I was introduced to the art of Robert Parkeharrison by Stephen Dirado last year, and have been transfixed ever since. Parkeharrison works with his wife, Shaina. The work is photographic, but the process by which the art is made builds images in more than a shoot and develop way. Rather, they build images using paper negatives and repeated exposing into a photographic collage.
The subject matter of much of their work is Robert Parkeharrison performing as the "everyman" in an environment scarred by overuse. In "Cloud Cleaner" (seen above) you're asked to look at him as the steward of his environment, however in his other work it is less clear about the role of the everyman. Are we steward, participant, aggressor?
I've chosen him because his work directly connects to my own in thematic choice. I discovered him when I was struggling with photography and the point-shoot-develop process. In terms of this blog, his work most closely relates to Martha Rosler in being a photocollage dealing with the world as it is/the progression of the world as it will be, but I'm more interested in drawing a connection with Tara Donovan. He is recognizing his media/ what it can do or cant do, and pushing the limit of it in different, innovative directions.
Sorry this is late!!! Oh well, you'll still love me tomorrow.
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The Parkeharrisons have a show right now at Holy Cross. There's also an artist talk on Wednesday October 3rd at noon.
More info here
I didn't really take a close look at Parkeharrison's work until recently and I was totally blown away. The prints are absolutely beautiful and luminous in their own right and the concept behind the images is really interesting. I can't even imagine going through so much effort but Parkeharrison presents his commentary on man's impact on the environment in a really poignant, beautiful way.
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