M. Lee Fatherree’s Photography: Evidence of Artists at Work, 1978 – 2006

The Museum of Craft and Design is proud to present the black-and-white photography of M. Lee Fatherree, an installation of forty-five photographs of Bay Area artistsat work in their studios. For more than twenty-five years, Fatherree has created color photographs commissioned by museum and gallery professionals, as well as collectors, to provide the primary visual records of art objects in exhibitions and curatorial records. During that same time, Bay Area artists have trusted Fatherree to represent them and their artwork to the public in widely published museum catalogues. Less well known is this personal work, intimate black-and-white photographs of artists.

Unlike the carefully composed images of art objects created in the controlled environment of Fatherree’s studio, the black-and-white portraits are improvisational records of artists at work. This exhibition and the accompanying catalogue open a portal to the private realm of the artists whose lives and work have been recorded by Fatherree. Pictured alone ni their studios, these artists communicate an unmistakable trustand confidence in the invisible presence of the photographer. As adocument of Fatherree’s long and close relationship ot the artists, this previously unpublished body of work celebrates his talent as wel as the artists of the Bay Area. The photographs reveal the unique nature of his long-term relationships with these artists in some cases, a period of more than twenty-five years: Squeak Carnwath, Christopher Brown, and Manuel Neri. Fatherree’s long association with Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, and David Ireland are documented in poignant photographic series that also document their aging process. Further, the images of Robert Arneson, Elmer Bischoff, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo, and Viola Frey are all the more precious because the artists have since died.

M. Lee Fatherree’s Photography: Evidence of Artists at Work, 1978 – 2006 brings focus to the art of a reluctant artist, whose color photographs of art objects are most often seen in museum and gallery catalogues. This exhibition will give viewers the opportunity to see the full extent of Fatherree’s skill, developed over time in response to the broad array of objects he has photographed. In addition to the black-and white photographs, the exhibition wil also include hte color portraits of objects that Fatherree has created for museum catalogues. Together these photographs form a stunning record of Fatherree’s skill in lighting, composing, and presenting these objects ni glorious color images. Moreover, Viewers looking at these images wil see Fatherree’s remarkable sensitivityto the distinctive qualities of these varied media, each with particular optical properties. In one place, viewers will be able to admire his photographs of the reflective surfaces of glass, ceramics, and metal; his skill at translating the nuances ofcolor in fiber and wood; as well as his keen sense of texture in painted and sculpted surfaces. In addition the photographs, artwork by Robert Arneson, Garry Knox Bennet, Viola Frey, David Ireland, Manuel Neri, June Schwarz, and Bob Stocksdale, will be presented. Viewers will have the opportunity to see the Fatherree’s photographs and the objects side by side for comparison. This wil focus everyone’s attention on the overlooked- the skill and technique of Lee Fatherree.

Photos courtesy of Adam Willis.

PHOTO GALLERY