Indefinite Transit: NYC Edition

Michael M. Koehler in the East Village © Andrea F. Pagliai

PHOTO SHOW BY ONE OF MY FAVORITE NYC PHOTOGRAPHERS

One of my favorite Black & White film photographers, Michael M. Koehler, who I have written about in the past (here, here, and here), on my other blog (which is my journalism portfolio), is finally showing his long anticipated photo project – lets say ginormous photo endeavour – documenting New Orleans, which he has been working on for the past four years or so.

"Along Bayou Road" © Michael M. Koehler

After the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, Koehler headed back down to the Big Easy and its environs to document the devastation that was taking place and the people it was affecting. A long time coming, Koehler’s documentary project, “Along Bayou Road,” will finally show his work, today starting at 7PM EST – 9PM EST at Gallery Bar, in the Lower East Side.

The fishermen of the bayou depend primarily on the livelihood the Louisiana waters promised them. Koehler found a window to point his lens through, when he befriended Ricky Robin, who hails from Saint Bernard Parish. Robin, a seventh generation shrimp fisherman, has been affected again and again, first by Hurricane Katrina in 2006, and now by the 2010 BP oil spill which is threatening the present and future of the craft – clearly without shrimp, there can be no shrimp fishermen. Beyond being one the greatest environmental devastation’s of modern history, it is also an emotional one for those who live on and off the Louisiana land.

Robin’s life has been changed inextricably; one day he was fishing shrimp and then next he was cleaning up oil. Ironically, BP is now one of the only employers in the area for these local fishermen and has contracted many of them to take part in clean-up effort – albeit without the proper resources and safety precautions. Koehler tells Robin’s story.

Details:

"Along Bayou Road"

What/ When: The exhibition will be on view from: Wednesday, October 6–Wednesday, October 27, 2010. At the opening reception, which is today, will be the artist, himself! That is going on again from 7:00-9:00PM EST, Oct. 6th, 2010. Additionally, there will be an artist’s talk on Wednesday, October 13, 7:00PM EST.

Location: Gallery Bar, 120 Orchard Street (between Delancey and Rivington Streets), NYC/ 212-529-2266/ www.gallerybarnyc.com

Gallery Hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12:00 pm until closing and Sundays from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

For more information: about “Along Bayou Road,” go to its exhibition page, here.

I’ve got to plug this:

Additionally, three 11 x 14 inch limited-edition pigment prints will be available for sale throughout the exhibition. 100% of the proceeds from these sales will go two charities in the New Orleans region, The Voice of the Wetlands and the Fisherman of St. Bernard.

Bio:

Michael M. Koehler (b. 1982) was raised in Philadelphia and currently lives in New York City. Koehler received his B.F.A from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2005. He has worked as a staff photographer for the Philadelphia Tribune and the Philadelphia City Paper, and his work has been published in numerous magazines including, American Photo and Complex. He has exhibited widely, at Leica Gallery, New York; the Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia; Subliminal Projects Gallery, Los Angeles; and the Sandro Chia Studio, Rome. Koehler was recently awarded the Purchase Award by the Perkins Center for the Arts, in association with the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

I will see you all there! I can’t wait to see this show. I can tell you all from the perspective of someone who has been a photographer since she was 13, and has done both analogue B&W and digital, I have mad respect for Koehler. He is both a collaborator and a mentor for me. My first art money will be spent on his work. ‘Nuff said.

-A

Michael M. Koehler Andrea F. Pagliai