EXHIBITION PROPOSALS
RETHINKING FIRE
Rethinking Fire explores the ecological role of fire and human impacts behind the rise of catastrophic wildfires, from past land management practices to climate change. Each work in the exhibition is created by using fire itself in some capacity, and informed by studying with fire ecologists in the field. Works include paintings, sculptures, photographs, and large-scale installations using non-traditional and natural materials. Quotes from leading scholars in the fields of fire ecology, firefighting, and climate science or commentary by the artist accompany each work. The goal is to inspire community dialogue that will lead to implementation of more effective policies for creating fire resiliency in a changing climate. Rethinking Fire is designed for a 1000–2500 sq. ft. gallery. The number of works included in the exhibition is flexible (16–25) and may be expanded or condensed to meet the curatorial vision of the hosting venue.
The Phoenix New Times named the exhibition's debut at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum one of the Phoenix area's top-10 art exhibitions of 2017. In 2018–2019, the exhibition was expanded with additional works and issue text relevant to California and will be on view at the Fresno Art Museum until June 23.
A concise exhibition proposal may be viewed online in book form here.
THE LAST BOOKSTORES
The Last Bookstores documents America’s remaining independent bookstores and the people behind their survival and potential comeback. Artist Bryan David Griffith pairs photographs—meticulously crafted with the dying art of large-format film—with quotes distilled from hours of interview material with booksellers. The first-hand accounts provoke questions about how the growth of big-box chain retailers and Amazon affect the distribution of literature and impact local economies. The Last Bookstores debuted in 2015 at The Griffin Museum of Photography outside Boston. The project has been featured in Slate and Photo District News and reviewed in Harvard Magazine, the Boston Globe, and the Arizona Daily Sun.The Last Bookstores is designed for a 500–1000 sq. ft. gallery. The number of works included in the exhibition is flexible (18-24) and may be expanded or condensed to meet the curatorial vision of the hosting venue. The majority of the photographs are 11x14” framed to 20x24”. Up to four large images (22x28” framed to 32x40”) may be included, as well as up to six small black & white portraits (5x7” framed to 11x14”).
The show is a good fit for ancillary events like book festivals, writer’s conferences, library events, and “buy local” campaigns. A portion of the project can be viewed in book form here.
TRAVERSING THE FOG
Traversing the Fog is about navigating uncertainty along the creative journey and relevant to the challenges many face as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Artist Bryan David Griffith uses simple homemade and vintage equipment to create narrative fragments from memories of his personal artist's journey that seem like "ideas on the edge of being grasped—or forgotten." Prints from this series are included in a number of significant museum and private collections.
Traversing the Fog is designed for a 500–1000 sq. ft. gallery and includes 20–30 8x10" platinum/palladium prints on handmade Japanese paper framed to 16x20".