Pioneering Works Reveal Incubation Of Digital Art At Photographic Centre Exhibit, January 15 January 15, 2009

Pioneering digital artist Laurence Gartel brings the past into the present in a new exhibit that features innovative works created in the earliest days of electronic media.

The collection, Laurence Gartel: 30 Years of Digital Art, will be the opening exhibition at FOTOfusion 2009, an international festival (Jan. 27-31) that brings together creativity and technology presented by the Palm Beach Photographic Centre in Delray Beach.

Running January 15 through February 28, 2009, the Gartel exhibit will feature some of the artist’s earliest creations, many of which have never been shown publicly. Some were created 30 years ago using darkroom prints of photographs shot from a video display monitor. Others include ink jet prints, clay-coated prints and images Gartel manipulated and photographed with a Polaroid SX-70 camera to create a quilt-like look.

“There is nothing like looking at an original,” said Gartel, who is the 2009 recipient of the prestigious FOTOfusion FOTO Mentor Award. “The computer screen gives a hint of knowledge -- it does not give you the emotional impact of being one-on-one with a work of art.”
The exhibit pieces, which appear fresh and new, represent an important chapter in the history of the digital medium. Gartel’s work has been exhibited at many museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Norton Museum and in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History.

Gartel has worked with many musicians over the years, including Debbie Harry of Blondie. He has also translated his imagery to other products, such as glassware. Recently, Gartel has created artwork for such pop culture celebrities as Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

The Palm Beach Photographic Centre exhibit reveals the enormity of Gartel’s work and the impact it has had on the world. Viewers will no doubt come away a full appreciation for the age of the digital aesthetic.
About the Palm Beach Photographic Centre:
The Palm Beach Photographic Centre is a non-profit visual arts organization founded 20 years ago by Art and Fatima NeJame. The Centre is dedicated to the enrichment of life through exhibitions, community programs, workshops and educational activities that promote the arts of photography and digital imaging. The Centre is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Admission to the galleries is $3. Admission fee varies for different events, and pre-registration is required for seminars, FOTOshoots and computer labs. Contact the Centre, 55 NE Second Ave., at (561) 276-9797 or visit www.fotofusion.org.

Official Website: http://www.fotofusion.org