Click on a thumbnail to see a full image of each piece.
 Lightning Behind Schwartz Chemical Plant 5/91 |
 Lightning Striking United Nations 6/3/95 9:25PM |
 Lightning Bolt Hitting Quensburo Bridge 5/89 |
 Thunder Cloud Umbrella Over Manhattan 8/95 |
 Near Miss Lightning Bolt 5/29/95 11:30PM |
 Lightning Striking Bridging East River 6/91 |
 Our Lady of the Flowers (3-D Stereoscopic) 10/95 |
 When My Molecules Are In This Dimension #1 9/95 |
 Dynamics Of In Between 10/95 |
 Computer Man 10/95 |
LIGHTNING STRIKE PHOTOGRAPHS:
The lightning strike series was photographed within the previous ten years from the roof top and windows of a loft situated directly on the inlet of the Newtown Creek and East River. The building once a giant factory complex is the highest structure in the Greenpoint, Brooklyn neighborhood. This strategic vantage point overlooking the entire eastern portion of the New York City Skyline affords the opportunity to observe, study and photograph lightning storms. The photos portray an awesome clash between natural forces and artificial landscape. New York City's buildings and bridges, the most developed real-estate in the world being dwarfed on a massive scale by the weather's architecture presents an awakening insight. With all our technology and sophistication there are still random moments in which we are all subject to the chaotic uncontrollable forces of nature.
All of the photos were taken at night entirely without the use of filters. Color differences in the 35mm slides are mainly caused by light reflecting from the city on to the various weather systems. Exposures are approximately thirty seconds to one minute and contain a single lightning display. Sometimes a wide angle lens was used because of close proximity of the bolts to the camera.
3-D Time Exposure Photography:
Luminous paintings of non-corporeal light during time exposure photography are transformed into more tangible images in 3-D prints. Psycho-referential portraits using redefined myths and contemporary symbols are painted directly with light during one long continuous exposure. Direct light shown through and reflected off multiple objects is used to draw with in front of many cameras linked together in tandem in a darkened room. Images are created by manipulating neon wands, florescent tubes, assorted light bulbs, x-ray films, colored gels, stuffed animals, architectural environments and human subjects. These views on film are then combined during the printing process into lenticular (auto-stereographic) prints. Traditionally the photographic picture window has always been a flat plane with various illusory tricks to create depth. 3-D photography overcomes these limitations by allowing the viewer to receive considerably more depth information.
The light paintings portray phenomenological reveries of consciousness which are seen in various philosophies of perception. The Cartesian idea of the mind being a ghost inhabiting a machine to eastern inspired ideas of considerably less separation between mind, body and environment (nature). Countless tiny models, memories of experiences constantly under a state of revision are swimming around in the sea of our minds. These nebulous conscious and subconscious influences appear to float and undulate around manifesting themselves outside of the self. Externalization or perceptual referral is the way our senses realize that things are in the outside world and not actually inside our heads where their neurological signals emanate.
The portraits utilize a five dimensional virtual reality combining physical and ethereal elements. Resulting prints are the reveries of melodious and dissident undulations of time, space and spirit.
Greg Geffner
May 28, 1997
A R T I S T ' S R E S U M E : Greg Geffner 2000
P. O. Box 90, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718)383-1909
Web Page:http://www.nylightning.com
email:NorthSculpture@yahoo.com
| EDUCATION | |
| 5/79, B.F.A. | University Of Buffalo Painting & Sculpture |
| 5/87 | Empire State College NYC Semester Studio Program |
| SOLO EXHIBITIONS | |
| 6/2000 |
Baby Jupiter, NYC 3D Stereoscopic Light Box Transparencies |
| 9/97 |
NY Hall Of Science, NYC Lightning Photographs |
5/97 |
Liberty Science Center, NJ Lightning Photographs |
| 6/96 |
Hudson River Museum, NY Lightning Photographs |
| 1/94 | O.K.Harris, NYC Lightning Photographs |
| 10/91 | Wake Forest Univ., NC 3D & 2D Light-Painting Photographs |
| 1/88 | Atrium @ 575 5th Ave., NYC 80 Light-Painting Projections |
| 3/87 | St. Marks Gallery @ Limelight, NYC Light-Painting Photographs |
| SELECTED GROUP SHOWS | |
| 8/99 |
Jacobi Hosp. Dept. Neural Surgery Bronx, NY Become A Super Being |
| 7/99 |
Pleiades Gallery, NYC Donald Kuspit Juried Show |
| 5/98 |
Deutsches Museum, Munich, Germany Electric Energy Exhibit |
| 3/97 |
Waldorf Astoria, NYC Explorers Club |
| 9/95 |
Exit Art, NYC Chess & Checkers |
| 8/95 |
Fulton Ferry State Park,Brooklyn Exposure & Vulnerability |
| 2/95 |
New York University, NYC 19th Annual Small Works |
| 1/95 |
Exit Art, NYC 3D Light-Paintings (Saloon) |
| 7/93 |
Manhattan Psych. Center, NYC Outdoor Sculpture |
| 5/92 |
Germans Van Eyck, NYC W.F.M.U. Auction |
| 2/92 |
New York University, NYC 16th Annual Small Works |
| 10/90 |
Pace University, NYC Stereo/3-D Imaging & Virtual Realities |
| 10/90 |
Empire State College, NYC Alter Ego |
| 12/86 |
St. Marks Gallery, NYC Poignant & Peculiar |
| 6/86 |
Now Gallery, NYC Micro |
| 12/85 |
Printed Matter, NYC Christmas Multiples |
| 11/85 |
Minor Injury Gallery, Brooklyn Ego |
| BIBLIOGRAPHY | |
| Books Skywatch East, A Weather Guide, Richard A. Keen, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO, 1992, cover. Buffalo Buried, Blizzard Of '77, Katy Kline & Carol Nash, Thorner-Sidney Press, Buffalo, NY, 1977, "Snow Sculpture", page 56. | |
| Periodicals Museums New York, "Art Of Science", Spring 1997, vol. #3, issue #3, review and photo, page 48. Weatherwise Magazine, "Empire Strikes", Oct./Nov. 1995, 5 photos and text, pages 3, 12-15. Waterfront Week, "Greenpoint's Lightning Guide", Aug. 10/95, cover & pages 8-9. NY Newsday Magazine, "New Light On An Old Philosophy", Artist Spotlight, March 11, 1990, page 38. Manhattan Arts Magazine, "Through The Lens", Review, Peter Janney, April, 1987. | |
| Newspapers Newsday, "Lightning, Camera, Action", Karl MacGowan, November 9, 1997 Star-Ledger, "Artists Capture Nature's Tranquility-Violence", Mitchel Seidel, June 22, 1997 New York Times (Westchester), "Nature & Art", Sept. 1, 1996, review, page 14. Westchester Artsnews, "Critic's Choice, Lightning Strikes", July/Aug. 1996, review and photo, page 8. Winston-Salem Journal, "Standouts: W.F.U. Shows Are Powerful", Tom Patterson, Oct. 27/91, page C4. | |
| Television Fox Network, Channel 5, "Sunday Morning NY", 3 min. Interview with Dr. Frank Field, July 7/96. News 12 Westchester, "Day Time Edition", Interview with Matt Sampson @ Hudson River Museum, July 11/96. WCBS, 5 O'clock News, "Lightning Over NY", 2 min. Interview with Dr. Frank Field, Jan.19/95. | |
| Internet Official Milton Bradley Scrabble Web Page, "Velcro Scrabble Board", hasbroscrabble.com/aol/atoz/gallery/gallery_asset_7.html Wake Forest Univ. Gallery Web Page, "Light Painting", wfu.edu/www-data/Academic-departments/Art/gall_hs88-92.html
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