Posts Tagged ‘Peter Fetterman Gallery’

There are manifold reasons a girl might want an embarrassingly large closet.  First, if you have the space you have to fill it.  Second, it’s just so fun to get dressed up in a world where you’re surrounded by colorful, sequined, silky fabrics all laid out in a row.  Most girls will have a third very good reason after a visit to the Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station.

On now through March 2010 is an exhibit of black and white photographs called “Faces of Fashion.”  They are all divine and choosing only one would be simply too difficult.  The solution? A bigger closet in which to hang each and every one.  Starting with two images of Coco Chanel, one by Horst P. Horst taken in her youth and another by Douglas Kirkland later in her life, you’ll continue through the exhibit by peering into the seductive eyes of a number of women hidden behind black, mesh veils in photos by William Klein, Irving Penn, Lillian Bassman, and Horst P. Horst.  From there, you find yourself face to face with Twiggy and then you’re desperate for a new chapeau.  Each photo brings to life some part of the fabulous, graceful world of fashion that has shifted in recent years.

In the same way that we reminisce about the golden years of Hollywood when audiences had screen sirens as opposed to reality stars, these photos remind you of a time when one “got dressed” for dinner, when long white gloves were a common fashion accessory (not part of a Halloween costume), and when women in fashion had a certain intrigue.  That sounds like just what I’d want my closet to remind me of… I’ll take ‘em all!

P.S. Stop and take a closer look at the only color print in the show: a photograph by Ormond Gigli called “Models in the Window.” Tell us what you think!

“Faces of Fashion” and “Lillian Bassman: Women” are on view at Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station now through March 7, 2010.  For more information, please call (310) 453-6463 or click here.

There is a lot that we as a nation don’t know about the vast continent of Africa.  Aside from bloody conflicts and bloodied aid workers in the news, our image of African nations is sadly under-informed.  That isn’t to say we can’t geographically place countries on a map of Africa or tell you who Nelson Mandela is and why he’s such a significant man.  It is to say that our image of Africa tends to be one-sided; we tend to look at it as a continent perpetually in need, an example of how vast the difference is between the first and third world.  It’s unfortunate that we often forget how beautiful, earthy, courageous, and changing the landscape is. 

On now through October 1 at the Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station is a black and white photography exhibit simply called “Africa” that shows an authentic and not always helpless view of the continent we collectively know little about.  People who’ve spent a significant amount of time in an African country have said when they get home, that they feel a sense of nostalgia for it.  The continent is home to some of the world’s poorest countries most in need of aid, however there is an impenetrable spirit that Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado captures eloquently in this exhibit. 

He shows you a side of Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda that you won’t see on the news or in a public service announcement.  Some of the images, it almost goes without saying, will haunt you or will tug at those heart strings, but then there are others that make you feel proud or curious about what’s in front of you.  These images don’t feel doctored to the point of erasing the individuality of these countries or the natural beauty inherent on the continent.  The exhibit truly celebrates them. 

Sebastiao Salgado’s “Africa” is on view at the Peter Fetterman Gallery at Bergamot Station through October 1, 2009.  For more information, please call (310) 453-6463 or click here.