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Kurt Tong Exhibition at Photofusion, London
No comments · Posted by Kerry in Art News, Exhibitions
Award-winning photographer Kurt Tong has his first solo exhibition in London at the Photofusion gallery. Born in Hong Kong in 1977, Kurt Tong was originally trained as a health visitor at the University of Liverpool. He has worked and traveled extensively across Europe, the Americas and Asia. In 1999, Kurt co-founded Prema Vasam, a charitable home for disabled and disadvantaged children in Chennai, South India.
I have followed his work over the last few years and for me it has a certain calming effect and resonance. So I was delighted to see his first solo exhibition announced. The exhibition at Photofusion will showcase two projects of Tong’s more recent work: In Case It Rains in Heaven, and Memories, Dreams; Interrupted.
Kurt became a full-time photographer in 2003. He was the winner of the Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award and the City of Port St. Elpidio Prize with his first picture story documenting the ill treatment of disabled children in India. He worked for many other NGOs and covered stories from Female Infanticide to ballroom dancers. He gained a Masters in documentary photography at the London College of Communications in 2006 and began working on much more personal projects. He has since been chosen as the winner of Photograph.Book.Now competition, the Hey, Hot Shot! competition and the prestigious Jerwood Photography Award.
Kurt’s photographs have been widely published and exhibited around the world at venues including: The Royal Academy, Impressions Gallery, Abbaye de Neumunster, Fotofest in Houston and upcoming shows solo shows at Photofusion and Compton Verney.
Kurt became a full-time photographer in 2003. He was the winner of the Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award and the City of Port St. Elpidio Prize with his first picture story documenting the ill treatment of disabled children in India. He worked for many other NGOs and covered stories from Female Infanticide to ballroom dancers. He gained a Masters in documentary photography at the London College of Communications in 2006 and began working on much more personal projects. He has since been chosen as the winner of Photograph.Book.Now competition, the Hey, Hot Shot! competition and the prestigious Jerwood Photography Award. Kurt’s photographs have been widely published and exhibited around the world at venues including: The Royal Academy, Impressions Gallery, Abbaye de Neumunster, Fotofest in Houston and upcoming shows solo shows at Photofusion and Compton Verney.
Summary from Photofusion:
In Case it Rains in Heaven is a series of photographs of items made of joss paper to be burned as offerings for the dead. Traditionally, many Chinese believe that when a person dies, he leaves with no earthly possessions and it’s up to his descendants to provide for him in the afterlife until his reincarnation. Originally, coins and animals were buried with the dead, but when that proved too expensive for commoners, they began burning joss paper decorated with seals, stamps, silver or gold paint, as offerings to the spirits to ensure they lived well in the afterlife. In the last 50 years, these offerings have become more and more elaborate as objects are molded from the paper, some reflecting traditional culture, but many reflecting the consumer culture which is taking over China. Cars, washing machines and MacDonalds meals are made out of the paper, and entire shops have been set up selling an array of joss paper products. The exhibition showcases the variety of objects chosen to be depicted for this purpose, and will also feature a video work of the burning ceremony.
Memories, Dreams; Interrupted is a series of works which explores the concept of memories. Scientists have suggested that our memories are stored like jpegs; broken down into small pieces and put away. When we recall an event, the pieces are put back together; any parts missing are automatically filled in by our brain, thus altering our memories of the event. Tong’s photographs are taken at places where he goes with his daughters, familiar places where memories are made, but places which are constantly changing, becoming a metaphor for the interpretation of memories. He captures these places on film, using techniques which purposely degrade the film. The image is then reconstructed using digital means.
I hope to post comment on this exhibition when I visit it later next week. This exhibition is on in London until the 26th September 2010. For more information visit Photofusion’s show preview here.
We’re delighted to announce that we’ve launched our perspex prints in four popular sizes. Perspex prints are a contemporary and engaging way to display your photos and give your images incredible depth and vividness. We print your high resolution photos on an archival Illford Pearl paper and using a solid piece of thick 10mm polished perspex, we bond your image to the back of the perspex using an optically clear silicon adhesive.
Our perspex prints are perfect as a centrepiece in a modern space and equally compelling in corporate environments or photographic exhibitions; they come with a choice of deluxe fixings and coloured borders with complete instructions on how to attach them to your wall.
Perspex Prints
Find out more information by visiting our introduction page on acrylic prints.
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Giclee Prints launched in multiple formats and papers
No comments · Posted by Gary in Canvas Prints
We’ve launched our Giclee prints service which is aimed at professional photographers, artists (looking to create reproductions of their work), museums, as well as a gift idea for all photo enthusiasts.
The ordering system is, as with all our other products, very intuitive. You can upload your photos up to 50mb and then crop, position and resize your images very easily.
We have multiple formats to choose from such as your standard or popular sizes as well as A sizes, panoramic and squares and multiple sizes within each format.
Giclee Printing
We have selected some of the finest quality, acid free papers for our Giclée prints. They have excellent archival properties and are capable of reproducing images at a very high print resolution.
Our Giclee Prints service should encourage amateurs to get some of their more treasured shots printed on papers and inks that aren’t available on many desktop printers. Prices start from £7 including delivery (extra for countries outside the UK). Prints larger than 12 x 16″ are sent in a tube and all prints are guaranteed fade free and will last up to 75 years.
See this video on the upload process:
or have a go yourself. Click here to upload a photo.
Giclee Prints
We had a great time meeting everyone at Photovision in Windsor and it was really nice to see many of our customers face to face. We had a selection of our products on display which included our canvas prints, giclee prints, switchframes and perspex prints.
As you can see it was a very modest stand we had on this occasion. Basically just a table!
There were a couple of requests for sample giclee packs; this is something we’ve been thinking about for a while and we want to make available. The best way for us to do this is to make a sample pack available online for people to order for just £5 to cover costs. If you’re in a hurry to get one now just contact us and we’ll do our best to get one sent out asap. If you want to learn more about our giclee prints then see this section.
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Virginia #42, 2004, from the series Faces © Sally Mann. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery
The very personal work of Sally Mann is currently on show at the photographers gallery in London. Here is an extract from their website about the exhibition:
The work of American photographer Sally Mann is deeply rooted in both her family, and the landscape she lives and works in. This exhibition, her first solo-show in the UK, draws on several powerful photographic series from throughout her long career that reflect these influences.
Sally Mann (b.1951, USA) first came to prominence for Immediate Family(1984 – 94), a series of intimate and revealing portraits of her three young children Emmett, Jessie and Virginia. Taken over ten years, Mann depicts them playing and acting to camera in and around their homestead in Virginia. Capturing their childhood in all its rawness and innocence, both this and the later series Faces were born out of a collaborative process between mother and child.
Changing focus to the landscape close to her home, the series Deep South(1996 – 98) draws on significant locations from the American Civil War. The photographs are ghostly lit and covered with delicate marks and drip trails – a result of using antique cameras and processes which Mann relishes – that imbue them with a sense of time suspended.
The most recent series in the exhibition, What Remains (2000-04), brings together both of the earlier strands. Facing us are beautifully realised portraits of decomposing bodies returning to the land, photographs taken at a research facility in Tennesse. Dealing directly with the social taboo of death, Mann treats this subject with sensitivity, encouraging us to reflect on our own mortality and place within nature’s order.
The Family and the Land: Sally Mann at The Photographers’ Gallery is an edited version of a touring exhibition, conceived by Sally Mann in collaboration with Hasse Persson, Director, Borås Museum of Modern Art, Sweden.
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Point101 prints giclées for Proud’s “1966 : The Glory Days Exhibition”
No comments · Posted by Kerry in Exhibitions, Giclee Prints
Point101 was asked by Proud Galleries to produce all the Giclee prints for its current exhibition 1996 : The Glory Days. We were delighted to take up the challenge and printed a total of 30 images; four 40 x 30″ and twenty six 20 x 24″. They were all in their native black and white except for the iconic image of Bobby Moore holding up the world cup trophy (shown below).
© 2010 Mirrorpix (originals) and Point101 (photo of print)
The images were supplied by the Mirrorpix archive and show a documentary of England’s greatest footballing year. This is an exclusive exhibition that has never been shown before and the photographs give a nostalgic peek into the life and times of that great football squad and the people involved in the historic events of 1966.
We decided to produce the giclee prints on a professional Illford Pearl paper at 1440 dpi. We tweaked the images to help bring back the authentic film feel of that era – which was the method in which they were produced and everyone was very happy with the results!
© 2010 Mirrorpix (originals) and Point101 (photo of print)
© 2010 Mirrorpix (originals) and Point101 (photo of print)
© 2010 Mirrorpix (originals) and Point101 (photo of print)
After we delivered the images to Proud, they were then captioned, embossed and framed for the exhibition.
© 2010 Mirrorpix (originals) and Point101 (photo of print)
© 2010 Mirrorpix (originals) and Point101 (photo of print)
The exhibition is on at Proud Camden for most of the World Cup; from 9th June to the 18th July. We hope you can make it down and have a proper look for yourself! For more information visit Proud’s exhibition page.
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Andrews uses Point101 for all his canvas prints and perspex prints. I recently met him on what was another cold winters day in a local coffee shop in Hackney, London when he was able to take a few hours away from his hectic schedule and we had time to chat about his work and ambitions for the future.
1. You started taking pictures seriously in the last year or so, why did you decide to go fully into this particular art form?
Having been educated as a painter I only used a camera to assist my work whilst I was attending my MA at Wimbledon in 2003. It was here that I predominantly used it as a tool for preparatory work as well as a means of documenting my work. During the later stages of the degree I decided to expand my usage of the camera and explore the creative options available rather than using it as a tool like I mentioned earlier. I decided to experiment more with the cameras capabilities and investigate long exposure shots.
As you’ve noticed many of my shots are taken during night time but it’s the effects produced from a night shot which I find are visually arresting. Many of my favourite shots contain either cars, trains or other vehicles in motion. The long dynamic streams of contrasting colour produced from a vehicle in motion with a dark background can produce some beautiful results.
Whenever I’m walking, cycling or getting the bus around London I’m constantly thinking of what would be a good subject to photograph and the best possible vantage point. Part of the process of my image making is getting to a new location which is difficult but could yield satisfying results. For instance some locations have required authorisation in order to take pictures, whilst other times I’ve had to rely on physical agility to access more demanding positions. There’s a certain element of risk but to me that’s part of the romance of image making. One of the key influences behind my work is my interest in architecture, perspective and linear design. This is apparent within my paintings that I produced during and after my MA and continues to be the main subject matter within my photography.
3. What is the most frustrating thing about the work you do?
During the winter time the weather plays a huge role and when it’s severely windy and rainy which seems to happen frequently in England this can make taking pictures particularly difficult.
I’ve got a huge list of locations I’d like to complete ranging from other European cities to the Aurora Borealis, but for the time being I’m going to document as much of London as possible with the intention of exhibiting my work in a gallery at some juncture.
Hopefully by then I would’ve gained considerably more experience and knowledge of photography, built up a considerable, diverse and extensive portfolio and possibly a number of exhibitions under my belt.
You can find out more about Andrew’s work by visiting his website:
http://www.andrewharrisonphoto.com/
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Switchframes : A new affordable framing solution
No comments · Posted by Kerry in Affordable Framed
We’re proud to announe the arrival of a new affordable framing system – coupled with our affordable photo printing service.
Switchframes make it easy for you to get your favourite photos printed, framed and sent direct to your door – without a hefty price tag. Switchframes come in popular A3 photo frame, A2 photo frame and A1 sizes; in matt or gloss black. Switchframes have a contemporary 30mm wide profile that looks elegant and professional. They are easily opened and provide quick access to your photo if you want to change it to another favourite.
Gift packs are also available for a unique present – the pack contains your choice of frame and a voucher for the print itself! To find out more and upload your image, go to our Switchframes information page.
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Giclee printing as a method for canvas prints
No comments · Posted by Kerry in Canvas Printing, Canvas Prints
The French word “Giclee” was invented to name the process of fine arts on Iris printers, done through an ink jet printing method from a digital source. This word was mainly taken from the French word “le gicleur” which means “nozzle”. To be more specific the word “glicer” means “to spurt” or “spray” through a nozzle. The word giclee was started by a print maker Jack Duganne in 1991. He was a print maker and used to work in a field for representing any kind of ink jet print which is used as fine arts. Giclee prints are often used in print shops and in galleries as a method for producing canvas prints.
Origin of giclee prints: Before the use of giclee printing, the methods of ink jet technology were used as an alternative option to serigraphy and lithography. Afterward, the word giclee was invented to describe the methods of digital prints used as fine arts. It was first created on the Iris graphics in the early 1990s with the help of continuous ink jet printers. Iris printers were initially used for producing the prepress proofs from the digital files for the job of colour matching. Gradually, giclee printing developed and became very popular among the publishers, artists, galleries and photographers for the fine art reproductions. Finally, in 2001 the GPA (Giclee Printers association) was formed where a clear distinction was made between a high quality giclee print and lower quality ink jet print. As the demand of art buyers purchasing high quality canvas prints have increased, the concept of giclee print became more popular.
Today’s giclee technology: Giclee printing has become a big hit among every photographer and artists. This type of printing is mainly used to make reproductions of the original artworks, photographs and canvas prints. This is more expensive than the old process of lithography which was traditionally used to get such reproductions. To get better results than lithography prints, high end archival inks are used. In this type of printing, there is a dot pattern which is not visible to the naked eyes. And its colors are very bright and fade resistant. Giclee is a technique used on various types of media. For example – canvas, archival adhesive paper, water color paper, etc.
The depth of giclee’s prints and its range of colors are far better than those of lithography prints. It has got a higher resolution than any other print. The secret behind this success is the combination of Archival Paper and Archival Pigment Inks, which makes light fastness for 100 years and can be extended up to 200 years in perfect lighting conditions. Nowadays, whether you’re interested in photography or scrapbooking or creating your own reproductions, you can easily get the art materials in cut sheets available on Internet. This type of print is more popular in today’s world because it provides depth and luminosity which represents the original work better than any other modern printing technique. Because of all these reasons, the concept of giclee printing is very popular among all the professional artists.
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Win £500 of e-vouchers if you join our Facebook Compo!
No comments · Posted by Gary in Canvas Photo Printing, Canvas Printing, Canvas Prints
To help celebrate the launch of our new website we’re giving away £500 of stunning canvas prints of your own photographs!
The 1st draw will be made when we reach 1000 members and remember the more friends and family you tell – the quicker the prize draw – plus we’re happy to split the vouchers between you!
To be in with a chance simply request to join this group and then click on the link below to authenticate your entry and make a note of the password that appears.
or to upload your photos on canvas, visit our homepage.
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