Saturday, February 20, 2021

Alison Miller_Photographers 7&8

 

I came across Jo Ann Callis while browsing articles on Apeture.org.  Her work was featured as part of a exhibition called “Feast for the Eyes.”  The article speaks of the exhibition’s purpose, “Eating is one of the most mundane and profane acts, yet it is also central to our rituals, religions and celebrations.  Food reflects our desires and fantasies; it can stand for sex, be a signal of status, or engage in our politics.”  This reasoning was part of my attraction to doing this concept. 

 The article only featured one of her works, but the color and composition of it peaked my interest to look at her webpage.  The series titled “cheap thrills” features simple compositions with deserts placed on fabric.  Lighting is simple and soft in most.  The textures and folds of the fabrics compliment the subject as well.  I started to pick up on a exoticness to the work as I viewed the gallery…the sexual connection of the work became clearer.  Callis used photography to render the sensual tones and texture of fabric and food (plus other subjects) to explore gender and sexuality. 

 

Feast for the Eyes: The Story of Food in Photography, Polygon Gallery | Aperture


 

JP Terlizzi’s series titled “The Good Dishes” beautifully combines intricate patterns and unconventional food combinations to create these constructed tablescapes.  He pulls inspiration from classic still-life painting and social conventions for his work to explore the relationship of memories, family, intimacy, and beauty. 

There is so much that intrigued me about this series of work!  The lighting, the compositional placements of the food on the fine china, how it interacts between the pieces and how the background matches the china perfectly (he had it customed made).  The color of the food are rich and beautifully compliment or contrast with the china/background paintings and its placement create a flow that has your eyes exploring the image. My curiosity has me wondering about his technical approach, such as setup vs digital enhancement as well as the symbolic decisions into the choices of food besides the color.

 




 

photo-eye | BLOG: JP Terlizzi | Photographer's Showcase + Conversation

The Good Dishes — JP Terlizzi Photography


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