Comments on: Michele Abeles: Photographs http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/ Photographs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:42:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: dR http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1965 dR Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:18:23 +0000 http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1965 Shane- I have to say, I have thought about these photographs here and there over the last week... that is something and not very typical. In essence, they have strangely grown on me like a tumor... the 80's style serial killer boy teen prom picture, 70's style serial killeryosemite landscape, the strange bird martyr cult leader and his seed, the trailer park father and his slain boy... the wolves straight from Hell... the crazy, crazy completely disjointed aesthetic... all have drawn me back in a bit. My first reaction is a bit different then the one that simmered slowly under the skin, eh... And based on my recent words... perhaps her hint of violence is no joke. dR Shane-

I have to say, I have thought about these photographs here and there over the last week… that is something and not very typical. In essence, they have strangely grown on me like a tumor… the 80′s style serial killer boy teen prom picture, 70′s style serial killeryosemite landscape, the strange bird martyr cult leader and his seed, the trailer park father and his slain boy… the wolves straight from Hell… the crazy, crazy completely disjointed aesthetic… all have drawn me back in a bit.

My first reaction is a bit different then the one that simmered slowly under the skin, eh…

And based on my recent words… perhaps her hint of violence is no joke.

dR

]]> By: Sara http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1964 Sara Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:23:24 +0000 http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1964 It's refreshing to see work that is challenging in that it does not kill the viewer with the same idea over and over and over in a serial manner. She seems to be out there discovering the world and challenging the viewer. Unfortunately, these days it is hard to find interesting work that is genuine in its openness to discovery and interpretation. Perhaps there could be a better edit than we have seen on this site. Was this her inteded edit? It’s refreshing to see work that is challenging in that it does not kill the viewer with the same idea over and over and over in a serial manner. She seems to be out there discovering the world and challenging the viewer. Unfortunately, these days it is hard to find interesting work that is genuine in its openness to discovery and interpretation. Perhaps there could be a better edit than we have seen on this site. Was this her inteded edit?

]]> By: jj http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1963 jj Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:06:12 +0000 http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1963 What hype? What hype?

]]> By: dR http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1962 dR Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:58:40 +0000 http://www.shanelavalette.com/journal/2008/01/30/michele-abeles-photographs/#comment-1962 I have to say I am not sure where the hype comes from... the first image is above is realtively strong, the others falter. This same pattern goes for the other images that I have seen. Sometimes unfortunately hype itself becomes very much self perpetuating, driving the art forward where the art has little legs to stand on... the hype itself then becoming the legs. That being said... at least her quote here is strong. "In my photographs, I want there to be a sense of looming violence in the broadest sense. Like there is something boiling beneath the surface, I try to bring this out through my interactions with the subject and by attempting to imbue a sense of mystery and knowledge in image of my subjects. As a result, I hope a certain amount of tension and mystery will emanate from my pictures.‚Äù Yes, that combo typically makes for very strong portrait photography.. tension and a hint of violence. Now, if I could just find that potent mix in her imagery......... I have to say I am not sure where the hype comes from… the first image is above is realtively strong, the others falter. This same pattern goes for the other images that I have seen. Sometimes unfortunately hype itself becomes very much self perpetuating, driving the art forward where the art has little legs to stand on… the hype itself then becoming the legs.

That being said… at least her quote here is strong.

“In my photographs, I want there to be a sense of looming violence in the broadest sense. Like there is something boiling beneath the surface, I try to bring this out through my interactions with the subject and by attempting to imbue a sense of mystery and knowledge in image of my subjects. As a result, I hope a certain amount of tension and mystery will emanate from my pictures.‚Äù

Yes, that combo typically makes for very strong portrait photography.. tension and a hint of violence. Now, if I could just find that potent mix in her imagery………

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