The Studios of Key West will host the acclaimed artist in Key West for the month of January and present an exhibition of his work, Faces & Stories, from 17 January to 15 February
The Studios of Key West is proud to announce its inaugural Artist-in-Residence, photographer Curt Richter, who will reside in Key West during the month of January. A professional fine art and commercial photographer based in Manhattan and Helsinki, Finland, Richter comes to the Southernmost Point following a project shooting NASA’s Space Shuttle program. He has published six books of photography, and held exhibitions in New York, London, Rome, Berlin, and other major cities.
Richter’s monumental study of Southern writers, Faces & Stories, features exquisite black and white portraits of over 50 American literary figures, including Eudora Welty, Robert Penn Warren, Alice Walker, Ann Beattie, Harry Crews, Walker Percy, and many others. The Studios of Key West will present that exhibition at the Armory from January 17 to February 15. An opening reception is planned for Thursday, January 17 from 6 to 9 pm, and the public is welcome.
The public is also invited to a special conversational lecture at the Key West Armory—beginning at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 16—involving Richter, local writer Ann Beattie, and well-known painter, Lincoln Perry. The trio will discuss the making of image in light, words, and brush. Richter will lead a spirited conversation with exploring how artists create character and shape the subtleties of existence. This special event is also free and open to the public.
“An artist’s occupation is often seen as vastly romantic, it is usually one of solitude,” says Richter. “Being invited to come to Key West as an artist in residence gives me a wonderful chance to concentrate on my work and ideas and share them with others—to take a step away from my predictable routines, and do and see things in an unfamiliar light.”
While here, the photographer will reside on the campus of The Studios of Key West, and set up a portrait studio to create a new body of work. Richter will also work with the organization to create a model for future visiting artists.
“We approached Curt based on the strength of his images, the simple power of his writing about the art he makes, and his supernatural ability to capture something from a person’s interior world,” said Studios executive director Eric Holowacz. “We hit it off right away, and he agreed to brave the Key West winter and serve as our first Artist-in-Residence guinea pig.”
The Studios of Key West has just completed its first year, and has a mission of supporting the creative process, artists and their work, and opportunities for the general public to get involved in both. In 2008, it will begin working with Richter and a handful of other visiting artists who will bring a unique creative approach, body of work, or cultural identity to Key West. Artists-in-residence will spend between 2 and 6 weeks on the island, housed on The Studios of Key West campus. They will be given opportunities to partner with local organizations, collaborate with Key West artists, and develop projects to connect with the greater community.
Richter brings a unique perspective and creative practice to our community, which he describes in this way:
“Artists make objects, that’s what we do. A book, a print, a sculpture or a building, it only gains meaning when it is realized and becomes a thing. I continue to narrow the tools of my craft: an 8x10 view camera with one lens, twelve sheets of film and an ordinary assortment of tungsten lights. It is as simple as I can make it: selective illumination, dark background with the face the brightest value. My prints are made using the 19th Century platinum/palladium process. It offers a subtle tonal range, and unlike commercial papers available today, the image appears to be in the paper, not resting on top of it. It is extremely slow, the emulsion only responds to ultraviolet light and is chemically very temperamental. It is also the most beautiful process I know.”
The Studios of Key West, founded in late 2006, recently renovated the historic Armory building at 600 White Street to serve as a hub for the island’s arts community. The campus comprises a main hall for workshops, lectures, and exhibitions, twelve studios for local artists and writers, a well-landscaped sculpture garden, and main office. In 2008, the organization will expand its programming to include an on-going Artist-in-Residence program, free professional development sessions for Key West artists, and exciting new partnerships with Sculpture Key West, Southern Arts Federation, Red Barn Theatre, Key West Symphony, and other local arts organizations.
“We’re trying to find the best local ideas, the most interesting artists anywhere, and the most extraordinary partnerships imaginable,” says Holowacz. “We really do want to create a totally new, entirely fresh creative community here in Key West.”
The Studios of Key West staff keeps an open door, and always welcomes new cultural projects and creative proposals. To learn more about Curt Richter’s residency, becoming a member of Friends/TSKW, or the upcoming season of creative opportunities, contact The Studios of Key West at 296-0458 or info@tskw.org.
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