Joseph O. Holmes has held a pretty special place in the JBP family for some time now: he's was an HHS! Ne Plus Ultra back in 2006, and the only person to ever win the competition twice (Fall 2005 and 2006). He is also one of 20x200's superstars, with fourteen editions over the past several years - many of which have sold out. (Make sure you check out his latest!).
We couldn't be more excited for his upcoming first-ever solo show at JBG, The Urban Wilderness, arriving just in time for the holiday season. His work for this series paints a dreamy and romantic portrait of wintry New York, depicting wanderers, revelers, sledders and dog walkers - the various inhabitants of and passers-through Brooklyn's Prospect Park - as they traverse and take joy in the season's first snowfalls. From the press release:
...stark, snowy landscapes of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, a place familiar to many, are captured as a wonderland that could easily be mistaken for remote and vast landscapes far away from the city. Symbols of man intrude upon the pristine park: fencing, lampposts and looming buildings. The images, in turn, define the magical sensation of finding a brief moment of isolation in a place often overcomeby crowds, chaos and noise.
As so much of his work is wont to do, The Urban Wilderness betrays a characteristic infatuation with this city that Joseph calls home (he very fittingly keeps a blog called joe's nyc, where he posts photos that he takes around the city, almost daily). Inherent as well in these photographs is a deep sense of nostalgia; a yearning for the peaceful landscapes of his childhood in rural Pennsylvania. Joseph finds both a way to celebrate the city of his present and to evoke a simpler time, finding unexpected peace and calm amidst the near-constant clamor of New York.
As we eagerly await the exhibition's installation next week--and opening reception on Friday, December 10th--we thought we'd take this opportunity to have a peek at The Urban Wilderness, and to look back at some Joseph's work over the past five years to see how it informs and compliments this latest project. Images from past series, such as Workspaces (recently featured on Apartment Therapy's site, Unplggd), amnh, and the ongoing NYC similarly see Joseph finding an unlikely sense of order and even serenity in chaotic, cluttered spaces--in messy offices, inside one of the country's most-visited museums, and even on the hectic streets of New York City. These photographs encourage us to take a pause; to notice and appreciate the beauty that surrounds but so often evades us.
Have a look at just a few of Joe's images, and don't forget to join us for the show's reception next Friday!
The Sledding Hill (Dusk) by Joseph O. Holmes
The Picnic House by Joseph O. Holmes
Auto Repair by Joseph O. Holmes
Chinese Restaurant by Joseph O. Holmes
amnh #62 by Joseph O. Holmes
West Forty-third Street (Yellow Cabs) by Joseph O. Holmes
West Nineteenth Street (Yellow Dress) by Joseph O. Holmes
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