Location of Gallery 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404 Or Bergamot Station
FREE multiple galleries with work,
Also has Andy Warhol Gallery in same area
Medium: Some large, some very small Wide Range
Black and White Pictures, Gelatin Silver print
Multiple Person Show (8-10)
The Peter Fetterman Gallery currently presenting Sebastiao Salgado Work
On Gelatin Silver Print Paper
Entering the Peter Fetterman Gallery is an Experience I will never forget. Going into a fairly plain/bright, but semi large room I was greeted by the reception desk naming the artwork presented (Sebastiao Salgado), with a middle aged man in the back. There on the table lay a catalog book. I looked up into the room and saw larger canvases in a tight pass way, covered in Black and white with minimalized captions. It was also connected into a larger room with smaller photographs. Believing that there would not be enough information if we walked in further, My friend and I took a look at the catalog. It was a plain and simple catalog with a wood frame around the area labeled, “Exhibition copy please do not remove.” We took a look at the catalog to realize that each photograph surprisingly had an individual story/description. From pictures of native tribes of Brazil to pictures of workers removing an oil well in Kuwait. I questioned the purpose of these pictures for that the images afar looked too meaningless at first. Whether it was for money since some range to the upper 20-40 grand, or for recognition of composition, I did not know his purpose. We then approached Salgado’s photographs slowly to take a look at the compositions of the images more clearly.
Walking closer we were able to confirm that there was only a couple of pictures with full descriptions about what was happening. Even though we were let down by the limited descriptions we soon realized that we did not need a description. Every image contained its own story and movement. It was as if by looking at the picture we were able to almost feel what the image was feeling. One Image that caught my eye was called the Ladder took on 1986.
Originally looking at the picture I started to feel this sorrow build up inside of me as well as a movement up a ladder. Although the image seemed like there was no reason to be sad, the feeling continued to grow inside of me. The Image contained many people but with the composition of people halfway out of the image I was able to imagine it at a larger scale. Then I took a look at the description. By looking at the description I discovered that the image was about a gold mine and the hardship and struggle as a result of environmental influence. I reflected to myself and understood why the image made me feel sad, and figured that because each individual carried a sack it reminded me of how fortunate we are having the luxury of not having to do hard work like that. We then moved on to the next photograph. This photograph felt kind of similar, but I was unsure of why at first. It was an image of 3 men capping a well head in an oil field on 1991.
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The composition of this image was also quite pleasing as well. Because the cylindrical machinery they held spat out oil, it sort of moves you around the image. Launching your eyes away from the center around the image. It also created a sad feeling, but I was unsure why. Without enough knowledge I was confused. So I moved on next photo which explained everything that I did not understand before. This image was a weird looking man, looking down, and covered wet. It looked as if it was connected to the previous image. I looked at the description to find that it was a worker covered in oil. That was when in my mind I thought Eureka! Everything finally made some sense. The previous image was also showing a struggle between the environmental influences as well as with the person, sort of like man vs nature.
As we continued walking around the gallery we were able to unravel Sebastiao Salgado’s personality and composition style. It seems as if he likes to include hardships from political or environmental influence. It also seems through his Brazilian work that he loves to include information about native tribes of Brazil. Most of his works fit the theme of the truth about human life which is full of difficult problems. With Salgado’s work it’s hard to be wrong with the theme from the details. From eye movement to hand positions, as well as the lighting cast upon the subject. His works are worked on a Formal level through the eye catching way he was able to include the rule of thirds. Salgado is able to move the subject out of the center of the frame while at the same time make you wonder what the subject is going to do or looking at. In addition to this he also used leading lines so you would not forget about the other side of the image. His images worked on a conceptual level in that in every picture someone is doing something. In addition to this his subtext for each individual picture only states what the subject’s profession is. The rest you would have to imagine by yourself. For example in one of his picture it was a human from Rwanda.
The only other text offered is that they are a “Mata Tea Plantation Worker.” Other than this only the date and the material they used was talked about. Going to the Bergamot station and seeing the Peter Fetterman’s gallery made me realize that many times in a gallery it is not just about one picture, but it is about how all the pictures worked together. That was the case for Sebastiao Salgado with his pictures using similar themes. While on the way out of the gallery I spotted a small plaque about Salgado’s life. It talked about how he was born on February 8th 1944 in Brazil and worked on the restoration of a small part of the Atlantic forest. By seeing the background story it answered my question I had since the very moment I walked through the door. It answered my questioning of Sebastiao Slagado’s purpose in taking these pictures. He is aiming to present the concepts of nature and human.
For More information about the Peter Fetterman Gallery as well as the different art works presented visit
http://www.peterfetterman.com/
For More information about Bergamot Station and Art galleries within go to
http://bergamotstation.com/
Thank You for reading about my Experience at this art Gallery
Remember to always
UPVOTE = RESTEEM = FOLLOW
-Norfork37