I'm glad to be back in academia and am excitedly preparing for my first meeting on Sept. 1st.
My first official blog entry will be about Peter Beard.
That's Him^^
A multi-media collage artist whose exhibitions date from 1975-2007. Born in NYC in 1938, he began traveling to Africa in the 1950s and witnessed the change of Africa through the 1960s and 1970s. Beard kept journals which were created documenting his experiences. Hundreds of photo based multi-media collages form the journals entries which have become fine art pieces.
Beards first one man show and landmark installation of his photographs, elephant carcasses, burned diaries, taxidermy, African artifacts, books and personal memorabilia was at the International Center of Photography in New York City, in 1977.
His latest exhibit was "Time’s Up!," Michael Hoppen Gallery. London, United Kingdom. November 29-January 1, 2007.
Alternative Processes & Techniques last semester really opened my eyes to other possibilities within the photographic medium and our discussion class gave me the realization that a photographer was a photographer but being an artist allows room for more possibilities. EXPANSION
Peter Beard's work is a amalgamation of his thoughts and experiences of witnessing the face of Africa change during the pivotal era of the 1960s-Present. His works, diary-journal-sculpture-what have yous, are the not just his, but represent Africa itself. Beard's works stand as windows into a fleeting Africa during change and I am floored by his abilty to capture that sense of fleeting time in the iconic Diary/Journal, which is a personal keeper of time.
Please read his Artist Statement at www.peterbeard.com/artist.htm
I would post his eloquent words on here, but now fear copyrights(thank you business practices) and need to severely brush up on my works cited skills first.
Thank you.
