in(habitations): Frank Armstrong, Stephen DiRado, Laura Letinsky, Alec Soth

Morning, and Melancholia #12, 1997 and Morning, and Melancholia #1, 1999 © Laura Letinsky Yesterday, the last day before it was to come down, I stopped in to see the in(habitations) show at Judy Ann Goldman in Boston. The exhibition, curated by Tom Morrissey, featured the work of Frank Armstrong, Stephen DiRadio, Laura Letinsky, and Alec Soth. Wishing there was more on the website about why these artists were brought together, this is what I could gather:

Fixing their gaze on familiar and mundane spaces, the four artists of in(habitations) make us see them anew, bringing to light unexpected depths of pathos and poetry.

Though the concept for the show may be one that has potential and the artists involved may be great photographers in ther own ways, due to the small gallery space only allowing a certain number of pieces by each of the artists (and the exclusion of a few contemporary photographers that come to mind, also working around this theme), the show as a curated exhibition was not particularly “effective,” nor breaking bounds. Chilmark, MA, July 5, 1998, Lights Out, 1998 © Stephen DiRado In the end, however, noticing how Letinsky’s still lifes somehow play off the dinner scenes of DiRadio’s was most intriguing. I had never seen Frank Armstrong’s work before, so that was new. And, of course, Alec’s photographs were as lovely as ever. As a side, check out this conversation with DiRadio that Alec shared on his blog back in November. Also, I just came across Frank’s blog Pitchertakin’. Hoorah for blogging!