SEPTEMBER 8 THROUGH OCTOBER 6, 2007
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 8, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
"Talkabout" Gallery Discussion: Saturday, September 29th, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial presents the first exhibition in the thirtieth season of the four-part Wind Challenge Exhibitions at Fleisher — the Delaware Valley’s premier juried artist exhibition program. This season’s twelve Challenge artists were selected from a field of nearly 300 applicants to exhibit in one of four three-person exhibitions. The first of this year’s Challenge Exhibitions features bold gestural work of photographers Roger Matsumoto, Walter Plotnick, and Richard Ryan.

The exhibition begins on Saturday, September 8th, with an opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and continues through October 6th, 2007.

Both the exhibition and the opening reception are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with additional hours — starting September 18 — of 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Saturday.

Roger Matsumoto makes beautifully poetic prints by applying palladium salts solution to watercolor paper. He adds brush lines at the same time as the solution, then adds a full size negative to the surface and exposes them all to ultraviolet light. Each print is a distinct realization of the negative. Working in this way Matsumoto is really producing a monoprint using the photographic process.

Mr. Matsumoto received his B.S. from Seattle University, and his M.S. from the University of Washington.

Image: Roger Matsumoto, Magnolia with Leaf, 2006, palladium print, 22 x 28 inches

Walter Plotnick builds temporary still life images in the darkroom using vintage found objects arranged on photographic paper. He then produces mysterious photograms combining wet photography, drawing, and digital manipulation. Plotnick produces strong images by using a variety of light sources, digitally combining, repeating, or adding images as he proceeds. He is visually exploring abstraction in the work created via the combined objects and drawing.

Mr. Plotnick received his B.F.A. from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and his M.F.A. from the University of the Arts.

Image: Walter Plotnick, Optical Bridge, 2006, photogram/pigment print, 18 x 30 inches

Richard Ryan uses photographs as a communicative gesture. He captures vast numbers of images in his environment and synthesizes them into a single physical image. The objects Ryan produces remind one of an explosion of a movie film spreading across the picture plane. The images appear to move, come apart, blow up, disappear, and change shape or simply stand still, creating the illusion of kinetic abstraction of a movie in a single image.

Mr. Ryan received his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, and his M.L. Arch. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Image: Richard Ryan, detail: Sein Schtil, 2007, inkjet print, 30 x 30 inches

On Saturday, September 29, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., artist/teacher Mary Murphy will lead the Challenge "TalkAbout", an in depth dialogue with these Challenge artists and audience. Admission is free.

Concurrent with Challenge 1, Matthew Greenway will present recent paintings in the Faculty Gallery, while Joanne Markowicz-Bilarczyk displays recent works in the Student Gallery.

Fleisher's exhibition programs are supported in part by Dina and Jerry Wind, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Independence Foundation, the Philadelphia Cultural Leadership Program of The Pew Charitable Trusts, and donations from more than 2,000 student members and friends.

Refreshments for Fleisher exhibition openings and special events generously provided by Infusion Coffee & Tea.