body&soul 
artist reception: Sat, Feb 11, 2012 – 7-10pm 

Bob Burkhardt 
Robin Davis 
Li Su 
Rob Simmons 

pb&j gallery is pleased to present the work of four talented photographers in its third annual Body&Soul exhibition. From the lush romanticism of Robin Davis and the abstract approach of Li Su, to Bob Burkhardt’s more classical forms and Rob Simmons’ experimentations with light painting, the exhibition showcases four distinctly different approaches to capturing the human form. 

Bob Burkhardt expands his exploration of the nude figure with a new emphasis on classic form. Intimate and often overtly sensual studies of the nude male form feature predominantly in his work which takes a direct and unblinking approach. Shot in black and white on a stark, white surface Burkhardt’s current exhibition references classic Greek imagery. He explores the contrast between soft and hard textures while emphasizing light and shadow in a way that holds the focus on classical form and design. 

Robin Davis presents archetypes in color photography that owe much to the lush imaginative excess of nineteenth-century hand-tinted work. Her “13 Women” series combines explanatory text with images of mythic and historic female figures that she sees as providing “psychological models for contemporary personal action.” The effects of Davis’ imagery are created in her studio, on film and in camera, with styled sets and models using low lighting techniques. Nothing is Photoshoped. 

These images are taken from the original series begun in 1994. To create painterly images with objects, sets, costumes and light, Davis used in-camera techniques to illustrate the elusive timelessness of these archetypal feminine characters. She has always been drawn to the mysterious power of these women and to what their characters represent. In any age, their stories, universal truths and symbolism continue to fascinate us. 

Rob Simmons continues to investigate the effect of prolonged and multiple exposures on the human form, a technique he is known for in his local cityscapes. Always pushing for striking imagery, Simmons’ pushes his art to create eye-catching, stark photos. 

Li Su expresses his understanding of masculinity through his male nude photography. Through skin and muscle, he seeks to capture the maturity, vulnerability and sophistication in men. “I want to explore their loves, their fears, their hopes, their scars and all their experiences through the vicissitudes of life,” he explains. “When you face a nude male body, you are approaching the inner side of a complex personality.” The figures in his photography usually do not include faces because the artist prefers that the viewer feels an empathetic connection with the figure rather than identifying the subject a specific person. 

Join us for a diverse and thought-provoking exhibition. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Free admission and parking behind the gallery. 

Show will hang until March 23, 2012 

35 Howard Street, SE, Atlanta 30317 
Weds-Sat 12-5pm 
404.606.1856 • info@pbjart.com

The participating photographers are:

 

Shelia Pree Bright is a known voice in the contemporary art scene. Her Young Americans series has been honored with a show at the High Museum of Art and continues to have a life with public installations throughout the US. APP is her second project with the APC. Her focus with this project and the prior project is little-known African American historic sites.

  

Terrell Clark uses a pinhole camera for which he developed a passion in high school. He finds one of the most satisfying aspects of photography to be learning about cultures and bringing people of different cultures together.

  

John Dean’s edited work creates a superreal vision of its subjects, paring down the information so that intricacies of the subject can be appreciated. In addition to his accomplishments as a photographer, he is a master printer. This is his second project for the APC.

  

Stephanie Dowda is both a photographer and a curator. Her work examines how “memory builds our framework of the world.” This is her second project with the APC. She curated The Future is Behind Us, the inaugural exhibit in the Drawing Room Gallery.

  

Jody Fausett has been noted as an up-and-coming local talent by Museum of Modern Art Georgia. His striking use of light is distinctive and his composed images are intriguing. This is his second project with the APC.

   

Jeff Keesee works as a photographer because he “loves using his camera to interpret the world around him, creating work to be enjoyed.” For this project he specifically requested sites that are within walking distance of his home.

   

David Yoakley Mitchell is both an artist and a preservationist. He trained at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the National College of Art and Design. He directs M.H. Mitchell, Inc., a non-profit organization for the support of Georgia history. He is a member of APC.

   

Rob Simmons’ photographic work seeks to “capture the unguarded essence of his subjects.” His long exposure shots using ambient light create striking images that “open the viewer’s eyes to the art and beauty in the commonplace world around us.”