The Light of Others
by Jessica Ferrer
Issue date: 9/3/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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In Rob Amory's show "The Light of Others," an exhibition of large format and high resolution photographic portraits. Amory's work was displayed at The City University of New York's Art Gallery at The Graduate Center from July 10th to August 9th, 2007.
Amory began experimenting intensively with the camera in 2004 and launched his first series of digital portraits the following year. Amory only knows a handful of those he portrays. Most of the people that were photographed were strangers referred by his friends. Others were spotted on the street and in local areas such as parks or in a restaurant.
The thirty-two portraits, measuring 30 by 40 inches, were hung on solid white walls at the Graduate Center Gallery. This complemented the black background of the photographs.
His subjects include African Americans, Caucasians, Native Americans and Hispanics, the old and young, the sick and healthy. All the portraits are photographed close-ups. Every wrinkle, beauty mark, chipped tooth, little scar and sparkle in the darkest eye, that would be invisible to the naked eye, can be seen here.
"I am trying to leave you as directly in the presence of these individuals with whom, at some level, I feel we all have something in common," said Amory in a 2006 interview with Peter Anastas of Art New England Magazine.
Anastas wrote that the result is an intimacy and naturalness in the subject that one does not often find in a formal portrait.
"Amory has avoided the pitfalls inherent in the posed studio portrait or 'executive shot,' by choosing instead to concentrate on what he calls 'the reflectivity and inner space' of his subjects," wrote Anastas.
The still images are capable of telling the life-stories of those photographed in "The Light of Others." Amory's portraits are alluring because it feels as though you can see into the person's soul. Their pain or joy is felt just by looking at their gigantic pictures.
Although Armory's exhibition is no longer displayed, surely there will be more great exhibitions to come. Who knows you might just find yourself in one of his portraits.
Amory began experimenting intensively with the camera in 2004 and launched his first series of digital portraits the following year. Amory only knows a handful of those he portrays. Most of the people that were photographed were strangers referred by his friends. Others were spotted on the street and in local areas such as parks or in a restaurant.
The thirty-two portraits, measuring 30 by 40 inches, were hung on solid white walls at the Graduate Center Gallery. This complemented the black background of the photographs.
His subjects include African Americans, Caucasians, Native Americans and Hispanics, the old and young, the sick and healthy. All the portraits are photographed close-ups. Every wrinkle, beauty mark, chipped tooth, little scar and sparkle in the darkest eye, that would be invisible to the naked eye, can be seen here.
"I am trying to leave you as directly in the presence of these individuals with whom, at some level, I feel we all have something in common," said Amory in a 2006 interview with Peter Anastas of Art New England Magazine.
Anastas wrote that the result is an intimacy and naturalness in the subject that one does not often find in a formal portrait.
"Amory has avoided the pitfalls inherent in the posed studio portrait or 'executive shot,' by choosing instead to concentrate on what he calls 'the reflectivity and inner space' of his subjects," wrote Anastas.
The still images are capable of telling the life-stories of those photographed in "The Light of Others." Amory's portraits are alluring because it feels as though you can see into the person's soul. Their pain or joy is felt just by looking at their gigantic pictures.
Although Armory's exhibition is no longer displayed, surely there will be more great exhibitions to come. Who knows you might just find yourself in one of his portraits.
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