Topos/Chora Opening

Friday night was the opening for Topos/Chora show. It was a bitterly cold night in Grand Forks but we still had 50 or so brave souls that filtered through during the two hour event.

I was pleasantly surprised with turnout. One never knows how many folks will show up to such and event. It was well attended by art faculty, students, friends, the UND housing dept, as well as the department of history.

Guests were treated to a sneak peek at Ian Ragsdale's forthcoming PKAP documentary (which looks to be a great addition to the ever growing PKAP media venues).

If you missed the opening, the show will be up at the Empire Arts Center in Grand Forks through the end of February.

Topos/Chora Comments

Today Bill Caraher has a nice posting about the Topos/Chora project and the relationship between photography and archaeology. Take a read here.

Topos/Chora Show Opening

Topos/Chora: Photographs of the Pyla-Koutsopetria Archaeological Project
Topos/Chora is the result of an artist residency provided by the Pyla-Koutsopetria Archaeolgical Project. PKAP is a transdisciplinary, landscape oriented investigation that has drawn upon an interanational team of archaeologists, artists, historians, geologists, illustrators, and other specialists to produce a vivid, diachronic, archaeological history of a significant coastal site in Cyprus.

Opening Reception
Friday, January 29th
6:30 - 8:30 pm
With gallery talks at 7:00 and a sneak peek at Ian Ragsdale's upcoming PKAP documentary.

Empire Arts Center
415 DeMers Ave.
Grand Forks, ND, 58201

The show will be hung today and will be open for viewing through late February. If you are in the area, please stop the Empire and check out this unique body of work.

Two New Prints

I've recently completed two more prints in editions of 10 each continuing this idea of religion as a chain of memory. I've begun this series with my own father and images of him and his own handwriting of central religious statements in his life.

The top landscape image is from Karina's cousins home just down the road from hers in Sask. The left image is of my father at 19 or so visiting Pompeii while stationed in Germany. The image on the left is me at Paphos this past summer on my residency in Cyprus. The text is the Lord's prayer.

The second print is also a landscape just down the road from Karina's home. The image is of me being held by my father with the Apostles Creed printed over top of both images.

I think I have committed myself to using gold for the text. As I think about its significance and associations with value, it seems to make sense to put the "tradition" in what makes an easy tie to value.

Show in Montana

I am excited to mention that I've had 3 photographs selected for the 31st Annual Southeastern Montana Juried Exhibit at the Custer County Art and Heritage Center in Miles City, Montana. The work is from the Elevator Series from this past fall. Two of the selected works can be seen under the October 23rd posting. I will be exhibiting along side of several of UND's faculty (Wes Smith, Lucy Ganje, Patrick Luber, and Don Miller).

New Prints

Before I left for Seattle I had a bit of time so I pounded out 2 new prints and a mixed print from previously printed materials.

The first two continue on in the series of contested spaces. The first if Korea with the DMZ embroidered into the paper in a light blue to signify the division and presence of the United Nations. The second, decidedly more local for me are the Dakotas with the Missouri river embroidered in the same light blue. The river is a source of division on 2 levels. In one sense it divides both states into East and West territories. The divide is more than just geography or topography, it is cultural as well. The East side of both states hold most of the two states universities, industry, and population. The rivers are also hotly contested spaces over dams and water flow controlled by the Army Corp of Engineers.

The 3rd print is a new combination of old elements. I made them from the left over Twinkies from the fall and added the embossed flag. Its just a fun combination of imagery.

Ahh...the Innocence of North Dakota Reporters