Modernbook Gallery Exhibition - Starting on March 7

For Immediate Release

February 11, 2008

18@modern: An Exhibition of Fine Art Photographers
March 7-April 3, 2008
Opening Reception: Friday, March 7, 2008 7-10 pm (all are welcome!)
Modernbook Gallery, 494 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Gallery Hours: 11 am to 9 pm, daily

Opening March 7th, the new exhibition at Modernbook Gallery in Palo Alto represents a notable opportunity to experience firsthand the reason photography is becoming an increasingly influential art form in the 21st century. Now in its 4th year, the show features images by 18 Bay Area photographers who don’t just look at the world, but see it, and translate their seeing into beautifully crafted photographic images. One of Palo Alto’s most popular annual art events, the opening typically draws huge crowds to meet the artists and experience the wide range of vision, style, and theme embodied in their work. Most return later with friends and family to revisit the photographs and choose pieces for their own art collections.

As the reputation of this show has grown, the competitiveness of the juried selection process has increased dramatically. The show is the culmination of Art 44 in Stanford University’s Continuing Education Program–a class in which photographers learn about the business aspects of the fine art world. Taught by Brigitte Carnochan and the owners of Modernbook Gallery (Mark Pinsukanjana and Bryan Yedinak), the students prepare for the show and also learn how to market their work.

According to Carnochan, “most of the participants in this class have full-time jobs and families but nonetheless find time to pursue their photographic passion. I started my own career in the same way. Taking a class at the end of a long day is hard work but rewarding. This year’s group has chosen especially diverse subject matter and includes something for everyone—from an early method called bromoil to traditional black and white darkroom work to digital techniques. More than a display of each artist’s advanced technical proficiency, this show emphasizes personal vision and artistic intent.”

From gritty reality to ethereal abstract conceptions, the works capture the imagination. There are wildlife series (African animals, tiny hummingbirds), landscapes (Bay Area environmental portraits, nature scenes, abstracts reminiscent of aerial views or moonscapes), trees and garden scenes (dramatic vistas, as well as intimate, macro details), and urban scenes (from barrooms and storerooms to public spaces around the world). More than anything else the work reveals insights and inspirations from the artists’ diverse life experiences–high, mid and low tech, medicine, law, business, education, and art. These enthusiastic artists offer the community an opportunity to experience and share exciting art—and perhaps even take some of it home.

Modernbook Gallery: Located in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, Modernbook is a gallery and bookstore offering fine art photography and elegant books about fashion, photography, design and architecture. Modernbook offers a relaxed atmosphere in which to view a carefully chosen assortment of modernist photographs and books.