Image City Photography Gallery
Newsletter
Issue: # 56June 23, 2012

We publish our brief Newsletter during each of our exhibits to pass along information and reviews of the exhibit, photographic tips, selected images and news of other participation opportunities at Image City. We thank you for your interest and we look forward to another great year of fine photographs and events. We hope to see you at each of our 13 shows in 2012.

In This Issue
"Israel: A Country in Transition" our Current Show
Gallery Favorites
Image City Critiques -- No Session in July
Calendar of Upcoming Events at Image City

Israel: A Country in Transition by Bruce Bennett

Current Show Runs Through Sunday, July 8  

 

By Bruce BennettImage City Photography Gallery's current exhibit, Israel: A Country in Transition, features Bruce Bennett, a documentary fine-art photographer. In describing the exhibit that he has produced, Bruce comment that "This photographic documentary focuses on the exploration of Israel's changing identity. I began in 1991 by photographing the people of Operation Solomon, African Jews from an isolated Ethiopian culture transplanted into modern Israeli society. They arrived in Israel - a land moving rapidly toward the 21st century - with only their faith to sustain them. The Russian Jews, on the other hand, came from a technologically advanced society. Their medical and scientific expertise helps assure Israel's future. However, joined chiefly by the power of Judaism, African and Russian Jews have become separated by education, employment and technology. The question of their estrangement hangs between them. The counterweight in Israel's indenty is its Arab population; which comprises the final element in this documentary. Images of Arabs, of Palestinian and Bedouin heritage, depict scenes of family and work life."

 

Bruce's art and projects have been extensively exhibited and in juried exhibitions at regional, national, and international levels have brought more than 60 First Place or Best of Show Awards. More than 100 leading museums, galleries, and private collectors have acquired work from his portfolios. We are honored to be presenting such a prestigious body of work at Image City.

  

The Guest photographers for the exhibit are Andrew Jurman and Ali Lindsey. Ali has contributed and assisted with the operations at Image City for the last year and we are please to have her exhibitCamera Rochester's award-winning photographers with photographs are Sue Alden, Steve Malloy Desormeaux, Al Mosher, Loretta Petralis, Gail Rivera, and Naushad UzZaman.

 

We round out the show with work by Jim Patton, Artists-in-Residence, and Gallery Partners Dick Bennett, Carl Crumley, Steve Levinson, Gil Maker, Don Menges, Dan Neuberger, Betsy Phillips, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, and Sheridan Vincent.

 

For full details of the show click hereBe sure to check out the link to the "Preview of the Show Gallery" to see a selection of the fine works in the show that runs through Sunday, July 8th.

Gallery Partner's Favorites

 

Gallery Partners have chosen four of their favorite photographs in the exhibit by guest photographers. Click here to visit the website for the complete discussion and the image. 

 

This image of a young Jewish boy with a mask around his neck is a perfect representation of Bruce Bennett's Israel; A Country in Transition. This image depicts a young man in classic Hasidic Jewish garb. This youthful face with his long hair and face framed by a perfectly round classic hat embodies the spirituality and joy of Jewish mysticism. The holiday PURIM celebrates how the evil Haman who was the minister to the King was thwarted in killing all of the Jews in the country by efforts by the Jewish Queen Esther, who convinced the king instead of killing the Jews to kill Haman instead. It is a holiday where kids dress up in costumes, oftentimes the king, Esther or Haman. There are dozens of versions of Hasidism and they share underlying philosophies, practices, and dress, as witnessed in this photograph. The print of this image is exceptional. The choice of the square format and shallow depth of field clearly mark the young man with his mask as the single and only important part of the image. The facts that his eyes are so clearly captured while the masks eyes are black and vacant and that they clearly indicate a torch passed on; a transition completed.

  by Bruce Bennett

This photograph is displayed both as a poster sized copy behind the desk in the Gallery and as a gicleé print framed behind glass. While the gicleé print is exquisite, the extra large poster is excellent as well. At first glance you might think this is a portrait of Albert Einstein, but closer observation will convince you otherwise. Einstein never wore an earring and his hair, while long and white, was never this orderly. Again Bruce Bennett used a classic square format with a shallow depth of field. The subject is depicted in sharp and clear detail. The dynamic range of light acquired is exceptional and every weathered detail of this man's face is captured. We are left to ponder what he is studying so carefully, or is it just a formal pose. We will never know, but the beautiful image and perfect print leave us wondering what story this man has to tell.

 

 

by Bruce BennettBruce describes himself as a "documentary fine art photographer" in his biography. It is more difficult to create images that are strong in both classes. Bruce does an excellent job in achieving this in his art. His set of small intimate color portraits of people from Israel gives you insight into the diversity of its residents. His larger black and white images are equally strong; I was drawn to these small square photographs of the building blocks of Israel... the people. This image of a young girl captures your attention immediately. Her eyes are magnetic, her expression unclear, in a way similar to the Mona Lisa, smile...what does it mean?? Words in images often distract the viewer, but the word "gold" on her sweat shirt adds to the mysteries. Bruce has beautifully captured this young girl, documenting reality in a fine art image. He fully accomplishes in this and the other images in the show.

 

by Bruce BennettThe camel and camel-driver image also gives the viewer a wonderful opportunity to be up close and personal with two wonderful portraits. It has been said the pet owners sometime resemble their pets (or visa versa ). The man and the camel are a humerous example of this saying. Photography can make you think, cry, wonder or smile. This image hits several of these, after smiling making you think about Israel not only as a modern vibrant country but having components today that existed many years ago.  

 

 

 

 

Image City Critiques

Is on Hiatus

 
Image City Critiques will not be meeting in July.
.
Calendar of Events
Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue 

 

July 6 - First Friday Gallery Night at Image City, 6 - 9pm
July 8 - Last day of Israel: A Country in Transition by Bruce Bennett
July 11 - Opening Day for Tradition and Transition exhibit by Dick Bennett and Carl Crumley
July 13 - Artists' Reception 5 - 8:30 pm
 
Image City Photography Gallery   Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11 - 7, Sunday Noon - 4  
 

There is no admission fee to visit Image City Photography Gallery

Contact Information

 Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

585.271.2540 
website: www.ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com 

 

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