[Alt-photo] Bob Kiss's exhibit in Charleston

[Diana Bloomfield]

Hey all,

I just thought I'd report that I was down at the NC coast this past weekend-- not all that far from Charleston, SC-- so we took a ferry part of the way, and then drove on down to see Bob's opening for his Barbados chattel house images ("The Spirit of Place . . . ") at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park, overlooking the Charleston Harbor.  Bob's platinum/palladium images, up to 20x24, are spectacular-- really stunning-- from the exquisite printing to the presentation.  I was in awe.  I'm also thinking Barbados must have the most beautiful light ever, or Bob went out only when there was perfect light-- and it's all translated perfectly in his imagery.  The opening was packed, with people of all ages actually engaged with the work-- which is always refreshing to see.  They even had a model of a chattel house installed.  There were equally intriguing images from Julia Cart, a Charleston native, who has documented similar chattel houses along the SC coast.  I was also impressed with some of her quite large images, printed softly on vellum, and hung simply on wire, so you could just walk back and forth through them.  It's a wonderful exhibition, which offers so much history-- on through October I *think" --  and definitely worth a trip if you're in or near the area.  Bob has a beautifully reproduced book of this work, too.

Oh-- and right around the corner from the Gallery (actually, right around every corner in Charleston, it seems) is this terrific little bar/cafe-- East Bay Meeting House-- which has great beer offerings, Hendricks gin, and amazing tapas.

To get a chance to meet Bob and talk with him was so much fun.  I've not met that many people on the List, but I'm always curious as to what List members are like in real life, after reading their posts for years on end.  I'm consistently taken aback as they're almost never ever like what I imagine.  I wonder what that means.  We don't write like we talk?  We don't look like we sound?  I'm not sure, but it's always fun.  Oh.  And Bob is super young looking and very tall.  And his prints are amazing.  :)