Event organized by Art Bodega Magazine at the East Harlem Cafe.
NYC TALENT PRESS / Guillermo MOGOLLAN.
Manhattan, NY.- On Monday, June 3rd Art Bodega Magazine presented 'BlurCity', an exhibition of conceptual photography of interesting, vague, obscure, hazy images taken by Photographer / Sculptor Anthony Dodds in the city.
The event took place at East Harlem Cafe, the place uptown whose owners boast to have "the best coffee in El Barrio", and where intellectuals and artists gather regularly in the East Side, either to talk, attend / present an exhibition of some sort, or just to think. Hence, East Harlem Cafe slogan: "a taste of culture".
Well, according to Mr. Dodds, who has been a Photographer and Sculptor for the last 18 years, 'BlurCity' represents what life in the city actually is: "disorientating, confusing and chaotic".
"In such a big city like New York, we live in constant speed and change", said the artist, "a speed so fast that the only tranquility is in accepting this level of life's acceleration, while it overwhelms us and our experiences".
So, according to a statement by the creator, We confront a never ending shift of people, places and events we cannot control or even fully understand. We don't have to, things move too fast. "That's the city, a backdrop of chaotic experience that surrounds us and pervades us and takes us over".
Thus, this images are a result of this experience, intentionally blurry to replicate what little we really see at any given moment. "We actually realize only partially what's happening around us, while not fully grasping everything around us, even with the most present of mindfulness", said Mr. Dodds.
Some of the photographs were taken while in motion, outside from the window of a cab or from inside a subway train.The idea of this project started in 2008, while the Great Recession was painfully happening. So, this pictures are about color and movement, but also, about using photography to express an idea.
"Mainly, I am making art, not photography. I'm working on a theme", claimed the artist, who told us that he translates the same concept to his sculptures.
'BlurCity' will be on exhibit until june 30, 2013.
East Harlem Cafe is located at:
1651 Lexington Avenue (104th st.)
Manhattan, New York. (212) 996-2080
You can easily get there by subway: 6 train @ 103rd street station.
Pictures by: Guillermo MOGOLLAN © MOGOLLAN EMPIRE 2013. All Rights Reserved.
A total of nine images were presented during the opening reception. Some of Dodd's photographs are framed and hanging on the East Harlem Cafe walls for visitors to behold.
To the artist, everything collides in a chaotic and confusing mix of time and space of experience personally, socially and environmentally. Anthony Dodds' images touch on these issues. Because -according to him- everything around us appears unclear and under realized visually, a cacophony toward reaching full awareness or understanding of everything occurring diminishes our realizing anything fully.
"Everything we are supposed to know becomes a blur".
"I prefer a bad photograph, which is actually good and thought provoking, than a good photograph that is taken just for the sake of it".- Anthony Dodds, on why he decided to take this kind of pictures.
Dodd's images portray things intentionally "diffused and incomplete".
These are some of the personalities we ran into at Anthony Dodds exhibition opening. From left to right: Phil Shure, award winning photographer Heidi Nunnally, the artist himself and Art Bodega Magazine Publisher, Rebecca Herrero.
