The photographs in this exhibition were chosen specifically for a show in Luxembourg in 1995. I was having an exhibition with an Italian artist in a gallery in a very old multiple room, two story space. We determined which rooms each were to get for solo work and which rooms we would have to share. The solo rooms were perfect for my two previous exhibitions. With the remaining space, I was able to showcase photographs that might not fit well within a themed exhibition. As a result, the photos presented here cannot really be described as a body, but instead as a collection of individual photographs or small groups of related photographs. My studio in Europe also allowed me the room to print 11 x 14 for the first time and the exhibition reflects that.
The photograph of the eiffel
tower prompted polar reactions. People either liked or really disliked it. What I found
clever about the photograph was that it was grainy and out of focus, yet clearly could be
nothing but the eiffel tower. The lack or apparent lack of technical execution was exactly
what I was going for, therefore showing nothing but technical execution. Many people just
could not get over the fact that it was out of focus when it could have been. Then, of
course, it would look like many other photographs of the eiffel tower. For me, the picture
lacked an era but could have been photographed anytime over the past 100 years.
I have always photographed statues, and this exhibition featured
a few of those photos. I always felt somewhat apologetic to display a photograph of a
statue. I have felt guilty that I am capturing someone elses work and getting credit
for a beautiful photograph when all I did was snap the shutter when the camera was pointed
at something beautiful. The Ecstasy of Martyrdom photograph has been one of the most
popular photographs I have exhibited to date. In spite of the extensive darkroom work to
get it to look like it does, I felt particularly unworthy of peoples admiration of
my photography when looking at this photo. However, after returning to see the statue for
the first time since I took the picture four years previously, I found that I actually
liked the photograph better than the real statue. I do not apologize for it anymore.
The exhibition was first shown in the city of Luxembourg in 1996.