Things and Time

CARIBBEAN IN AMERICA: THINGS AND TIME

Photographs by MADELEINE HUNT –EHRLICH

On view for a limited time at L.E.S. GALLERY AT THE CLEMENTE SOTO VELEZ CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL CENTER 

107 Suffolk Street, New York, NY 10002  

A project made possible by THE LOWER MANHATTAN CULTURAL COUNCIL  

Opening Night Reception & Fundraiser to benefit the Lambi Fund of Haiti 

Friday, December 3rd 6:00-8:00pm

Join in for a special evening of music, food, dancing, and fundraising in celebration of Madeleine Hunt- Ehrlich’s photography exhibition, Caribbean in America: Things and Time. A series of related works will be on display, curated by Legacy Russell (CONTACTPROJECT.NET, Bruce High Quality Foundation), the infamous DJ Deadly Dragon Sound System will spin classic Reggae, Pastry Chef Hannah Sullivan (Baba Restaurant, Brooklyn) will be offering styled bites, and a set of limited-edition prints will be for sale. All profits will be donated to the Lambi Fund of Haiti, a Haitian-American non- profit working to rebuild the city of Port Au Prince. Event is free and open to the public.

A year ago, photographer Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich began working in Little Haiti, the well-known Haitian-

American immigrant community in Miami, Florida. Soon after she began this work, an earthquake devastated

the city of Port au Prince in Haiti. Families were displaced, and one of the cultual capitols of the Caribbean was

left in ruin. The struggle to rebuild Port au Prince has been followed closely by people around the world, and

as we near the anniversary of this tragic event, there is still much work to be done.

Titled after the classic Reggae riddim, Caribbean in America: Things and Time considers cultural memory in Caribbean-American neighborhoods in New York and Miami. An excerpt of this project was published by the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the complete work will be on view at Clemente Soto Velez for a limited time. This project was funded by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

Last Day at LMCC

I have finally come to terms with the realization that my Workspace residency at LMCC is now over. I have completely packed and moved out and its finally hitting me that I won't be back in my beautiful studio on Monday. It was so good while it lasted. These past nine months have been so fruitful and I feel so blessed to have been a part of the program. Many thanks to LMCC's Melissa Levin and Sean Carroll for all of their hard work and dedication and to my fellow residents for inspiring me with their work and gracing me with their time and friendship which I treasure. Above is the last still life I shot in my studio.

Works in Progress

Workspace Works-in-Progress: Open Studios 

Get a behind-the-scenes look at artists’ studios. Workspace, LMCC’s studio residency program 

is opening its doors for the first time this year. Meet the 20 emerging visual artists and 9 writers 

in their studio spaces and see the work they have been making since September. Residents 

are working in all media and genres in unique spaces generously donated by downtown real 

estate owners. Come see how LMCC is changing what it means to work Downtown. For more 

information about the program, please visit our website. 

This event is free, but an RSVP is required. 

Works-in-Progress: Open Studios is presented in association with Armory Arts Week. 

Dates & Times 

Sunday, March 7, 12–6PM 

Location 

125 Maiden Lane, 9th & 14th Floors 

RSVP now!

Back to Work

Back in the studio today. Only shot one picture. Will see if its any good tomorrow. Worked on some applications but couldn't stand the smell of some rotting fruit I was using so I had to get out of there. If the negs look good i will throw out the aesthetically beautiful yet offensive smelling fruit asap. The picture above is from a shoot i did earlier in the week. Glad i shared my grapefruit and got someone else to peel it. Working on pushing the compositions in the still lifes.

Still Life Saga Continues

Worked in the studio yesterday for over 6 hours. Setting up, not liking anything, starting all over and over and over. I did manage to get some images that i like though so it makes it all worth it. Here is a new still life from yesterday's shoot.

Wednesday is the new Thursday?

Clifford Owens, Text Piece (video stills), 2008, Courtesy the artist and On Stellar Rays Gallery, New York, NY

There are so many things going on tonight it will be hard to make it to all of them. I will definitely be at the Studio Museum tonight for the opening of 30 Seconds Off an Inch. Fellow LMCC resident Paul Mpagi Sepuya  will be showing two pieces from his project "Mpagi Sepuya (Or, with your names, you come here, you are home)" 2009. This group show is filled with so many amazingly talented artists: Adel Abdessemed, Edgar Arceneux, Jabu Arnell, Kabir Carter, William Cordova, Thierry Fontaine, Charles Gaines, Deborah Grant, Rashawn Griffin, David Hammons, Maren Hassinger, Leslie Hewitt, Wayne Hodge, Rashid Johnson, Jennie C. Jones, Jayson Keeling, Simone Leigh, Glenn Ligon, Dave McKenzie, Nicole Miller, My Barbarian, Kori Newkirk, Chris Ofili, Demetrius Oliver, Karyn Olivier, John Outterbridge, Clifford Owens, Akosua Adoma Owusu, William Pope.L, Michael Queenland, Robin Rhode, Jimmy Robert, Nadine Robinson, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Gary Simmons, Xaviera Simmons, Shinique Smith, Soda_Jerk, Kianja Strobert, Stacy-Lynn Waddell, and Nari Ward. Also on view will be Wardell Milan's Drawings of Harlem.

This evening also marks the final show at Melanie Flood Projects in Clinton Hill. Even though Melanie is moving out of her current space I'm sure that she is moving on to bigger and better things and I personally can't wait to see what's next for her. I'm hoping to end my evening there to see Erica Allen's Untitled Gentleman series.  

I was also invited to the opening of Sharon Core's Early Americans, at the Hermes Gallery tonight which I would love to see. I missed her exhibition at Yancey Richardson last year but am a big fan of this beautiful still life work.

Don't know how I'm gonna make it from Midtown to Harlem to Brooklyn all in the course of a few hours but I'm gonna try.

First Things First

Here's a quick scan of my first still life shot in my new studio. I can't wait to make a print of this in the darkroom. This residency is a dream come true. My studio is beautiful and I'm surrounded by so many talented and inspiring artists. Thank you LMCC!

Syracuse Studio Visit

Photo courtesy Sonja Thomsen

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of hosting a studio visit at LMCC for Syracuse students. Doug Dubois, Yasser Aggour and Laura Heyman brought their bright and talented juniors, seniors and grad students to tour the studios. Myself and fellow SU alum, Latoya Ruby Frazier talked about our work and process along with fellow residents, Michael Paul Britto, Kenya (Robinson), Deana Lawson, Paul Sepuya, Elia Alba and Becca Albee. Thanks to all the artists who opened up their studios and shared their work and insight.

The Artist's Guide

LMCC hosted a book signing and talk with Jackie Battenfield last night, author of the newly released The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love. I had the opportunity to hear Jackie speak at a seminar for the Queens Council on the Arts last year and found it not only informative but very inspirational and have been anxiously awaiting her book. Last night was no different. Jackie read from her book and speaks from her heart and that is what makes her message resonate. She weaves the voice of motivational speaker, teacher, professional, mother and fellow artist with real world information and tough-love advice. This book is an invaluable tool for artists everywhere. Click HERE to go to the website and buy the book.

The September Issue

Last September I was doing my residency at the Center for Photography at Woodstock. This week I went up there for a few days to visit and finally show them some of the finished prints and get some good feedback and editing advice. It was great to spend a few days there. 

This week I also began a workspace residency provided by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC). I will have my own studio space downtown for 9 months and get to work alongside many talented artists and writers! 

I started this blog one year ago because I wanted a place to show my work in progress while on residence at CPW.  So it seems September is my month for beginning residencies, let's just hope this trend continues next Fall!