Review by curator Steven Benson:
 
"This extraordinary photograph, PIT 79, by C.E Morse is a complex image
designed to be interpreted in myriad ways.  The quality of the light helps to define the shapes creating a strong sense of presence.  At first glance the scale of the subject is illusive. An aerial view of a gravel pit seems to convey an organic quality – like looking at cells through a microscope. The upper area of the subject is also reminiscent of fossilized coral (Petosky Stones on the Lake Michigan shoreline) and the lower area takes on the character of a Trilobite related invertebrate. It’s not until the viewer recognizes the tracks from the bulldozers that we realize the scale of the subject.
 
The photograph is the result of a collaborative process with anonymous participants who are unaware they are part of an artmaking effort.  The bulldozer operators at the gravel pit do not consider reshaping the face of the Earth as a creative endeavor.  The photographer incorporates the actions of others into their image making.  We generally don’t think of fill dirt as beautiful.  C.E. Morse transforms it into compelling images that holds our attention.  Margaret Bourke-White talked about industrial related locations as not designed to be beautiful but has evolved an inherent beauty waiting to be discovered. 
 
Benson asks C.E. Morse, "What do you photograph when you don’t use of a drone?"

C.E. Morse says, "Anything that attracts me due to color, form & texture, especially man-made objects that have been patinized by time, weather & misfortune. These subjects show the layers of time chronicling the events that present them in the condition In which I find them. I look for areas that affect me like the most transcendent abstract art. I particularly like shooting in vintage auto boneyards which are, unfortunately, fast disappearing, especially in the northeast."

Benson says, "Did you photograph in gravel pits before you started using a drone?"

"C.E. Morse says, "Not that I remember, but I have always considered a variety of subjects to shoot from above.  At one point, I had thought about purchasing a truck with a bucket lift before drones were available, However, I waited until the Mavic III came out to take advantage of the Hasselblad optics. Gravel pits, estuaries and other landscapes were always the back of my mind when the time was right and I had the ability to take advantage of an aerial viewpoint."

Benson says, "What are you trying to convey to the viewer?"

C.E. Morse says, "Broadly, that there are different points of view and interpretations of many objects that are commonplace, ugly, or just ignored.  

My primary intention is to let the images unlock the viewer’s imagination to conjure up a personal interpretation, whether it is a memory, a fantasy or even just an emotion.
This is best achieved when the viewer does not initially recognize the subject, however, the surprise when the studied image’s identity is unveiled to be that of a dumpster or the like is enjoyable in its irony.

Frequently there is an interesting backstory about the subject and my efforts to discover it and get the shot."

Benson says, "Are there other subjects you are planning to explore from above?"

C.E. Morse says, "You bet! ……… industrial sites, geological formations, water (in many forms), natural habitats, shorelines, urban landscapes ……. In this case, the sky is not the limit."
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C. E. Morse says, "I spend a lot of time in vintage auto salvage yards and boatyards where I discover incredible visual elements that inspire me the same way as do the great abstract painters. I hunt for this wild art, looking for patterns, color, texture & composition in subjects both man-made and natural; embellished by chance and patinated by nature, with an unspoken history of random events that can only be guessed or imagined. There is no reference to the identity or the scale of what I photograph; the abstract imagery coaxes a personal interpretation contingent upon the viewer’s imagination

Carole Glauber says, "My photography is shaped by my interests in history and biography. From there, it is based on my experiences and observations, derived from my sense of spontaneity and curiosity intertwined with intuition. Over the years, my work is about people and places, sometimes up close and sometimes more distant.

My photographic practice comes from my personal journeys and quiet observations—sometimes we need to lose ourselves in the chaos to self-reflect and create order. Here, gesture, light, and composition merge to display what just happened in the split second of time"

Carole Glauber is photographer, photo-historian and author based in Israel since 2017.

She has a B.S.Ed. in History and a M.Ed and is the author of two books, “Personal History” (Daylight Books) and “Witch of Kodakery: The Photography of Myra Albert Wiggins 1869-1856” (Washington State University Press).

Her photographs have been exhibited in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Australia and have received awards from the PX3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris, the International Photography Awards, the Tokyo International Foto Awards, the Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, the Pollux Awards, the Mobile Photography Awards, and International Krappy Kamera Competition in New York City.

Her book, “Personal History,” a 30-year  photographic series of her sons made with a 1950’s Brownie Hawkeye Camera, received awards from PX3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris, and the Budapest, Tokyo, and Moscow International Foto Awards.

She is the recipient of a Peter E. Palmquist Photographic History Research Fellowship, a Winterthur Museum Fellowship, an Oregon Humanities Fellowship, and numerous grants for her photographic research.

www.caroleglauber.com 
www.instagram.com/carole_glauber  

Cherrie Henkle says, "These photos were taken while doing fieldwork for a sociological study of two of the main neighborhoods in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. The things that struck me the most during my observations were the ways that the city made attemps to embrace the natural aspects of the land and rivers but at the end of the day, it's still just concrete and metal that fills the aesthetic making it just another modern day urban landscape. Even the efforts of the city with signage for the parks is impeded by the inevitable machinery of man behind it, reminding us that there is no true escape back to nature while humans keep evolving as we are."

Cherrie Henkle has been surrounded by the arts her whole life, and always knew she wanted to pursue a creative career path. Her grandmother was a music teacher, and for many years Cherrie was following a similar path of music performance. When she discovered her creative passion was in photography, she began to pursue opportunities to further her knowledge and skills.

Within a few short years she was shooting weddings as a freelancer on a regular basis, as well as taking on both personal and individually commissioned projects, and even living on board a cruise ship while working as a photographer.

Her courage and determination have persevered many of life’s trials, and her creativity, spark, and drive have led her into many roles of leadership throughout her life. These experiences, combined with her education, have taught her essential skills to overcome any challenge life throws at her, and to thrive doing so.

The culmination of her skills and the effectiveness of their application in her work have been essential pieces in following her passion, and she has learned to appreciate that the enjoyment of the journey is just as
important as reaching the goals. Cherrie likes to chase life’s happy accidents and encourages others to do the same.

www.Seryndipity.com
www.instagram.com/seryndipityarts/

Curator Steven Benson says, "The series of images by Christos Palios depict unused buildings isolated in vistas of open land.  We see the skeletons of haunting structures. It is not clear if the buildings were once used and abandoned or were they never completed.  The answer can’t be found in the photographs.  We do know they aren’t being occupied now!  What happened is left for the viewer to speculate.  They are very quiet images like memento moirés."

Christos J. Palios says of his series, ' UN-FINISHED // Contemporary Ruins (2014-2018), In Greece’s countryside lay abandoned, imposing architectural frameworks dotting desolate tracts of land.

Most are unused new constructions secluded from adjacent neighborhoods, importing into question their original purpose. Greeks aspire to disconnect from the “concrete jungle” of urban life, but for many, failure in completion is imminent. Many of these unrealized structures were begun before the recent debt crisis (2008) and abandoned for decades as a result of feuds, financial hardship, or mismanagement. Some are partially completed and lived-in, left unregistered to evade taxation, while upper levels remained unfinished.

In conversation with architects and civil engineers, I learned the Greek state requires builders to complete concrete frameworks, aptly named “super-structures”, within four years. Once this mandate is met, permission to continue building is granted in perpetuity, while incomplete buildings incur no property tax bills. Along with a Greek ethos of familial obligation and inspired creative impulse, decades of lenient regulation, endemic corruption, and government cronyism bolstered this etiquette. Greece’s now-dire economy has caused a mass exodus of citizens seeking opportunity in other European nations.

What hit home for me was Greek friends’ and relatives’ hopes of acquiring property to build homes and businesses have been largely shattered. They unanimously believe an entire generation has been de-assetized and stripped of opportunity. In tandem to a fascination of their improbable forms and haunting isolation, which exude a palpable, melancholic allusion to faded human presence, I grew intrigued by their utter lack of architectural homogeneity. Evoking ambitions epitomized in the American dream, these unadorned skeletons stand in disuse, now empty vessels of aborted hope and inchoate nostalgia. Resembling modern-day ruins of stalled progress, they serve as cogent beacons of failed governance and monetary policy.

While these abandoned structures are located in generally secluded environs, I have grown interested in the perception of home, its individual expression via architecture, and the seeming contradictions between intention and actual use of space. In a country renowned for its rich culture and beautiful destinations, I sought to investigate this curious architectural decadence. How does Greece’s society and prevailing political and economic landscapes contribute to this longstanding cultural phenomenon? How have perceptions of home and the future shifted for young and mature generations alike?"
As a first-generation Greek-American, Christos' perspectives were shaped by two disparate and fascinating cultures. The artist's practice is born from a wellspring of inspiration among themes of memory, connection, and identity, consummated by intimate examinations of history, architecture, and socioeconomics. Employing multifaceted approaches rooted in research and with an appreciation of metaphorical and physical space, the artist's photographs evoke cogent, palpable awareness through distinct, cohesive narratives and aesthetics.

Christos resides in the American Northeast. His springboard originates in the visual arts with a BFA from the University of Maryland.

The artist's photographs can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S.A. Christos' work has been recognized through awards, publications, and exhibitions throughout the nation and abroad. Venues include the Baltimore Museum of Art, Blue Sky Gallery, Grimaldis Gallery, the Houston Center for Photography, among others.

Among awards and publications, he is a 2022 Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50 artist, a winner of longstanding Communication Arts' 2023 Photography Annual, while his work has been featured in Musée, Dodho, and Aspire Design and Home Magazines, shortlisted for the Athens Photo Festival, and longlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize.

www.christospalios.com
www.instagram.com/christosjpalios
 

IF VIEWING ON A COMPUTER CLICK ON ARROW TO SEE MORE OF CHRISTOS PALIOS' WORK

IF VIEWING ON A COMPUTER CLICK ON ARROW TO CONTINUE VIEWING EXHIBITION #1

Danielle Towers work takes place in an empty lot behind a row of homes in Washington DC’s U Street corridor, hidden in plain sight, the Temperance Alley Garden. 

When Aaron Lewis and his partner Josh Morin moved into their U Street townhome in 2020, this plot was unkempt and unused. With the help of neighbors and friends, Aaron and Josh transformed this piece of land into a community backyard for an ever-expanding network of artists, musicians, plant nerds and more. 
For all those who come to it bearing ideas, the garden acts as an outdoor studio for their pursuits, openly receiving ideas which both nourish the community and the earth below. 

Ultimately  Generating more projects than one person alone could ever imagine, the space simultaneously bursts from its chain link seams, and retracts with the inevitability of change: Within the year, the garden will disappear to make way for more homes.

Temperance Alley Garden is proof of the malleability of our urban landscape, and the lifespan of a place within which we are all but momentary actors.

Danielle Towers is a photographer, student and artist living in Washington DC. Danielle is currently earning her BFA in photojournalism at the Corcoran School of Arts and Design at the George Washington University.

Danielle is Co-President of GW’s National Press Photographer Association (NPPA) chapter and worked for GW’s main student publication, The GW Hatchet  as a photo editor for two years (Washington DC). Danielle has held summer internships with photographers Clarissa Bonet and Jared Soares. This summer, Danielle will hold a role as lead photographer at Falling Creek Camp.

Danielle has used photography to explore topics such as age, memory, the mind and body, familial relationships and the urban / suburban landscape. Danielle sees photography as a mode through which one can live a more attentive, curious and understanding life.

www.danielletowersphotography.com
www.instagram.com/danielletphoto

Dennis Church says, "My father, an Iowa farmer, lived at one rural address all his life. He did not like cities because he hated the density. I eventually understood that my father was afraid of cities, most likely as a function of his traumatic experiences with violence, mostly in cities, as a combat veteran in the European (Germany) theater of World War II. I enjoyed the rural landscape I grew up in but was also fascinated by cities. I realized as an adult that I had internalized my father's fear of cities.

I see my picture making as exploring my dual reaction and feelings when in an urban landscape: a joyful curiosity and fascination simultaneous with some level of fear. I like to cram the frame with information because that is what I feel in the city landscape, a closing in of the spaces I am in. The tension of the simultaneous joy and fear of being there is my real subject matter, depicted often with cropped people and objects at frame edges, layering of scenes, showing complementary and discordant colors in the same frame, and often depictions of the many sources of movement in the urban environment.
 
I am a street/documentary photographer. I have completed several self-assigned and publicly funded art projects. Some examples: In Wisconsin I completed two public art grant projects: "A Photographic Survey of the Physical and Social Environment of Downtown Madison" and “Our Land-Our Lives” an extended photo-essay on the 1980's family farm crisis in the Midwest. I have continued to exhibit my photo artworks extensively as indicated on my website. In 2013 Lens-Culture featured my extensive series “AMERICOLOR” on their website as one of their thirteen favorite portfolios.  My photographs are in several public collections and are shown prominently in an important photographic art history publication, "Bystander, A History of Street Photography"."
 
IMAGES FOR SALE-
     
This following information applies to all images submitted
 
Archival pigment ink prints
$800 unframed
Limited edition of 10 for each image
Signed on the back.
Contact: Dennis Church, 
dennis@dennischurch.com

www.dennischurch.com
www.instagram/dennischurch_photographer

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NY PHOTO CURATOR HOME
https://nyphotocurator.com/
 
URBAN LANDSCAPES HOME
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson
 
FIRST PLACE
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson/first-place-c-e-morse-pit-79/1
 
SECOND PLACE
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson/second-place-simon-lund-pigeons-2/1
 
HONORABLE MENTIONS
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson/honorable-mentions-linda-briskin-dennis-church-danielle-towers-philip-ringler-prescott-lassman-timothy-kennedy-carole-glauber-don-angello/1
 
EXHIBITION #1
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson/exhibition-1/1
 
EXHIBITION #2
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson/exhibition-2/1
 
EXHIBITION #3
https://nyphotocurator.com/urban-landscapes-steven-benson/exhibition-3/1