Jeff Becker

Jeff Becker, Planetary Breathing, 2017, Video, Digital Pigment Print

2017

A Monument for Ice takes the vastness of glaciers and presents a monument that asks the viewer to look into rather than look out to the subject. It becomes a hypothetical tribute to ...

This interactive installation explores the poetics of randomness and the liminal space between intentionality and observation, seeing and hearing, touching and listening. A verticall...

Patrick Sansone uses analog cameras and film to create photographs that reference stillness, lure, and intermission. Decaying signage, abandoned indust...

In the mid 1990s Richard Klein started working with found glass objects, including bottles, drinking glasses, ashtrays, and eyeglasses. Initially, Klein rejected any object with commercial or advertising content, but in 2015 he became fascinated with the promotional content that was screen printed on ashtrays from the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s. This period was before smoking was looked at as being primarily a negative habit, and iconic American businesses, including Howard Johnson’s, International House of Pancakes (iHop) and Holiday Inn, all produced promotional ashtrays printed with their graphic identity. By the time Klein became interested in these objects, the businesses had either ceased to exist, or had changed their logos, and many of their signature buildings, which where examples of classic, “Pop” roadside architecture, has been torn down or repurposed. The artist wanted to connect the glass objects with the business’s sites that were still recognizable and spoke of their history, so he began researching where original buildings still stood. Klein then embarked on a series of road trips to photograph these sites with the intention of combining the photographs with the promotional glass objects. This led him to as far south as Maryland and as far north as upstate New York from his home in Connecticut. In the case of Holiday Inn, it wasn’t their buildings, but their iconic illuminated sign that appeared on ashtrays, so he sought out a standing example of the sign he could photograph. As it turned out all had been removed years before from the hotels' properties and the only working example was indoors at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. He did, however, find out that there was one still standing, surprisingly, in Beruit, Lebanon. He found an image of it on the web and used it to make Holiday Inn (Beruit). In 1973 Holiday Inn changed their tagline from “The Nations Innkeeper” to “The World’s Innkeeper” as they expanded overseas, including the Mideast. For the hotel chain it was bad timing: the disastrous Lebanese civil war began in 1975. In the war, the different Lebanese militias involved in the conflict, including the Nasserites, Christian Phalangists, and the Lebanese National Movement engaged in what came to be called “The Battle of the Hotels” where they each occupied a major high-rise hotel in central Beruit. The Phalangists commanded the Holiday Inn, which they used to fire with both light arms and heavier weapons at the militias in neighboring hotels. Klein used the photo of the heavily damaged Holiday Inn sign as I thought it spoke in a curious, offhanded way about American cultural imperialism in juxtaposition with an ashtray that proclaimed Holiday Inn to be “The World’s Innkeeper.” In the work Holiday Inn (Nocturne) the artist utilized a found, 35mm slide of a Holiday Inn sign at night at an unknown location as the basis of the photograph in the work. Richard Klein is a Connecticut-based artist, independent curator and writer. As an artist, he has exhibited widely, including the Neuberger Museum of Art at SUNY Purchase; Caren Golden Fine Art, New York; the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI; Hales Gallery, London; Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, FL; deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, MA; James Barron Art, Kent, CT; The Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA), Portland, OR; Schoolhouse Gallery, Provincetown, MA; Stephan Stoyanov Gallery, NY; Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY; Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, VT; Ortega y Gasset Projects, Brooklyn, NY; Exhibit by Alberson Tulsa, OK; Incident Report/Flow Chart Foundation, Hudson, NY; ICEHOUSE Project Space, Sharon, CT; Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Kent, CT and with ODETTA Gallery at the Equity Gallery in New York City.. Reviews of his work have appeared in Two Coats of Paint, Whitehot Magazine, The New York Times, Sculpture Magazine, Art in America, and The New Yorker. In the summer of 2024 he will be the first Artist-In-Residence at Peck Ledge Light...

The photograph is available in three sizes. The print is proposed as a face-mount; it is mounted to acrylic at the front and Dibond at the back. It is ready to hang with a metal bracket on the wall. In "Offline," a thought-provoking photograph by Anne Valverde, we are presented with a tranquil coastal scene at twilight. The neon text 'off line' glows softly amidst the wild grasses at the forefront, suggesting a deliberate disconnection from the digital world and an immersion into natural serenity. The horizon blends sea and sky in a gradient of blues, symbolizing the vastness and depth of the world beyond our screens. The pristine environment, with its calm waters and untouched sands, encourages viewers to consider the peacefulness that comes with being 'offline' and reconnecting with the environment around us. The placement of the phrase 'off line' within the serene landscape invites the viewer to reflect on the concept of presence and the importance of disconnecting from the constant flow of information and connectivity that defines modern life. It's a gentle nudge to step back, to breathe in the fresh air, and to take in the moment without the distraction of technology. "Offline" is not just a visual experience; it is a statement on the balance we seek between the digital and natural worlds. It's a call to occasionally break away from the tether of our devices and to indulge in the beauty that exists when we do. This image captures that fleeting moment of dusk when the world slows down, and we can find solace in the simple and profound beauty of nature. Since 2015, Valverde has been working on a neon light installation project in several countries, which she materialises through photography. The DREAM ART PROJECT Her portfolio “City Icons” in 2008 brought her work to public attention. A series about Iconic Monuments from Major cities like Paris, New York, Hong Kong, London, Dubaï… Writing with Neon brings together two passions for Anne Valverde: light and words thus incorporating her main medium of expression: Photography. Valverde brings artificial light to areas where electricity is absent, creating a dissonance in the landscape and an unexpected and dreamlike light, creating a new message, independent from preexisting signs and words. Valverde’s first message is "dream", as she invites the viewer to go past reality and reflect on open spaces for escape in a complex and tormented world. Some themes are recurring: an amused gaze on social media omnipresence, hyper-connectivity or even office language shortcuts. This contemplation of the natural landscape suddenly opens up to a perspective on social evolution. By inserting neon lights in her photographs, she initiates a return...

The photograph is available in three sizes. The print is proposed as a face-mount; it is mounted to acrylic at the front and Dibond at the back. It is ready to hang with a metal bracket on the wall. In "Snow Dream Pink," Anne Valverde intertwines the serenity of a winter landscape with the subtle vibrancy of neon art. The work captures a moment of stillness as dusk drapes the snowy scene in a blush of pink, while the word 'dream,' spelled out in neon, casts a warm glow across the cold ground. Valverde's signature use of neon text as an integrated element of her compositions is evident as she delicately places the installation within the natural environment. The glowing letters stand in gentle contrast to the twilight hues, a beacon that seems both a part of the landscape and a distinct echo of human presence and creativity. With the snow-capped mountains and frosted trees as a backdrop, the neon sign does more than illuminate; it inspires. It serves as a call to pause, reflect, and embrace the possibilities that dreams represent, even amidst the quiet slumber of winter. "Snow Dream Pink" is a visual symphony of contrasts — the warmth of the neon light against the cool snow, the soft sky against the crisp outlines of the forest. It's a testament to Valverde's skill in creating spaces where light, colour, and text invite the viewer to a place of introspection and wonder. Since 2015, Valverde has been working on a neon light installation project in several countries, which she materialises through photography. The DREAM ART PROJECT Her portfolio “City Icons” in 2008 brought her work to public attention. A series about Iconic Monuments from Major cities like Paris, New York, Hong Kong, London, Dubaï… Writing with Neon brings together two passions for Anne Valverde: light and words thus incorporating her main medium of expression: Photography. Valverde brings artificial light to areas where electricity is absent, creating a dissonance in the landscape and an unexpected and dreamlike light, creating a new message, independent from preexisting signs and words. Valverde’s first message is "dream", as she invites the viewer to go past reality and reflect on open spaces for escape in a complex and tormented world. Some themes are recurring: an amused gaze on social media omnipresence, hyper-connectivity or even office language shortcuts. This contemplation of the natural landscape suddenly opens up to a perspective on social evolution. By inserting neon lights in her photographs, she initiates a return...

The photograph is available in three sizes. The print is proposed as a face-mount; it is mounted to acrylic at the front and Dibond at the back. It is ready to hang with a metal bracket on the wall. "Birdy Dream," a photograph by Anne Valverde, captures the ethereal beauty of a mist-enshrouded forest, with the word 'dream' crafted in neon lights, seamlessly integrated into the landscape. Valverde's artistry is evident in her ability to blend the artificial glow of neon with the organic forms of nature, creating a harmonious tableau that whispers of the unseen and the imagined. The forest scene is alive with varying textures of foliage, dominated by the large fronds of ferns that fan out across the frame. The mist rolls through the trees like a gentle tide, blurring lines and softening the world to a palette of muted greens and grays. In this dreamscape, the neon 'dream' is both a literal and figurative illumination—a call to the magic that lies in the heart of the wild. The neon text, positioned amongst the forest floor, is like a secret waiting to be discovered, a reminder that even in the dense and tangled growth, there is space for dreams to take root and flourish. The soft light from the sign pierces the fog, symbolizing clarity and hope amidst uncertainty. Valverde's "Birdy Dream" is a tribute to the quiet strength of nature and the power of dreams to persist in even the most unlikely places. It's a visual poem that invites contemplation, asking the observer to consider the myriad of dreams that live hidden beneath the canopy, in the soul of the forest, and within us all. Since 2015, Valverde has been working on a neon light installation project in several countries, which she materialises through photography. The DREAM ART PROJECT Her portfolio “City Icons” in 2008 brought her work to public attention. A series about Iconic Monuments from Major cities like Paris, New York, Hong Kong, London, Dubaï… Writing with Neon brings together two passions for Anne Valverde: light and words thus incorporating her main medium of expression: Photography. Valverde brings artificial light to areas where electricity is absent, creating a dissonance in the landscape and an unexpected and dreamlike light, creating a new message, independent from preexisting signs and words. Valverde’s first message is "dream", as she invites the viewer to go past reality and reflect on open spaces for escape in a complex and tormented world. Some themes are recurring: an amused gaze on social media omnipresence, hyper-connectivity or even office language shortcuts. This contemplation of the natural landscape suddenly opens up to a perspective on social evolution. By inserting neon lights in her photographs, she initiates a return...

The photograph is available in three sizes. The print is proposed as a face-mount; it is mounted to acrylic at the front and Dibond at the back. It is ready to hang with a metal bracket on the wall. "Birdy Dream," a photograph by Anne Valverde, captures the ethereal beauty of a mist-enshrouded forest, with the word 'dream' crafted in neon lights, seamlessly integrated into the landscape. Valverde's artistry is evident in her ability to blend the artificial glow of neon with the organic forms of nature, creating a harmonious tableau that whispers of the unseen and the imagined. The forest scene is alive with varying textures of foliage, dominated by the large fronds of ferns that fan out across the frame. The mist rolls through the trees like a gentle tide, blurring lines and softening the world to a palette of muted greens and grays. In this dreamscape, the neon 'dream' is both a literal and figurative illumination—a call to the magic that lies in the heart of the wild. The neon text, positioned amongst the forest floor, is like a secret waiting to be discovered, a reminder that even in the dense and tangled growth, there is space for dreams to take root and flourish. The soft light from the sign pierces the fog, symbolizing clarity and hope amidst uncertainty. Valverde's "Birdy Dream" is a tribute to the quiet strength of nature and the power of dreams to persist in even the most unlikely places. It's a visual poem that invites contemplation, asking the observer to consider the myriad of dreams that live hidden beneath the canopy, in the soul of the forest, and within us all. Since 2015, Valverde has been working on a neon light installation project in several countries, which she materialises through photography. The DREAM ART PROJECT Her portfolio “City Icons” in 2008 brought her work to public attention. A series about Iconic Monuments from Major cities like Paris, New York, Hong Kong, London, Dubaï… Writing with Neon brings together two passions for Anne Valverde: light and words thus incorporating her main medium of expression: Photography. Valverde brings artificial light to areas where electricity is absent, creating a dissonance in the landscape and an unexpected and dreamlike light, creating a new message, independent from preexisting signs and words. Valverde’s first message is "dream", as she invites the viewer to go past reality and reflect on open spaces for escape in a complex and tormented world. Some themes are recurring: an amused gaze on social media omnipresence, hyper-connectivity or even office language shortcuts. This contemplation of the natural landscape suddenly opens up to a perspective on social evolution. By inserting neon lights in her photographs, she initiates a return...