For October, the Soho Photo gallery presents six solo shows by Soho Photo artists.
Images above: © Monika Piatkiewicz
Rita Baunok
La Esperanza - "La Esperanza is a family finca in the Colombian cloud forest. Until the late 1970's, it was a hotel for the elite to stay at on their travels to Europe when the train was still running between Bogota and the Magdalena River. When I visited, I was mesmerized by its tropical surrounding and the spell of the lost world. I could not put my camera down. There was so much I wanted to record."
Image above: ©Rita Baunok, courtesy of Soho Photo Gallery
Millie Falcaro
After Anna Atkins - "This series is inspired by Anna Atkins (1799-1871) who documented all the known species of the algae in Britain via the cyanotype technique. Nearly 165 years later, my practice investigates the formal qualities inherent in early photography and is combined with elements of nature. My collection of leaves, flowers, vines and grass growing in my urban garden and algae, kelp, rocks and shells found on local beaches is arranged on paper coated with photo-sensitive and exposed to direct sunlight."
Image above: ©Millie Falcaro, courtesy of Soho Photo Gallery
Arnold Kastenbaum
Hidden Self - "Self portraits have long been the subject of artists. I follow that tradition with my own twist. Each photograph holds my image yet it may not be obvious with a quick glance. Hidden, obscured or camouflaged the viewer must hunt for the hidden portrait. These unmanipulated silver prints are most definitely not selfies and I hope they provide viewers with an aha moment as they discover my hidden self."
Image above: ©Arnold Kastenbaum, courtesy of Soho Photo Gallery
Elizabeth Nahum-Albright
I Saw it at Ray's House - "After spending my childhood exploring with my dad the magical house on Cheviot Drive, a chapter closed. Ray Bradbury, the science fiction giant, passed away. After that, we climbed the steps to the L.A. house one last time. Packing up a house full of memories, my dad and I were allowed to rediscover a man we all held close and to share the privilege of saying, 'I saw it at Ray's house.' "
Image above: ©Elizabeth Nahum-Albright, courtesy of Soho Photo Gallery
R. Wayne Parsons
Room for Thought - This series is inspired by the vanitas/memento mori tradition. Parsons does not seek to recreate the look of art of the past, but rather to photograph the material from a more contemporary perspective. Title recognizes that the skull houses the brain and therefore literally provides "room for thought." Thoughts are central to this series, as homo sapiens is the only species capable of abstraction and therefore aware of its own mortality. The title also emphasizes the importance of the symbolism of the objects in the images.
Image above: ©R. Wayne Parsons, courtesy of Soho Photo Gallery
Ruth Raskin
Enter/Exit - "This work examines mid-century doorknobs and their hardware with the accumulation of a halfcentury of rust, scratches, dents and paint. Individually, each item can appear imposing. Shown together, the steel and brass components create a puzzling composite. These gelatin silver photographs examine the beauty of metal pieces that, in their original setting, were either hidden inside doors and walls, or were often overlooked as people entered or exited."
Image above: ©Ruth Raskin, courtesy of Soho Photo Gallery