Shoot # 54

• Tate Britain (Painting With Light and Tracey Emin) • Tate Modern • Iran • Fotografiska in Stockholm • Abstract Real Show • Global Art Magazine • Instagram • Montenegro and more from:

Jan Oberg – Oberg PhotoGraphics

Art exhibitions are a kind of performances: How do we relate to the works we see and how do we ‘perform’ in the rooms? The above photo was shot in London in May at Tate Britain.

It’s not just documentary; it’s has a particular colour atmosphere; the bodies relate to each other, there’s a head under the arm, people move in and out of the ‘stage’.

It’s a digital gift and will appear only here and on my blog,a moment of joy or reflection from Oberg PhotoGraphics.

A special welcome to many new subscribers and social media friends. Here is the preceding shoot. 

shoot aims to stimulate art curiosity and only secondly to tell what I do. It wings into your mailbox now and then, and sometimes I may shoot just a single image your way.

shoot also leads you to the online GlobalArt Magazine that I curate. Click: Inspiration is guaranteed. It’s sharing of art for cultural bridge-building and civilisation, the opposite of war and other destruction.

I write as an art recommender, not art critic. What’s the use of telling you what I find boring, bad or bull? But I sometimes deviate a bit: below I write about Tracey Emin’s exceptionally boring bed.

I believe in networking, sharing and creating positive energy. Share with me if you have news and views.

Iran
When you receive this, I’ll be in Iran – to do some interviews, give a lecture, dialogue for understanding and peace. And of course to take photos – perhaps a photo book in the future? There is a small collection of my Iran photos here. It’s an amazing civilization of its own, the people truly welcoming. I believe that going to places and see for yourself contributes to peace.

Fotografiska in Stockholm
Fotografiska is one of the leading meeting places for everything photography in the world. I write about the place and some of this summer’s many exhibitions – by Nick Brandt, Bryan Adams and others – here.

Tate Britain and Tate Modern
My first time to see the new ‘old’ Tate building. The “Painting With Light” exhibition was a real eye-opener for me. So was the collection and the dance performances – beautiful, silent and surprising (see the link). Tracey Emin’s bed has re-appeared and she thinks it is a part of history. I don’t. I found it boring, a sign of the navel-gazing, atomistic times in which we live, or perhaps die.

A glimpse of Tate Britain’s unique interior

The new Tate Modern extension hadn’t been opened yet. But what a collection! A wonderful exhibition of “Performing For The Camera”, and a fine juxtaposition of Mark Rothko and Claude Monet and much more more. Positive notes and impressions here.

Mark Rothko and meditating viewer at Tate Modern

Montenegro
Recently hiked in Montenegro’s wild nature with its majestic mountains and magic lakes. Here a few shots – nature photography as well as Gerhard Richter-inspired ‘blurred’ images that I call contours.

“Montenegrin Contour # 2 © Jan Oberg 2016. Click it.

Instagram
I like Instagram, @obergphotographics, and its responsiveness. I upload travel images, experiments and some of my works there. Almost every day. Let’s follow each other! 

Exhibition “Abstract Real” still on
Visitors tell me that my studio is more like a home than a cool, commercial gallery. You can watch photos and browse books as well as discuss art and global affairs with me. It’s by appointment only and then I am present to care for each visitor.

Non-figurative photography? Some words about it on Oberg PhotoGraphics Blog. Have a sneak peek here of some of the works that are on show.

Always welcome – just call first! Perhaps one day you need a gift or want to give your own walls a new life.

Next shoot
Much from Iran and some shots I haphazardly did of objects at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collections like this:

Jesus at Victoria & Albert Museum © Jan Oberg 2016

– and perhaps some late reflections on SCOPE, Liste and Art Basel.