Encounters with Whitman
An exhibition in two parts, photography and video, both celebrating the Whitman Bicentennial
Photography was a medium of fascination and importance to Whitman, in particular portraiture and landscape. The significance of these two themes are also reflected in his own literary work. The photography in Encounters with Whitman explore the contemporary landscape and portraiture that now defines our American experience.
The Video component to Encounters with Whitman examines, reinterprets, and celebrates Whitman’s Calamus poems. Forming part of Whitman’s larger collection of Leaves of Grass (1855), the Calamus poems remain one of the earliest and most explicit poetical sequences celebrating homoerotic love and affection between men. These poems also helped to shape individual and collective gay male ideas of democracy, masculinity, sex, freedom, and community. It is the exploration of these aspects of Whitman’s work we seek to highlight through this exhibition.
JURORS:
Photo jurors: Paul Cava & Stuart Rome
Video jurors: Stiofan O’Ceallaigh & José Luis Cortes
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
Andrea Walls, Geoffrey Agrons, Marcus Branch, Tony Rocco, Jennifer Brinton Robkin, Mario Nascati, Howard Brunner, Nanci Hellmuth, Angelo Benedetto, Jay Roth, Amanda Tinker, Eddy Rhenals-Narvaez, Jose Luis Cortes & Royal Torres, Julien Tomasello, Ric Stott & Kala Heatherson, Mateo Sierra, Ian MacKinnon, Brandon Straus, Xaq Iria, Stiofan O'Ceallaigh, Juliana Romero Hillman, Chris Northey, Menelas, and Vicente Ortiz Cortez.
Video Artists
Vincente Ortiz Cortez, (USA), FAE Films, (USA), Juliana Hillman, (Argentina), Xag Iria, (USA), Menelas, (Greece), Chris Northey, (United Kingdom), Mateo Sierra, (Colombia), Ric Stott, (USA), Brandon Strauss, (USA), Julien Tomasello, (USA), Pedro Zagitt, (USA), Jose Luis Cortez, (Puerto Rico) & Royal Torres, (Chicago).
“That shadow, my likeness, that goes to and fro, seeking a livelihood, chattering, chaffering; How often I find myself standing and looking at it where it flits; How often I question and doubt whether that is really me; —But in these, and among my lovers, and caroling my songs, O I never doubt whether that is really me."
-Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass
I Hear America Singing, 22.5" X 17.5", Archival Pigment Print, (2009), Jennifer Brinton Robkin.
Untitled, from the series To A Stranger, Salt Print, (2009), Photographer Amanda Tinker.
Untitled #1 (from the series To A Stranger), Salted Paper Print, (2007), Photographer Amanda Tinker.
Jordan Grabuloff, Digital Inkjet Print, (2016), Photographer, Marcus Branch.
The Myth of Sisyphus (Because This is Where You Are), Archival pigment ink jet print, (2011), Photographer, Geoffrey Agrons.
Children of the Mountain, Archival Digital Print, (2005), Photographer Tony Rocco.
Untitled, photograph, (2018), Jay Roth.
Mildred Street, Photograph, (2019), Angelo Benedetto.
Untitled (2), from the Stepping Out series, Digital Print, (2017), Photographer, Eddy Rhenals Narvaez
Untitled (1), from the Stepping Out series, Digital Print, (2017), Photographer Eddy Rhenals Narvaez.
Alex, Digital Inkjet Print, (2016), Photographer Marcus Branch.
Tod, Digital Inkjet Print, (2017), Photographer Marcus Branch.
Danny, Digital Inkjet Print, (2017), Photographer Marcus Branch.
“Like it is,” Digital Photograph Fine Art Archival Paper (2019), Photographer, Nanci Hellmuth.
2015-4471, Archival Pigment Ink Jet Print, (2015), Photographer, Howard Brunner.
Untitled, Digital photograph, (2019), Photographer, Mario Nascati.
Public Programing
Poets M. Nzadi Keita and Jim Cory, @ Poetry reading as part of the exhibition Encounters with Whitman. Photo credits: David Acosta.