Icci's Cure for the Cold

Annual Snow Report

This year my snow report comes early, so I think we'll get a lot more of it this winter. Yesterday's blizzard dropped enough of the white stuff for a while, at least for my taste. Seems there's another storm coming through tomorrow... Winter Wonderlands are best viewed from behind a closed glass screen door, inside a warm place.

Nicki @ Like the Spice

Nicole Stager is showing her colorful photograms in a series called Synaesthesia at Like the Spice Gallery in Williamsburg. The opening was last Friday. The gallery is part of Williamsburg's Second Friday Art Walk. I know Nicole through transart institute, where we are both grad students. It was really nice to see her in NY after meeting her in Linz in July.

CPW Weekend Workshop

Photos: Liz Unterman

The Center for Photography at Woodstock invited me to give a 2-day workshop on portrait lighting. The participants work in various fields of photography, from teaching it to practicing it as fine art. I enjoyed the class, and from my students' feedback it seems that they did, too. Thanks to the CPW staff for all their help and support.

Citizen A

Last Friday I became a US citizen. My good old friend Seth came with me, he was impressed by how festive and pleasant the ceremony was. I'm now a citizen of two countries, which is cool.

Seth photographed me in front of as many flags as he could spot. Here are three of his series.

And we celebrated afterward with a nice breakfast.

The Baldur rules

Los Angeles looks wonderful through the lens of the Baldur.

My dad gave me a camera...

It's a Baldur, it was his first camera. Works like a camera obscura, has a single lens - it is a Zeiss lens, though - and takes 120 film. No focusing, no aperture, no time adjustments possible - point and shoot and hope the shutter opens. I love taking pictures with it.

Home

Before I started my big adventure in Linz I stopped by my parents' house in Nuernberg for a couple of days. My mom made a traditional Bavarian dinner (Knoedel und Schweinsbraten) and almost the whole family was there - some only in pictures. Here are some pages I made about my first MFA summer residency at transart institute in Linz, Austria.

Salinger's Whereabouts

The installation at NBMAA looks just like I hoped it would. Before the opening at the museum, Douglas Hyland and his charming wife Tita hosted a brunch. Nibbling on delicious treats and conversing with the Hylands' illustrious friends - about J.D. Salinger's current hide-out, among other things - we arrived at the opening a little late. This turned out to be a blessing because there were already a number of visitors there; I don't like the anxiety that usually comes about, wondering whether any guests will show up to an opening.

This is the actual view of the gallery. Compare it to my model below...

Show Preview

Here's what the show at NBMAA will look like. Seeing the images as one big cluster mounted around a corner gives the impression of a dense display of religious imagery. I remember these kinds of installations from old catholic churches in Southern Germany. They were donated by grateful patrons who overcame disease, famine, loss, or other miseries. The pictures were often painted or embroidered, they showed saints or other religious imagery.

Model Gallery

Sure, there's InDesign to create layouts of exhibitions - but it's great fun to build a model of the gallery that will host one's future exhibition --- and then install the show on foam core walls. This is the NEW/NOW space at the New Britain Museum of American Art. I wonder whether Douglas Hyland (director) would recognize it. Check back in about a week to see what it looks like with the art work up.

NEW/NOW

The New Britain Museum of American Art is announcing my show. It is part of their NEW/NOW series; they have recently shown works by photographers David Hilliard and Lalla Essaydi. Click on the museum link, follow the link to Exhibitions, and then click on Coming Up. Scroll down a little to read the press release.

The show will run from May 30 until August 3, the opening reception is on Sunday, June 1, from 2-4PM; artist's remarks at 2:30PM

UAMO festival

Hard to read but this is the flyer for the UAMO festival which is taking place in Munich, Germany, in the Kunstarkaden ("Ambulatories of Art"!), between April 3 and 6. Some of my images are in their art show. I wish I could be there, it sounds like a lot of fun and a great party.

Banner at Akron Art Museum

This banner is posted in Akron, Ohio. A little far to drive but pretty cool.

ZOOM

Zoom Magazine's article about my work is out now. Please read the entire spread on Kopeikin's web site.

My Favorite Art Team

Collaborators Chris & Icci

Powdered Sugar

Our porch after yesterday's snow storm.

Article about Sammelsurium

Katherine Rushworth wrote this article about my show at Light Work for the Post Standard in Syracuse.
The Post Standard

Light Work Opening

Thanks to Hannah, Peggy, and John for taking a lot of pictures on my big day. The opening in the Light Work gallery was fantastic. Vern put together a video, and a lit sign outside the Robert Menschel Media Center informs people about the show. I was busy giving talks and a TV interview, and talking with guests who all seemed very interested in my photographs. Here are images of the installation, the talks, and the reception.

The Catalog