Artissima 2009 • Torino, Italy

Wolfgang Tillmans

Susan Norrie, still from film entitled Havoc

http://www.susannorrie.com/

For more information on this year's Artissima, go to:
http://www.artissima.it/

Artissima 2009 • Torino, Italy

Miroslav Tichy

Santiago Sierra

Santiago Sierra

Artissima 2009 • Torino, Italy

Ottonella Mochellin & Nicola Pellegrini

Galeria Pianissimo

Boris Mikhailov

Artissima 2009 • Torino, Italy

Michel François • The Speaker Corner

Ivan Moldov • Already Made

Alfredo Jaar • Angel

As I have been told, Artissima is the largest art faire in Italy and one of the largest in the world. Here, thousands of people congregate every year to be around "art" I suppose. It's known to be a very exclusive event, where gallerists have booths in which their represented artists' work is displayed in the hopes of finding a new home.

I noticed a few different types of people while browsing around. There were, as before mentioned, the people working for the galleries (eager to sell art in a moment of deep economic crisis), the "aspiring artists" (hoping to one day be "discovered" and therefore represented by a gallery), the possible buyers (part of which were probably undercover, underdressed not to be hovered over like the overdressed ones were), and a whole bunch of browsers like me, people who don't really know why they are there, just that they are.

Overall, there was a sense of despair in the air, with a slight hint of decay, probably coming from the rot of it all. Yes, I have a very strong opinion of this so called "art world," and it is not a positive one. I have always been uncorfortable with the stereotypical art openings, where people hang onto their glasses of wine while pretending to look deeply to try and understand the art hanging on the walls. Often times the art hanging on the walls happens to be images of not-so-fortunate people in so-called "underdeveloped" parts of the world. Am I the only one to whom this whole thing seems discusting?

There is, of course, the other aspect of this "art world." Who, really dictates what is "art," what is worth looking at and spending thousands on? Who, I ask, who? Who has the authority to comb through the objects resulting from the unsilent minds of people society categorizes as "artists"? My disgust with the art world has less to do with art then with the system in which it exists.

To be completely honest, of all the "high art" on display at Artissima, about 99% was meaningless. To me, completely meaningless. "Art" that says nothing, that is just there for aesthetics and nothing more. "Art" produced because it will sell. "Art" the market is thirsting for.

So much energy, time and resources are spent on events like this, when there are so many more meaninful and emergent questions to be addressed in our complicated modernity. It sickens me, really.

Claudia Virginia Vitari at Le Nuove • Torino, Italy

Claudia Virginia Vitari • Torino, Italy

Claudia Virginia Vitari • Torino, Italy

Claudia Virginia Vitari's latest exhibit is what brought me to Torino. The artist asked that I photograph the project Percorso Galera, now on exhibit at the former penitentiary Le Nuove. For this project, the artist collaborated with inmates from another penitentiary, who shared their stories and drawings.

For more information, visit Claudia's website: http://www.claudiavitari.com

Exhibit at Beatnik Studios

I was invited to participate in a collective exhibit along with other members of the Focus Group - a gathering of Sacramento photographers - at the Beatnik Studios and Gallery. I chose to display four images from "Retratos no Mercado," a series of portraits I created this past June in my hometown of Fortaleza, CE Brasil. This project came when I was asked to photograph the city's oldest market from my own point of view. I was immediately drawn to the butchers.  

Janine exhibits at the Institute of Photography

I was invited to do a solo exhibit of my images from "Excerpts from the Portrait Collection" at the Ifoto - Instituto de Fotografia do Ceará (the Photography Institute of the state of Ceará), located in Fortaleza. This was my first solo exhibit in Brasil and I am quite happy with the turnout. From August 26th through September 30th at Ifoto: Rua Gonçalves Lêdo, 307 - Fortaleza, CE (85)3254.6385.

Fui convidada a expor minhas imagens da série "Retratados" no Ifoto - Instituto de Fotografia do Ceará. Esta foi minha primeira exposição solo no Brasil e fiquei muito feliz com o grande número de pessoas presentes. De 26 de agosto a 30 de setembro na sede do Ifoto: Rua Gonçalves Lêdo, 307 - Fortaleza, CE (85)3254.6385.

"Retratados" no Instituto da Fotografia do Ceará

"Autorretrato con Juan y Malena"

By Argentinian photographer Rosa Revsin, on display at the Centro Cultural de la Cooperación in Buenos Aires.

Autoretratos

Two images from Fosso's exhibit at the Galeria Daniel Maman in Buenos Aires.

"La Super Gaby"

From the series "Mujeres Pintadas.," by Argentinian photographer Sergio Fasola, on display at the Salón Nacional Santa Fe, part of this year's Encuentros Abiertos de Fotografia - Festival de la Luz in Buenos Aires.

Eyes To Fly With

These are four of the dozens of images present at Graciela Iturbide's exhibit at the Centro Cultural Recoleta in Buenos Aires. From top to bottom: "Tonalá, Tehuantepec," "Angel Woman," "Our Lady of the Iguanas" and "Self-portait with the Seri."

XV Encuentros Abiertos de Fotografia

I am delighted to have been able to attend this year's Encuentros Abiertos de Fotografia, an internationally acclaimed photography festival in Buenos Aires. Present were fantastic photographers from all corners of the world, including the Norwegian Bjorn Sterri, who dedicates his life to documenting his family. I had a wonderful time learning all about his passion for photography and for life. The two images included here are from his series "Memories from Water."

editing, editing, and more editing...

In preparation for "Retratados," my first solo exhibit in Brasil, which will open in late august at the Instituto da Fotografia do Ceará (The State Institute of Photography) I have been editing like a mad woman. Some believe that this is the most important part of the entire photographic process. It is in editing that we decide which of the numerous split seconds we captured to make visible to a wider audience. This image was created by my friend and fellow photographer James Wong, who was visiting me in Brasil for a few weeks.

Celso Oliveira - Quem Somos Nós?

I was fortunate enough to view the photography exhibit entitled "Quem Somos Nós" (Who are We?), by my friend and fabulous photographer Celso Oliveira. His project was on display at Fnac in Pinheiros in São Paulo. As usual, Celso's work was breathtaking!

Eu tive muita sorte em ver a exposição "Quem Somos Nós" de meu amigo, fotógrafo fantástico Celso Oliveira, na Fnac Pinheiros em São Paulo. Como sempre, seu trabalho me surpreendeu!