On first viewing, Cecil McDonald, Jr’s images of his three daughters, his wife and himself appear to be snapshots – everyday moments caught on film. But nothing could be further from the truth, as McDonald seeks to reinvent mundane events that occur at home. Like Tina Barney and Carrie Mae Weems, McDonald’s seeks to examine his daily life by recreating situations that are both autobiographical yet universal. A young child dances to music as her sister prepares food in the kitchen; a father and daughter argue in the car; the ritual of braiding hair in the morning; a father stealing a quite moment in bed to read. All of these perceived truths are reenacted, allowing scenes of observed domesticity to be viewed as a visual object. Through these photographs, we question the reality presented and must decide, for ourselves, the truths these scenes portray.

Frances Before Dinner, 2006 © Cecil McDonald, Jr.

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Previous blog posts about Cecil McDonald, Jr.:
Cecil McDonald, Jr. selected for the 2010 Lucerne residency

Cecil McDonald, Jr. receives 2010 3Arts Award

Cecil McDonald, Jr. in The Denver Post

Mirror Between Two Windows, 2008 © Lauren E. Simonutti

lauren e. simonutii (1968-2012)
It is with great grief, a heavy heart and profound disbelief that I find myself writing this email to let you know that Lauren passed away last week due to complications from her illness. As many of you know, I found Lauren’s work to be the most honest photography I have ever seen. She gained my respect instantly, as she welcomed me into her home, where she created small intricate tableaus that invited the viewer into her imaginary world, laying bare her fears, hopes and pain.

Through her photography, Lauren gave a voice to those that suffer in isolation. Her life mattered, and her legacy has yet to be written.  She will forever be in my heart, and while she may have felt alone, she always believed that her photographs would be her lasting memory – the one gift she would leave.

My heart goes out to her family and the people whose lives she touched.  She was a brilliant writer, with great clarity.  She wrote often about her struggles, and it would only be fitting to give Lauren the last words:

Sometimes the difference between living and dying is just a little bit.

Sometimes the difference between living and dying is just a sigh.

Over (five) years I have spent alone amidst these 8 rooms, 7 mirrors, 6 clocks, 2 minds and 199 panes of glass. And this is what I saw here. This is what I learned. I figure it could go one of two ways- I will either capture my ascension from madness to as much a level of sanity for which one of my composition could hope, or I will leave a document of it all, in the case that I should lose. — Lauren E. Simonutti

Spirit Photograph - Holding Hands, 2012 © Lauren E. Simonutti

You can read more about the Individual Artists Awards program online here.

LensWork #98 Jan-Feb 2012

Brooks addresses Shelby’s connection to the Appalachian people he is photographing. Brooks says, “You’re from there – an insider to the community – and you’re photographing your roots, your people, and the place you grew up. What you end up showing us is something that is anything but stereotyped – what we so often get when an outsider goes into that area.” But after the release of Shelby’s first book, Appalachian Portraits in the early 90′s, critics questioned his intentions behind the photographs. Returning year after year to photograph the families, in some cases through multiple generations within one family, has helped shed these concerns. Shelby says in the interview, “Photographs capture surfaces, but at the same time I’m capturing my people – they’re real human beings – and there’s a depth of character, a depth of culture, and a relationship that I have to these people that’s very significant.”

Loyd Dean's Pool Table, 2006 © Shelby Lee Adams

In the interview, Shelby also discusses his personal “rule” when making portraits. He will not allow himself to make any new images until the individual has a copy of an image from his previous visit. It is a rule he strongly encourages his students to get in the habit of doing as well. Through seeing the portraits from the previous session, a new dialog begins. A detail may be noticed for the first time and this detail may conjure up an idea for the next photograph. Shelby shares some of these moments, his peers and subjects looking at the photographs he has taken of them, on his blog.

The Napier's Living Room, 1989 © Shelby Lee Adams

CEG will be exhibiting a selection of Shelby’s work in May 2012. The show will focus on several generations of families photographed by Shelby. Until then, be sure to read the full interview in LensWork.

Viktoria’s show, Anna & Eve, will be on exhibit at CEG from January 6 – February 25, 2012.

Congratulations to Viktoria!

CEG will show a selection of work from the Anna & Eve series beginning next week through February 25th. Don’t miss the opening reception on Friday, January 6 from 5-8pm or her public artist talk on Saturday, January 7th at noon.

Exchanging Wisdom, 2006 © Viktoria Sorochinski

You can view all the 2011 winning work on the PDN Photo Annual website here.
You can view 2010 winners on the PDN Photo Annual website here.