Paul recommended that I look at the Artist, Chris Verene. After looking him up I realized I had seen his works in person at the ADA gallery here in Richmond. I have a postcard of the "Mercedes will soon.." hanging up on the mirror in my room. Ha
Verene's childhood hometown is about the same size as mine. He grew up in Galesburg, Illinois and three generations of his family and friends still live in Galesburg. Verene's work is an ongoing documentary/portrait of the people in his community and of his family and friends. This is verene's Galesburg Series 1984-Present)
His series, The Camera Club and an installation performance piece, Self Esteem Salonwere part of the Whitney Biennial in 2000.
His family and friends in Galesburg, Ill. are midwestern counterparts to "good ole folks" and remind me so very much of my friends and family of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. His portraits portray the subjects in their homes and give the viewer an inside look into the itty gritty mediocrity of everyday people in Galesburg.
"The simple color photographs are unstaged and reflect a plain yet beautiful side of American life that might otherwise pass by uncelebrated."
www.chrisverene.com
I am drawn to his portraits because they are also honest. Chris Verene has turned his family photo-scrapbook snapshots into fine art. I also enjoy his energy in the compositions/posing of his photographs. I think that his portraits are of "True Blue Americans" at their best by just being themselves and having fun with their families. I love telling stories just as much as I love hearing them and Chris Verene tells a story with each photograph, which he does through a terse hand-written sentence/title.
The handwritten title gives each photograph even more "personal"ity.
Verene will be opening a show,“EXPOSED: VOYEURISM, SURVEILLANCE, AND THE CAMERA SINCE 1870" at the Tate Modern in May 2010.
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