Shane Balkowitsch | |
---|---|
Born | |
Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | Wet plate photographer, and founder of Balkowitsch Enterprises |
Website | sharoncol |
Shane Balkowitsch (/ˈbɔːlkəwɪtʃ/ BAWL-kə-witch;[1] born January 24, 1969) is an American wet plate photographer from Bismarck, North Dakota. Balkowitsch was given the name "Maa'ishda tehxixi Agu'agshi" ("Shadow Catcher") by Calvin Grinnell of the Hidatsa-Mandan-Arikara Nation on October 28, 2018.[2][3] The subject of his photos is the human condition.[4] Since 2012 he has photographed over 4,700 individuals, including various celebrities[4] and historical figures.[5] Balkowitsch is a self-taught photographer.[6][7][8]
Photographic career
In 2012, Balkowitsch began researching the process of wet plate photography after reading a manual on the subject by tintype photographer John Coffer. With little experience in photography, Balkowitsch experimented with the process and took his first successful photo the same year. Since then he has produced over 2,000 plates and his work has appeared in numerous publications. He holds demonstrations in North Dakota with the use of a portable darkroom.[9][10][11][12][13]
Techniques
Balkowitsch uses an Italian made Alessandro Gibellini 8x10" folding camera in the studio. He uses Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm and 360mm lenses.[14] Since 2012 studio sessions required 4500 watts of continuous light. For outdoor sessions the sunlight is enhanced with the help of reflectors. In 2018 Balkowitsch opened a new photography studio in Bismarck, North Dakota where natural light is exclusively used in studio.[15]
Recognition
- Wet plates by Balkowitsch have been permanently curated by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.[16]
- Balkowitsch photographs have been featured in various art exhibits.[17][18][19]
- In 2016 Balkowitsch received the Rising Star Award from Bismarck State College.[20]
- In 2016 The Smithsonian Institution acquired from Balkowitch his wet plate portrait photograph of boxing champion Evander Holyfield.[21][22][23] Indexing of the portrait was finalized by the Smithsonian in 2018. The portrait is now part of the National Portrait Gallery, object number NPG.2017.3[24]
- On October 28, 2018 Balkowitsch was given the name "Maa'ishda tehxixi Agu'agshi" by Calvin Grinnell of the Hidatsa-Mandan-Arikara Nation. The English translation of the name is Shadow Catcher.[2][25]
- On June 23, 2019 Balkowitsch was honored by state officials from North and South Dakota and New Mexico for recreating and preserving Native American culture through wet plate photos.[26][27][28]
- On December 1, 2019 a photo of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg created by Balkowitsch at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota on October 8, 2019 was archived at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.[29][30][31][32]
- In November, 2019 the documentary film “Balkowitsch” debuted at the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival.[33] The film is directed by Greg DeSaye and Chelsy Ciavarella and examines the life and work of Shane Balkowitsch.[34] The film's official release date is March 27, 2020.[35]
- After receiving threats of vandalism in February 2020 in response to plans by Balkowitsch and a local Bismarck business owner to display a seven-foot mural of Balkowitch’s work featuring Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg titled Standing For Us All, communities across the globe responded by displaying and projecting the image on various structures.[36]
Projects and exhibits
Murderer's Gulch, A non-historical Wet Plate Collaboration
In 2016 Balkowitsch set out to create an homage to the famous 1887 New York photo by Jacob Riis called the "Bandits Roost."[37] The objective was to get the look and feel in the present day using the historic collodion process with his models wearing very non-historical clothing.[38] The recreation project took place in East Alley near 423 E Broadway Ave in Bismarck, North Dakota on June 11. About 100 individuals volunteered to assist in the project volunteering hey, wood, props, costumes, and as actors for the image.[39] The final glass plate, titled, "Murderer's Gulch" is being curated by the Historical Society of North Dakota in their permanent archive.[6]
Dakota Access Pipeline dispute by Standing Rock Native community
On August 15, 2016, Balkowitsch travelled to Cannon Ball, ND, to capture images of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The pipeline is to run less than one mile from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation of North Dakota and South Dakota. One of only a few photographers allowed at the scene of the protest, Balkowitsch captured images of the protesting encampment.[40][41] The protest included many people Balkowitsch met during work on a photography project for the Historical Society of North Dakota, Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective.[42][43][44][45][46] The 2017 documentary film Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock by director Josh Fox features a wet plate by Balkowitsch of Floris White Bull who also appears in the film.[47][48] The 2018 documentary film Peacekeeper also includes and credits wet plate images taken by Balkowitch during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.[49] In 2019 Balkowitschs' work No Spiritual Surrender was awarded Best Photograph by the North Dakota Human Rights Art Festival.[50]
The Persecution of Complete Strangers
A performance art event performed on August 27, 2016, The Persecution of Complete Strangers is a modern expression of a current event influenced by past images to visually express the continued xenophobia and resulting crimes against perceived enemies. The images are inspired by William Mortensen. The exhibit was created, directed, and photographed by Balkowitsch and dedicated to the memory of Hande Kader, a Turkish transgender woman whose body was found raped, mutilated, and burned by the roadside in the Zekeriyaköy up-market on August 12, 2016. It is part of the global outcry and protests against the hate, mistreatment, and irrational fear of transgender people.[51][52]
The Mask Series, A Five Year Wet Plate Collodion International Collaboration
The Mask Series was started by Balkowitsch in 2012 after taking a very simple collodion image of a vintage Czech M10 gas mask and a wilting flower. He called the plate 'The Last Flower'. The goal for this series is to raise awareness of the historic wet plate technique as an art form. This will allow artists that normally do not have a chance to share their work to participate in a collaborated effort with other artists from around the world. Once an artist decides to participate and take up the challenge of creating an original work, a gas mask is sent to them. The artist then produces a wet plate collodion image of any size or type that works best for them. The Series is expected to be completed in 2017.[53][54][55][56]
Northern Plains Native Americans Series, A Modern Wet Plate Perspective
Northern Plains Native Americans Series is an ongoing wet plate project inspired by the works of 19th Century wet plate photographers Mathew Brady, Edward S. Curtis, and Orlando Scott Goff. The first wet plate in the series is "Eternal Field," a 2014 wet plate photograph of Ernie Lapointe, the Great Grandson of Sitting Bull. The goal of the series is to capture one-thousand 8x10" black glass ambrotypes of Native American communities and individuals.[57][58][59] On November 3, 2017, the Bismarck Art Galleries Association hosted the reception of Balkowitsch’s photograph series, "Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective."[60][61] In 2019 Balkowitsch published "Northern Plains Native Americans: A Wet Plate Perspective," the first volume of a multi-volume set that includes photographs from this series. On June 23, 2019 U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland, one of the first Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress, appeared as guest speaker at the photographer's book signing event in Bismarck.[62][63][64][65] In 2021 Balkowitsch's plates of U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Sierra Magazine, including the cover image.[66][67][68]
Nostalgic Glass, A Natural Light Wet Plate Studio
In 2018 Balkowitch opened a new photography studio in Bismarck, North Dakota. The studio took two years to plan and eight months to construct.[15] According to Balkowitch, Nostalgic Glass is the first natural light wet plate studio built from the ground up in North America in over 100 years.[69][70][71]
Liberty Trudges Through Injustice, A Wet Plate Collodion Collaboration
Liberty Trudges Through Injustice, is a wet plate image created by Balkowitsch resulting from a collaboration event that took place in Bismarck, North Dakota on July 21, 2018. The collaboration was directed by Balkowitsch and inspired by the painting Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix.[73]
Nokota Horses, The Horse in North Dakota
Works by Balkowitsch were included in the "Horse in North Dakota" exhibit hosted by the North Dakota Heritage Center. The Nokota Horse Conservancy helps to preserve this breed of horse. Nokota Horse Conservancy promoters believe these horses are the descendants of those once owned by the Plains Indians. Today, there are approximately 800 worldwide.[74]
Northern Plains Native Americans: A Personal Collection
On August 25, 2018 the Rourke Art Museum hosted an exhibit called "Northern Plains Native Americans: A Personal Collection" that featured various works by Balkowitsch from his "Northern Plains Native Americans Series" collection. Balkowitsch also provided demonstrations on the art of traditional wet plate photography during the event.[75][76][77][78][79]
The Throne of Gods: A Wet Plate Collaboration
On July 20, 2019 Balkowitsch brought together more than 45 artists to recreate the 18th century painting 'The Olympians' by artist Nicolas-Andre Monsiau. The project took Balkowitsch more than 8 months to plan and is his largest collaboration project to date.[80]
No Vaccine for Death: A Wet Plate Collaboration
On July 17, 2021 more than 100 collaborators came together at the University of Mary’s Marian Grotto in Bismarck, North Dakota to create one of the largest wet-plate photographic collaborations in history. The final image, called 'No Vaccine for Death' was inspired by the painting 'Triumph of Death' by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, circa 1562.[81][82][83]
Controversy
Standing For Us All
In February 2020 a seven-foot mural of the work Standing For Us All by Balkowitsch was going to be displayed on the side of a bakery business in Bismarck, North Dakota. A Bismarck TV station reported on the planned mural and threats of vandalism and boycotts from the community followed.[84] The mural Liberty Trudges Through Injustice by Balkowitsch and on display in Bismarck since the Spring of 2019 was vandalized on February 13, 2020.[85] Standing For Us All is an image showing Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg looking off into the distance taken by Balkowitsch during Thunberg’s visit to Standing Rock Indian Reservation in October 2019. After plans to display the mural were cancelled in Bismarck, a former Fargo, North Dakota city commissioner spearheaded plans to bring the mural to the eastern North Dakota city.[86] The mural of Thunberg will go on permanent display in downtown Fargo in March 2020.[87]
Standing for Us All was featured in National Geographic Magazine on October 28, 2020.[88]
See also
Books
References
- ↑ "Unedited Interview of Shane Balkowitsch by Phillip Litton at Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio". YouTube. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- 1 2 "Shane Balkowitsch "Shadow Catcher" Native American Naming Ceremony by Calvin Grinnell". nostalgicglasswetplatestudio.zenfolio.com. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ↑ Hagen, CS. "To Be a Shadow Catcher". hpr1.com. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- 1 2 "Immortalizing Evander 'The Real Deal' Holyfield with a Wet Plate Portrait". Petapixel.com. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ White, Dustin. "Quicksilver Captured in Silver: Virgil Hill". Mandan News. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
- 1 2 Jamie Council. "Bronson Koenig in Standing Rock - Story | North Dakota | MyNDNow". Kxnet.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Dobbins, Bill. "The Wetplate Tradition Continues". onphotography.me. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ↑ Dobbins, Bill. "Closeup: Shane Balkowitsch Continues the Wet Plate Tradition". ai-ap.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ "Bismarck man to recreate historic Custer photograph". Bismarcktribune.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Recreating a little piece of history". Mandan-news.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Souls of Silver exhibit on at the Arts Center". Mandan-news.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "BALKOWITSCH'S 'IMMORTAL IMPRESSIONS' IN GLASS AND SILVER". Hpr1.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Documenting ND pipeline protests with 'time-machine' tech". Inforum.com. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Balkowitsch's "immortal impressions" in glass and silver | High Plains Reader, Fargo ND". Hpr1.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- 1 2 Kiernan, Kat. "SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED: SHANE BALKOWITSCH'S NATURAL LIGHT COLLODION STUDIO". donttakepictures.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ "2014-P-025 Collections - Photographs - Archives Holdings - Archives - State Historical Society of North Dakota". History.nd.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Neil Thrun (2015-02-01). "| The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Olson, Chris (2015-01-15). "Souls of Silver exhibit on at the Arts Center". Jamestown Sun. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Memorial Union Gallery to feature photography exhibit - NDSU News (NDSU)". Ndsu.edu. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Alumni Awards | Bismarck State College". Bismarckstate.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Evans, Bo. "Bismarck wet plate photographer's portrait of boxing legend headed to Smithsonian". kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ↑ Harris, Bob. "Smithsonian to get portrait of Evander Holyfield from Bismarck Photographer". kfgo.com. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ↑ Comeau, Michael. "Meet Wet Plate Photographer Shane Balkowitsch". onportraits.com. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ↑ "Evander Holyfield, "The Real Deal"". npg.si.edu. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ↑ Hagen, C.S. "To be a shadow catcher". hpr1.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ Burbank, Daniel. "Local artist honored at Heritage Center for historic photography". kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ↑ Rausch, Natasha (23 June 2019). "New book shows Native Americans are not extinct, New Mexico rep says at Bismarck event". inforum.com. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ↑ Kincaid, Will. "One of first Native American congresswomen praises Bismarck photographer's portrait project". bismarcktribune.com. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ↑ AP (2 December 2019). "Greta Thunberg's North Dakota photo is at national library". kxnet.com. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ↑ Associated Press. "Greta Thunberg's North Dakota Photo Is at National Library". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ↑ Sisk, Amy. "Photograph of climate activist at Standing Rock to be preserved at Library of Congress". bismarcktribune.com. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ↑ Klar, Rebecca (3 December 2019). "Library of Congress archives photo of Greta Thunberg visiting Standing Rock". thehill.com. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ↑ ""BALKOWITSCH" TO SCREEN AT HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL". human-family.org. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Balkowitsch to premiere at NDHRFF 2019". herhimandthefellas.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Balkowitsch". imdb.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Hagen, CS (21 February 2020). "Greta Thunberg mural intended for Bismarck now spotted across the globe". inforum.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Murderer's Gulch; a historic photo shoot". Midwestern Scout. 2016-07-19. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Shane Balkowitsch, Murderer's Gulch Wet Plate Collodion Collaboration". Sharoncol.balkowitsch.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Midwest Communications Inc. (2016-06-30). "Shane Balkowitsch-Photographer of "Murderer's Gulch" | KFGO-790". Kfgo.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Pangburn, DJ. "Photographer Uses 166-Year-Old Process to Capture the Spirit of North Dakota". creators.vice.com. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ↑ Keller, Jeff. "Photographer uses 'antique' photo technique to illustrate struggles of Native Americans". dpreview.com. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
- ↑ "WATER AND OIL DO NOT MIX". Hpr1.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Zenfolio | Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio". Nostalgicglasswetplatestudio.zenfolio.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Can't drink oil". Hpr1.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Dau, Stephen. "Stone Ghosts". consequencemagazine.org. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ↑ Hagen, C.S. "Death by Oil: Remembering the Dakota 38". hpr1.com/. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
- ↑ Arvol Looking Horse, Chief (22 February 2018). "Standing Rock is everywhere: one year later". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ↑ Josh Fox, James Spione, and Myron Dewey (directors) Awake: A Dream From Standing Rock 2017
- ↑ "Peacekeeper". YouTube. PeacekeeperFilm. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ↑ "2019 NORTH DAKOTA HUMAN RIGHTS ARTS FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED". human-family.org. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ Shafak, Elif (August 23, 2016). "The shocking murder of trans activist Hande Kader says much about Turkey today". The Guardian. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
- ↑ "Giving a voice to the voiceless: The work of Shane Balkowitsch". Midwestern Scout. 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Wet Plate Collodion International Collaborative Collection —". Wetplatemaskseries.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Collaborative Project Using Gas Masks to Draw Attention to Wet Plate Photography". Petapixel.com. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "shane balkowitsch | Photography Contrastique - Alternative Photographic Processes". Contrastique.wordpress.com. 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ "Wet Plate Collodion International Collaborative Collection "The Mask Series" « Photographers & People «". Alternativephotography.com. 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
- ↑ Stewart, Jessica (4 July 2019). "Wet Plate Photographer Captures Powerful Portraits of Native Americans". mymodernmet.com. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ↑ Meadows, John (3 March 2017). "PASSION AND COMPASSION". johnmeadowsphotography.wordpress.com. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ↑ "Eternal Field". digitalhorizonsonline.org. State Historical Society of North Dakota. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ↑ Thompson, Darren (29 October 2017). "Northern Plains Indians: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective". powwows.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ↑ Hoffman, Megan. "Artist uses old-fashioned photography for Native American collection". kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
- ↑ Dura, Jack. "One of first Native American congresswomen to speak at photographer's book signing". bismarcktribune.com. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ↑ Natasha, Natasha. "Sunday event celebrates American Indian photos captured in old way for new book". westfargopioneer.com. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ↑ Ogden, Eloise. "'Image maker' event set". minotdailynews.com. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ↑ Milburn, Sonji (23 June 2019). "First Native American women ever elected to Congress spoke at a local book signing". kxnet.com. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ↑ Monet, Jenni. "Deb Haaland, A Living Testament: The path to becoming the nation's first Native interior secretary". www.sierraclub.org/. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ↑ Mark, Jason. "Seeds of Resistance: Native-led campaigns are at the forefront of today's climate and justice movements". www.sierraclub.org. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ↑ "Sierra: Fall 2021". www.sierraclub.org. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- ↑ Wachter, Jessica. "Shane Balkowitsch, Preserving the Process of 1800s Portraiture". issuu.com. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ↑ Hoffman, Megan. "Only natural light wet plate studio in North Dakota completed". kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ↑ Forsomethingmore (8 January 2019). "Shane Balkowitsch: Reviving a Lost Art at Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Photography Studio". forsomethingmore.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ Cooper, Renee (5 May 2019). "New Bismarck Alley Art has a Political Message". kxnet.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ Hornung, Sabrina. "A TRICK OF THE LIGHT". hpr1.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ↑ "THE HORSE IN NORTH DAKOTA". statemuseum.nd.gov. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ "Reception and Demo with Shane Balkowitsch at Rourke Art Museum". theartspartnership.net. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ "Northern Plains Native Americans : A Personal Collection". therourke.org. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ Harris, Bob. "Shane Balkowitsch "Northern Plains Native Americans" at the Rourke Saturday". /kfgo.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ Lamb, John. "Reframing history: ND photographer's American Indian portrait series coming to Rourke". inforum.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
- ↑ Ogden, Eloise. "Image Maker Event Set". minotdailynews.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- ↑ Burbank, Daniel. "More than 45 North Dakotan artists recreating an 18th century painting". kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
- ↑ "This Wet Plate Photo Took the Collaboration of 90 People to Produce". petapixel.com/. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ↑ Olsen, W. Scott (18 July 2021). "Bismarck's Shane Balkowitsch makes photographic history with wet-plate collaboration". inforum.com/. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ↑ Ascherman, Herbert. "The Making of No Vaccine for Death". journal.photomuse.in/. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ↑ Armus, Teo. "Greta Thunberg mural plan falls to threats of vandalism and boycott in Bismarck, N.D." washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Hagen, CS. "Nixed in Bismarck after backlash, Greta Thunberg mural appears destined for Fargo". inforum.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Rebuffed in Bismarck Thunberg mural likely headed to Fargo". twincities.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ "Thunberg mural to be permanently displayed in downtown Fargo". kfgo.com. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ↑ Whang, Oliver. "Greta Thunberg reflects on living through multiple crises in a 'post-truth society". nationalgeographic.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ↑ Balkowitsch, Shane (October 31, 2019). Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective. New York: Glitterati Incorporated. p. 128. ISBN 978-1943876082. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ↑ Hagen, C.S. "A warrior in his lifetime: photographic book of natives receives more than acclaim". hpr1.com. Retrieved 1 July 2019.