Bruce Mondschain

Bruce Mondschain has been an active photographer in the Chicago area for over 30 years. The journey has included 35MM, medium format and now digital work and includes hand - tinted images.  For the past 20 years, Mondschain has worked from his studio creating both portraits and finearts figure study.  The journey also included studying with, and being mentored by, Louise Potter Weinberg, Ronald Anthony, and most recently, Art Ketchum, to whom this exhibit is dedicated. 

 Bruce has served on the acquisition committee of The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College, Chicago. His exhibitions have included studies of Greece, Alaska, the Middle East and Poland. In   addition he has exhibited in - depth photo studies of fine arts figure work, Native American pageantry, “Inspiration Cafe,”  “mud circus” life, the “tattoo culture” and elective body augmentation. His works have been displayed at a range of venues including Echo Gallery, the Renaissance Theater, The Hyatt Corporation, Gallery Placik, and, most recently, Imagine Wine and Art Gallery http://www.santamariasun.com/art/6882/from-his-perspective

Mondschain’s philosophy of Finearts work is core to his studio work

 “My quest is that intersection where vision, light, shadow, texture, form and line meet long enough to be captured as a celebration of fine art and beauty. 

I understand that photography tells a story of peoples’ lives and dreams.  Capturing this understanding has been my artistic pursuit for the past thirty years.  The studio is the stage that brings to life true collaboration between the dreamer (the model) and the outside world (the photographer.) I have enormous respect for the “partnership” it takes to create fine art photography.    The model’s ability to understand and personalize my vision and perspective is critical to the success of the image. Also central to that success is the model’s ability to look at the finished work and see what she uniquely brought to the creative process.  That is the essence of true artistic partnership.”

 In the fall of 2006, Mondschain was invited to visit renowned folk singer Pete Seeger at his Beacon, NY, home, and take portraits of the 90-year-old spokesperson for folk music.  The following spring, Folkways division of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, acquired five of the images which have been displayed multiple times in their publications, news letters and which will appear in pending books and exhibitions.

 In early summer of 2009, Seeger contacted Mondschain inviting him to serve as his official photographer at the Madison Square Garden tribute to Seeger on his 90th birthday.  Eighty images taken during that four- plus hour concert have also been acquired by the Smithsonian Folkways division and include, amongst others: Bruce Springsteen, Dave Mathews, John Mellencamp, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Bela Fleck, Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Richie Havens, Roger McGuinn, Taj Mahal and Tony Trischka.

 “ I’ve seen first hand how Bruce relates to his model or subject with the use of materials, drapes and objects to create living sculptures with his unique photography.  He has the ability to see his subject as a true art form, choreographing the pose and model into a living art form.”

  Art Ketchum, Master photographer, lighting specialist, author and lecturer.

www.blmfinearts.com 

$1 donation at door to benefit:


Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control
a not-for-profit organization founded to help Chicago's neediest animals. 
 In loving memory of Chicago photographer Art Ketchum

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Comic & Fantasy Art Exhibition
Opens April 14th, 2012
in conjunction with
C2E2:  Chicago's Comic Convention
Exhibition runs for 3 months
More info will be posted soon
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Pulp Art Tribute show opening Summer 2012
Open Call

Artists will reinterpret and pay homage to Pulp Art.

Some examples of Pulp Art

Pulp magazines (often referred to as "the pulps"), also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s.  Pulps were printed on cheap paper with ragged, untrimmed edges.

The name pulp comes from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. Although many respected writers wrote for pulps, the magazines are best remembered for their lurid and exploitative stories and sensational cover art. Modern superhero comic books are sometimes considered descendants of "hero pulps"; pulp magazines often featured illustrated novel-length stories of heroic characters, such as The Shadow, Doc Savage, and The Phantom Detective.

Pulp covers were printed in color on higher-quality (slick) paper. They were famous for their half-dressed damsels in distress, usually awaiting a rescuing hero. Cover art played a major part in the marketing of pulp magazines. The early pulp magazines could boast covers by some distinguished American artists; The Popular Magazine had covers by N.C. Wyeth, and Edgar Franklin Wittmack.  Among the most famous pulp artists were Walter Baumhofer, Earle K. Bergey, Margaret Brundage, Edd Cartier, Virgil Finlay, Earl Mayan, Frank R. Paul, Norman Saunders, Nick Eggenhofer, Rudolph Belarski and Sidney Riesenberg. Covers were important enough to sales that sometimes they would be designed first; authors would then be shown the cover art and asked to write a story to match.

Characteristics of Pulp Art

Pulp illustrations traditionally had an action/adventure theme and are often set in the 1930s and 40s.  Submissions can be a modern day interpretation or pay homage to the vintage classics.  The background usually tells a story.  Most often, Pulp art places the character in action or indicates he or she is on an adventure.

The artists who created the cover images eventually got it down to a simple formula: one or two figures, usually a hero and a damsel in distress in bright colors. The cover paintings were the entire advertising campaign and sales pitch. There was tremendous competition and only several seconds to catch the reader’s eye.

Reference links for inspiration:
http://www.thepulp.net/
http://home.comcast.net/~pulpgallery/welcome.html

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Requirements:
Create a piece that is evocative of Pulp Artwork but not a carbon copy or literal rendition of any one piece. It must convey the essence of this distinctive work. Pulp compositions were thematically based on energy and color. Images must be more than just a repaint of a reference image. Size and media are unlimited.  Multiple submissions are allowed.

Artists will retain all copyrights to their submitted works.
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Submissions & Deadlines:

 Final entry deadline: April 15th, 2012
All final entries to be emailed in high res 300dpi format.

Submissions to be sent to: submissions@galleryprovocateur.org
After selections are made, artists will be notified. Artists will be responsible for meeting gallery deadlines for artwork arrival, additional biography information for website and inbound/outbound shipping of work to gallery & a $25 entry fee per piece for the exhibition which will help cover all costs incurred by the gallery including insurance for the work during the 3 month exhibition run.
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About the gallery:

Gallery Provocateur is a not for profit gallery dedicated to promoting the arts and giving back to the art community with a low commission rate and nominal fees. The gallery is located in the historical landmark building, the
Congress Theatre. The avant-garde gallery presents provoking art in an innovative ambience. The intimate setting and tantalizing art, stimulates all the senses.

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About the exhibition:

The art exhibition will open Summer 2012 (final date tba later).

Exhibition will run for 3 months. Gallery commission is 25%.
Exhibition includes, 3 month run of exhibition at gallery, 3,000 postcard mailer (postcards available for artists too), an opening weekend reception (featuring advance press review, black-tie barstaff, wine, refreshments and Hors DeOuvres'), press kits submitted to newspapers-magazines-television, live web broadcast of the reception (for overseas and long distance clients), and an online link to exhibiting artists permanently listed on the Gallery website (which receives on average of 20,000 visits a week), and last but not least...a closing reception/promotional event.
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