Two of Eric Taubert’s European street photography pieces were juried into “The Modern Male II” exhibition at Bowersock Fine Art Gallery, located at 373 Commercial Street in Provincetown, on Cape Cod (beginning July 3rd).
Taubert is a contemporary fine art photographer and writer from Ogunquit, Maine.
“Those who are familiar with my work,” states Taubert, “know it primarily falls into two subject areas. One of those areas of focus for me is an examination of coastal textures. Weathered wood. Salt-crusted working waterfronts. Seaside dive bars. A slow, deliberate, and mindful look at the interaction of places near the ocean with the human-made stuff found along these coastline areas. How do the sun, and the storms, and the salt water have an impact on the dwellings, tools, boats, docks, fishing gear, and gathering places of the people who live in proximity to them? How do tangles of ropes, buoys, driftwood, human-generated debris, and beach-town ephemera all conspire to become part of a landscape that speaks so loudly to so many of us?”
“The other primary subject of my photography,” continues Taubert, “are fleeting street scenes. Human beings interacting with organic moments they happen to be confronting. I shoot from real life, so these are photos of people being their authentic selves in public settings, unaware that they’re being photographed. What can we see on their faces. How are they relating to the places, people, times, and circumstances with which they’re surrounded? Often, these pieces evoke a sense of ambiguous narrative in the mind of the viewer. We look at photos and pass the visual information available before us through the filter of our own individual experiences and memories — and that process often leads each of us to form our own highly distinct, highly personal conclusions about what we are actually seeing.”
“The two photos I am showing in “The Modern Male II” exhibition at Bowersock Fine Art Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts,” finishes Taubert, “are street photography pieces I shot in Europe. When I learned Bowersock Gallery was bringing back their “Modern Male” exhibition this summer, I immediately thought of these photos and was drawn to submit. They speak in a clear voice to the theme being explored.”
“Who is the Modern Male? What does he look like? He has so many faces. So many identities. All different. All one. Almost always alone, even when he’s not; the mind of the Modern Male swims in a melancholy daydream splashed with vivid strivings, desires, worries, and emotions. Chasing nowness, often distracted by elsewhen. He goes wherever he’s directed by that inward voice that sounds just like his own. He does whatever it asks. Everything has been figured out, except how to live; where to find meaning.”
If you are interested in acquiring either of these pieces, contact Bowersock Fine Art Gallery at: 508-487-4994.
About “The Modern Male II” Exhibition at Bowersock Gallery:
An excerpt from the Bowersock Fine Art Gallery event page for their “Modern Male II” exhibition:
It’s the “return of the guys,” with the Bowersock Gallery’s “The Modern Male II.” Last year’s inaugural “MM I” exhibit proved the most popular in the gallery’s 16-year history.
The highly anticipated Modern Male II will launch and a live/in-gallery social distancing opening, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on July 3, at the Bowersock Gallery, 373 Commercial Street, Provincetown.
When jurying this year’s submissions we looked for images that really made a statement that read beyond portrait. Each face or setting gives insight into something more than a visage. We looked for images that drew viewers into a story with dimension, and personality. If I can say one thing about this show it’s that it is broader – broader in terms of style, medium, and message.
The show features artists from throughout the US. Artists are Kevin Cox, Barbara Newman Johnsen, Carlyn Krall, Morgan LaPlante, John Maciejowski, Ellen Maidman-Tanner, David Mendelsohn, Heather Morgan, David Neufeld, Noah Olsen, Daniel Roemmelt, Shawn Sullivan, Eric Taubert and Eric Johnson, the sole returning artist.
The Modern Male II, mediums include oil, acrylic, graphite, and photography, as well as mixed media sculpture.
The styles range from classic to modern, hyper-realism to expressionism.
Morgan LaPlante’s realist painting depicts a man holding a small child, going directly to his comfortable with a child. Morgan’s paintings are loose, a portrayal of hip and lean – an artist’s heart. Carlyn Krall’s graphite illustrates the image of the modern hero, Colin Kaepernick, while David Mendelsohn’s haunting photo evokes a sense of loss, angst, or perhaps a struggle.
Really, each of these works will speak to something different in every viewer. They’re strong. They’re bound to evoke feelings, act as emotional lightning rods. It’s the evocative nature of these images that make this a powerful show, what made last year’s our most popular, and this one so anticipated. The Modern Male II opening will start with the live-streamed version, available on Bowersock Gallery’s YouTube channel and FaceBook page. It will offer close-ups of the work, an interview with at least one of the show’s artists, and have the capacity for live viewer questions.
The following in-gallery opening will limit the number of viewers, with social distancing, and all safety procedures.
Modern Male II was juried by Bowersock and Jeanne’ McCartin. McCartin, an arts journalist, has written and reviewed art for the Portsmouth Herald/Edge Magazine, and numerous publications for a quarter-century. A sculptor, McCartin curated the 100 Market Street Gallery, Portsmouth NH, for 18 years.
“It seems to me that this is an important time to find original art that really touches a viewer,” Bowersock says. “These are all works created by people who are reaching out through their canvases hoping to touch another human, to make them feel. That’s a very precious commodity in these trying times. For that reason, there’s never been a better time to buy.”
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Learn more at the Bowersock Fine Art Gallery website: bowersockgallery.com