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Arthur C. Clark, Author
Chelsea Hotel 1973
© Peter Angelo Simon | May 9–11, 2008 — Photographs by Peter Angelo Simon on display
Chelsea Hotel Through the Eyes of Photographers
Rarely seen original photographs by Peter Angelo Simon are included in a fascinating show capturing the unique visual history of the famous Chelsea Hotel. The exhibit celebrates the 125th anniversary of the legendary hotel, and includes works by sixty photographers. The images vary from editorial, portraiture to personal work.
- Exhibit Dates: Fri, Sat & Sun, May 9–11, 2008, 12:00–6:00 pm
- Opening: Friday, May 9, 2008, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
- Curators: Linda Troeller and David Elder
- Location: Chelsea Hotel Ballroom, 1st Floor Lobby,
222 West 23rd Street, New York City
- More Information: For more information about the works by Peter Angelo Simon contact: psimon1234@earthlink.net
The roster of residents who have lived and worked at the Chelsea Hotel reads like a Who's Who in the art and literary world. Photographers Henri Cartier Bresson, Inga Morath and Robert Mapplethorpe all called the hotel home; Arthur C. Clarke wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey while in residence; and musicians Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead are included in the list of the Hotel's famous visitors and residents.
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Shirley Clarke, Filmmaker. Chelsea Hotel, 1973
© Peter Angelo Simon |
Jean Pierre Leaud, Actor in Truffaut films. Chelsea Hotel, 1973
© Peter Angelo Simon |
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Wednesday, April 9, 2008 — Slide Show and Lecture
Hardening of The Categories Causes Art Disease
Photographer Peter Angelo Simon is known for the broad range of his photographic activities over more than 30 years. On Wednesday, April 9, 2008, he will share the results of his photographic odyssey with the Photography Club of Long Island in a slide show and lecture entitled Hardening of The Categories Causes Art Disease.
Simon will illustrate his evolution from writer to photographer whose preoccupations are light, color, and an interest in revealing hidden processes. His interest in creative processes will be revealed in his studies of a painter, a theater director and Muhammad Ali preparing for his pivotal championship fight in Africa in 1974.
Simon’s work ranges from a black and white portrait of an art collector which projects documentary photographs onto sculpture to recent series Beyond Gravity which are vividly colored studies of circus performers in motion that communicate like paintings.
He will also share color work from South India and Mozambique, recent street work from Prague and light and color work capturing some of the natural phenomenon on Martha’s Vineyard.
- Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 7:00 pm
- Sponsored by: Photography Club of Long Island
- Location: Port Washington Library, 245 Main Street, Port Washington, New York.
By train from Penn Station to Port Washington.
- More Information: For more information about the lecture, please contact:
Peter Angelo Simon at psimon1234@earthlink.net
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October 4, 2007 – January 5, 2008 — Photographs by Peter Angelo Simon
 An Impulse to Celebrate:
Twenty South Indian Photographic Encounters
Peter Angelo Simon’s “photographic encounters” visually communicate his response to the color and the passion for celebration he found on a 2005 photographic odyssey to the south Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Simon says “These ancient traditions of color and celebration are deeply imbedded in the culture and visible today in devotional activities, street festivals and the everyday practices and dress of ordinary people.” One of the striking photographic works in this exhibit is a three foot square shimmering image of the Indian god Shiva titled “Golden God”. While many of these photographs were shown at the Indian Consulate in Manhattan in the fall of 2006, this is their first public exhibition. Another of the images is a grid of a dozen photographs that captures the intense facial expressions and hand gestures of a performer of Kathikali, the story telling/dance form unique to the region.
- Exhibition Dates: October 4, 2007 – January 5, 2008
- Reception: Thursday, October 4, 2007, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
- Location: Gallery Three at South Oxford Space, 138 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, New York
- Gallery Hours: Mon – Fri: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm; Sat & Sun: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (other times by appointment)
- More Information: For more information about the exhibit, please contact:
Peter Angelo Simon at psimon1234@earthlink.net or
Stephanie Bok, Assistant Manager of South Oxford Space via Tel: 718-398-3078 or
email sbok@art-newyork.org
Peter Angelo Simon’s career encompasses photography, film making and writing. His recent photography-based digital artworks — including this exhibition’s “Golden God” — break new ground. Simon begins with a photograph then uses digital tools to create images that lose their literal qualities; they are neither photographs nor paintings but something new. They occupy a frontier place in contemporary art.
A.R.T./New York is the service and advocacy organization for the Off Broadway theatre community. Twenty one member theatre companies make their home at South Oxford Space.
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November 10 – December 9, 2007: IMAGE
Recent works by Peter Angelo Simon are included in an exhibition exploring four different visions and approaches to imagemaking. The works in this exhibition hover. They hover between photography and painting, realism and abstraction, literal description and disturbing feeling. This contributes to their sense of mystery and relavance.
“As an artist I am inspired by performers of the ancient circus arts. They are determined to challenge the force of gravity and other physical realities and all that implies. Their dauntless efforts against “reality” reveal a spirit which normally lies hidden. Whatever this old circus thing is it finds ways to communicate its take on the human situation. Description/Expression: like an acrobat or an electron I’m most comfortable hovering in the gap.” — Peter Angelo Simon
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October 21 – December 16, 2007: From Gravity to Grace: Art of the Circus
The work of Peter Angelo Simon will be on view in a group show at the Carriage Barn Arts Center.
- Exhibition Dates: October 21 – December 16, 2007
- Reception: Sunday, October 21, 2007, 4:00 – 6:00 pm
- Location: The Carriage Barn in Waveny Park, 681 South Ave (Route 124), New Canaan, Connecticut. 1/4 mile north of Merritt Parkway, Exit 37
- Gallery Hours: Tues – Fri: noon – 4:00 pm; Sat & Sun: 1:00 – 5:00 pm
- More Information: For more information about the exhibit, please contact:
Peter Angelo Simon at psimon1234@earthlink.net, or
The Carriage Barn: Tel:203-972-1895, email: thegallery@carriagebarn.org.
Visit The Carriage Barn's website: carriagebarn.org
“One October morning some thirty one years ago a fellow woke up in his loft in lower Manhattan with the idea of starting a one ring circus in New York City. Neither he nor the city had any money. Yet ten months later there was The Big Apple Circus under a tent on the landfill in Battery Park giving the first of what would become three decades of performances and a permanent place in the cultural life of the city. As it had been doing for centuries, the impulse for circus once again had found a way to get itself expressed!”
“Circus has a long history of such irresistible behavior. It gets inside you, energizes you, causes you to do - how should I put this - circus things. I can speak from experience. I certainly had no conscious thought to spend eight months photographing the birth of a circus, but there I was, the steam pouring off the top of my head, climbing rigging, giving interviews when no one else was available and finally publishing a book about it all. And the Circus satisfies a hunger for a family of energetic, visionary, graceful, brave and funny people; they are more than a little nuts. Circus people are willing — no, determined — to challenge the force of gravity- literally and spiritually - and all that implies. Whatever this ancient and universal circus thing is, time and again it finds ways to transmit its raucous and poignant take on the human condition. Frequently this is through the work of visual artists. It did that famously with Picasso and Calder and Fellini and Red Grooms. And it did so with the artists in this exhibition.”
“I’ll go so far as to say circus is an essential evolutionary urge whose subversive purpose is to balance humankind’s tendency toward the dark, pompous and ultra serious and to inspire the imagination, aspiration and daring necessary for survival.”
“In 2003 circus nailed me again. I found myself photographing acrobats and other performers with slow exposure speeds to capture the movement. Then using digital tools on these photographs I - or whatever it was – created images which left literal details behind and communicated more like paintings. Neither photographs nor paintings they are something new. I call the series Beyond Gravity. “Floatographs” more such images were shown on a floating barge at Brooklyn’s Red Hook waterfront. Both black and white photographs from the late 1970’s and the recent colorful photo-paintings are in this show.”
“Through much of this Karen Gersch has been a common thread (if I may so refer to this Godmother of serious circus folk.) Let’s just say that when it comes to From Gravity to Grace: Art of The Circus we recognize the force that is at work; none of us has any choice.”
— Peter Angelo Simon
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 October 4 – November 3, 2007: Appomattox
Photography by Peter Angelo Simon will be on view in an exhibition in the lobby of the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House throughout the world premiere run of Philip Glass' opera Appomattox October 5 – November 3, 2007.
This exhibition was curated by the San Francisco Performing Arts Library (www.sfpalm.org) for the San Francisco Opera(www.sfopera.com).
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Tour for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum
 Works by Peter Angelo Simon are included in the historic tour launching a grassroots effort to help build a lasting tribute to honor the innocent lives lost in the attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The memorial and museum seek to preserve the memory of those events for future generations, and to reflect the awe-inspiring compassion shown in the aftermath. The tour began on September 10, 2007 and will cover many areas of the country — more stops are being added every day.
To find out more about the tour, please visit the Memorial's website: www.national911memorial.org and make a point to see the tour if it stops in your area.
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Photographs on Permanent exhibition: Spring Street Natural Restaurant
 Three stunning works by photographer Peter Angelo Simon are on permanent display at the popular Spring Street Natural Restaurant in trendy SoHo. Now in their fourth decade, the restaurant serves whole natural foods that are minimally processed, in a space abundant sunlight and windows — a perfect setting for some wonderful photographic works.
The restaurant is located at 62 Spring Street (Corner of Lafayette) in New York City. For more information about Spring Street Natural Restaurant, visit their website: www.springstreetnatural.com
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June 26 – July 30, 2006: Beyond Gravity & Abandoned Gestures Exhibit on View at Lincoln Center
 The Frieda and Roy Furman Gallery at the Walter Reade Theater is hosting an exhibit of new works by Peter Angelo Simon. The gallery is located in Lincoln Center Plaza in New York City, and is open 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm daily.
“Curiosity and risk taking are cornerstones of Peter Angelo Simon's Photopaintings,” says New York artist and curator Joel Handorff. “Simon sees photography as an art form of new possibilities and has taken a courageous stand by exploring this relationship in work that is entirely new.”
“Peter’s work pushes the limits of digital photography in the same way that video artists push the envelope on screen,” says Tony Impavido, director of gallery exhibitions at the Film Society. “His work captures the essence of movement in a single image that must be seen to be truly appreciated.”
The exhibition features large archival pigmented prints from two series: “Beyond Gravity” and “Abandoned Gestures.” The former were inspired by acrobats of The Big Apple Circus, the latter by gloves found on the streets of the city.
Preview the exhibition images
Exhibition prints are available in Limited Editions. For information contact info@PeterAngeloSimon.com
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June 4–30, 2006: Floatographs! — Photography-based Digital Artworks
 Photographs by Peter Angelo Simon will be exhibited on the Showboat Barge at the Waterfront Museum June 4–30, 2006. The Floatographs! were inspired by Karen Gersch's CircuSundays performances, and the exhibit coincides with the 10th Season of CircuSundays. Simon first met Artistic Director Karen E. Gersch in the 1970s when he spent eight months photographing the birth of New York's Big Apple Circus for a book. Karen was a performer and founding member of the group.
In the spirit of the floating Waterfront Museum, Simon calls his pictures of last year's CircuSundays performances Floatographs! “I just barged right in with my camera,” says Simon of his irresistible impulse to capture the colorful, high-spirited pandemonium. Simon's artworks breaks new ground. Neither photographs nor paintings, they occupy a frontier place in contemporary art. Richly colored and alive with dynamic movement these works dissolve boundaries, exploring new techniques and aesthetics.
The museum is located at 290 Conover Street, Brooklyn, New York. For complete CircuSundays show schedule and information, visit the Waterfront Museum website: www.waterfrontmuseum.org.
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June 3 – 15, 2006: Artworks on view at the Chilmark Libary, Martha's Vineyard
Four aspects of Peter Angelo Simon's photographic work can be seen in the Chilmark Library Exhibition June 3–15, 2006. The photographs and photographic artworks include pieces from several series: Chilmark Light, South India Color, Beyond Gravity, and Abandoned Gestures. The latter two groups are neither photographs nor paintings but extravagantly colored artworks yet to be defined. This exhibit is a unique opportunity to see the varied work of the photographer/artist.
Simon will present a slideshow and talk at the library on June 7, 2006, 5:00pm coinciding with the exhibit. His talk is titled Hardening of the Categories Causes Art Disease, and will include additional projected images showing his evolution from writer to photographer whose preoccupations are light, color, and an interest in revealing the hidden processes.
The Chilmark Library is located on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. For information about the library, visit their website: www.library.chilmark.ma.us
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June 7, 2006: Hardening of The Categories Causes Art Diesease — Artist Talk
Peter Angelo Simon will present a slideshow and talk at the Chilmark Library on June 7, 2006 at 5:00 pm. The talk takes place in the midst of an exhibition of thirty-one works by Simon which illustrate the talk. Additional projected images will show Simon's evolution from writer to photographer whose preoccupations are light, color, and an interest in revealing the hidden processes. He credits the title of his talk to his friend and teacher, the photographer Harold Feinstein.
The exhibition of Simon's photographic artworks at the Chilmark Library runs from June 3–15, 2006. Several aspects of Simons work will be on view, including: Chilmark Light, South India Color, Beyond Gravity, and Abondoned Gestures. The latter two gropus are neither photographs nor paintings but extravagantly colored artworks yet to be defined.
The Chilmark Library is located on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. For information about the library, visit their website: www.library.chilmark.ma.us
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January 2006: Pan for Gold: Editing your Photographs – Workshop at Washington Art Association
 Peter Angelo Simon will be holding his popular workshop Pan for Gold: Editing your Photographs at the Washington Art Association in early 2006. For complete workshop information, see the Workshops page.
To register for this workshop, please call the Washington Art Association from Tuesday through Friday between 10am and 5pm at 860-868-2878.
Located in historic Litchfield County, Connecticut, the Washington Art Association features monthly exhibits, regularly scheduled classes and workshops, a venue for members to sell their work and much more. Please visit their website: www.washingtonart.org.
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Martha's Vineyard Gazette Features Peter Angelo Simon
Peter Angelo Simon was recently on Martha's Vineyard conducting his popular Creative Photography Workshop. During his stay on the island, the Gazette featured an article on Peter and his work. The article, titled Peter Angelo Simon Finds His Own Way was written by Max Hart. To see the article in full,
››CLICK HERE.
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New Muhammad Ali Center to Open in November, 2005
Peter Angelo Simon will have a dozen photographs in the new Muhammad Ali Center which is scheduled to open in Louisville, Kentucky, in November 2005. The images are part of an exhibition on Ali's legendary training camp in rural Deer Lake, Pennsylvania. Peter photographed Ali in August 1974, a month before Ali went to Africa and regained the world heavyweight boxing championship from George Foreman. His intimate study of Ali in his “Fighter's Heaven” is unique in Ali's abundantly documented career.
For information about the Muhammad Ali Center visit www.AliCenter.org. Some of the photographs on view at the Center can be seen in GOAT (Greatest of All Time), the seventy-five pound book tribute to Ali published by Tashen, as well as in Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years by Felix Dennis and Don Ateyo.
To see examples from Peter Angelo Simon's extensive portfolio of Muhammad Ali images,
please visit the Ali Gallery Page.
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Exhibition: March 5 – 27, 2005
Peter Angelo Simon's work was exhibited in a three person group show at the Washington Art Association, Washington Depot, Connecticut, March 5–27, 2005.
A number of works from the Beyond Gravity series were on view.
"A powerful new exhibit at the Washington Art Association examines the blistering speed of modern life, as it reminds us of the elementality of emotions. Simon sets the tone with large, vivied archival digital prints that emphasize the whirling speed of movement. The focus of his lens are largely acrobats, called to be kinetic, but the inference that most of us live a life of cumbersome gymnastics is hardly lost on viewers." – Tracey O'Shaughnessy, Republican-American
If you missed the show, be sure to visit the online Beyond Gravity gallery. To go to the gallery page ››CLICK HERE
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Newest book
 GOAT (Greatest of All Time), the definitive book on Muhammad Ali published in January 2004 by Taschen includes a selection of Peter Angelo Simon's study of Ali training for the African fight. For additional information, see the publisher's website www.taschen-goat.com, or purchase the book at Barnes&Noble.com
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