212GALLERY
212GALLERY
artist Max Vadukul collaborates on photos with preeminent Chinese
artist, Ai Weiwei in China, for W magazine’s Art issue
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212GALLERY’s own Max Vadukul
recently collaborated with Ai Weiwei, the “most powerful person in the
world of art,” according to Art Review magazine.
Mr. Ai created a story line for a
series of photos that were shot on location in New York, by the
photographer Max Vadukul as Mr. Ai looked on, art directing via Skype
on a laptop computer from his home in China.
The photos will appear in W
magazine’s November issue, the sixth annual one devoted to art. W’s
editor, Stefano Tonchi, approached Mr. Ai, the outspoken Chinese artist
and dissident, to do the cover not long after he was released from
detention. Mr. Ai, was detained by Chinese authorities in the spring,
was released under close surveillance in June.
“There is nothing quite like it,”
said Vadukul, who had his first U.S. solo exhibition at 212GALLERY last
March.
“He has an extraordinary vision,”
said Vadukul. “He sees something that nobody else sees. That’s why he’s
such an acclaimed artist. I’m mindful that I’m creating his vision. W
is known for creating fine art work and then if you bring in a
photographer known for his art reportage work- it’s exciting. This is
the one assignment which will never be repeated again.”
Not only did Mr. Ai agree to do the
cover, but a schema for a series of photos reminiscent of photos he
took of the Tompkins Square riots in the 1980s, when he lived in New
York. “We left it open to him to create an original work,” said Diane
Solway, W magazine’s senior editor.
The resulting scene takes place at
Rikers Island. They refer to Mr. Ai’s own confinement, which China’s
government has forbidden him from discussing.
For Mr. Vadukul the challenge was in
translating Mr. Ai’s aesthetic for W’s fashion readership.
In an October 12th, New York Times
article about the collaboration, Mr. Ai specified that he wanted
street clothes, in the cover photo, shot in Flushing, Queens. The
model, instead, is wearing an outfit by Alexander Wang. Mr. Vadukul
made some suggestions — like shooting in black and white, which he said
Mr. Ai agreed with — but he was mindful that he was there to execute
another person’s vision.
“I would show him the images live on
the screen,” explained Vadukul. “We had skype set up in this prison. I
was showing him where I’m going to shoot, frame by frame, getting him
involved in the process. I felt like I was giving his vision a lot of
feeling.”
“It was very surreal,” said Ms.
Solway. “We could see him on the screen, scrolling through the images.”
“This is his story,” said Vadukul.
“I’m doing what he’s expecting. For me, the excitement has been,
firstly, to have the chance to collaborate with an artist of his
stature, then to hear him actually give a very strong direction.”
“Art is traditonally most effective
when it makes a social comment and he’s certainly succeeded in doing
that,” said Vadukul. “He is the big big kahuna out there.”
*Corrections for New York Times article.
***
BIO
Max Vadukul was born in Nairobi,
Kenya and currently works and resides in New York City. Best known for
black and white and portrait photography, Vadukul follows in the
tradition of “art reportage” photography, which he describes as “taking
reality and making it into art.”
In the 1990’s he established himself
with a large body of work for French Vogue – a large portion of which
was created with his wife, the eminent fashion editor Nicoletta
Santoro, with whom he has collaborated for years. He has produced three
books, is a film director, and recently created a series of dance and
music videos for Yoji Yamamoto’s “Coming Soon” clothing line campaign.
He has also branded his trademark style on campaigns for Chloe, Commes
Des Garcons, Armani, Emanuel Ungaro, Sandro, and HBO's "Six Feet
Under."
Vadukul shoots regularly for W
Magazine, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Vogue China, and
others. He has long standing relationships with such magazines as
French Vogue, Italian Vogue, L’Uomo Vogue and The New Yorker, where
from 1996 to 2000, he was staff photographer, a title previously
occupied by Richard Avedon.
212GALLERY features innovative,
established and emerging international artists working across media
including, photography, painting, sculpture and mixed media.
Gallery Hours are Monday through Saturday 10-7 and Sunday 10-6.
212GALLERY 525 East Cooper Avenue, next to Ralph Lauren
Please call 970-925-7117 for further details.
GALA PREVIEWThursday, November 17, 5:30-8:30pm
