time was running out.
Clearly I lacked the expertise required for selecting 12 individuals whose collective influence capture the diverse culture in all of its intensity.
The realization came - watching the news. The Israel I had portrayed since the late 70's no longer exists, and any such exhibit would be a reminder of the ill conceived belief that the peace process was everybody's wishful thinking.
So now with the burden of editing 300 portraits lifted and the fast approaching deadline, the path was cleared for a less controversial theme to emerge. A theme with greater universal appeal - human emotion.
It was there under my nose, amongst the hundreds of portraits; like a bright red flower in a lush field of green; a nearly forgotten series shot over 30 years ago as an ad campaign for a weekly subscription to a local magazine.
The inimitable Julian Chagrin, created 48 faces of mixed emotion in 48 frames. There was a prescience to this series, and I am grateful for the gift it was to work with him.. proof that the relevance of art - like Israel, is eternal.
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*About the exhibit:
Limited edition metal prints measure 20/30 inch, and do not require framing.
Prints from the exhibit will be available for pickup (from the library), on Friday, November 30, 2024.
Cost per print $480. payable via Venmo.
All other images seen here are available, and prices will be determined accordingly by size, format, and material.
Please contact Peter for more information.
The exhibit is a love letter for Israel because it was Israel that introduced me to Julian Chagrin, and while the world is condemning Israel's right to self defense, the world needs a reminder...