Response #1:6
A visit to Light Work Photography Labs
Site Visit date: 03.29.19
Response due date: 04.05.19
Prior to our trip, please link to Light Work's website + for information listed on the web.
Link:
LightWork.org
* a great deal of information is on the website.
Pease pruise through it to assist you in your informative response.
* a great deal of information is on the website.
Pease pruise through it to assist you in your informative response.
Your response should direct information to the reader about:
- How old is the lab / how it began / individuals involved?
- Is it a public or private institution? Does the institution receive federal/state funding and what kind? Other?
- Different titles of current individuals who work directly with the gallery paid employees / unpaid
- The institution's Mission Statement
- Direct your writing focus to the database collection; the number of images digitally stored; the accessibility to the base; for what purpose can you see it being used?
- Do you foresee any issues that may become problematic in the future? Example: Size, security, stewards of the collections, physical structure / glass, collections, archive, etc.?
- Speak about the The Artist in Residency program, Contact Sheet and the galleries
- Speak about the three galleries seen, and specifically about the Robert Benjamin exhibition Contact Sheet #201: Robert Benjamin
- Other information you wish to include * a great deal of information is on the website, please pruise through it to assist you in your response.
Project #1.6 Site Visit: Light Work
Our fourth site visit during this course was to Light Work in Syracuse, and it was a completely unique experience in terms of content, organization, and atmosphere. Walking in, it was not what I was expecting and I strongly believe that is part of the power of Light Work. The atmosphere was so modern and spartan in places, but still incredibly welcoming. Its beginnings were also unexpected: in 1973, according to our guide Assistant Director Mary Lee Hodgens, students Phil Block and Tom Bryan began the institution in the corner of what was the former cafeteria at Syracuse University. Light Work was also officially incorporated in 1973 with Block and Bryan serving founding directors and it has been run by Jeffrey Hoone in the position of Executive Director since 1982 (“History”). Light Work is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) institution and it receives state and federal funding from New York State, the National Endowment for the Arts, and from Syracuse University -- as well as from private donations and the sale of their Contact Sheets (“History”). Light Work’s relationship with SU is unique among the institutions we have visited thus far, and because of this symbiotic connection Light Work has well-earned stability and international exposure.
Light Work has an extensive paid staff roster including Hoone and Hodgens. Other noteworthy employees include Shane Lavalette as Director, Rachel Fein-Smolinski as the Digital Services Coordinator and our second guide Victor Rivera as Exhibitions and Collections Manager (“History”). The Board of Directors also boasts Cazenovia College’s own Kim Waale as Secretary. Through its dedicated staff, Light Work is able to actively fulfill their mission, which is stated on their website, “...To provide direct support to artists working in photography and related media, through residencies, publications, exhibitions, and a community-access lab facility.”
The answer to the question of how Light Work can achieve such levels of outreach can be found in their Collection, which is an online database containing pieces from the artists who have participated in the Artist in Residency program and from past exhibitions in their gallery spaces. As of April 2019, there were four, 216 works cataloged in the Light Work Collection (“Collection”). In terms of accessibility, the physical Collection can be viewed upon appointment 6-8 weeks in advance and since the advent of digital imaging technology in the 1990s the Collection was also made accessible online (“Collection”). In the past few years, Rivera also told us that he has updated the website significantly to allow precision searching and filtering for greater ease of access. The Collection is readily available to all and therefore serves multiple purposes including but not limited to inspiration for budding artists, exposure for established artists, and networking for curators preparing exhibitions. As it stands, the database is one of the broadest and best maintained I have ever seen.
I would argue that Light Work could face a few potential issues in its future, beginning with the incredible digital archive. With the rapid speed that technology has been advancing, it is more than likely that significant upkeep will be required to maintain the accuracy of the digital archive which will probably require an increase in staffing and a program that constantly updates technology like computers and servers. My second foreseeable issue would be the physical housing of the Collection: at this moment in time, Rivera stated that the entirety of the physical prints featured within the database are housed in the single archive room we saw. While it is temperature and dust controlled, in reality it is a physically small room and surely it will have to be enlarged in the near future. With that concern in mind, I would argue that more security measures should be implemented beyond the locks and surveillance they currently have -- I would assume that the Light Work database has a robust firewall but I would suggest perhaps a 24 hour monitor in the archival space.
In addition to the database, Light Work also boasts an Artist in Residency program. This program, according to Assistant Director Hodgens, invites approximately 12 (usually fledgling) artists to spend one month in Syracuse at a fully furnished apartment with a stipend of $5,000 and 24 hour access to the facilities at Light Work. This is an opportunity for artists to work with no obligations on any projects that inspire them, to reset their creativity in a supportive environment; the atmosphere of this Residency description reminded me favorably of the program available at the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park. The Artist in Residence then has the privilege of having the works they completed during their tenure at Light Work published in a special edition of the Contact Sheet published monthly by Light Work (“History”).
The Contact Sheet at Light Work has also been an integral part of the institution since its inception in the late 1970s, and currently it is on its 201st edition. This handsomely designed publication (print and digital) provides an excellent resource for artist exposure and Light Work distributes their sheets (catalogues) via mail to galleries across the United States, and a basic subscription is also available for purchase by the public (“History”). Not only does the Contact Sheet facilitate nationwide discussion but it also promotes local awareness of the programs and exhibitions at Light Work for the Central New York area. The 201st edition is focused on artist Robert Benjamin and his photography and poetry.
Light Work features multiple galleries in its space including the Robert B. Menschel Photography and the Community Darkrooms Gallery but the galleries our class focused on were the Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery and the Light Work Hallway Gallery, which currently houses the 2019 Newhouse Photography Award. Robert Benjamin’s works are currently on display in the
Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery in an exhibition titled River Walking. According to Hodgens, this sensitive and thoughtful exhibition will likely be Benjamin’s final as he is wrestling with terminal cancer and it consists of photographs taken at his home during the 1980s and 1990s interspersed with small poems that reflect on these images. Benjamin’s works are also informed by his identity as a practicing Zen Buddhist and this in no small part contributes to the atmosphere of contemplation that his images creates within the gallery space. Truly, this was an exhibit that touched me deeply and it could only be made possible through the intensive efforts of the staff at Light Work and their incredible institution.
Works Cited
“History.” Light Work, edited by Rachel Fein-Smolinski, Robert B. Menschel Media Center,
www.lightwork.org/history/. Accessed 3 Apr. 2019.
“Collection.” Light Work, edited by Rachel Fein-Smolinski, Robert B. Menschel Media Center,
www.collection.lightwork.org/Browse/artworks/. Accessed 3 April 2019.
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Light Work is a nonprofit organization that is located on the campus of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. This private institution is a photography and digital media center that has been helping artists since 1973. In 1973 two students of the college, Phil Block and Tom Bryan, wanted to start a photography club. Block and Bryan went through with their plans and made photography a club called Light Work. This club was originally in an old cafeteria, however, with hard work and funding it became the fancy, well put together building it is now. Light Work receives funding from many people and establishments. A list of the supporters includes; its programs from the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, JGS (Joy of Giving Something, Inc.), Robert and Joyce Menschel, Vital Projects Fund, Inc., Syracuse University (SU), the Central New York Community Foundation, and their subscribers. This funding allows Light Work to be who they are today. Along with money, the people who work at Light Work also helped develop the organization. Some current positions that help greatly are Executive Director (Jeffery Hoone), Director (Shane Lavalette), Associate Director (Mary Lee Hodgens), Master Printer (John Wesley Mannion, since passed) Exhibitions and Collections manager (Victor Rivera), and many more.
Light Work’s mission statement is “to provide direct support to artists working in photography and related media, through residencies, publications, exhibitions, and a community-access lab facility” (Light Work Website). This mission statement is supported by the Artist in Residency Program. This program is described as Light Work’s primary and main goal to help underappreciated and just starting out artist. So far, this program has helped 350 artists in 15 countries. The Artist in Residency program provides the photographers with a furnished apartment, money, access to facilities, and support from staff.
While at Light Work I saw three different galleries. All the galleries that were shown are intriguing and different from each other. The first one held the Robert Benjamin Exhibition. This exhibition was of Benjamin’s photography and poetry. Benjamin enjoys color in his photography and typewriting poetry. Benjamin has recently started pairing photos he takes to poetry he makes, he had 3-4 pairs in the show. Overall, Benjamin’s work in the exhibition, shows a lot of colors, people, and beauty. I enjoyed the photo that he took of a kitchen. The image is full of color, has an emotional aspect to it, and really inspires me. I feel that I was able to enjoy photography more without the labels because I was not distracted on reading the whole time. The next gallery I viewed was in the hallway. The hallway was showing the annual juried show that Light Work has. This included a lot of black and white protists of people. The last gallery I saw was the database. The database has over 4,000 images digitally stored. Having an online database is super helpful for not only organization reasons, but even for the general public to look at and be inspired.
Although Light Work has made a lot of improvements, I can foresee some potential problems. One issue that may arise is the lack of storage space for the archives. The room for the archives is temperature controlled and very organized. This space is shockingly small and will shortly run out of space.
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Within the building of Robert B. Menschel Media Center at Syracuse University is a highly recognized photography lab called Light Work. Their mission is to provide direct support through residencies, publications, exhibitions, a community access digital lab facility, and other related projects to emerging and under-represented artists working in the media of photography and digital imaging. This amazing non-for-profit organization started back in 1973 with co-founding directors Phil Block and Tom Bryan as a club to showcase fellow upcoming photographers of Syracuse University. Since 1977 Light Work has published 201 issues of their contact sheets making them the number one publisher of contemporary photographers.
Light Work, at the moment, has up to twelve paid positions but still rely heavily on volunteer and internship-based help to run the lab, online database, and gallery work smoothly. The organization does have a Board of Directors which helps keep Light Work truly to its mission of helping upcoming and local photographers. Even though Light Work is a public business, you do need to call ahead and receive permission before you enter the lab and more sensitive areas. They do receive local, state, and federal funding through grants and donations. Unlike most living residency programs, they receive no payment from the artists. Light Work, in fact, gives each artist a $5000 stipend to live comfortably and afford resources they need for the month they are at work in the studio. “Our residency program is not a summer camp for the rich.” Associate director Mary Lee Hodgens said during our tour of the facilities last Friday.
One of the major aspects of this organization is their impressive lab and storage of many famous and historic photographs. The photos are currently stored in a temperature and humidity-controlled closet with shelf upon shelf of carefully stored film and prints. Over 4000 images are digitally stored onto Light Work’s public database which can be accessed by anyone. The images have been scanned in great condition, and the search engine has been broken down into genres, artists, and years of publication. This amazing resource can be used to study artists, used for reference in class or lecture settings, or for pure leisure for the curious viewer.
Along with the digital database, many contemporary artists have the chance to exhibit their works in the different gallery spaces around the facilities, as well as be published in the contact sheets Light Work prints five times a year. During our visit, the artist Robert Benjamin had his work on exhibition in the main gallery as well as printed up in the #201 Contact Sheet. Benjamin is a terminally ill photographer whose main focus is color. His work is often small scale and plays with the theme of colors and how they inspire him. His public appearance talking about his Light Work show will likely be his last, Hodgens illuminated, which adds more power to his words and work.
While I feel that Light Work overall is an amazing facility, and definitely deserves the high recognition it has received, I do believe that the storage closet which holds most of the work will need to change. As they gain more popularity, they will most likely run out of space to safely and securely store films and prints. Besides possible construction and storage changes to accommodate storage growth, the facilities are amazing and their mission and goals set them apart from any other residency program, photo lab, and publisher in the country. Their online database is very interactive and up to date which is an advantage that many museums and gallery sites don’t have, which can turn away younger more tech advanced audiences. Overall, I would recommend a visit to Light Work to other photography lovers, and I would recommend their artist and residency program to any photographer looking to gain publication or recognition.
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