Bar Thalia

HARLEM RESONANCE ART EXHIBITION AT BAR THALIA, SYMPHONY SPACE

 

About the Artists

 

Archie Hamilton started his photographic experimental journey in 1965, in Mannheim, Germany as member of the US Armed Forces, first with a fixed lens canon, then with a camera with an interchangeable lens.

He started out photographing landscapes, and doing photograms, without knowing they were photograms, then learning to process film. The activities center on the

Army base, allowed for long hours of learning the craft, along with persons with a wealth of knowledge in the field.

After Archie returned to the United States he worked as a school picture photographer, for about six months, where upon he decided to stop the photographic work, and do something else that was not at all related to the art, he worked in a steel mill.

After a short while Archie decided to come to New York, and attend Fashion Institute of Technology for a summer.  Later he was employed by The Board of Missions of the

United Methodist Church, where he assumed the duties of studio photographer, magazine and motion picture still photographer in the US, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. I have been exhibiting for the past thirty years, with some spaces in between, but always being active.

 

Lenore Browne creates black and white photographs of Harlem in a work-in-progress collection called “Portrait of Harlem” and “Harlem Stroll” to present and preserve the image history of Harlem in this transitional time coined the “second renaissance.” As her photographs capture the essence of Harlem, the images appear timeless yet record aspects of Harlem’s past that are still present at this time.  She believes it is urgent to photograph Harlem at the cusp of its transition so it is documented forever. 

As an adolescent John Brathwaite learned about photography from his uncle Hamilton Lionel Maloney who was an avid photographer and a poet. Along the way, he learned as much as he could about film and processing from other photography enthusiasts and professionals all of whom were helpful and encouraging. John built a darkroom in the basement of his house and after college he spent his time shooting pictures and developing his skills as far as I could to develop his creative style. After a course in photojournalism John turned away from photographing aspiring models and towards documentation of conditions in the inner city. His style changed, but it turns out his style is always changing as he discovers new ways to share his vision of the world. Still, John is drawn to photographing people; the beauty of their faces and their expressiveness.

 

John stopped shooting pictures for a long time, but then he became aware of digital photography and all the creative options it offered. He discovered that “going digital” was enormously creative and liberating. It was what he had been looking for.

 

Although concerts and events are a large part of John’s current photographic activity, he is always seeking new ways to express himself photographically. He enjoys participating in photo shows. He finds that exhibiting his work is an excellent way to gather feedback, which lets him know the level of impact his images are creating.

Jack Lee born October 1943 in Harlem, New York. Jack believes that photography is a journey. A collective memory. Through techniques and aesthetics he believes the camera is a mechanical instrument that is capable of capturing and producing an enormous amount of possible simulated paintbrush images with a single click. The camera allows the photographer to freeze time for posterity. A Kodak moment may be a thousand words. From the sixties he has accumulated of 25,000 frames on many subject matters such as Jazz, La Marquetta market place in Harlem, New York, protest marches, places, and things.

Zack Lewis began to document Harlem in (1981)-(1991).  This was at a time when the TV media outlets gave very little positive and informed news coverage. It was as if Harlem was on another planet! This reality gave Zack cause to use his (35)mm camera as a working tool to seek the truth. He found this endeavor to be truly something he could feel and believe in.

 

About the Curator

 

Kim George, Associate Director, Harlem Arts Alliance (HAA,) oversees outreach and coordination for the development of HAA’s Visual Artists Network, creating a database, and offering technical assistance and career development meetings and seminars for a network of over 150 Harlem and New York-based visual artists. She also manages HAA’s Visual Arts Coordinator, including reviewing, approving and preparing the monthly video compilation and layout of artists’ work for display, and oversees monthly exhibitions of artists’ work at the Theatre at Riverside Church as well as at other venues throughout Harlem.

*If you are interested in exhibiting your artwork at Bar Thalia, you may submit inquiries to barthalia2537@gmail.com