Erik Kessel’s 24 hour art is a testament to the huge influx of images from google, flickr and facebook places that most of us visit or use everyday in some way. The images that he used were 24 hours worth of new images that were uploaded to these social media, and image hosting services  these were printed and installed in Foam gallery, Amsterdam. The effect is truly a sea of photographs that the viewer has to wade through to fully appreciate. Absolutely fantastic work that speaks volumes about consumerism, saturation and the insatiable appetite for more. Not only does he gather, print and install, the irony here is that he installs them in a gallery, this context assigns a new meaning to this gathered work. Originally these images were essentially chewing gum for the eyes and they have now been elevated to installation gallery work in a renowned venue. I think this poetic work is very successful.

Erik Kessel. 24 HRS in photos.

Photo books are meditative, tactile and immersive. From the book bindings which I find fascinating, to the feeling and even the smell of a new book. I really enjoy the process of making them too from sewing the pamphlets to making the covers, again a meditative process.  

Laura Letinski’s and Todd Hido’s photography works so well displayed in this way. They work in a gallery space too, however I do think that the photo book gives you more time to view in comfort and more time to analyze, reflect and of course to be able ‘own’ the images yourself.

Laura Letinski, plate 9. III Form and Full Void.

Todd Hido # 2133 House Hunting.

A book containing my work would be a great experience, however I’m not so sure that there is a wide enough interest in construction and huge slabs of concrete. Galleries are always appealing places to install and view art work, so this will probably be my first call. It would be great if I could get permission to install in the buildings that I photograph, that would really inform the context.

COLE, Teju. 2020. ‘Smell the Ink and Drift Away: Why I Find Solace in Photobooks’. The Guardian, 24 Feb [online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/feb/24/teju-cole-photobooks-fernweh [accessed 24 Feb 2020].

HIDO, TODD. 2019. HOUSE HUNTING. S.l.: NAZRAELI PRESS.
Letinski, Laura. David Chickley 2014 III Form and Full Void. New York. D.A.P.

 ‘24 Hour Photo Art Goes on Display’. 2011. BBC News, 16 Nov [online]. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-15756616 [accessed 3 Mar 2020].