Looking Forward: Ten Years of Pier 24 Photography

Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking.

—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

LOOKING FORWARD

TEN YEARS OF PIER 24 PHOTOGRAPHY

7 9 24 36 48 62 74 88 100 112 126 140 150 168 180 198 210 224

CONTENTS

Foreword

Allie Haeusslein

A Balance of Subject and Image Philip Gefter

PLATES

Awoiska van der Molen John Chiara Ray K. Metzker Chanell Stone Tania Franco Klein Erica Deeman Eva O’Leary Tabitha Soren

Daniel Gordon

Richard Learoyd

Todd Hido

Zanele Muholi

Richard Learoyd

Austin Leong

Fred Herzog Daniel Postaer

Awoiska van der Molen, BBr-SF, 2018–20 (detail)

There is the magic of forms and the mystery of our lives. Where they come together is where I have a photograph that is vital.

—Ray K. Metzker

Ray K. Metzker, Marseille, France (61 AK-28), 1961

Ray K. Metzker, Philadelphia (81 DA-2), from the series City Whispers, 1981

Top

to bottom: Ray K. Metzker, Untitled, from the series The Loop: Chicago, 1958 Ray K. Metzker, Chicago, 1958

I want Black people to understand our connections to nature, both urban and rural. I want to destroy the notion that it isn’t for us.

—Chanell Stone

Chanell Stone, Fern & Light, 2019

Chanell Stone, Existential Study of Self, 2019

In the end, my main character is always emotion. And emotion is universal and everyone understands emotions. It doesn’t matter where you’re from. You know how it feels to be anxious, you know how it feels to feel lonely.

—Tania Franco Klein

Tania Franco Klein, Dear Stranger (Self-portrait), 2020

Left to right:

Tania Franco Klein, Pool, Wig (Self-portrait), 2018

Tania Franco Klein, Arrivals and Departures (Self-portrait), 2017

Tania Franco Klein, Field, 2018

This is the world, which is fuller and more difficult to learn than I have said.

You are right to smudge it that way with the red and then the orange: the world burns.

—Margaret Atwood, from “You Begin”

Left to right:

Tabitha Soren, twitter.com/e_baldi/status/796284964996157440/, 2017

Tabitha Soren, twitter.com/unitetheright%40yesyoureracist%20%23charlottesville/, 2017

Overleaf:

Tabitha Soren, ylhsthewrangler.com/two-parkland-shooting-survivors-commit-suicide-in-the-span-of-one-week/, 2019 (detail)

Daniel Gordon, Still Life with Oranges, Vessels, and House Plant, 2016 (detail)

I am curious to see how far I can push the process and still produce works that are considered photographs.

—Daniel Gordon

Left to right:

Daniel Gordon, Still Life with Oranges, Vessels, and House Plant, 2016

Daniel Gordon, Still Life with Eggs and Avocados, 2018

The light had such physical presence; it looked as though you could lean against it.

—Henry Wessel

Daniel Postaer, San Francisco, Natoma Street, 2018

Daniel Postaer, San Francisco, Geary Street, 2014

Daniel Postaer, San Francisco, Bayview, 2018

Photography credits:

Robert Adams: © Robert Adams, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco / John Chiara: © John Chiara, courtesy the artist and Haines Gallery, San Francisco / Erica Deeman: © Erica Deeman, courtesy the artist and Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco / Philip-Lorca diCorcia: © Philip-Lorca diCorcia, courtesy the artist and David Zwirner / Tania Franco Klein: © Tania Franco Klein, courtesy the artist and ROSEGALLERY, Santa Monica / Daniel Gordon: © Daniel Gordon, courtesy the artist and Kasmin Gallery, New York / Katy Grannan: © Katy Grannan, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco / Fred Herzog: © Fred Herzog, courtesy Equinox Gallery, Vancouver / Todd Hido: © Todd Hido, courtesy the artist and Casemore Kirkeby, San Francisco / Richard Learoyd: © Richard Learoyd, courtesy the artist and Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco / Austin Leong: © Austin Leong, courtesy the artist / Ray K. Metzker: © Estate of Ray K. Metzker, courtesy Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York / Zanele Muholi: © Zanele Muholi, courtesy Yancey Richardson, New York, and Stevenson, Cape Town/ Johannesburg / Eva O’Leary: © Eva O’Leary, courtesy the artist / Irving Penn: © The Irving Penn Foundation / Daniel Lee Postaer: © Daniel Lee Postaer, courtesy the artist / Tabitha Soren: © Tabitha Soren, courtesy the artist / Chanell Stone: © Chanell Stone, courtesy the artist / Awoiska van der Molen: © Awoiska van der Molen, courtesy the artist / Henry Wessel: © Studio Henry Wessel

Pier 24 Photography would like to acknowledge the following individuals and lenders for their assistance in making this exhibition possible:

Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco

Black Dog Collection

Sophie Brodovitch

John Chiara

Kristin Delzell

Equinox Gallery, Vancouver Randi and Bob Fisher

Daniel Gordon

Ryan Hendon and Mark Ryan Fine Art Services

Richard Learoyd Kelly Maughn Zanele Muholi

Ian Mullen

Yancey Richardson, New York ROSEGALLERY, Santa Monica and all the artists included in this exhibition

Creative Director: Allie Haeusslein

Pre-Press Management: Ry Allred Editorial Associates: Mari Iki and Vaughn Shields

Copy Editor: Lindsey Westbrook

Design: Bob Aufuldish, Aufuldish & Warinner Installation Photography: Josef Jacques Print Management: Sprinkel Media

Pier 24 Photography Staff

Directors: Allie Haeusslein and Christopher McCall

Head of Operations: Ry Allred Guest Services: Mari Iki and Vaughn Shields

ISBN: 978-1-59711-008-2

Printed in the United States

© 2022 Pier 24 Photography. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright holders.

Cover Image:

Daniel Gordon, Still Life with Pineapple and Oranges, 2015

Published in conjunction with the exhibition Looking Forward: Ten Years of Pier 24 Photography at Pier 24 Photography, August 8, 2022–May 31, 2023