Rachel Hulin, Rainy Day Flight, 2012
Rachel Hulin, Rainy Day Flight, 2012, ClampArt, New York, NY

From staged portraiture to candid urban scenes, this week we are checking out photographic works by two artists that use the camera to study the idiosyncrasies of humanity and their spaces. In the series Flying Henry, artist Rachel Hulin chronicles the adventures of her son in a fantastical and playful selection of images that were also used in the recent publication of a children’s book of the same name. In Toronto, viewers are given a rare glimpse of the photographic oeuvre of Vivian Maier, a private artist who never exhibited her work during her lifetime, but is now considered one of the best street photographers of the 20th century.

Rachel Hulin: Flying Henry will be on view from July 25 to September 7 at ClampArt, 521–531 W 25th Street, Ground Floor, New York, NY.

Rachel Hulin, Rainy Day Flight, 2012, ClampArt, New York, NY

In New York, ClampArt is presenting an imaginative series of child portraits by photographer Rachel Hulin (American). In the photographs, Hulin portrays her young son, Henry, magically suspended in mid-air over otherwise everyday locations, from a kitchen sink to a topiary garden. Hulin staged each shot either by using props or else simply having someone hold the infant high above the ground, and then digitally manipulated the images so that Henry appeared to be floating. In Rainy Day Flight (2012), Henry is depicted hovering over a lush garden, holding onto a colorful umbrella that perfectly matches his striped onesie. Through her images, Hulin attempts to understand the curious nature of her own child’s process of discovery as he explores new sights and develops interests beyond his basic domestic needs.

VIVIAN MAIER: Out of the Shadows will be on view from July 25 to September 14 at Stephen Bulger Gallery, 1026 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1H6 Canada.

Vivian Maier, Coney Island, New York (Couple Kissing at Beach), 1951–1955, Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto, Canada

At Stephen Bulger Gallery, viewers are invited to explore an exhibition of photographs spanning two decades, taken by prolific street photographer Vivian Maier (American, 1926-2009). Maier, who worked as a nanny for most of her adult life, is known for her revealing street scenes of New York City and Chicago. Her work, however, was not discovered until 2007, when boxes of undeveloped film and negatives were sold at auction in Chicago.1 In Coney Island, New York (Couple Kissing at Beach) (1951–1955), the artist captures the spontaneity of a passionate embrace between a young couple at a New York City landmark. The intimate scene, unnoticed by the casual observer on the crowded beach, is vividly exposed in the artist’s image. Out of the Shadows also offers a closer look at Maier’s later work, which is suggestive of the artist’s growing interest in more abstract subject matter, as well as color photography.

Browse gallery openings by city to see where art can be found in your town!

Edgartown, MA
Michel Brosseau, Eric Abrecht & Cheri Christensen at Eisenhauer Gallery
July 25, 2013
38 North Water Street, Edgartown, MA 02539

Falmouth, ME
Lori Ingraham’s A Day at the Beach and Robert Wieferich’s Images of Portland Maine at Elizabeth Moss Gallery
July 18–September 7, 2013
251 US Route 1, Falmouth, ME 04105

Munich, Germany
MARIA JUSTUS: Red No. 29 (Klüser 2) at Galerie Klüser
July 25–August 10, 2013
Türkenstr. 23, 80799 Munich, Germany

La Libertad, El Salvador
Magno Arte Group Exhibition at Magno Arte
July 25–August 31, 2013
Calle Cerro Verde Plaza Sta. Elena, #215-#216, La Libertad, El Salvador

 

1 “Vivian Maier: Out of the Shadows,” Stephen Bulger Gallery press release, July 25, 2013, www.artnet.com.