Chris Verene
Encyclopedia
Chris Verene is an American fine arts and documentary photographer
and performance artist.
. He spent his teens and twenties in Atlanta, Georgia
and studied art at Georgia State University
. Verene moved to Brooklyn
in 1999. In 2000, he was included the Whitney Biennial
with his 1998 series Camera Club and the performance installation piece, The Self-Esteem Salon. That same year his monograph
about Galesburg and his mother's family in the Georgia and Florida, Chris Verene, was published by Twin Palms Press. The New York Times reviewed his self titled book in 2000. "Chris Verene is this year's most appealing newcomer, a diamond in the rough whose square color pictures record his family and friends in candid, unvarnished fashion. The book gets its gritty grip on reality by sticking to place, which happens to be Galesburg, Ill. The tacky interiors, worn clothes and forlorn expressions in the pictures suggest that all is not well in Galesburg, but Verene adds a commentary that tries its best to be upbeat and compassionate. The effect is reminiscent of Mark Goodman's visual diary of life in Millerton, N.Y., A Kind of History, which was published without fanfare a year ago. But the larger shadow hanging over Verene's work belongs to Diane Arbus, which is not a bad thing".
Three generations of his family still live in Galesburg and the family and city are the subjects of his life’s work—a twenty-three-year ongoing documentary project. At age 16, Verene began work with a medium format camera and started taking pictures of his family and friends within the small town of Galesburg. While having many diverse interests in music, film, and escape magic, the subject of his photographic career eventually became centered on the town of Galesburg and various events that take place within it. In 1998, The New York Times observed: "... anthropological portraits, like Chris Verene's of a cousin at her wedding banquet in Illinois... Such portraits tell us less about individual people than about the worlds they inhabit, which is perhaps the main truth of most portraits."
Verene's work reveals an artist committed to documenting the hope and spirit in his family’s community. Through the works on Galesburg, the viewer is shown the simple, average human stories taking place in the declining American Midwest
. Verene’s unstaged documentary color photography, with its Arbusian style, is largely appreciated for its honesty, intense color, and composition.
In the years between 1999 and 2004, Verene’s New York art dealers were the Pat Hearn Gallery, Colin De Land American Fine Art, and Paul Morris Gallery. Since that time, Pat and Colin have both died unexpectedly and Paul Morris has recently closed his space to pursue full-time directing the Armory Art Show. Meanwhile, Verene continues to produce new work. His work is held in many public collections listed below. In New York, Verene worked with Deitch Projects
and Paul Morris Gallery. A complete listing of art dealers worldwide is available at his official website. Chris Verene is represented world wide by Postmasters Gallery
, New York City.
Aside from his photographic practices, Verene is also a notable musician and performance artist. While living in Atlanta, he co-founded musical groups D.Q.E.
, and The Rock*A*Teens of the famous Merge Records. As a drummer, he performs and records nationally with Cordero, the band founded by his wife, Ani Cordero. He continues to work with Christian Holstad on a performance art series, titled “The Baptism Series” which is a sub-chapter of Verene's ongoing performance art series, “The Self-Esteem Salon (1998-present).”
Verene is currently based in Brooklyn, New York where he lives with his wife and son, and commutes frequently to his family's hometown of Galesburg, Illinois.
Documentary photography
Documentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit...
and performance artist.
Biography
Verene was born in Galesburg, IllinoisGalesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
. He spent his teens and twenties in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and studied art at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
. Verene moved to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in 1999. In 2000, he was included the Whitney Biennial
Whitney Biennial
The Whitney Biennial is a biennale exhibition of contemporary American art, typically by young and lesser known artists, on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, USA. The event began as an annual exhibition in 1932, the first biennial was in 1973...
with his 1998 series Camera Club and the performance installation piece, The Self-Esteem Salon. That same year his monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
about Galesburg and his mother's family in the Georgia and Florida, Chris Verene, was published by Twin Palms Press. The New York Times reviewed his self titled book in 2000. "Chris Verene is this year's most appealing newcomer, a diamond in the rough whose square color pictures record his family and friends in candid, unvarnished fashion. The book gets its gritty grip on reality by sticking to place, which happens to be Galesburg, Ill. The tacky interiors, worn clothes and forlorn expressions in the pictures suggest that all is not well in Galesburg, but Verene adds a commentary that tries its best to be upbeat and compassionate. The effect is reminiscent of Mark Goodman's visual diary of life in Millerton, N.Y., A Kind of History, which was published without fanfare a year ago. But the larger shadow hanging over Verene's work belongs to Diane Arbus, which is not a bad thing".
Three generations of his family still live in Galesburg and the family and city are the subjects of his life’s work—a twenty-three-year ongoing documentary project. At age 16, Verene began work with a medium format camera and started taking pictures of his family and friends within the small town of Galesburg. While having many diverse interests in music, film, and escape magic, the subject of his photographic career eventually became centered on the town of Galesburg and various events that take place within it. In 1998, The New York Times observed: "... anthropological portraits, like Chris Verene's of a cousin at her wedding banquet in Illinois... Such portraits tell us less about individual people than about the worlds they inhabit, which is perhaps the main truth of most portraits."
Verene's work reveals an artist committed to documenting the hope and spirit in his family’s community. Through the works on Galesburg, the viewer is shown the simple, average human stories taking place in the declining American Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. Verene’s unstaged documentary color photography, with its Arbusian style, is largely appreciated for its honesty, intense color, and composition.
In the years between 1999 and 2004, Verene’s New York art dealers were the Pat Hearn Gallery, Colin De Land American Fine Art, and Paul Morris Gallery. Since that time, Pat and Colin have both died unexpectedly and Paul Morris has recently closed his space to pursue full-time directing the Armory Art Show. Meanwhile, Verene continues to produce new work. His work is held in many public collections listed below. In New York, Verene worked with Deitch Projects
Deitch Projects
Deitch Projects was a contemporary art gallery in New York City founded by Jeffrey Deitch.-History:Since opening with a performance by Vanessa Beecroft in February 1996, the gallery has presented nearly one hundred and eighteen solo exhibitions and projects, ten thematic exhibitions, and a few...
and Paul Morris Gallery. A complete listing of art dealers worldwide is available at his official website. Chris Verene is represented world wide by Postmasters Gallery
Postmasters (art gallery)
Postmasters is a contemporary art gallery located on 19th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan owned and directed by Magda Sawon and Tamas Banovich...
, New York City.
Aside from his photographic practices, Verene is also a notable musician and performance artist. While living in Atlanta, he co-founded musical groups D.Q.E.
DQE (band)
DQE, or Dairy Queen Empire, is a band formed by singer/songwriter Grace Braun, New York photographer Chris Verene and former Fat Day drummer Zak Sitter in 1986 in Atlanta. The band later evolved into one built around the core of Grace Braun and her husband/drummer, music writer Dugan Trodglen...
, and The Rock*A*Teens of the famous Merge Records. As a drummer, he performs and records nationally with Cordero, the band founded by his wife, Ani Cordero. He continues to work with Christian Holstad on a performance art series, titled “The Baptism Series” which is a sub-chapter of Verene's ongoing performance art series, “The Self-Esteem Salon (1998-present).”
Verene is currently based in Brooklyn, New York where he lives with his wife and son, and commutes frequently to his family's hometown of Galesburg, Illinois.
Selected public collections
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
- The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
- The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- The Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art
- The Margulies Collection, Miami
- The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
- The Jewish Museum, New York
- The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago
- The High Museum of Art, Atlanta
- The Birmingham Museum of Art
- The Cheekwood Museum, Nashville
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
, Atlanta - Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia