Artist's Statement

Stephanie Allise Ogeneski
1998-1999

This body of work stems from earlier imagery with dealt with the female
body and its relationship to the Catholic Church. The current photographs
utilize such processes as wet-plate collodion, platinum, gold toning, Liquid
Light, cyanotype and silver gelatin. Many of these processes require
hand-coating of emulsions and choice of image support. These choices
contribute to rendering the images with great delicacy of tone, that helps
suggest an intimate environment.

The images continue to explore the female body and its relation to size
and beauty. These images are all self-portraits that explore my personal
experience "fitting the pattern". Ideas of repetition and obsessiveness are
explored. The right angles of a pattern are juxtaposed against the curves
of the body. Skin is something that needs to be wrapped. Measurements need
to be taken.

I view my photographs as intimate expressions of myself. However, I cannot
expect and do not expect everyone to be affected in the same manner as I am.
The work serves as a visual diary of aspects of my own experience

1997-98

I was dressed in all white. My aunt had sewn a dress for me, my mother a
veil, and my grandmother had given me a beautiful, delicate cross to wear
around my neck. The mass was the usual structure; sitting, kneeling,
reciting words, and observing. This time I was going to receive my first
holy communion. I walked up the aisle slowly and meditatively, with my hands
clasped as if in prayer. As I listened to the processional, I worried about
how I would receive the host and drink the wine. I decided to take the host
in the palms of my hands, instead of my mouth. I wondered if I placed my
hands properly as I had been taught in Sunday school. I looked up to the
priest and he said, "body of Christ". I replied, "Amen". I received the
host, tasted it, then blessed myself and proceeded to drink the wine, though
only a little. I kneeled in the pew and said a prayer that I was taught to
recite. I sat and thought about what just happened to me. How did the wine
and wafer taste? Was it sweet or bitter? Was it dry or moist? How did I
feel differently? I had reached another level in the church, which
established a more intimate relationship with the church that in turn
transformed my understanding.
My photography transforms me just as my first holy communion did. The
intentions of my photographs are for me to develop and evolve. I view my
photography as a specific intimate expression of myself. I cannot expect
everyone to be affected in the same manner as I am.
The principle subject matter of my photographs is fruit. I am attracted to
the nourishing quality of fruit in satisfying hunger. I find an elegance to
its structure. Within the fruit are seeds, which can be planted, nourished,
and renewed. It is a cycle of life. The primary environment for my
photographs of fruit is light. I use light as a symbol of life. It
promotes growth. The composition relies as much on the fruit as the space
created. The positive and negative space in my photographs allude to a
womb-like environment. The light areas symbolize release; the dark,
containment. I use a type of camera that has hardly changed since the
beginning of photography. This type of camera, while allowing for the
benefits of a large negative and the ability to control many of the image
parameters, is slow and cumbersome. Thus, photographing with this camera
becomes almost ritualistic as I interact with and control aspects of the
image. Through this ritual, I find meditation and solitude. Light brings
life. I create an image. The choices I make in printing the photograph
offer further control over the image. There is a freedom of exploration
within my structure of the photographic process. My exploration of
photographic materials and processes of both the past and present has lead
me to study photographic tone reproduction. It is an important element in
enhancing intimacy within the work.
Gertrude Kasebier and Anne Brigman are two nineteenth century photographers
who have had a particular influence on my work. In Kasebier's work, the
female is contained within society but content with her solitude. The
female is portrayed like a nurturing mother; knowledgeable and strong,
somewhat like a Mary figure. The female has turned to her essence, and
remains complacent in her role. In contrast, Brigman's work is rebellious
and unleashed, as if the female is a Mary Magdalen. Brigman wrote, "Women
are always and have always been afraid ... They fear to make changes.
Intrinsically women are the equal of men but women are afraid and men are
not." Her work makes me question whether hunger can be satisfied when it
has been contained too long?

Selected Exhibitions

2001
"Putting the Pieces Together," MatrixArts Gallery, Sacramento, CA

2000
"First to See the Light," Quay School of Fine Arts, Whanganui, New Zealand
"Fitting the Pattern: An Exhibition of Platinum/Palladium Prints by Stephanie Ogeneski," Atelier pH 7, Brussels, Belgium
"Photographic Processes 2000, " Period Gallery, Omaha, NE
"Photography 2000,"Nexus Gallery, NYC, NY, Juried by Robin Rice
"The Days of the Handmade Book" South Bend Regional Museum of Art, SouthBend,IN
"Generations II: A Survey of Women Artists at the Millennium," A.I.R. Gallery, NYC, NY
"New Art 2000," MPG Gallery, Boston, MA
"Photography: Then and Now," Brownson Gallery, Manhattanville College,
Purchase, NY, Curated by Mirella Hajjar
"Chasing the Ideal: Women and Eating Disorders," Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, Curated by Sarah Martin

1999
"2nd Annual Small Works Exhibition," Nuovo Gallery, Lenox, MA
"Juried Portfolio Show," The Sixth Fotofestival Naarden, Naarden, The Netherlands
Photographer's Award, "Cambridge Art Association National Prize Show," Federal Reserve Bank Gallery, Boston, MA, Jurors: Belinda, Eliza, and Peter Rathbone
"Solo Exhibition," Strimbu Gallery of Photography, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN

1998
"3rd A.I.R. Gallery Biennial," A.I.R. Gallery, NYC, NY, Juror: Elizabeth Sussman, Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC, NY
"Light Sensitive," Galeria Mesa, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ, Juror: Marilyn Szobo
"1998 Mayfair/Open Space Gallery National Juried Photography Exhibition," Open Space Gallery, Allentown, PA, Juror: Jan Howard, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
"LaGrange National Biennial XX Exhibition," Lamar Dodd Art Center of LaGrange College, LaGrange, GA, Juror: Siri Engberg, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
"8th Annual New Images Exhibition," New Image Gallery, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, Juror: Halley Harrisburg, Director, Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, NY

1997
"New Directions '97," Barrett House Galleries, Poughkeepsie, NY, Juror: Jennifer Blessing, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NYC, NY
Best of Show "Framing Erotica," Daisy Brain Gallery, Bloomington, IN, Jurors: J. Yamashiro, Kinsey Institute, and N.Brewer, Indiana University Art Museum, Bloomington, IN
"ARC Regional Fourth Annual Competition," ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL , Juror: Ann Sass, Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC, NY
"M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition," School of Fine Arts Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

1996
"M.F.A. Group Exhibition," School of Fine Arts Gallery, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
1995
"The National Society of Arts and Letters Showcase of Arts Juried Exhibition," John Waldron Arts Center, Bloomington, IN

1994
"Photographs: Stephanie Ogeneski and Aqueducts, Cistern and the Tarantella: Christine Tedesco", Vista Lights, Meteor Gallery, Columbia, SC
"19th Annual Juried Exhibition," Anderson County Arts Center, Anderson, SC
"Winyah Arts Association 7th Multimedia Show," Rice Museum, Georgetown, SC

1993
"Artists Select Artists I: Photography," Columbia Museum of Art and Nations Bank Plaza, Columbia, SC

Grants

1999
Artist's Residency Grant, Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont
Artist's Residency Fellowship Grant, Women's Studio Workshop, Rosendale, New York (awarded)

1998
Guest Scholar, International Museum of Photography and Film at the George Eastman House, Rochester, New York

1997
Doctoral Student Grant-in-Aid of Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

Education

1997
M.F.A., Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
Major: Fine Arts; Concentration: Photography

1993
B.F.A., Cum Laude, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
Major: Art Studio; Concentration: Photography and Drawing

Professional Training

1998
Professional Certification in Photographic Preservation and Archival Practice, International Museum of Photography and Film at the George Eastman House, Rochester, New York

Teaching Experience

1999
Visiting Lecturer in Photography, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

1996-1997
Associate Instructor of Computer Art, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

1995-1996
Associate Instructor of Photography, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

Related Professional Experience

1999-present
Photographic Technician, The Chicago Albumen Works, Housatonic, MA
Currently in training to assume position at the Nationaal Fotorestauratie Atelier, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (May)

1998
Web Designer/Developer, Image Permanence Institute, Rochester, New York

1997-1998
Exhibitions Preparator, International Museum of Photography and Film at the George Eastman House, Rochester, New York

1996-1997
Conservation Assistant, Lilly Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Bloomington, Indiana