FUTURE IMPERFEcT
Press Release:
Future Imperfect, photographer David Ellingsen’s latest fine art collection, is an indictment of Western culture’s self-destructive habits and examines human reaction to the current environmental crisis. Along with recognition from the International Photography Awards in Los Angeles and PX3 in Paris, this series debuts with a gallery exhibition at the 2009 Lishui Photography Festival in China and is part of the permanent collection of the Chinese Museum of Photography.
STATEMENT
The expectation of a perfect life as dictated by Western consumer culture has far-reaching implications, particularly as it relates to conservation and environmental responsibility. In the context of an affluent yet unsustainable culture resistant to any perceived deterioration of lifestyle, the series Future Imperfect asks when the tipping point for meaningful widespread social change will occur…and suggests one disturbing possibility.
With little or no trace of Man, the landscapes themselves seem to contain an unseen menace, weighing the human response instinct to a clear and present danger against signs of a more subtle nature. Formations of figures portray community – a crowd, a flock, a pod, a herd – beginning with a human perspective, but more importantly one more all-encompassing, putting mankind back into the natural order from which He has removed himself. The bodies themselves realize the dominant demographic of recent human history, raising ideas of civil justice and systems of power as they relate to social progress.
Bringing together these elements of Man and Environment, Future Imperfect examines the point where our seemingly blunted instinct of self-preservation will overcome the entrenched, destructive cultural norms inherent in the West.
PRINT INFORMATION
17 x 22 inch photographic print
Pigment ink on 100% cotton rag, Matte finish, Printshield fixer for UV protection
Edition of 9
1 to 5: $900.00
5 to 7: $1000.00
7 to 9: $1100.00
TECHNICAL
Capture date: 2008 – 2009
Camera: Canon 1Ds Mark III
Processed: Capture One + Adobe Photoshop CS2
Pigment prints made with Epson Ultrachrome K3 technology
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HIBERNUS – A Winter Study
Press Release:
A series about the value of age, the photographs in “Hibernus – A Winter Study” were David Ellingsen’s first solo exhibition in the United States at Camerawork Gallery in Portland, Oregon – the oldest fine art photography gallery in the nation.
STATEMENT
Collected in winter during the final stages of their life, the botanical subjects for this series were chosen for their beauty of form and graphic possibilities. Additionally, and more importantly, they represented a respect and appreciation for the value of the latter part of the life cycle. The Polaroid 55PN film used to capture this collection – an excellent, fine-grained, textured film, rich with organic imperfections—was also at the end of its lifespan. Due to the changing demands in photographic technology 55PN was discontinued in 2008, despite its decades of peerless performance.
In simple terms, the subjects and the medium were chosen in supportive tandem, to question how we overlook the beauty and significance in what has aged.
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 1
13 x 19 inch photographic print
Pigment ink on 100% cotton rag
Matte finish.
Printshield fixer for UV protection
Edition of 15
1 to 8: $550.00
9 to 12: $650.00
13 to 15: $775.00
Matting and framing available, email for information
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 2
28 x 36 inch Chromogenic print on Kodak Endura
Matte finish.
Edition of 5
1 to 3: $1600.00
4 to 5: $1900.00
Matting and framing available, email for information
TECHNICAL
The Hibernus series was photographed in-studio using tungsten lights, a Linhof 4x5 camera and traditional large format film stock – Polaroid’s now discontinued Type 55PN. The negatives were hand processed in the darkroom, solarized during the development process, and printed to archival museum exhibition standards.
Capture date: 2008
Camera: Linhof 4x5
Film: Polaroid 55PN
Scanner: Epson
Pigment prints made with Epson Ultrachrome K3 technology, Chromogenic prints made with Cymbolic Sciences LightJet 500XL
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UNTITLED II
Press Release:
David Ellingsen’s fine art photography series, Untitled II, reveals moments of loss, loneliness and the surrounding grief. This series received Honorable Mention from the International Photography Awards in Los Angeles.
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 1
13 x 19 inch photographic print
Pigment ink on 100% cotton rag
Matte finish.
Treated with Printshield fixer for UV protection
Edition of 20
1 to 10: $450.00
11 to 15: $550.00
16 to 20: $750.00
Matting and framing available, email for information
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 2
28 x 36 inch photographic print
Chromogenic print on Kodak Endura
Matte finish.
Edition of 5
1 to 3: $1400.00
4 to 5: $1700.00
Matting and framing available, email for information
TECHNICAL
Capture date: 2007
Camera: Graflex Speedgraphic 4x5
Film: Polaroid 55PN
Scanner: Epson
Pigment prints made with Epson Ultrachrome K3 technology
Chromogenic prints made with Cymbolic Sciences LightJet 500XL
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UNTITLED I – ENDURE
Press Release:
David Ellingsen’s fine art photography series, Untitled I – Endure, embraces values of permanence and continuity in our architectural heritage. This series was awarded a Winner from the 17th Annual Applied Arts Awards in Toronto, received seven Honorable Mentions from the International Photography Awards in Los Angeles and another from Prix de la Photographie Paris (PX3) in Paris, France
STATEMENT
A structure’s design, craftsmanship and materials speak greatly of the values of its builder and the cultural influences of the period. The expected lifespan of these monuments has been in steady decline for the last century and those built to endure beyond a human lifespan seem to possess a quiet rejection of contemporary consumer culture’s proclivity for disposability. While providing a visual anchor against the ephemeral nature of life, these creations embody concepts of continuity, permanence and comfort at a time where prevailing building methods often seem to consider only time and budget. An enduring structure’s sense of permanence conveys the feeling of continuum, a connection to our own history and the legacy we all, individually and collectively, will leave behind.
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 1
13 x 19 inch photographic print
Pigment ink on 100% cotton rag
Matte finish. Printshield fixer for UV protection
Edition of 20
1 to 10: $450.00
11 to 15: $550.00
16 to 20: $750.00
Matting and framing available, contact for information
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 2
28 x 36 inch photographic print
Chromogenic print on Kodak Endura
Matte finish.
Edition of 5
1 to 3: $1400.00
4 to 5: $1700.00
Matting and framing available, contact for information
TECHNICAL
The ‘Untitled – Endure’ series was photographed in Victoria and Vancouver, Canada using the Graflex Speedgraphic 4x5 field camera with traditional large format film stock, Polaroid’s now discontinued Type 55PN. The negatives were then hand processed in the darkroom and printed to archival museum exhibition standards.
Capture date: 2007
Camera: Graflex Speedgraphic 4x5
Film: Polaroid 55PN
Scanner: Epson
Pigment prints made with Epson Ultrachrome K3 technology, Chromogenic prints made with Cymbolic Sciences LightJet 500XL
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PACIFIC
Press Release:
A contemplation on the serene beauty of the coast, this body of work is heavily influenced by an upbringing on Cortes, a remote rural island in Desolation Sound, Canada. Surrounded by the ocean, rock and the epic vistas, the solitary, peaceful restorative seclusion afforded by the shore has become an integral part of this work.
This series was greatly influenced by Mr. Michael Kenna, the original master of the long exposure landscape.
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 1
13 x 13 inch photographic print
Pigment ink on 100% cotton rag
Matte finish.
Treated with Printshield fixer for UV protection
Edition of 20
1 to 10: $550.00
11 to 15: $700.00
16 to 20: $850.00
Matting and framing available, email for information
PRINT INFORMATION – EDITION 2
24 x 24 inch photographic print
Chromogenic print on Kodak Endura
Matte finish.
Edition of 10
1 to 5: $1550.00
5 to 8: $1750.00
9 to 10: $2000.00
Matting and framing available, email for information
TECHNICAL
These photographs are captured on traditional medium format film stock, with exposures lasting up to 20 minutes. The negatives are then hand processed in the darkroom and printed to archival museum exhibition standards.
Capture date: 2000 through 2005
Camera: Hasselblad 501CM
Film: Agfa APX, Kodak Tri X, Fuji Acros
Scanner: Imacon
Pigment prints made with Epson Ultrachrome K3 technology, Chromogenic prints made with Cymbolic Sciences LightJet 500XL