“Prior Pleasures”
Ellen’s statement:
In an age when technology is slowly replacing the tactile experience of reading a book, my work recalls and celebrates the joy of losing oneself within the pages of a favorite childhood tale. This project is deeply influenced by my love of literature. This series explores memory and preservation of the past while ensuring the creation of a visual legacy for the next generation. The books photographed for this series are the ones I have carried with me since childhood. My mother read them to me and, in turn, I read them to my children, carrying on a tradition of the written and spoken word.
Prior Pleasures is created using a multiple exposure technique (without Photoshop.) I photograph the end pages, illustrations, and text. This process allows me to show the excitement of a book fluttering open and coming to life for readers of all generations. Rediscovering these books led me to realize the power and value of the hands-on experience of reading. Prior Pleasures is meant to remind us that books can excite and enrich our lives.
Ellen Cantor was born in Chicago, Illinois and lives in Southern California. She is a member of the Los Angeles Art Association, Gallery 825 and the 2015 recipient of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Fine Art. Her photographs have been exhibited in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Honors include: Critical Mass 200 in 2016 and 2015. In 2016, Ellen received Honorable Mentions in the following exhibits: “Play” at the the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery,”TPS2,” at the Texas Photographic Society and “Tribe” at the Lightbox Photographic Gallery. In 2017, she will be exhibiting at the Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA, The Spartanburg Museum of Art, Spartanburg, SC, dnj gallery, Los Angeles and the Italian Cultural Exchange between Los Angeles Art Association/Gallery 825 and Napoli Art 1307, A Cultural Institution,Villa di Donato, Naples, Italy.
Ellen’s website is www.ellencantorphotography.com
Kent Krugh is a fine art photographer living in Cincinnati.
kentkrugh.com