It was hot, humid, sticky. It’s summer in New York. Friday nights are often special; this friday in particular was the opening of Gina Pollack‘s solo exhibit of Where They Swam // Other Relics. It was hosted at the one well, a fabulous local shop/gallery space whose owner Kerry Jones is also the curator/designer.
Gina came in, price sheets and artist info in hand. “So sorry, I forgot about these,” said the Silverlake native-turned New Yorker.
I was admiring her photographs earlier while helping Kerry prep. A part of me always wonders what the artist looks like in comparison to the art they make. Her photos were colorfully vivid and vibrant. They were filled with beautiful nostalgia and juxtaposition of man-made elements and forces of nature.
With her vintage red pumps, ethnic-inspired black dress and no-fuss hair, Gina was the perfect petite embodiment of her artwork.
I was curious what inspired her to take these photographs, so I asked if she had a couple of minutes to answer my questions.
Y: So, aside from the fact that the McCarren Park Pool is opening soon, I want to know what spurred your interested in taking photographs of it in the first place?
G: It was actually a spur of the moment thing. My friend and I were walking past it and curiosity got the best of me.
Y: Just curious, the colors are so vibrant and almost electric in your photographs, do you by chance change the filter or saturation levels? And what kind of camera did you use?
G: I actually used a digital camera for this one. I was not prepared to take these photos; again it was spontaneous. However, I didn’t even need to tweak the photos. It was “magic hour”. You know the photo with the red wall, that was exactly what it looked like when i took it. Maybe a little contrast and sharpening, but very minimal.
Y: So were all those photos digital? That’s really amazing.
G: Not all of them. The ones with the fish and the people with colorful backgrounds were shot on film. I actually like taking photos in film. There’s this element of surprise. You can always hope that the photo will turn out the way you want it to be.
Y: I really liked the man with the blue background. What’s your favorite photo in your show?
G: Fish, Alaska, 2010. is one of my favorites. It was shot on film and I love the way it looks printed big–you can really see the blue/green colors. It has a retro feel to it too, since it was shot on film. From the McCarren park photos, I’d say the siding. (see both above)
Brevity was key, since it was her opening reception after all. 🙂 It was good to sit down and pick the artist’s brain fora bit. Gina was very candid and charming.
Her solo exhibit will be available to view from Thursday through Sunday at The One Well from 12-8p. Her prints are for sale as well. For inquiries, contact The One Well.