The iPhone Arts: MPA Exhibit

Wednesday

MPA Exhibit - Shadow Stories

Robert Clay

There were over 1000 images submitted for consideration for the exhibit “Shadow Stories,” that was juried by an international group consisting of Sharon Reaves, USA, Dan Cristea, Canada, and Cedric Blanchon, France, who recently won the title of Mobile Artist of the Year.

The digital premiere of “Shadow Stories” took place at the SOHO ArtHouse in New York on May 20, 2014. From this collection of 75 digital images, 26 have been selected and will later this year in June on display at the Holcim Gallery, in Toronto from June 9 through the 28 of this year.

John Puah

Many of the photographs are very traditional to the classical Black & White images of the last century, proving that exceptional photography can be achieved with a mobile smartphone.

There are a number of the 26 photographs I personal favor. Dilshad Corleon’s boxing ring image is so reminiscent of the great Arthur Fellig, also known as ‘Weegee’ and that of the late 40s and 50s when press photographers with 4X5 Graflex cameras would wait for that knock out punch. Then there is David Ingraham’s composite photograph, that with a little imagination reminds me of the Russian Reconstructivism period of the 20s and the graphic posters making use of varied angles between image and typography.

Sheldon Serkin’s image of a girl holding a very large blow-up doll of Batman is evocative of “Boy with Hand Grande” by Diane Arbus, while Colin Secitt’s night time photograph brings to mind the André Kertész or Henri Cartier-Breson.

Robin Robertis

There is certainly nothing wrong that any these images have a similarity to the style of these photographers. It simply demonstrates that good photography is timeless.

Two other photographs I favor of these 26 are by Cara Gallardo Weil and Robin Robertis. The strong composition and the various elements comprising the shot of buildings, scaffolding and workers, keep the eye moving and when one squints at the image, the shapes take on a Mondrian like appearance. While the opposite is true for Robin Robertis’ flowing folds of fabric captured under water, appearing as if a weightless angel descends from the heavens above.