Light Work Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Works of 40 Artists

Image: Brian Ulrich, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 2003 from the series “Copia”

Light Work is celebrating its 40th anniversary with the opening of the exhibition “40 Artists/40 Years: Selections from the Light Work Collection,” featuring work by artists Carrie Mae Weems, Cindy Sherman, John Gossage, James Casebere, Jim Goldberg, Dawoud Bey, Fazal Sheikh and Hank Willis Thomas, to name just a few.

This 40th anniversary opening will be held in conjunction with the opening of the “2013 Light Work Grants in Photography” show in the Hallway Gallery, as well as Marna Bell in the Community Darkrooms Gallery.

The “40 Artists/40 Years” exhibition will begin on Monday, Aug. 19, and run through Thursday, Sept. 25. A closing reception will be held on Sept. 25 from 5-7 p.m.

Light Work, an artist-run, nonprofit organization, has been providing direct support to emerging and under-recognized artists working in the media of photography and digital imaging since 1973. The organization has been led by Jeffrey Hoone since 1982, and the following excerpt from Hoone’s statement from the exhibition catalogue clarifies his vision and dedication to serving artists:

“The 40 pictures in this exhibition represent each year that Light Work has been supporting artists from 1973-2013. They stand in for the hundreds of other artists who have participated in our Artist-in-Residence, exhibition, publishing and grant programs and stand out as the reason we do what we do.

“Light Work always has been, and continues to be, an alternative arts organization run by artists for the benefit and support of other artists. Working in collaboration with Community Darkrooms at Syracuse University, Light Work has concentrated on supporting emerging and under-recognized artists, giving them the opportunity to create new work and then making that work part of the ongoing dialogue about contemporary art.

“While we have been fortunate to have worked with some of the most important artists of our time in the early stages of their career, we have been equally privileged to have illuminated the work of others deserving of wider recognition. This exhibition is a small record of the work that we have collected over the past 40 years, but only evidence of an incomplete story. The complete story will always be found in understanding and appreciating individual artists and artists as individuals.”

Also opening Aug. 19, on view in the Hallway gallery, Light Work presents the recipients for the 39th annual Light Work Grants in Photography: Laura Heyman, Jared Landberg and Janice Levy. The Light Work Grants in Photography program is a part of Light Work’s ongoing effort to provide support and encouragement to artists working in photography.

Established in 1975, it is one of the longest-running photography fellowship programs in the country. Each recipient receives a $2,000 award and has their work exhibited at Light Work and published in “Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual.” The judges for 2013 grants were Christopher Gianunzio (assistant director, Philadelphia Photo Arts Center), Akemi Hiatt (independent curator) and Chuck Mobley (director, SF Camerawork).

Image: Memory 4, 2013

In addition, Light Work and Community Darkrooms will present Marna Bell’s “Imperfect Memories,” also opening on Aug. 19  at 5 p.m. and on view in the Community Darkrooms gallery.

With “Imperfect Memories,” Bell returns to some of the familiar themes of her “Hudson Past/Perfect” series. “In both projects, my subjects are put into a motion blur, not only to allude to the passage of time, but more so, to the fading of memories,” Bell says. “In addition, the motion gives the work a more painterly effect; the slow shutter speed creates a haunting quality.”

Light Work is supported by Syracuse University, Robert B. Menschel and Vital Projects, The New York State Council on the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, CNY Arts and the subscribers of Contact Sheet.

For more information, contact Light Work at 315-443-1300 or info@lightwork.org.