Alexander Berg

artist studio October 21 - December 7, 2003   ONE SHOT: 42ND STREET, is a photographic collaboration between photographer Alexander Berg and the public. He invites us… we who walk, work and wander on 42nd Street to come into his studio and collaborate on making a portrait together… in one frame.

a selection of photographs

You are welcome to join Alexander in his studio, and become a part of this amazing project.
He may not be there every hour of every day, but during the following times you can be sure to catch him there.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

What is presence? On 42nd Street, we walk to work, we run late to a meeting, to catch a Broadway show, or even worse… to perform in one; we linger wondering which tourist attraction to visit next, we get lost. The list goes on… after all, this is New York. One Shot: 42nd Street, a photographic project by Alexander Berg, takes a moment to look at us, we who walk, work and live on 42nd Street, and gives us an opportunity to look at that moment on film. About you How would you collaborate with a photographer to create a portrait of yourself knowing that they would take only one frame? One image, one chance to catch that one moment. We invite you to come by the studio, pick a chair, pick a prop, talk about your favorite lighting, plan the image with the art director, Hugo Redwood, and photographer, and then sit before the camera, and be present. You'll walk away with a 4 x 5 Polaroid image of you… for free! It is an experiment in capturing a moment, knowing that you have only that one shot.

Here are some of the photographs taken so far.

Artist Statement:

I am ever-drawn to the human face. Every person carries the story of their past and present in the perfect form of their face. I humbly attempt to do honor to their story, to their present moment as we sit together in the studio. As my work continues, I observe the layers unfold, both in image and in process. I have come to realize that in working, as I do, with large-format polaroid negative, I develop an instant-feedback-based language with the subject, as they can immediately see how their present moment has transferred onto film. It becomes what I now call "photo-therapy", as it is a lesson for both of us in presence, in reflection, and in projection. In this way, the process of portraiture takes on a deeper purpose. It becomes an exercise in presence. With this project, ONE SHOT 42nd street, I want to heighten this exploration of presence into a single moment, a single exchange between the camera and the person.

Alexander preparing his studio.

Alexander's website is here.