November 1 – December 20, 1980
Artists Space
David Kulik, Frank Majore, Kevin Noble, Ken Pelka, Pat Place, Rene Santos, and Brian Weil
DAVID KULIK's group of 16x20" color photographs is titled "Photomicrographs". These are humorous simulations of electron photomicrographs, normally showing DNA molecules and bacteria. Here Kulik portrays "Sperm Sprouts Fertilizing An Egg", "Space Invaders Attacking an Embryo", "Viruses Grouping Around a Chicken Cell", etc.
FRANK MAJORE's 30x40" color photographs are individually studied silhouettes of figures and buildings. The fashionable nature of the poses suggest a classic sense of portraiture. However, the subtleties of what is concealed or revealed lure the viewer closer towards fantasizing with these "fleeting images".
KEVIN NOBLE's 30x40" works are gold and silver painted photographs of drawings. The images of couples - male with male, male with female - are inspired from magazine reproductions. The artist describes his work as "pure romance, no love".
KEN PELKA's vivid color photographs are 16x20" still lifes of neglected and essentially useless synthetic objects. These seemingly "found" shots are carefully staged close-up views of objects with no apparent order or perspective.
PAT PLACE's 16x20" technicolor photographs look like backgrounds for science fiction movies. Pre-historic plastic monsters, Japanese sci-fi movie-like robots, gumball machine and dime store junk, slime and technological waste are arranged into still life with day-glow-like lighting effects.
RENE SANTOS's 30x40" black and white photographs combine movie stills with narratives. By reversing the traditional relationship, Santos's found image is subordinated with an ambiguous text. Although the situations seem to be described through the bits of dialogue, Santos is imposing a completely arbitrary reading upon his chosen images.
BRIAN WEIL's black and white blow-ups are from super 8 films specifically staged to be made into 40x40" photographs. Weil's work questions the distinction between art and pornography. "In dealing with erotic subject matter there is a concern (or game of sorts) playing with more conventional ideas of where sexually orientated photographs change from art to pornography."
David Kulik lives in Buffalo and has shown at Hallwalls, Buffalo; A Space, Toronto; and the New Museum's Parsons Gallery, NYC.
Frank Majore lives in NYC and has shown at the Katonah Gallery, NYC; the Brooklyn Museum and the Bronx Museum of the Arts.
Kevin Noble lives in NYC and has had shows at the Kitchen, NYC; Hallwalls, Buffalo, and received a 1979 NEA grant.
Ken Pelka lives in NYC and has shown at Hallwalls, Buffalo; N.A.M.E. Gallery, Chicago; and the New Museum's Parsons Gallery, NYC.
Pat Place lives in NYC and has shown her work at CEPA Gallery in Buffalo.
Rene Santos lives in NYC and has shown his work in Boston and Puerto Rico.
Brian Weil lives in NYC, was awarded a 1980 CAPS grant and has shown at Castelli Graphics, NYC.
Programming at Artists Space is partially supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
