ARTmonday: Soft Powers Photographs by Joseph Desler Costa Speaks to Consumer Culture

Photographer Joseph Desler Costa’s exhibition “Soft Powers” is based on the concept of gently influencing ideas, subtly shaping human desire through appeal and attraction.

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installation view

As a political concept and strategy, soft power reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s during the Cold War. In the U.S. companies found new ways to influence behavior through sugary branding and corporate messaging driven by Coca-Cola, Hollywood, and other vehicles of consumer culture. 

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Prrrrince (2021)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

In his “Soft Powers” series, photographer Joseph Desler Costa uses the language and symbols of advertising and propaganda from those two decades to reflect on the power of persuasion.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Three Fingers (2020), detail
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

Costa combines multiple exposures, appropriation, and laser-cut, layered prints, to create images that look almost mass produced or machine made—as if they were rolling off of an assembly line.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

installation view

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Red One Piece (2020)
Dye sublimation prints on aluminum

“I often re-photograph my own images and incorporate them into new pieces to further drive this feeling of sterile reproduction,” the Brooklyn based artist says. 

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Newports (2020)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

The works are pastel-hued, product-like images that often incorporate recognizable logos, graphics, and album art laser-cut into the aluminum print surface.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Racquets (2021)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

“Soft Powers” images replicates advertising’s ability to create desire and manufacture beauty.

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

Order Substance (2020)
Layered laser cut dye sublimation prints on aluminum

Joseph Desler Costa Exhibition at ClampArt New York

installation view

“Soft Powers” by Joseph Desler Costa through May 29 at ClampArt, 247 W 29th St., New York City, clampart. com 

​All photos by Daniel Terna. Courtesy of the artist.

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ARTmonday: Fraction Holiday Print Sale

If photography is your thing, add Fraction Magazine to your online reading list. Fraction Magazine features contemporary fine art photography by established and emerging artists worldwide.

Last year I bought two really fun prints for about $100 from the Fraction Holiday Print Sale. This year’s sale runs through December 31, 2018. Here are a few highlights:

Blue Whiteout By Deborah Hamon Fraction Holiday Print Sale

Blue Whiteout, Deborah Hamon

Untitled (Lemon) By Jaime Lowe Fraction Holiday Print Sale

Untitled (Lemon), Jaime Lowe

Door Handles By Suzanne Revy Fraction Holiday Print Sale

Door Handles, Suzanne Revy

“Algunos clásicos" By Eleonara Ronconi Fraction Holiday Print Sale

“Algunos clásicos”, Eleonara Ronconi

Controlled burn outside of Bend, Oregon, 2018 By Kate Truisi Fraction Holiday Print Sale

Controlled burn outside of Bend, Oregon, 2018, Kate Truisi

New Phone Who Dis? By Nicholas Mehedin Fraction Holiday Print Sale

New Phone Who Dis?, Nicholas Mehedin

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ARTmonday: Fraction Holiday Print Sale

I first learned about the photography magazine Fraction last year, when a local photographer alerted me she was participating in the Fraction Holiday Print Sale. I purchased two prints that I just recently had framed at StyleCarrot partner Framebridge (I love this framing service for simple black, white, and pale wood frames; it’s so quick and simple).

This year’s Fraction Holiday Print Sale features over 125 affordable photographs ranging in price from $30 to $600. I would say most cost $100. Each print ships directly from the artist, within five days of purchase, and he or she gets paid within 48 hours.  It’s a great way to support the arts, give a gift, or add another visual layer to your own home.

The sale ends at 8pm MST on December 31, 2017.

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Kelli Pennington

Kelli Pennington

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Aaron Blum

Aaron Blum

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Audra Osborne

Audra Osborne

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Jason Pearson

Jason Pearson

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Charley Star

Charley Star

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Michael Barolet

Michael Barolet

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Briana Cerezo

Briana CerezoFracture Holiday Sale Photographer Rebecca Sittler

Rebecca Sittler

Fracture Holiday Sale Photographer Gloria Baker Feinstein

Gloria Baker Feinstein

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ARTmonday: Justyna Przybylowska

Justyna Przybylowska is a Vancouver-based photographer with provocative, hard-edged work in both black and white and color, with many selections available on Society6.

Her art prints start at $64. Like most of the offerings at Society6, Przybylowska’s color and black & white photography prints are available in varying sizes, framed, printed on canvas or metal,  on iPhone cases, pillows, totes, greeting cards , hoodies, and other items.

You can see Justyna Przybylowska’s most recent work on her website PRZY, which she calls an online photographic exhibit of the world through her eyes. And then there’s her Instagram feed.

Here’s a sampling of her work from Society6, plus a selfie.

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Justyna Przybylowska, Trump

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Untitled

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Designer Drugs

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Bull

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Cake

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Mangiare

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Leg Through Void

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Advice

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Justyna Przybylowska, Slasher

justina-przybylowska-przy-society6-photographs

Justyna Przybylowska, Legs

Justyna Przybylowska Self Portrait On Stairs

Justyna Przybylowska

ARTmonday: 12 Photos from the Fraction Holiday Print Sale

I received an email last week from local photographer Dana Mueller that  one of her prints would be available for a limited time at the 9th annual Fraction Holiday Print Sale. I loved her photo so I clicked through to see the others and it was instantly smitten. I hadn’t heard of Fraction Magazine, an online publication dedicated to fine art photography.

The Fraction Holiday Print Sale offers more than 100 prints starting at $75; most of them are about $100. Every one of them is wonderful. I limited myself to two photos—Mother Bird by Joy Christiansen Erb and Be the Light by Puspa Lohmeyer, both which arrived very quickly. (Prints ship directly from the artists.)

The prints are numbered and signed originals. If you order before this Wednesday, December 14 the site says you are likely to have it by December 24th. The sale goes through 8PM December 31st. Here are a dozen of my favorite photographs from the sale. 

Interior Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Kurt Simonson, Veranda Window (Swedish Light), 2011

Interior Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Fritz Liedtke, Isola

Portrait Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Heather Evans Smith, Wrench

Landscape Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Shawn Bush, Burro Schmidt

Interior Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

John Paul Evans, till death us do part – 6

Still Life Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Bootsy Holler, Treasures (Pack 03)

Still Life Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Joy Christiansen Erb, Mother Bird

Landscape Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Deborah Hamon, Ice Diamond

Interior Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Puspa Lohmeyer, Be the Light

Interior Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Lucia Ferreira, Fern #1 ( The Secret Garden series)

Landscape Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Dana Mueller, Untitled (diver), 2015, (May Days series)

Interior Photography From Fraction Holiday Sale

Peg Shaw, Hover (4.1)

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