These have been an emotionally rough and confusing few years for me and it’s been easy to give up and become a hermit. I’ve had some health issues. So, I challenged myself to try to make the effort to see some art, especially when I have press access to events and museums, and even when it means being smooshed inside a building with crowds on all sides for a blockbuster show.

These were my favorite prints from Photo LA held at the Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Airport:

Soo Kim
Midnight Reyjavik, 2008?
Hand-cut C-print
25 x 25 ” (63.5 x 63.5 cm)

What is the story behind Soo Kim’s Midnight Reyjavik photo series? The title of the photograph above implies that it was taken at midnight on the longest brightest day when midnight is almost indistinguishable from noon. In fact, the shadows the structures cast are short. Soo Kim’s exacto knife cuts mainly in the highlight areas where you might expect white giving the image a blown out feel. She also turns architecture into lacey membranes inviting the audience to peer into the hive that is this city.

Some interesting facts from Wikipedia for Reykjavik, Iceland:

•Its location, only slightly south of the Arctic Circle, receives only four hours of daylight on the shortest day in the depth of winter; during the summer the nights are almost as bright as the days.

•Steam from hot springs in the region is supposed to have inspired Reykjavík’s name, as Reykjavík loosely translates to “Smokey Bay”.

•Most houses in Reykjavík use the geothermal heating system. It is the largest system of this kind in the world.

•The city has fostered some world famous talents in recent years, such as singers like Björk and Oddur Sigurjónsson and bands Múm and Sigur Rós.

The worse thing happened last week: My 15-year old dog Tommy died suddenly on January 2nd. He taught me to be sensitive to the animal spirit. We had been through so much together. I was still raw from this when I attended Photo LA. I was immediately drawn into Rob MacInnis’ work.

When you first encounter Rob MacInnis’ Farm Families series in the mural size, you are struck with a sense of the unhomely or uncanny. (Especially Fresh Faces I) Is it a trick, my friend asked, Are these animals alive or dead, How do they stand so still. In this particular “family portrait” (above) we have rare animals, including pygmy goats and miniature horses. I was also struck by the popularity of this print; I counted nine red dots next to the photo which means nine buyers.

If this print calls out to you, check out Rob MacInnis’ fascinating website – http://www.robmacinnis.com where you can see his body of animal portraiture work, as well as, watch a very good documentary on his work process. I would love to have this print.

The press release notes:

MacInnis’ work focuses on the idea of the creation of identity within the photographic image. By foregrounding our innate compassion of animals, MacInnis explores the correlation between the reifying process of animal consumption and the fashion world’s depiction of the body.

MacInnis’ uses animals as portrait subjects, drawing parallels between the idealization of the human form in contemporary fashion photography and the subjugation of animals by humans.

The artist gives the animals an arena for self-expression as well as humiliation. His photographs reverse the traditional roles of animals in western society, setting them to a level on par with humans. The artist’s objective is to portray an alternative world where animals are not our possessions, but individuals whom we subject to the same idealization as we would a contemporary fashion model.

Rob MacInnis’ portraits demand immediate emotional reaction, drawing on the raw connection between viewer and subject and exposing the instinctive, compassionate union of species.