News of the current exhibit and events at Image City
We publish our Newsletter during each of our exhibits to pass along information and reviews of the exhibit, selected images and news of 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 the 13 shows we produce in 2016.
Elements of the ROC by Don Menges
Current Show Runs Through Sunday, October 30
 
Our current exhibit at Image City Photography Gallery is by Gallery Partner, Don Menges titled -- Elements of the ROC.  Don's photographs depict familiar elements of Rochester in black-and-white with four themes he has developed: the first is exterior images, some in complete form and some in part as interesting shapes; the second theme honors the Wall Therapy movement in Rochester with his goal  to make Rochesterians aware of this project; third,  photographs of interior locations familiar to many and often in great detail and, fourth, photographs of the Public Market highlighting the people of the City of Rochester that make this their home. The show runs through Sunday, October 30.

Additional participants in the exhibit bring the wide-ranging work of 12 photographers to the exhibit. An exhibit in the East Gallery is by Laurence Fischer, a European photographer. Guest Photographers are Dick Beery, Cynthia Fay, Roslyn Rose, Lou Ryen, and George Wallace. Returning this show are photographs by six award-winning photographers in competition at Camera Rochester, including Archie Curry, Stanley Hattman, Jeno Horvath, Geoff Poor, Angela Possemato, and Elaine Schmidt.
  
Also exhibiting their work are Gallery Partners and Artists-in-Residence Dick Bennett, Carl Crumley, Gil Maker, Jim Patton, David Perlman, Betsy Phillips, John Solberg, Gary Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, and Sheridan Vincent.

Click Here  to see details of the exhibit and a link to a preview with a selection of photographs from the exhibit. There is no admission fee at Image City and the Gallery is accessible to all. We look forward to your visit for another superb exhibit having a diverse range of subjects and photographic styles by the 22 participating photographers. Certainly you will enjoy and perhaps find a perfect addition for your art collection. Be sure to check out the Picks by Peter Marr and Gallery Partners in a later article of this newsletter.
Call for Submissions: The Magic of Light 2017

For the tenth consecutive year, we are pleased to let you know that there will certainly be another juried theme show at Image City titled -- The Magic of Light 2017, The theme is open, to give you freedom to produce photographs with a wide, creative range of subject and style. The exhibit of selected photographs will be from January 31 to February 19, 2017 at the Gallery.
 
We are also pleased to announce that Rowe Photo, Video, and Audio will join us in sponsoring the award prizes. You can find all details and the Entry Form for your submission at the special link: The Magic of Light 2017 Call Page. The same information is also available via the Image City Website. Note that there is now also a method where you can enter online.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me Gilbert.Maker@ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com or by phone at 585-271-2540.
 
All Gallery Partners look forward to receiving your submission by November 27, 2016 and its even better, with a reduced entry fee, if we receive it before October 30 - see details at the link above.
 
Feel free to forward this announcement to any of your friends and relatives who might be interested in participating in the Image City Juried Show, The Magic of Light 2017. There is a forward email link at the bottom of this newsletter.
  
Gilbert Maker, Gallery Partner
Chairman of the 2017 Juried Show at Image City.
 
Image City Critique Group
Meets November 2 at 6:30pm


The next meeting of the Image City Critique Group will be Wednesday, November 2nd, beginning at 6:30 pm. We meet regularly on the first Wednesday of each month. As we have moved into an assignment based format, please contact Don Menges if you are considering joining the group or have misplaced the assignment. dmenges@rochester.rr.com

Peter Marr's Picks of the Exhibit

After the installation of the photographs Peter Marr, noted photographer and competition judge, has selected three of his favorites and wrote commentary on what appealed to him in making his choices. Peter's Picks is a popular feature of our exhibits as visitors enjoy reading Peter's insightful comments while admiring the photographs.

Java's Alley 
by Don Menges -- Over the years Don has made countless memorable images of both interior and exterior scenes, perfecting his photographic and digital expertise by hard work and dedication to succeed. Today he is justly renowned for his superlative technique and his amazing command of the digital media, all of which are richly displayed in his inspiring exhibition at the Image City. In Java's Alley, Don has used a fisheye lens to imaginatively capture the subject matter in a definitive and creative manner, resulting in a curvilinear vista of the alley, which is framed elegantly by the 2 powerful curved support pillars in the immediate foreground. What is so magical, and is definitely the result of his digital software virtuosity, the graceful curved features artistically taper down until one gets to about one-third of the way into the image, where the alley becomes remapped to a rectilinear perspective. Every element in the first-third of this print, from the brick and concrete sides of adjoining buildings, the brickwork on the pathway and the shadow designs, they are in unison as they eventually lose their curved features. Where the linear perspective begins, Java's Alley continues on into the distance, ending with an open metal structure, against which a person can be clearly seen. The strong directional lighting results in exceptional detail and incredible sharpness throughout the print, and the tonal scale and wide range of values all contribute greatly in making this spectacular print. It is interesting that the strong sunlight passing through the triangular end of the open-meshed roof of the alley, casts a shadow in the form of an arrow, the tip of which points directly at the viewer. Although one is aware of this, there is only one way to visit Java's Alley, and that is directly through the curved portal that Don has so astutely engineered, so that one can journey through the brick walkway and enjoy every feature of this delightful thoroughfare.

Reclining Woman by Don Menges -- Don's enthusiastic support of the art and community intervention project is both laudable and inspiring. He has skillfully captured the very essence and poignancy of some of the wall murals, which will hopefully influence Image City visitors to learn more about this project, and encourage them to visit their location to see for themselves how these murals have enhanced our urban landscape. I was particularly captivated by Reclining Woman, in which Don has creatively utilized a fisheye lens to dramatically make a building structure come alive, to draw attention to an impressive mural of the reclining woman. Using his consummate knowledge of digital software, Don has ingeniously kept the vertical elements in place, whilst masterfully shaping and curving the foreground and the building's roofline to complement many of the features in the mural. There is exceptional visual continuity and the light throughout the scene blends beautifully. The foreground has amazing textural differences that helps distinguish areas of similar tonal values. These textures help highlight every minute detail of the concrete pavement and the myriads of cracks and intricate patterns in the sidewalk. The entire foreground curves effortlessly around the building, and for further emphasis, the lines that separate the concrete slabs all angle and point toward the mural. Of particular significance, the central mural is accentuated in size, whilst the surrounding artwork is tapered down, and it is given the added attention that in all of the exceptional tonal gradations in this image, the highest value is given to the reclining woman. I would be remiss if I did not mention the spectacular sky above the roofline of the building, in which expressive patterns of diffuse clouds all project downwards arrowed towards the mural itself. What is so especial in this uplifting print, is that the mural artist has strikingly painted a real work of art, and that Don has used his great talents to fashion a remarkable image, where all of the elements support the reclining woman, especially all of the curved features which personify and emulate all of the exquisite features of the woman. A real tour de force for Don, and a great tribute to the mural artist.
 

Madrid by Laurence Fischer -- This is an exceptional example of visual art where the manner that the images portrayed, rather than the image itself triggers the brain's reward circuit, although as one is looking at hard lines and angles, the end result may be that the brain is tense and on edge. The color palette has an extraordinary range of hues and vibrancy, and the architectural forms are seen as endless arrays with powerful geometric relationships. The rhythmic interplay of surfaces, lines, color and values blend effortlessly into an organic coordination of visual elements, which is a true reflection of Laurence's unequaled way of seeing, one that is consistent with her superb body of work in this exhibition. If the author had recorded this imposing structure as the eye would normally see it, the end result would be an excellent record shot of what is probably an apartment complex, one in which the architect and the builder wanted to make a statement of desirability for prospective buyers with the use of modern design and bold colors as attractive features. Although this seems like an exciting concept, in some peoples's eyes, these apartments resemble a series of identical rectangulaar boxes, arranged in orderly fashion, the only distinguishing feature for each of them being the exterior color. Laurence cleverly recorded this housing complex on a steep diagonal plane instead of horizontally. In doing this the apartments lose their identity, and each housing unit becomes part of a graphic connected pattern, rows of identical shapes distinguished only from each other by the color of the box. The ensuing diagonal lines create a powerful compositional effect because of their inherent instability. There is a tension between the image and what one wants the image to do. When captured here as diagonal elements, to the viewer, the impression is that they are in the process of falling.This is a dynamic and creative image, exquisitely seen and photographed.
Partner's PIcks of the Exhibit

In addition to Picks by Peter Marr, Gallery Partners have selected three photos for a special mention.
 
Sunset by Dick Beery -- There's something mysterious in this wonderful image. The strong band of sunset light crosses he center of the image, illuminating the stand of trees, some of which extend upward to the canopy, and many others are only poles reaching into the sky. There is a depth, too, pulling the viewer's eye to the most distant and the least distinct tree forms. The trunks become vertical bars, some dark, some shrouded behind the band of light, each contributing to the nearly monochromatic forest. The image is filled with verticality; each trunk could be a note in a musical piece flowing across the image, lending lateral movement to this so-vertical structure. Below the musical light, the shadow carries these straight vertical trunks and their reflections into the waters below, where the horizontal makes its appearance. Here the sky reappears in reflection and presents a pattern of light that again sends the viewer's eye to the distant. Returning to the top of the image, there is a shroud of light that sifts downward into the image, adding to the mystery. The three dimensions - the vertical, the horizontal and depth, each take their place in the image, and their integration has produced a beautiful and mysterious image.

Ardor
by Cynthia Fay -- Cynthia has a series of abstracts that appears to be out of this world. The vivid colors, viscous fluids and disproportionate lines contribute to this affect. Ardor is one of her photos that is particularly striking with depth, vibrant color and movement. One could almost view this as a microscopic photo of the inside of the body with blood vessels and caplets floating in the space. I have an image in my mind of the movie "The Fantastic Voyage" of a miniature capsule on a journey inside a scientist's body trying to save him. However, Cynthia reminds us that photos may be of anything and has taken the saying to heart, that images are where you see them. While sitting in her car going through a car wash Cynthia wisely grabbed her camera and got to work.


Closed 1
by Roslyn Rose -- Can a simple image cause a feeling of dread in the viewer? This is the question that Closed 1 by Roslyn Rose asks us. A storefront that has been closed for some time, a winter's day. Technically the image is complete:   The lighting is good, colors are authentic, and the subject is crisp and sharp.
The feeling of dread though comes from the subject. What of the dolls? Are they left over from a doll store?   Where they part of child mannequins that once modeled children's clothes? Or could it be a metaphor of something more sinister? Is it possible the heads are what is left of a group of children that could not escape some past horror?
This is the power of a strong image. A strong image forces the viewer to linger. A strong image provokes strong emotional feeling. The image opens the viewer to imagine many different interpretations. Ms. Rose has created an image that at first looks simple, but as one studies it, the strength of her image demands us to ponder its significance.
Calendar of Events
Image City Photography Gallery, 722 University Avenue

October 30 Last Day Elements of the ROC by Don Menges
November 1 First day Black-and-White Invitational
November 2 6:30pm Image City Critique Group
November 4, 5 - 9 pm, Reception and First Friday for Black-and-White Invitational
 
 
Image City Photography Gallery Hours
Tuesday - Saturday Noon - 6pm
Sunday Noon - 4pm
 
There is no admission fee to visit Image City

in the Heart of ARTWALK in the Neighborhood of the Arts 
 where our mission is to create a quality exhibition and learning experience for photographers and the art-loving community.
Image City Photography Gallery | 722 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 | 585.472.2540  info@ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com | www.ImageCityPhotographyGallery.com