Laurence Punshon’ssculptural set-ups remind us of hotel lobbies, alien invasions, blue seas and nameless horror. The still-lifes are sort of an artistic Rorschach blot test: a viewer will look at them and see the contents of his own consciousness reflected back at him——or that’s how we’re calling it, anyhow.
However you interpret the pieces, they’re certainly compelling and more than a little weird. But understated-weird, like dreams that border on scary but don’t quite cross that border. Tell us, what do you see?
Jamie Daughters takes pictures that absorb broad vistas and condense them for maximum visual impact. The subject matter ranges from midnight waffle houses to haunting portraits to broad swaths of farmland. All of it is imbued with a tranquility and solemnity that’s uncommon in photography these days. Take in the views here.
Photographer Daniel Weiss has an eye for the elegiac (or straight-up bizarre) detail that makes a picture tell a thousand words. His photographs are witty, pretty and wise. Check out the New Yorkers series and the Street Scenes, both of which are spirited and immaculate. We love ‘em!
Weiss also keeps up a photoblog which actively documents his NYC adventures: a stroll down 9th Avenue, an encounter with a karate-chopping Frenchman named Jean-Pierre who claims a past friendship with Frank Sinatra and enjoys feeding squirrels in the park, buskers in the subway, and more. It’s a huge pleasure to scroll through, like taking an epic walk around the city with a pair of fresh eyes.
Whether shooting high schoolers, skateboarders, friends, the Golden Gate Bridge or fossils, Brayden Olson has an eye for the key detail that makes it all work. Browse his site (it’s minimalist! yet totally functional) and allow yourself to fall down a wormhole of photographic delights.
The world needs more independent publishers like Aki Books. Named after one of the founders’ dogs, the publisher aims to produce books of art and photography in limited (beautifully designed) editions, as well as zines and posters.
The outfit is pretty new— it was founded in 2009—and we’re eager to see its future output. We’re especially excited for an upcoming project involving a new edition of Robert A. Robinson’s 1958 classic collection of photography Captured by the Norwegians. Sounds rad, no? For now, a person could furnish a very handsome (if tiny) library with books from the Aki catalogue.
Anne Schwalbe’s photographs are often abstract, always mysterious, and occasionally puzzling. Visit her spare (but well-stocked) website for a tour of recent photographic projects and beautifully-produced art books.
German photographer Daniel Augschöll is a young master of the scenic. Whether he’s capturing the weightless beauty of light dabbled on a grove of trees or a serenely quiet car frosted over with morning dew, his work is intrinsically linked to the landscape. Naturally, nature seems to be the visual theme underlying the online magazine he edits with Anya Jasbar, Ahorn. The newly released 5th issue of this carefully curated portfolio of photographers from across the globe is brimming with beautiful work ruminating on the intersection of human shelter and the organic.
It’s hard to put your finger on Felicie Vachon’s style. Bold in places, muted in others, her work speaks mostly in whispers but with the occasional shriek. Spending time with Felicie’s work won’t necessarily lead to a unifying theory of the artist, but it’s without doubt a fascinating way to expand your visual horizons.
Witness, for example, this series of photographs based on the phonetic similarity of the words “leaving” and “living”, posters illustrating the damaging effects of alcohol on the brain, and drop, a magazine about a simpler life. The artist is also a part of the ubud collective of artists, consisting of 6 actors, 6 musicians, 1 chef, 1 artist, 3 video artists, and herself. More work is here.
There are countless ways to assess a work of art. One method we ascribe to is the “Whoa Dude” factor. If a piece of art brings forceful thoughts of “Whoa Dude” into your head, that piece of art can be said to possess serious intellectual and aesthetic strengths.
“Whoa Dude” is what we think of when we look at Joey Ryken’s work. Ryken makes drawings, installations, moving pictures and sculptures, as well as other, unclassifiable works. “My work is based on an attempt to connect personal anecdote, occult ritual/symbology, and references to both popular culture and sub-cultures, dismantling them through shambolic mimicry,” writes the artist. To this we can only nod with a look of studied concentration. This is art you can spend a long time looking at.
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