The G2 Gallery Presents Nature LA: Christine Caldwell August 6, 2010

On July 20, 2010 The G2 Gallery will present Nature LA: Christine Caldwell. The opening reception will take place Friday, August 6, from 6–9 p.m.

For her exhibition at G2, Christine will present a suite from her series “Illuminated Negatives,” photographic works created without the use of film, computers, or even a camera. The images are photograms—direct exposures of leaves, flowers, insects, and other ephemera created in the darkroom. Some of the earliest photographic works were rudimentary photograms, and they gained recognition as a fine art practice when the Dadaist Man Ray began experimenting with his so-called “Rayographs.”

What makes Christine’s photograms innovative is the scale and color she achieves with the use of color paper and dichroic enlarger. The resulting images are larger than the average photogram, and where the subject emerges a glowing silhouette against black. The nature of the photogram, with its specific hand-placed arrangement on paper, lends itself to limited editions, and many of Christine’s works are one-of-a-kind.

Nature LA: Christine Caldwell is the ninth installation of the Nature LA series, The G2 Gallery and curator Jolene Hanson’s ongoing exploration into the intersection between nature and fine art photography.

The G2 Gallery donates all proceeds from art sales to environmental charities. The opening reception will be held in conjunction with Abbot Kinney First Fridays.

About Christine Caldwell
St. Louis, Missouri native Christine M. Caldwell relocated to California in 1995 to study photography at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. In the years since obtaining her degree, Christine’s mastery of color and black & white darkroom technique have made her a highly sought after darkroom professional, working with a wide range of print publications and advertising agencies. Photographers seeking to advance their skills come to her for private instruction and workshops in darkroom printing. As an artist, Christine has expanded the potential of the photogram—the process of creating an image using light and photo sensitive paper, minus the camera and film—by pioneering the use of the color enlarger and color paper to manipulate the look of the final product.
Defined by skeletal proportions and emblazoned with neon color, the resulting series of images are dramatic representations of objects found in nature, which Christine has dubbed “Illuminated Negatives.”

About The G2 Gallery
Established in March 2008, The G2 Gallery in Venice, California, is a green art space with a dedicated focus on contemporary nature and wildlife photography. In keeping with G2’s commitment to supporting arts and the environment, the gallery presents exhibitions with eco-conscious themes, donating the proceeds from all art sales to environmental charities and hosts free concerts and lectures that bring awareness of critical issues to our community.

Official Website: http://www.theg2gallery.com