Field Museum Sue by Hot Shot Colleen Plumb

One of our newest Hot Shots, Colleen Plumb writes, about one of this week's 20x200 editions:

Animals Are Outside Today

I began this project looking at "fake nature", wondering what substitutions for nature can satisfy in people. Looking deeper I began photographing live/real animals and how they can be a link for us to a world far from the reality and pace of contemporary life, as well as provide an intangible link to a deeper world of instinct and rawness.

This series of photographs examines the essence of our connection, as well as our fragmentation from the natural. I am interested in the increasing disconnection that exists between humans and the natural world. The work explores simulation, consumption, destruction, and reconstruction as well as notions of endurance and the reality of loss.

...

With this series I seek to understand how the human connection to the rest of nature is often developed through assimilation and appropriation. I hope this work will incite contemplation about the lives of animals and generate dialog about resource usage.

Fall '06 Hot Shot Shen Wei has a solo show of his series Almost Naked at Kunst.Licht Gallery, September 13 - November 30, 2008 in Shanghai, China.

Wei writes:

"Growing up in Mainland China, I was brought up strictly and conservatively, any untraditional and unconventional ideas of life-style can sometimes lead to misconceptions. I was numbed about the ideas of intimacy, sexuality, and love. Since I moved to the United States, my needs for self-expression has grown. However, my curiosity about how others deal with their identity in what is a fairly open society like America has increased. As a result I started to photograph people and life in America.

The goal of my projects is to raise the question about human nature, about emotions, feelings, desire, instinct and identity, to reveal things that you can feel it, that are unexplainable but yet still solid. I am fascinated with exploring the complexity of emotional nakedness and psychological connection/disconnection, as it is often expressed not specifically but explicitly. Certainly my photography is my perspective and how I look at people and life in America. But most importantly, I want viewers of my work to make their own discoveries and judgments of my photographs."

Born and raised in Shanghai, China. Shen Wei is a fine art photographer currently based in New York City. Shen's photographs have been widely exhibited, including Griffin Museum of Photography, Seattle Center on Contemporary Art, Zone: Chelsea Center for the Arts, Australia Center for Photography, Lincoln Center and Saatchi Gallery at the Zoo Art Fair. His photographs have been featured in various publications such as American Photo, Chinese Photography, PDN, Vision and La Tempestad.

Shen Wei holds an MFA in Photography, Video and Related Media from School of Visual Arts (NYC), a BFA in Photography from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a BA in Decorative Arts and Design from Shanghai Light Industry College.

Wei has a blog too.

Yesterday's 20x200 blog was awash in Hey, Hot Shot! goodness.

First, Kara posted about two Hot Shots, Kelly Shimoda (Spring '07) and James Rajotte (Summer '06), who frequently shoot for the New York Times these days.

Then, Jen announced a special Monday edition of 20x200, by current Hot Shot Kate Orne. Orne's edition is also a benefit for a recently established school for the children of sexworkers in Pakistan which was founded under the umbrella of Sheed Society (an organization Orne founded to address the social issues particular, not to mention particularly brutal, to Pakistani sexworkers.

Another Hey, Hot Shot! former intern of note: the work of Alice Wells was just featured on I Heart Photograph.

To see more images from Alice's great series, Take Me, visit her site.

This series is also part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Photography.

From Can I Come Home With You? by Jane Tam

Jane Tam used to be a Jen Bekman intern and a Hey, Hot Shot! blogger. She's great and she has some work in three upcoming group shows.

She writes --

I will have one photograph shown in :

Hun Gallery: The Circular Exhibition: Term I
Aug. 22. 2008- Aug. 28. 2008
Opening Reception- Aug. 22. 2008 (6pm-8pm)
Address: 12 West 32nd street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001

The exhibition will then travel to Seoul, Korea and be exhibited at:

Gallery Ho: The Circular Exhibition: Term II
Sep. 11. 2008 - Sep. 20. 2008
Opening Reception- Sep. 11. 2008 (6pm-8pm)
Address: Seocho Dong 1538-4,
Seocho Gu, Seoul, Korea
[137-872]

I have ten photographs from my family series (newly titled "Foreigners in Paradise") showing in an exhibition curated by Jamason Chen.

Seeking Identity curated by Jamason Chen
Pingyao International Photography Festival
Sep. 19. 2008 - Sep. 26. 2008
Pingyao, China

Lastly I am participating in an exhibition in Arizona, showing three photographs and my artist book "Can I Come Home With You?"

SPE: Women's Caucus Exhibition (show title pending)
Northlight Gallery
Oct. 20. 2008 - Nov. 15. 2008
Tempe, Arizona

A new feature. I found this on Flickr. What a nice, quiet update from Spring '06 Hot Shot Alison Grippo. She tagged this one: New York, fog, film, medium format, mamiya, and bw and captioned it, "This is a foggy day trying to look across the east river, in theory the UN building is back there."

Are you planning to head to SXSW? Are you not going but simply super interested in all the awesome talk that will go on there? Then vote, now, for Jen Bekman's SXSW panel proposal:

Curating the Crowd-Sourced World Level: Beginner Type: Panel Category: Content Presenter: Jen Bekman, 20x200 | Jen Bekman Projects, Inc. Description: With all the stuff we weed through online, good filters are crucial. Who's best-suited to determine what's best - curators or the crowd? People have their religion about one or the other, however this panel will focus on the overlap, the grey areas and how curating and crowd-sourcing enrich each other.

With the curatorially-mediated online phenom of 20x200, Jen's a pretty good fit to head up this panel which is sure to be filled with other talents -- who can speak as both curators and "crowd" -- that she'll announce in the coming weeks.

A New Understanding (Rock), 2007, c-print by Hot Shot Curtis Mann

And not just any show. The phenomenal Dawoud Bey curated Are We There Yet?, a group exhibition of photo and video based work that features Fall '05 Hot Shot Curtis Mann. The show will be up at the Hyde Park Art Center (5020 South Cornell Avenue, Chicago, IL) until September 28.

Be sure, also, to check out Mann's blog.

Critique + Curator, 2007 by Hot Shot Mickey Smith

Winter '07 Hot Shot Mickey Smith has a one-woman show of her series, Volume, from August 30 until October 26 at The Center for Photography at Woodstock, in Woodstock, New York. There will be a benefit auction for the center on Saturday, October 11.

Volume is an ongoing project documenting bound periodicals and professional journals in public and private libraries. Mickey recently moved from Minnesota to New York and she's started a blog too.

Jen Bekman had this to say about Mickey in PDNedu's "One 2 Watch, 2008:"

"Everything about her—how she approaches her work, makes it and presents it—is meticulous. There’s lots of attention to detail, but it’s also not mechanical. And above all, her work is really stunning."

by Hot Shot Robert Knight

It is shaping up to be a busy summer for Hot Shots from all seasons. Summer '05 Hot Shot Robert Knight was just part of a two-man show titled Things I've Seen, put together by student curator Simeon Durham, of the Hyde Leadership Academy. Knight's photographs explore the personal space of the bedroom. The exhibit was up at ARTSPACE, a non-profit organization presenting local and national visual art, provides access, excellence and education for the benefit of the public and the arts community in New Haven.

You can see some of Robert's interiors work on his well-designed website and you can purchase an edition at 20x200.

Fall '05 Hot Shot Megan Cump has work featured in Working Space 08, currently on view at the Cuchifritos gallery inside the Essex Market. Go see Megan's work and stop in at Shopsin's and Saxelby Cheesemongers too.

Hey, Hot Shot! opening at Jen Bekman Gallery on August 8, 2008

On Friday night the gallery was packed. The rain stopped shortly before start time so the crowd was, luckily, able to spill over onto the sidewalk and into the street for a lovely evening near the great work of our newest Hot Shots.

Head to PhotoShelter's Shoot! The Blog to read a one-question interview with Ms. Bekman, and check back here for talks with the Hot Shots soon.

It's time for you to stop by the gallery too. Hey, Hot Shot! Volume IV, Edition I is open at Jen Bekman Gallery until August 23.

Opening Tomorrow: Hey, Hot Shot! (volume IV, edition I)

Friday, August 8, 2008

Hey, Hot Shot! (volume IV, edition I) | five photographers to watch

Our first Hey, Hot Shot! showcase for 2008 opens tomorrow (Friday) at Jen Bekman Gallery on Friday August 8th.

The exhibition features photographs from:

Juliane Eirich | Derek Henderson | Kate Orne | Roc Herms Pont | Colleen Plumb

Please join us for the opening reception.

Opening Reception: Friday August 8th | 6pm-8pm
On view through Saturday, August 23rd.

Jen Bekman Gallery
6 Spring Street
(between Elizabeth + Bowery)
New York City 10012

Laugaras Iceland by Hot Shot Bob O'Connor, from 20x200

There are only a few left! Merely a handful remain of Winter '06 Hot Shot Bob O'Connor's 20x200 edition that went on sale just this morning.

O'Connor lives in the suburbs outside of Boston with his two Australian Shepherd dogs. His commercial work has appeared in a variety of publications including The New York Times Magazine, Fast Company, Technology Review, Dwell, and London Telegraph magazines. O'Connor's work has also been shown at Jen Bekman Gallery (Hey, Hot Shot! Winter 2006), The Photographic Resource Center, and The Griffin Museum of Photography. He was named one of "30 Emerging Photographers to Watch" by PDN in 2006.

Bob writes:

"The rural landscape of Iceland is full of horses that are allowed to run wild for most of the year. Unfortunately, this also means that the horses aren't that interested in seeing people with cameras. Everytime I got out of the car to attempt a photograph the horses would turn and run away. On the last day of the trip, after two weeks of trying, I found some horses that were cooperative and let me photograph them. It took a bribe, in the form of some green apples and grass, but I think we all won out in the end. I got my photograph and they got a tasty snack."

Torn by Jonathan Allen

The print above -- today's 20x200 edition -- is not a photograph, but it does depict a pack of photographers and Ms. Bekman explains its link to Hey, Hot Shot in her newsletter description:

Jonathan's distinctive style has all kinds of intersections with past and future 20x200 artists. Faux bois has popped up in lots of our editions, and his saturated geometric planes are reminiscent of Paradigm Shift, an early edition from painter Jessica Snow. Those hues and lines are also somewhat unexpectedly akin to new work from 20x200 favorite Carrie Marill, recently completed for her solo show that's opening at the gallery next month. (The suspense might be killing you, but you'll just have to wait!) And don't you see a connection with Curtis Mann's Treetops in Jonathan's choice of subject and media? I sure do. Most randomly, his crowd of shutterbugs reminds me of Michael David Murphy's own photo-journalism and the insightful criticism that you'll find on his blog 2point8. And there are personal connections as well. Jonathan was encouraged to submit to 20x200 by fellow LMCC resident Amy Park and is (perhaps unbeknownst to him) connected to Dorthe Alstrup via their participation in the Bronx Museum's prestigious Artist in the Marketplace program.

Who's Dorthe you say? As Google will tell you in its top results, she's a former Hot Shot. She's also got a great print coming up with us here in a few weeks. Another surprise to look forward to!

And now I'm moving forward myself. This year's first round of Hey, Hot Shot! winners make their debut at the JB on Friday and there are preparations to attend to.

I admit, all that I can think about is swimming. Even the indoor pool at my YMCA is suddenly insanely appealing. How lucky, then, that swimming pools are another oft-photographed subject among Hot Shot entrants.

Above, a great image from Carlo Van de Roer's "Swim" series. Carlo is a Hot Shot from Fall '07 and his work has been featured twice on 20x200 too. Carlo's work pays grand attention to form and function, to the color and feel of these man-made bodies of water, but he also pays particular attention to the human element and emotion in each frame.

Maybe he's working on another series now and I can accompany him on a shoot? A girl can dream.

From the series "Marine Wedding" by Nina Berman

Spring '07 Hot Shot Nina Berman has received much attention and many accolades (including a solo show at Jen Bekman, awards from the World Press Photo Foundation, the New York Foundation for the Arts, and the Open Society Institute documentary photography fund) for her photographs of the American political and social landscape.

Berman's work will be featured in the next month at Bumbershoot's Group Exhibition, August 29 - September 1, 2008 in Seattle, Washington, and in Visa Pour L'Image's "Homeland" Exhibition, August 30 - September 14, 2008 in Perpignan, France.

But what of her subjects? It's pretty amazing that we've been given an update about the subject of her "Marine Wedding" work, from the The Sunday Times.