Currency, Artist's Reception, Friday, 5–7 PM

Currency
Photographic Works by Darrell Kincer
Artist's reception Friday, February 28, 5–7 PM
Jane Chancellor Moore Gallery in the Kentucky Employees Credit Union
100 More Drive, Frankfort, 

The snow has melted at last!  And just in time:  this week marks the final few days of our exhibition "Currency" by photograper and Georgetown College art professor Darrell Kincer, capped off with a closing reception for the artist this Friday, February 28, from 5:00 until 7:00pm.  So, if you haven't made it in to see this show yet there is still time; and if you have, now's your chance the meet the artist and mingle with art-loving friends.  (And for the many photograpers among you, this is a chance to find out how Darrell works his amazing darkroom magic to create these images.)

As the exhibition title suggests, "Currency" features silver gelatin prints of imagery and iconography from U.S. dollar bills.  Not only does this show highlight the artistry of engraving in these familiar objects (well, at least I'm familiar with the lower denominations), but by calling attention to whom and what we choose to honor on our money, these pictures raise questions about our national history and mythology.  (For instance, one viewer has already called attention to the lack of women in these images.  Time that Lady Liberty had some company!)  In short, it does what art is supposed to do, both delighting and provoking. 

GALLERY DIRECTIONS:  There’s a map of our location on our gallery web site at JaneChancellorMooreGallery.com.  We're located in the lobby of Kentucky Employees Credit Union, just off the East-West Connector (Hwy 676) at Glenns Creek Road.  Coming from the west end, take the E-W Connector from US127 and turn right at the first stoplight after you cross the river; from the east end, take the E-W Connector from US60 and turn left at the second stoplight.  Coming from elsewhere in Frankfort, turn onto Martin Luther King Blvd from East Main and cross through the intersection with the E-W Connector.  Any way you come, the entrance to the credit union (Moore Drive) will be ahead on your left.

For more information (or better directions!) call Broadstone at (502) 223-4415 or KECU at (502) 564-5597.

Currency Reception in Frankfort, 2/28/14

I have a small show of new work in Frankfort, KY titled Currency. It is an extension of work I had done in the past, using U.S. currency to produce cliché verre prints in the darkroom and process them using mordançage. This was one of the last projects I completed while on sabbatical last semester.

If you have opportunity, I'd love to see you at the closing reception. And yes, the gallery is in a bank!

Currency
Jane Chancellor Moore Gallery in the Kentucky Employees Credit Union
100 Moore Drive, Frankfort, KY
December 18, 2013–March 1, 2014

Artist's Reception
Friday, February 28, 5–7 PM

Darrell

Sneak Peek

 

I've been back in my darkroom working on new photographs for an upcoming solo show in Frankfort, KY. I'll be showing in the Jane Chancellor Moore Gallery through January and February. The space is in a bank, so it's only fitting to exhibit this work. In fact it was my previous Currency portfolio that landed me the invitation.

I believe this will be the last time I'll be in the darkroom during my sabbatical so I made the most of it, creating 38 new prints. Although each photographs is unique, I have run into a bit of an issue because I have a limited number of different source images. For example, I have four Grants, six Jacksons, three Hamiltons, etc. I'll have to do some major editing to find uniquely singular prints.

As with my Botanical Studies, I continued to explored the mordançage process, and again faced new challenges and revelations with my results. All in all I'm very happy with what turned out and I'm excited to have an opportunity to put them on display.

Variations on a Theme

This week's post is a follow up to last week's. Since then I've been able to finish off this current set of prints, press and flatten them, and scan them on my antique flatbed scanner setup (as evidenced on my Instagram blog). In the end I produced multiples of 12 different photograms with a final total of 39 unique prints. The results have been quite nice in a number of the pieces. I've mentioned before that the mordançage process can be a bit unpredictable (although with more and more practice I'm developing a better feel on how to create certain results). As evidence I wanted show you four variations stemming from the same original photogram. With specific timings, manipulation, and chemistry combinations, a wide range of final prints can be achieved.

In the coming months I will be continuing to work in the darkroom to extend on a series of mordançage photographs in anticipation for a show at the Jane Chancellor Moore Gallery in Frankfort, KY in December.

Back to the Darkroom

New prints hanging to dry in the darkroom.

In the middle of October I will be participating in my first art fair of sorts. It will be in Louisville at Sojourn Community Church as part of their Affordable Art Show. Daniel Graham and I will be sharing a booth. With this deadline in mind I'm producing more new work along the lines of what I did for the Lexington Art League CSA project.

A wet print in which the veils were not popped. Too bad it didn't look this interesting once it dried.

I have been back in the darkroom experimenting with more botanical mordançage prints. I've learned a number of things since I made the Silver Dollars print. For starters, my enlarger was totally set up wrong, from the condenser lenses to the lamp height. It's a wonder the print even worked. After some quick adjustments and tests, those issues were worked out.

Some very unusual results in the background, although I'm not too crazy abut the final image.

The other part of the workflow that I've been able to explore more is the mordançage process itself. After making so many prints in a row (and now experimenting with a whole new batch of photograms) I've been able to find ways of controlling the tones and finished image. That said, there are still many results that seem unexplainable and random. But sometimes that bit of surprise is a boost that encourages me to keep exploring and finding something new.

This one turned out a little more predictable/traditional.

For the Affordable Art Show I am planning again to finish my prints with 11"x14" mat boards. In addition I'll be making digital reproductions, probably 5"x7" and/or 8"x10" prints on watercolor paper, to sell at a much lower price.

So far so good. Next thing on my list is to find a 10'x10' white tent.

LAL – CSA (Community Supported Art)

This summer I was invited to participate in a new project for the Lexington Art League. The LAL came across a new idea for raising support based on a concept similar to community supported agriculture, where people have the opportunity to purchase a share of produce from local and regional farmers. This same concept was applied to the idea of artists and art making. (Visit the Lexington Art League's webpage here.)

LAL, along with the Morris Bookshop and CD Central, commissioned nine artists (visual, poets/writers, musicians) to produce an edition of 50 original works exclusively for this CSA. We were provided with funding to help produce the work. And in the end each share, including nine works (one from each artist), was sold for $400.

I was very surprised and excited to be chosen as the sole photographer for this first CSA. And as