Spotlight on Renee Stock

Sing to the tune of "I love L.A."

"I love Renee...."

My friend Renee is now dabbling in photography.

What, I ask, CAN'T she do?

Guitar? Check.

Screenwriting? Check.

Awesome taste in socks? Check.

I picture her traversing around Chicago with her digital camera, shooting the sights, freezing in the wind, with some white iPod headphones hanging around her neck playing some nice Rhett Miller tunes.

I believe this is the Hancock Tower taken from a very unique vantage point-- Its title "Where the Earth Meets the Stars."

One of my favorite moments was going to Harry's Polish Sausages for a great 'furter with some extra mustard and 'kraut downtown.

Chicago has a very unique aura-- it seems oddly quiet and serene in its grandiosity.

There seems to be none of the constant New York conflict that surrounds us continuously.

In fact, in my 3 days there in the summer of 2004, I do not remember hearing a single horn being honked once.

Facing the Rothko room at the Art Institute I was also wrapped up in a difference even in the presentation of its artwork-- there seemed to be a peacefulness that is severely lacking in the NY Art world-- a chance to be the only person in a room with the art and its creator; while usually at the Met or MoMa you're lucky if you're in the 3rd row of people craning your neck to see "Starry Night" for the 100th time.

Once again, I turn my focus to art that takes humanity out of the picture-- literally.

My own photography skills aren't expert level by any means, but I've noticed over the years how I seem to have an ability to leave people entirely by the wayside--Emptiness abounds-- cars with no drivers or passengers; sidewalks with no pedestrians; homes with no residents.

When there are people in them, it's usually just a blur of motion.

I like how this photo gives you a Hitchcock "Rear Window" feel.

It brings to mind artist Eduardo Kac's freak of nature, the "Glow in the Dark" genetic mutation rabbit.

See image below...

You almost expect the Rabbit to pop out of one of the windows and fly right at you.

One of Renee's strengths so far is color saturation.

I'm a color freak, myself-- and it's not just the colors that spring to life, but the unique perspective she's using.

I'm comparing this image below of "Red Plastic Bricks" to one of my favorite artists, Do Ho Suh. I like how the walls are invisible here-- how you can take a structure and literally turn it inside-out to see its inner workings. Very impressive.

We ourselves have many layers-- some opaque, as sheer as a curtain; others as strong as brick and intense as fire; and some that are truly invisible.

(Image at right of Do Ho Suh's 2003 Istanbul Biennial Installation)

I believe it's the discovery of what's behind each layer that makes each of us keep ticking.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/renees/

Lamgelina