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Lori Oden, Oklahoma City Fisherman Silver Gelatin Print
Saferis Art Galleries’
“Taste of Metal” by Janice McCormick Saferis Art Galleries in Bartlesville, located on the busy intersection of Highway 75 and E. Frank Phillips Boulevard, recently opened its doors to the public. This commercial gallery is under the direction of Manuel Valladares who seeks to connect with the public through a project entitled “Taste of Metal.” This project offers the Bartlesville community an opportunity to take part in the creative process. “The overall design,” explains Valladares, “is to involve the lay person with an opportunity to express their lifestyle and uniqueness.” They will do this not only by serving as models for photographic sessions, but also by choosing the metal objects with which they will be photographed. In effect, they will be collaboratively interpreting the theme of “metal objects that are representational (physical or suggestive) and that hold significance in the everyday life of our models.” At the time of this writing (mid-January) the project is in its first stage: seeking out willing participants. Models are being contacted by way of flyers distributed in “shopping malls, artist areas, music stores, automobile/ motorcycle repair places, healthcare venues, and dining establishments with a 60 mile radius of the gallery.” Each flyer includes an established number of ‘numbered tickets’ that will be presented to the gallery for admittance to the photography sessions, which will have taken place by the end of February. The aim is to have 125 participants, who will pay $60 for participation and in return will receive an image copy for their personal records.
Lori Oden (past editor of Art Focus) will be the photographer. Of her involvement, Oden says, “I am very excited and feel privileged to be a part of the project. Typically my photography does not include portraits, but this particular job was so fresh and contemporary that I could not pass it up. The ‘Taste of Metal’ has so much potential - every person I have talked to about it (even though it may sound a little “off” at first) is extremely interested and ultimately want to know more and ask when it will be on exhibit. We hope that, eventually, this project will expand into other communities and a book or catalogue will be published.”
The use of special lighting will also play a role in creating the desired look of the photographic images. Oden explains, “As far as the Halo effect, we hope to achieve a bright pin point or circle of light in the eyes. I recently purchased a special light to attempt this effect. My interpretation is that Manuel is trying to draw attention to the sitter’s eye as well as the metal piece because the background will be black and sitters will be asked to wear a black shirt so that the focus is on these two areas. The metal piece that the sitter chooses will have a personal connection to their lives and the light, or halo, will give the image a mystical effect.”
As to the choice of the now-considered “historic” process of black and white photography, Oden explains, “The images will be black and white and developed in a wet darkroom by hand. Manuel wanted to use traditional black and white because of the silver (metal) involved with this process.” Thus, there is a perfect meshing of the artistic medium with the theme.
The resulting collection of 125 photographs (each measuring 8.50” x 11”) will be floated on flat white mats and placed on five panels, 25 images per panel. The opening for “Taste of Metal” is tentatively scheduled for March 15th. It will run through August 1, 2007.
The parameters of the photo shoot are to be controlled in several ways in order to achieve a unified vision. The way the model is dressed, the background, and how the model interacts with the metal object are spelled out by Valladares as follows: “the model will wear a solid black, collarless t-shirt. The image to be captured will be focused in view of a solid black background. The model will take the selected piece of metal or element … and place it in their mouth to simulate a biting motion/ act, hence the term, ‘Taste of Metal.’”
Vallesdares views “Taste of Metal” as the first in a series of projects in which the Saferis Galleries reaches out for community support. His next one, entitled “Gypsy Sessions,” will be a mixed media production blending musical composition and the spoken word. The Saferis Art Galleries’ address is 3707 S.E. Frank Phillips Blvd, Bartlesville, its website is www.Saferis.net. Gallery Hours are 11:00am - 5:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday. n