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 The cover of Domesticated My first book, Domesticated, will finally be arriving in a couple of weeks. I've lived with this sucker for a long time now, sequencing and resequencing, editing and reediting, designing and redesigning, and then waiting and waiting while it was being printed in China. During the wait, the book managed to win the Photography Book Award at the New York Photo Festival. And now, it's only a matter of days. Yah! The book features twenty-six images from my Domesticated series as well an essay by the great Alison Nordström of George Eastman House. You will be able to purchase the book through Amazon, photo-eye, and everywhere fine photography books are sold. I will also be giving away some signed copies on my blog, so stay tuned!
Today, on the drive home from our vacation we stopped at a Barnes & Noble in New Haven to pick up the September issue of ARTnews. The magazine features a review of my Domesticated show at the Paul Kopeikin Gallery. I have known for almost a month the review was coming and the September issue has been out for a few days now, but I have been too apprehensive to pick it up until today. I was so nervous I had my husband read it first while I browsed the fiction aisle. When I came back he was smiling. Here's the review by Richard Chang: In her first solo exhibition, titled "Domesticated," Amy Stein explored the point where the civilized world and wild-animal habitats. For her compelling photographs, the artist restages real encounters between humans and animals. The scenes are united by their setting: the area in and around Matamoras, a small town in northeast Pennsylvania that borders a state forest.
Stein specializes in unexpected juxtapositions. In Nursery (2007) a spotted doe appears to have just awakened in a greenhouse among meticulously organized flowers, cacti, and hanging potted plants. Watering Hole (2005) features a young girl in a blue bathing suit standing on the edge of a diving board, staring down a large bear poised on its hind legs. Only a low chain-link fence separates them.
The narratives are enhanced by Stein's formal skill. Trasheaters (2005), showing two coyotes picking over spilled garbage outside a suburban ranch house, contrasts the animals' natural grace with hard geometry of the circular metal trash can, the triangular roofline, and three rectangular windows emitting a harsh yellow light as a sign of nearby human presence.
Backyard (2007) shows a hunter behind a chain-link fence, aiming his rifle at a turkey trotting across a snow-covered meadow. The placement of the hunter makes it look as if he's the one confined. Through such clever scene-setting, Stein reveals the contradictions inherent in mankind's twin impulses to join nature and to tame it. Whew!
Over the past four weeks I have been aggressively focused on making new images for Domesticated. This typically involves weekday trips to Matamoras with my intern, Olga, to scout locations and work out the details and then a return trip on the weekend to shoot. The journey to Matamoras is about 200 miles round trip and on a summer weekend it can take upwards of two hours to get out there. I think I have a couple of new winning shots in the bag, but I want to make at least four or five more over the next couple of months. Every trip to Matamoras is an adventure. The weekend before last we were shooting with rabbits. What a disaster. Rabbits are little bastards with sharps claws and the predisposition of a meth addict. Don't ever be fooled by their cuddly appearance or their cute names. Little Bunny Froo Froo my ass. A couple of hours and endless rabbit scratches later we called off the shoot.  Actual scene from our rabbit shoot This past weekend was an experiment with fireworks, a raccoon and trash dumpster. A visit from Matamora's finest and a small dumpster fire forced us to face facts and call it a night. It was almost 9pm at this point and we had been in Matamoras since 1:30pm. We were a little hungry and dubious of food possibilities at that hour, so we set out on a quest for nourishment. After a short drive down I-84 we found ourselves facing an unholy trinity of theme-restaurant options: Outback, Chili's and T.G.I. Friday's. Typically I don't eat at these restaurants and when I do I feel like I need my stomach and my soul pumped. We rolled the dice and picked T.G.I. Friday's (the only major brand in the US with an implied "God" in the name). As we prepared to enter the front doors we noticed the glowing restaurant sign which suggested the Friday's in the name was not a reference to the day of the week, but some kind of of Dada-esque motivational acronym. Food-Real-Innovative-Drinks-American-You-Service. Genius. We ate as fast as we could, put on the Black Keys and made the long journey back to the friendly confines of New York. We will be back at it again next weekend and the weekend after that and the weekend after that...
 This morning I will be flying to Chicago for the opening of Beyond the Backyard at the Museum of Contemporary Photography. It will be a short trip, but I always love rolling with the Chicagraphy crew. If you are in the area stop by the opening and say hi. The show has an amazing lineup of photographers including Kohei Yoshiyuki, Bill Owens, Todd Hido, Sally Mann, Garry Winogrand, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Gregory Crewdson, and Portland's own, Shawn Records. The image above was sent to me by Zach Abubeker, a photography student at Columbia College and an intern at the MoCP. Pretty cool.
Here are the details:Beyond the Backyard
Museum of Contemporary Photography
June 20 - August 23
600 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 26, 5-7pm
 Summer is officially here and on the streets of New York you can feel the collective anxiety over the coming stickiness. As Jonathan Richman sang, "if you've been in New York city in July you know when I say sticky I'm right." If you are looking to transport yourself from the muggy muss of the city to something a little more pastoral, I suggest you head over to the Jen Bekman Gallery for the Wednesday opening of the group show, Ornithology. A diptych from my Domesticated series will be on display as well as bird-themed work by Echo Eggebrecht, Todd Forsgren, Laura Levine, Carrie Marill, Christina Muraczewski, Victoria Neel, Lamar Peterson, Jason Polan, Amy Ross, Alec Soth, Keith Taylor, Bert Teunissen and Luke Stephenson. Here are the details:Ornithology | Photographs, Paintings + Mixed Media
Jen Bekman Gallery
June 25 - August 2, 2008
6 Spring Street
New York, NY
Opening Reception: Wednesday June 25, 6-8pm See you at the opening.
Finally some installation shots from my shows currently up at Paul Kopeikin Gallery and SMoCA. Domesticated at Paul Kopeikin   Stranded at SMoCA    (If you could turn around you would see a wall of Robert Franks.) Chorizo Pig!  I spotted Chorizo Pig in a supermarket in Phoenix. I had a wonderful time in Arizona. Big thanks to Claire Carter, Michael Lundgren, Pat Evans and all the folks at SMoCA.
 Benjamin, 2007 © Erika Larsen This Friday the Washington Project for the Arts is holding it's 2008 Art Auction Gala. The WPA auction has a different format than most in that they invite people from the art world to curate the artists selected for auction. I was very honored to have Sarah Kennel, the Assistant Photography Curator at National Gallery of Art, ask me to donate a piece from my Domesticated series. Sarah clearly has great taste and a fabulous eye because she also selected Erika Larsen, An-My Lê, Lori Nix, Zoe Strauss and Shen Wei. Even if you don't have tickets for the big event you can still support the WPA by registering and bidding online. In addition to the stellar curatorial work of Miss Kennel, be sure to check out pieces curated by Heather Darcy Bhandari of Mixed Greens and Marc and Sara Schiller of the Wooster Collective.
I am relaxing in Scottsdale, AZ after a long drive from Los Angeles on Sunday. I am visiting Scottsdale to see the Car Culture show at SMoCA and spend a few days chilling out. The run up to the opening at Paul Kopeikin Gallery has been a thrill ride and I need to cool the jets for a few days. The opening was exhilarating and nerve racking and wonderful all at the same time. The place was packed and the work was well received. It was great to see familiar faces like Liz, Patrick and Amy and meet a ton of new folks from Los Angeles. I will post installation photos soon, but right now I am going for a hike.
Never thought I would utter that combination of words, but then again I never thought I would live to see someone named Barack Hussein Obama as the front runner to be the next president of the United States. Such is the wonderful world we live in. Fecal Face is a fabulous Bay area based Web site that covers and supports emerging arts and artists. In advance of my solo show that opens this weekend they were kind enough to interview me and post some of my work. Also, check out a recent Web feature on Luminous Lint and another interview at The Land Salmon.
 Susie, Andrew and Pam, Route 17, New York © Amy Stein I just added some new Domesticated and Stranded images to my Web site. Take a look and let me know what you think. If you are in SoCal and want to see the Domesticated images in person, please come to my big solo show opening this Saturday at Paul Kopeikin Gallery.
 In Between © Amy Stein At the end of 2007 I listed some of my career goals for 2008. I didn't think I was being overly ambitious, but I recognized that each aspiration would require a whole lot of hustle and flow to make it a reality. Well, here we are just a month in to the new year and I am already able to scratch one of those goals off the list. On February 16 my first solo show will be opening for a two month run at the Paul Kopeikin Gallery in Los Angeles! I am not one to exhibit gross displays of pride or steep in my accomplishments, but I am really over the moon about this show. Over the past two years, I have spent countless hours working on my Domesticated series. Each image represents a very long and considered process and I'm so happy it will finally be shown. Naturally, I will heading west for the big opening reception and I would love see as many folks as possible. If you are in Southern California, please stop. Oh, and please tell everyone you know about the show.
 Unitled (Tree Mural) 2004 © Nathan Lyons I have been working long hours of late putting the finishing touches on my Domesticated book. Lots of last minute tweaks and edits, minor revisions and tons of back and forth with the designer. It's pretty stressful stuff, but I am feeling really good about the final product and the extra time I spent sweating the details. Naturally, after you finish with one laborious and mentally taxing process you immediately begin to think of doing it again, right? Maybe I'm just a masochist, but I can't wait to start on a book for my Stranded series. Fortunately for me I will have a great opportunity to do just that once Summer finally shines it's way on to the scene. A couple of months ago I received a letter of invitation from Light Work to be their Artist-in-Residence for June. If you are not familiar with the program you should get acquainted and apply because it is the probably the best artist-in-residency photography program in the US. Past Artists-in-Residence have included Joel Sternfeld, Cindy Sherman, Andrea Modica, Nathan Lyons, Carrie Mae Weems, Angelika Rinnhofer, Alessandra Sanguinetti and Hank Willis Thomas, so you know this is a top notch affair. It's a wonderful honor and I'm very grateful to the generous Doug Dubois for pushing me to apply. The month-long Light Work residency includes a $4,000 stipend, an apartment to stay in, a private darkroom, an assistant and 24-hour access to their world class facilities at the Robert B. Menschel Media Center at Syracuse University. For a full month you have the luxury of time and access to completely focus on your work. I can't wait to get up there and start making a ton of new prints.
 Net 2007 © Amy Stein This Wednesday is the 13th Annual ArtWalk NY benfiting the Coalition for the Homeless. ArtWalk is one of the premier art benefit auctions in New York and this is the second year I have been asked to participate by donating a print from my Domesticated series. I couldn't be more honored. The Coalition for the Homeless has never been more necessary and deserving of your time, energy and money. According to the organization homelessness in New York has reached a new record, with more than 35,000 people, including 14,000 children, sleeping in emergency shelters every night. All proceeds from Artwalk NY directly fund programs provided by the coalition. Here are the details:13th Annual ArtWalk NY
Co-Chairs: Richard Gere, Carey Lowell, and Kayce Freed Jennings
Artist Honoree: Donald Baechler
Event Honorees: Arthur and Alice Kramer
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
6:30PM Silent Auction
8:00PM Live Auction
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street, NYC 10011
Tickets
$125 - General Admission
$250 - VIP Seating
For tickets or event information, please call 212.776.2056.
The current issue of American Photo features their selection of the top fifteen emerging photographers and I made the list. Needless to say, I am very humbled by my inclusion with such a fabulous group of talented photographers. Also making American Photo's list of the "new generation of photo pioneers": Shen Wei, Donald Weber, Mikhael Subotsky, Jason and Carlos Sanchez, Steven Laxton, Alexandra Catiere, Matt Eich, Camille Seaman, Lyric Cabral, Jehad Nga, Michael Christopher Brown, and Nicolai Howalt and Trine Søndergaard. Be sure sure to pick up a copy of the November/December issue on newsstands now. Or you can ask me for a copy. I believe I've cleaned out most of the inventory below 23rd Street.  November/December issue of American Photo I'm also featured in an Apple Aperture advertorial in the same issue of American Photo.  Aperture advertorial in American Photo This has been a good month for me and magazines. I was included in an October photography edition of Zeit magazin Leben. Zeit magazin Leben is the weekend magazine of Germany's largest weekly newspaper, Die Zeit. Watering Hole, an image from my Domesticated series, was featured in their "Around the World in 80 Photographs" edition that included works by twenty-five other photographers including Pieter Hugo, Hiroshi Watanabe, and Alec Soth. Good company indeed.  October issue of Zeit magazine Leben  Covers of American Photo and Zeit magazine Leben
 Spectrum of Life © Matthew Pillsbury The week behind was a little crazy as I tried to complete my Domesticated monograph. I took another trip to Matamoras to make a picture and I have been meeting with graphic designers so I can get cracking on the look and feel of the monograph. I've also been scrambling to get new prints together for a show of my Stranded work at SMoCA. It's hard out here for an imp. Wednesday I took a break from work to attend the opening party of the HSBC Photography Foundation Award at Phillips de Pury Gallery in Chelsea. This year's winners are the always wonderful Matthew Pillsbury and Julia Fullerton-Batten. We were lucky to be in Madrid when the exhibition made its debut in May. Just like the opening in Madrid this was a top shelf affair with lots of delicious treats and fine champagne and wine. You can see the exhibit in New York through October 19. After that it travels to Lyon in December. While you are checking out Matthew and Julia's work be sure to see the preview on display at Phillips de Pury in advance of their big photography auction this Wednesday. It is really an amazing experience to take in so much great work in one convenient location. Among the photographs soon to be sold for ridiculous sums of cash include works by Clark, Levitt, Arbus, Frank, Meatyard, Klein, Shore, Sternfeld, and Goldin. The highlight for me was seeing one of my favorite pieces by Matthew, Spectrum of Life, in the auction with so many A-listers. I would like to think the week ahead is going to be easier, but my to-do list is far too daunting to expect a reprieve.
 Watering Hole © Amy Stein If you are in London this weekend be sure to make it over to the Bridge Art Fair. Randall Scott Gallery will be exhibiting work from my Domesticated, Stranded, and Halloween in Harlem series in addition to works by Julia Fullerton-Batten, Cara Ober, Nick Walker, Etsuko Ichikawa, Ryoko Suzuki, Sarah Wilmer, Alejandra Laviada. Here are the details:Bridge Art Fair
October 11 - October 14th
The Trafalgar Hotel
2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square
Randal Scott Gallery, Room 718
 © Amy Stein Benefit auction season is on in a big way. See here and here. This Saturday Photographic Center Northwest is holding their second annual PhotoVision Award & Auction. The folks at PCNW have been very generous to me over the years and I was more than happy to lend a piece from my Domesticated series for the auction to support their ongoing programs and activities. You can check out the auction catalogue online.
Here are the details:The Second Annual PhotoVision Award & Auction
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Photographic Center Northwest
900 Twelfth Avenue, Seattle
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