“It is the genius of William Christenberry to
stir up intensely evocative emotions and meanings from common, even humble,
pieces of the world.”
— Howard N. Fox, curator of modern and contemporary art, Los Angeles
County Museum of Art
If you call the current comprehensive exhibition of William
Christenberry's work a "retrospective," he will politely correct
you with his charming Southern drawl: "It's not a retrospective,
because I'm not dead yet."
Nevertheless, the show at the Smithsonian, and the accompanying
book by Aperture, show the artist and his evolutions and variations and
recurrent themes in near encyclopedic form. We discover his strong reliance
on photography dating from his first photographs from 1961 (used primarily
as source material for his painting and sculpture), through his instant
leap from a brownie camera to an 8 x 10 view camera (at the insistence
of his friend Lee Friedlander) in the mid 1970s.
His professional interests have remained intensely personal throughout
his career. He values vernacular architecture and signs from the southern
United States. And he continues to document these kinds of subjects year
after year, to show the deterioration and changes brought about by time
and nature and human intervention.
The book itself is beautifully designed and printed. The sequencing of
material allows you the shock of recognition at the passing of 20-plus
years of time, year by year, of some of the same subject matter. And we
are able to experience how a talented painter and sculptor like Christenberry
can use these captured fleeting moments of time to create paintings, sculptures
and collages.Christenberry spoke to an audience of photography enthusiasts
on December 1, 2006 at a presentation for San Francisco's PhotoAlliance
and Aperture West. Here you can listen to some choice bits from that presentation:
William Christenberry audio:
About bringing photography into his practice as a painter and sculptor:
and personal anecdotes about some of his iconic images: Green Warehouse,
BBQ Inn, Red Building in Forest, Coca-Cola Sign, Door with Christmas Lights,
plus comments about current work of dreamlike sculptures of imaginary
Southern Monuments.
— Jim Casper
InterviewWilliam ChristenberryA year-long retrospective of Christenberry’s work is on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington. Aperture has also published a new book of his life’s work. Here, we share a representative portfolio of his work, accompanied by a 17 minute audio commentary by...View Images
Interview
William Christenberry
A year-long retrospective of Christenberry’s work is on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington. Aperture has also published a new book of his life’s work. Here, we share a representative portfolio of his work, accompanied by a 17 minute audio commentary by...
William Christenberry
A year-long retrospective of Christenberry’s work is on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington. Aperture has also published a new book of his life’s work. Here, we share a representative portfolio of his work, accompanied by a 17 minute audio commentary by Christenberry himself.
Trending this Week
Call Me Heena: Hijra, The Third Gender
“I feel like a mermaid. My body tells me that I am a man but my soul tells me that I am a woman…” A penetrating, multi-year report on a unique group of people—who fall outside of Western notions of gender—trying to carve out a...
Announcing the LensCulture Art Photography 2018 Award Winners!
Dango
Inspired by Japan’s popular three-tiered dessert, these colorful triptychs capture snippets of vibrant street life during the country’s busy flower season.
The Making of Photobooks: Insight From Kehrer Verlag’s Acquisitions Editor
Down to earth and practical advice from inside one of the world’s most respected photobook publishers—ranging from how to stand out in a crowd and where to get discovered plus much more.
American Interiors
While working as a valet at a Veterans Affairs Hospital, M L Casteel created a series that uses photographs of car interiors to illustrate the psychological repercussions of war.
Best of August 2018: Deadlines for Competitions, Grants, Festivals and More
Our editors have put together a curated list of worthwhile (and imminent) deadlines for photographers, as well as some upcoming festivals around the world—have a look and best of luck!
Related
Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age
This overview of 18 architectural photographers across the ages reveals how photography of architecture communicates wider truths about society — then and now.
Alphaville: Paris at Night
This eerie, atmospheric series—which takes its name and inspiration from Jean-Luc Godard’s noir film—investigates the peculiar, frozen feeling of nighttime streets in Paris.
Winners: Catchlight Activist Awards
Photography has a powerful ability to address the most pressing issues of our time. These awards recognize two powerful visual-storytellers who utilize the power of the image to connect people and galvanize change.
Jon
Sara Marie Ramsøe delivers a loving and light-hearted documentary story about a multihandicapped 11 year old boy named Jon. He was born without eyes and has many disabilities, but there seems much to celebrate in his story.
Connecting Talent With Opportunity
Why should portfolio reviews be a part of every photographer’s practice? Photolucida director Laura Moya shares her perspective on the necessity of cultivating lasting relationships between photography specialists on an international scale.
Lost Family Portraits
This portrait series gives center stage to refugee families who have come forward to share their stories—accounts that need to be heard around the world.