Susan Wides
and something happens to the light
May 02 - July 25, 2020
and something happens to the light
ONLINE VIEWING ROOM
Press Release
and something happens to the light — The title of the photographs is a line from a poem that Robert Kelly wrote in response to Wides’ work. The setting for these photographs is close to home at her muse, the Cloves of the eastern Catskills. Here are the same luminous mountain canyons favored by Thomas Cole, the works reflecting across time on this site’s spiritual rhythms and its imperiled nature, today more severe than ever before.
…the beauty of such landscapes are quickly passing away–the ravages of the axe are daily increasing–the most noble scenes are made desolate, and oftentimes with a wantonness and barbarism…(Thomas Cole)
Every period has its own optical focus.(Laszlo Maholy-Nagy)
Using a single exposure of a handheld camera with focal manipulations of the lens, Wides fuses a supple language inspired by contemporary abstract painting and Bauhaus photographic experimentation with an ecologically driven representation. Seeking to entice the viewer’s perceptual and emotional awareness of the self and nature, Wides constructed the images using branches along streams in the forest. Wides worked on-site with the camera’s lens’ focus, the depth of her set and its surround, and spatial imagination.
Primarily abstract defocussed areas of color and sharply focused bits evoke the immediacy of sensory awareness, bodily experience, and memory, coalescing in a a multivalent visualization of a place. Here, ephemeral light on fast-moving water, made perceptible only in the photographs, takes on unlikely shapes in spaces untethered from their origin–forms that press close to the viewer and moments of vanishing resources held in suspension.
— and something happens to the light
Biography
BROOKLYN RAIL February 08,2018 by Hearne Pardee Susan Wides: this:seasons
Just as Impressionists brought viewers into contact with the reception of light in the eye, Susan Wides immerses them in the more active process of focus. The apparently stable, seamless visual field is just a convenient fiction: our eyes, in conjunction with other senses, are actually in constant motion…
Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX has acquired September 3, 2016_11:02:10 by Susan Wides for their Photography Department.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Kim Foster Gallery, New York, and something happens in the light
2017 Kim Foster Gallery, New York, This–Seasons
2016 ‘T’ Space, Rhinebeck, New York
2013 Kim Foster Gallery, New York All the Worlds
2011 Hudson River Museum, New York Hudson: Mannahatta to Kaaterskill
2010 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Art & Entertainment
2007 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Mannahatta
2006 Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, SUNY New Paltz, NY Hudson River Landscape
2005 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Kaaterskill
2003 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Arachnoid
2001 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Fresh Kills
2000 Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Name of the Rose
1999 Barry Singer Gallery, Petaluma, CA
1998 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Mobile Views
1996 Kim Foster Gallery, New York Signs, flowers and other memories
John Jay College Gallery, New York You’ll Be History
1993 Metropolitan Transit Authority Arts for Transit Exhibition, New York The Name of the Rose. Bowling Green & Yankee Stadium Subway Stations (through 1995)
1991 Art in General, New York Past & Present
1990 Urbi et Orbi Galerie, Paris, France World of Wax
PS 122, New York Femme Fatality
The Hudson River Museum, Westchester, NY Emerald City & Strange Love
Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY
1984 Hidden Noise, New York, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 Hearst Galleries, art.now.2019 metamorphosis : changing climate, curator Betty Levin, New York, NY
2018 Studio 10 ‘Somewhere, Somehow’ Artists: Gary Stephan, Steel Stillman, Susan Wides, Brooklyn, NY
2018 Human/Nature, Wayne State University, Elaine Jacob Gallery, Detroit, MI
2017 Haifa Museum of Art, Haifa, Israel, The Wax Museum: Approaching Celebrities
2015-17 US Art in Embassies Program, Ankara, Turkey
2015 The Hewitt Gallery, Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY
Athens Cultural Center “Taking Root: Caniskek and the Meeting of Two Worlds
2014 CRIO, Hudson, NY, Heavy Equipment
Eastern Standard, Catskill, NY, Indirect Lines to the Hudson River School
2013 Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY Recent Acquisitions
Scenic Hudson 50 Anniversary Exhibit, Of Time and Place curated by Kate Menconeri, Hudson Opera House, Grand Central Station and other locations along the Hudson
2012 Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York, NY New York in Color
Westport Art Center, Westport, CT Toy Stories curated by Helen During & Dominick Lombardi
Islip Art Museum, Islip, New York Urban/ Suburban
Tremaine Gallery, Hotchkiss School, CT Fabricated curated by Melissa Stafford
Prographica, Seattle, WA Landscape: Urban and Rural curated by Norman Lundin
2011 Athens Cultural Center, Athens, NY Constant Gardeners: Susan Wides and Jim Holl
Kim Foster Gallery, New York, NY Monkey Spoon curated by Dominick Lombardi
Brik Gallery, Catskill, NY Cowgirls of the Hudson curated by Richard Timperio
2010 Alan Klotz Gallery, New York, NY Coming of Spring
Center for Photography, Woodstock, NY PQ:IOO
Fotofest 2010 Biennial, Houston, TX Re-Imagining Place
2009 Philoctetes Center, New York, NY Hive/Web/Mind curated by Hallie Cohen
Nicole Fiacco Gallery, Hudson, NY Upstate
Alan Klotz Gallery, New York, NY Seeing the Hudson
2008 Center for Photography, Woodstock, NY, Triennial 2008
2007 Samuel Dorsky Museum at SUNY New Paltz NY Defining Art: New Acquisitions
2006 Cornell Fine Art Museum, Rollins College, FL Revising Arcadia: The Landscape in Contemporary Art curated by Luanne McKinnon
Kim Foster Gallery, New York, NY Terrain
Kleinert James Art Center, Woodstock, NY Unexpected Catskills curated by Portia Munson
Center For Photography, Woodstock, NY
2005 New Jersey Center For The Visual Arts, NJ Among the Trees curated by Kimberly Marrero
2003 Kim Foster Gallery, New York, NY
2002 Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs worldwide traveling exhibition
New Gallery, University of Miami, FL Land
Center For Photography, Woodstock, NY
2001 Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY Fresh Kills: To the Closure
Municipal Arts Society, New York, NY Fresh Kills: To the Closure
Museum of Contemporary Art, Baltimore, MD Snapshot
2000 Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, VT, After Eden: Garden Varieties in Contemporary Art. Artists: Beuys, Campus, Goldsworthy, Graham, Holzer, Marshall, Wides, et al.
Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ Recent Acquisitions
The Museum of the City of New York, NY New York Now Artists: Epstein, Lutter, Morrell, Moore, Wides et al
Center for Photography, Woodstock, NY
Karen McCready Gallery, New York, NY My Girlfriend Iris
Herbert Johnson Museum, Cornell University, Syracuse, NY One man’s eye: photographs from the Alan Siegel collection
1999 Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, NY Souvenirs: Collecting, Memory and Visual Culture
Wessel O’Connor Gallery, NY Women curated by Vince Aletti
Pingree Gallery, East Hampton, NY Landscape: Three Views
Castle Gallery, College of New Rochelle, NY Psychological Realism
1998 Joseloff Gallery, Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, CT Beyond the Label
Troyer Fitzpatrick Lassman, Washington D.C.
1997 The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia, Museum Studies curated by Ellen Fleurov
Artists: Sugimoto, Wides, Wilson, et al.
1995 Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York, NY
1994 Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey, Apples & Oranges: Contemporary Artists and the Emerson / Rejlander Debate curated by Ellen Handy
Carl D’Aquino Gallery, New York, NY
1993 Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton University, New Jersey, Recent Acquisitions: Contemporary Photography curated by Peter Bunnell. Artists: Barney, Heineken, Parr, Simpson, Wides, et al.
Julie Saul Gallery, New York, NY. Foreign Ferns: Botanical Studies from Talbot to the Present. Traveled to Hiram Butler Gallery, TX
SF Camerawork, San Francisco, CA Paradise Lost
Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ, Contacts/ Proofs curated by Gary Sangster
Marymount Manhattan College Gallery, New York, NY
1992 Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA curated by Maurice Tuchman
The Center for Photography, Woodstock, NY The Surrogate Figure: Intercepted Identities in Contemporary Photography. Artists: Barrette, Bieber, Ellis, Ross, Simmons, Wides. Traveled to the Rosa Esman Gallery, New York, NY and the Cooley Memorial Art Gallery, Portland, OR, curated by Julia Ballerini
The New York Public Library, New York, NY, Selections from the Collection
Deson Saunders Gallery, Chicago, IL, Artforms
The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
1991 Pierre Bernard Gallery, Nice, France. Sphinx: Bill Henson, Thomas Ruff, Susan Wides
Coup de Grace Gallery, New York, NY
Herron Gallery, Indianapolis Center Contemporary Art, Indiana
1990 Soho Center of Visual Arts, New York, NY Made in Photography
Trenkmann Gallery, New York, NY
1989 Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY Recent Acquisitions curated by Barbara Millstein
Squibb Gallery, Princeton, NJ Fictive Strategies: Actuality and Originality in Contemporary Art. Artists: Casebere, Lawler, Levinthal, Samaras, Sherman, Simmons, Wides, et al.
1988 The Burden Gallery, Aperture Foundation, NY Suitable for Display: Museum, Spectacle, History. Artists: Faust, Ladda, Neumaier, Ross, Wides
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX
La Bibliotheque Nationale de France
The Brooklyn Museum
Center for Creative Photography
Center for Photography
Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College
Hudson River Museum
Indiana University Museum
International Center for Photography
JP Morgan Chase
Kenyon College
Museum of the City of New York
New York Public Library
Norton Museum of Art
New School for Social Research
Norton Museum of Art
The Art Museum, Princeton University
Samuel Dorsky Museum, SUNY New Paltz, NY
BOOKS / CATALOGUES / ESSAYS
BROOKLYN RAIL February 08,2018 by Hearne Pardee Susan Wides: this:seasons
Brooklyn, A Photographer’s City. Published by Rizzoli 2018. Kennedy, Marla Hamburg
Seeing Seen. Catalogue for Kim Foster Gallery exhibition 2017. Ratcliff, Carter
All the Worlds. Catalogue for Kim Foster Gallery exhibition 2013. Holl, Jim
2011 New York in Color. Published by Abrams. Shamis, Robert
Susan Wides: Hudson Valley: Manahatta to Kaaterskill, Published by the Hudson River Museum. Bland, Bartholomew; Panetta, Roger
Horizontal New York. Published by Rizzoli. Kennedy, Marla Hamburg
2010 Lives of the Hudson, Published by Prestel. Lewis, Tom; Berry, Ian
FotoFest 2010 Biennial Contemporary U.S. Photography. Co-published by Schilt Publishing, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Catalogue for the exhibition.
2006 Focus, Contrast, History: Susan Wides and the Cultural Landscape. Catalogue for the exhibition at The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art. Wolf, Reva
Among the Trees. Catalogue for the exhibition at The New Jersey Center for Visual Arts. Marrero, Kimberly
Revising Arcadia: The Landscape in Contemporary Art. Catalogue for the exhibition at The Cornell Museum. McKinnon, E. Luanne
2005 Alive and Looking. Catalogue for the ‘Kaaterskill’ show at Kim Foster Gallery. Rexer, Lyle
2002 Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs. Published by Scalo. George, Alice Rose; Peress, Gilles; Shuland, Michael; Traub, Charles
2000 One Man’s Eye, Photographs from Alan Siegel Collection. Harry N. Abrams 2000. Sobieszek, Robert; Siegel, Alan.
The Perception of Perception. Catalogue for exhibition at Kim Foster Gallery. Handy, Ellen.
1998 Paradise Lost, The Garden in Art. Catalogue for exhibition at Middlebury College Museum of Art. Heartney, Eleanor
Mobile Views at Kim Foster Gallery. Catalogue for exhibition. Frank, Madelyn
1996 Signs flower and other memories. Catalogue for exhibition at Kim Foster Gallery. Ballerini, Julia
1993 Foreign Ferns. Essay for gallery exhibition at Julie Saul Gallery. Fineman, Mia
1992 The Surrogate Figure. Catalogue for traveling exhibition originating at The Center for Photography at Woodstock. Ballerini, Julia
1990 World of Wax. Catalogue for exhibition at Urbi et Orbi Galerie. Dusein, Gilles
1989 Fictive Strategies. Catalogue for exhibition at Squibb Gallery. Rauch, Joseph
1988 Suitable for Display: Museum, Spectacle, History. Catalogue for exhibition at The Burden Gallery. Samore, Sam; Dietz, Steve
REVIEWS / ARTICLES
2018 Brooklyn Rail, “Susan Wides : this:seasons,” February. Pardee, Hearne
2013 Artnews Magazine, “Review: Susan Wides” September. Robertson, Rebecca
2012 Harper’s Magazine, “Witnessing the birth of Occupy Wall Street,’’ February. Schneider, Nathan (photographs)
The Guardian, “New York in Color – Review of Howard Greenberg Gallery Exhibition” March 9. Conrad, Peter
Chronogram, “On the Cover: Susan Wides” September. Gutman, Jennifer. (also video interview)
2011 The New York Times, “Perspectives Along the Urban-Rural Spectrum” July 22. Hodara, Susan
The New York Times “LENS: Rediscovering the Urban Palette” September 30. Gonzalez, David
AI_AP/DART, “Susan Wides: Hudson” August 18. Roalf, Peggy
Westchester Magazine, “Susan Wides at Hudson River Museum” April/May. Ann, Kathleen
2010 Artnews Magazine, “Review: Susan Wides” September. Robertson, Rebecca
The New Yorker, “Susan Wides at Kim Foster” May 30. Aletti, Vince
The Woodstock Times,“Shift and tilt” April 2. Smart, Paul
2009 Harper’s Magazine, “The General Electric Superfraud: Why the Hudson River will never run clean” December. Gargill, David (photographs)
2008 Big, Red & Shiny, “Interview with Susan Wides” Dugan, Jess
Photography Quarterly, “The Camera Always Lies” PQ #99. Wilson, Beth E.
2007 The New Yorker, “Susan Wides at Kim Foster” Dec 12. Aletti, Vince
Chronogram, “Portfolio: Susan Wides” December. Wilson, Beth E.
Village Voice, “Best in Show: Susan Wides Mannahatta”, December 12. Baker, RC
2006 Art in America, “Susan Wides at Kim Foster” June/July. Ebony, David
The Believer, “Ancient Trees and the Seeds of our America” February. Strand, Ginger
2005 The Woodstock Times “Wides’ open spaces” Sept 16. Smart, Paul
This Week in New York “Susan Wides: Kaaterskill” Sept. 28
New York, “Because, Well, Look Around” Dec 26-Jan2, pp. 88-89. Bonanos, Christopher
2004 Hampton Jitney, “Artist’s Perspective” August. Gifford, Helen
Swink Magazine, “Against Connoiseurship” April. Strand, Ginger
2003 New York Times, “Susan Wides at Kim Foster Gallery” Feb 28. Johnson, Ken
Village Voice, “Critic’s Short List, Susan Wides” March 3. Aletti, Vince
2wice, “Glow: Downtown” Vol.6 No.2. pp 96-99 (photos) Miller, J. Abbott
Papotage, “Arachnoid by Susan Wides” May
2001 Photo Insider, “Susan Wides: From Landfills to Wax Museums” July/August. Pollack, Barbara
DoubleTake, “Mobile Views, Fresh Kills Landfill” Summer issue (photos). Wides, Susan
Artchitecture, “Talking Trash” June issue. Bernstein, Fred
Harper’s Magazine, “Readings” June issue (photo)
Architecture, ‘Freshkills Landfill,’ May issue (photo)
2000 The Southampton Press, “The Transformational Power of Film” June 1. Cummings, Mary
New York Magazine, Cue Section, ‘Municipal Art Society,’ April (photo)
The New York Times, “What Makes New York ‘the’ City and Not ‘a’ City,” 8. 25. Goldberg, Vicki
The Village Voice, “Voice Choices: Susan Wides” May 20. Aletti, Vince
1999 The Sunday New York Times, “Up-To-Date Ideas From Emerging Talents” May 2.Braff, Phyllis
The East Hampton Star, “Subterranean Collaborator,” August 15. Watson, Sasha
The Village Voice, Voice Choices, April 17-May 25. Aletti, Vince
The Washington Post, “Shooting Rules” February 5. Smith, Watson
1997 Atlanta Journal/Constitution, “Photos at Museums Cabinet of Curiosities” May 30. Cullum, Jerry
1996 Camerawork, “Genius loci, Ingenious Locations, and Landscape Photography Today” Volume 23 No. 2 Winter. Handy, Ellen
The Object as Subject, “Recasting Ancestry” Ballerini, Julia
The Village Voice, Voice Choices, April 2. Aletti, Vince
1993 The New York Times “Foreign Ferns” December 17, Hagen, Charles
New Yorker “Goings on About Town” December 27
The Bay Guardian “Critic’s Choice Art”, February 3. Roche, Harry
1992 ARTFORUM, “The Magic Kingdom of the Museum” April. Kuspit, Donald
The New York Times, “How to Warm a Post Modernist’s Heart” .2. 9. Vicki Goldberg,
The Village Voice, Voice Choices, March 24. Aletti, Vince
The Oregonian, February 9. Gragg, Randy
1991 Harvard Magazine, “Visual Communications Award,” July-August
Afterimage “Waxing Profound” January. Shattuc, Jane
The Indianapolis Star “Omnibus Exhibit” November 18. Cunningham, Anne
1990 Le Monde “Fausses Realities” May 29. Roegiers, Patrick
Le Monde, “Susan Wides” May 24. Beuve Mery, Hubert
Gannet Westchester Papers “Hudson River Museum” 9/21. Gouveia, Georgette
The New York Times, “In Yonkers, Art with a River View” October 14
Democrat & Chronicle “Transforming Reality, March 11. Netsky, Ron
1989 The New York Times “Photographic Works of Fantasy” 3/12. Raynor, Vivian
Cliches Magazine, “Gilles Dusein: Galeriste, Acrobate, Collectionneur” issue #56
The Brooklyn Museum, Exhibition Poster Image “Selected Photographs”
The Princeton Packet, “Fictive Strategies” March 10, Sinclair, Estelle
1988 The New York Observer, “Photographs Deconstruct Museums”, November 7, Coleman, A.D.
1987 New York Daily News “Musee to Wax Anew” January 16. Farrell, Bill
1985 The Village Voice, “The End of the World in Wax” April 15. Trebay, Guy
EDUCATION
1978 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN,
Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art
Studied with Henry Holmes Smith
Area of Specialization: Photography
1974-5 Kenyon College, Gambier, OH