Denver Art Museum: A Day of Adventure

Denver Art Museum: Freshman Seminar Fall 2010

            The first cultural event I experienced at the University of Denver was by far the best. My First Year Seminar Class, Personal Histories of Photography, took the Denver light rail downtown to the 16^th Street Mall, where we then walked to the Denver Art Museum. This was an amazing opportunity to begin my photography career at DU- Denver offers so many opportunities for fabulous photographs. The art museum itself is an architectural phenomenon made to represent the peaks of the Rocky Mountains.

            Our first stop in the art museum was the photography gallery where I discovered some amazing photographers, such as Garry Winogrand, Adam Fuss, and Ralph Gibson, to name a few. The artwork was so inspirational; it definitely made me want to try new techniques with my art. After walking around this gallery for about an hour, we were then set lose to discover more fascinating things within the museum. My favorite exhibit was the Asian floor, where I found out about symbolism within the Asian cultures and was able to inspect the intricate pottery on display. After wandering the DAM, we sat down to the most amazing lunch in the museum restaurant Palette’s. This was a cultural event of itself, and my friends and I took hundreds of photos of the delicious food we got to eat. I am so thankful I was able to experience the Denver Art Museum with my photography friends; I was inspired while creating amazing new memories. 

Byers Evans House Museum: Mark Sink

Byers Evans House Museum: Mark Sink

            After our amazing meal we headed to the Byers Evans House Museum which featured the work of Mark Sink, who we had the pleasure of meeting. This museum is located on the backside of the older Denver Art Museum building; the old house looks extremely quaint in comparison. The house was built in 1883 by the Byers family, and then sold six years later to William Evans, one of the founders of the University of Denver. The house itself is amazing to see, the works of art inside are an added bonus; a treasure found within a treasure.

            The work of Mark Sink was extremely inspirational; I was very taken aback by the way in which he creates his art. Sink proves that there is no need for an expensive camera; amazing photography can be created even through even a toy camera from childhood. Mark Sink used the toy the “Diana” camera in the 1980’s, and soon followed a significant amount of exhibits featuring the work of toy cameras. His extreme talent with the Diana camera led him to work with the prominent fashion magazine, Vogue, and caused him to win a Kodak Images in Silver Award in 1979 (http://www.gallerysink.com/marksink/info_diana_frameset.html). Sink’s success has shown me that it is necessary to take risks to gain recognition, to create amazing art, and to achieve my dream. 

Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura:

           After our visit to the Denver Art Museum the group headed over a few streets to a hidden treasure: Camera Obscura. Hal Gould, an amazing man who is still running the gallery to this day, founded the Camera Obscura over thirty years ago, in 1979. The gallery is located in a small house, so when explored it is shocking to see the amount of artwork housed in such a small space. The downstairs has a typical feel of an art gallery- photographs evenly spaced, spotlights on each image. But I believe the real value is found in the upstairs, where every single inch of the many rooms are covered with hundreds, feeling like thousands, of magnificent pictures. Although overwhelming at first, the space soon feels magical, and viewers find themselves being sucked into every individual photograph. This place truly is an inspiration.

            Although the photographs were extremely inspiring, the real inspiration was found when Hal Gould told the story of the gallery. Camera Obscura was one of the first art galleries to consider and treat photography as a fine art. When prominent museums refused to show photography, Gould worked hard to achieve his vision of having the first gallery of photography shown as a fine art. Ansel Adams showed his photographs in Camera Obscura, when his prints sold for five dollars. His original photographs are now sold for over fifty thousand dollars (http://www.anseladams.com/category_s/71.htm).  Gould’s perseverance has had an insurmountable impact of the world of photography. Overall, this experience in the Camera Obscura gallery has shown me that anything is possible, as long as you believe in your dream. 

Sally Mann

Sally Mann: What Remains

When discussing the photographer Sally Mann, thousands of words come to mind, but what I believe captures the true essence of this stunning woman is just one word: extraordinary. Mann has it all- a home built on acres of farmland in the beautiful hills of Virginia, a supportive husband, and three gorgeous children who are her constant inspiration. Out of all the photographers studied this quarter, I related most to the work of Sally Mann. She is able to capture the feeling of an entire landscape with just one image, something most photographers work their whole lives to achieve, myself included. Mann finds inspiration in the smallest things, and is able to create a masterpiece. She has taught me to keep my eyes open, always searching for the perfect photograph.

The thing I admire most of this woman is her ability to follow her heart, regardless of the criticism received from the rest of the world, and take pictures she truly believes in. For example, she took amazing nude photographs of her three children, and although the public called them disturbing, she continued with her work as inspired as ever. She did not hesitate to follow her inspiration and take pictures of decomposing bodies, even though she knew the world would not see the beauty within her art, and it would be extremely challenging to find an art gallery to support her. She was right- art galleries denied her, but in the end she was recognized for her determination and perseverance, and achieved her dream. 

Garry Winogrand

Denver Art Museum Photographer of Choice

Garry Winogrand: Capturing a Moment

Although stylistically different, photographs by artist Garry Winogrand are significantly reminiscent of photographer Henri Cartier Bresson, a photographer previously discussed in this blog. I chose Winogrand as my artist of choice from the Denver Art Museum because I connected with the spirit captured within his photographs. My favorite photograph is the one titled “New York City, New York (Laughing Woman with Ice Cream Cone)” because Winogrand was able to encapsulate this beautiful moment in just one snapshot. This photo radiates pure joy and happiness, and makes the viewer feel as if they are there. Most importantly he allows the viewer of the photograph relate to the subjects within the photograph, making his work even more meaningful and relatable.

 Garry Winogrand is best known for his depiction of the American lifestyle of the 1960’s. His photographs are all black and white, something I have been experimenting with in my photographs. My favorite quote from Winogrand is “I like to think of photographing as a two-way act of respect. Respect for the medium, by letting it do what it does best, describe. And respect for the subject, by describing as it is. A photograph must be responsible to both.” This statement reveals the true essence of Winogrand’s philosophy about taking photos; he believes in capturing a moment in a photograph as it is in real life, showing the true beauty within the moment. This philosophy is why he was able to show his world through images. Winogrand has inspired me to try and capture the world around me through my art, try new things, and work to achieve my goals as a photographer. 

Henri Cartier Bresson

Henri Cartier Bresson:

The Impassioned Eye

            Henri Cartier Bresson states that the art of photography is being able to seize the moment, and when browsing through his body of work, that statement captures the essence of his photography. Cartier Bresson believes in photograph through simple observation, specifically capturing a moment or a feeling with one click of a button. You do not have to know much to be a photographer; you just have to simply look. Cartier Bresson is the master of photojournalism, informal photography, and is capable of capturing beautiful moments from everyday life.

            This belief about photography has a huge relation to my interpretation of what it means to be a photographer. Being a photographer means creating art through capturing a moment while adding a piece of yourself into the photo. I may not know what shutter speed works best in a specific light, or how to develop film to perfection, but I do know that every piece of art I create has a place in the art world, and more importantly a place in my heart. In other words, I may not be the most knowledgeable photographer, but my work is beautiful through its deeper meaning and importance to my life. Henri Cartier Bresson has inspired me to examine my daily life for photograph worthy moments, and has taught me that art can be found anywhere, all I need to do is open my eyes and look. 

On the Fence

            I seem to have a new obsession with taking photographs of fences, there is something I love about the angle and the interesting perspective. Fences seem so timeless, and the coloring of this picture makes it seem somewhat antique. I think the coloring really compliments the subject, especially with the paint peeling off of the wood. Overall success!!