FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES, CA
The Paul Kopeikin Gallery is pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition by New Mexico photographer Steve Fitch. Fitch is best known for a series of road pictures that resulted in the 1974 book "Diesels and Dinosaurs". The current exhibition takes its title and coincides with the publication of his new monograph "Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains" just published by the University of New Mexico Press. Our show opens on Saturday, February 15th with a reception and book-signing with the artist from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The show continues through March 15th . The exhibition is free to the public.
"Fitch has gone beyond the superficial postcard shot of abandoned western structures and he takes us inside the failures, inside the ended dreams within those silent walls" — Evelyn A. Schlatter, historian.
Steve Fitch traveled the American High Plains photographing deserted towns. Focusing on exteriors as well as interiors, he captures the spirit of places and people who once inhabited the land. Abandoned homes, schoolhouses, and personal possessions left behind provide a glimpse into a world that no longer exists. Though his photography he pays homage to the passage of time as well as the decline of a once vibrant society. The chance for more land and economic growth were initial attractions to settlers during the last two centuries.
However, during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression people were forced to leave these regions in search of other financial opportunities in more populated areas of the country. Today, much of the Rural High Plains continues losing population. Fitch is a lifelong educator who now teaches at the Marion Center for Photographic Arts at the College of Santa Fe.
Born August 8, 1949
Education
MA Fine Arts, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA
BA Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Solo Exhibitions
2005
Denver Convention Center, Denver, CO; installation of four, "living picture" high definition videos.
2004
"Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains", Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, OR.
2003
"Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains", Atrium Gallery,
Marion Center for Photographic Arts, Santa Fe, NM. Exhibition traveled
to the Beach Museum, Kansas State University, 2005
"Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains", Paul Kopeikin Gallery, LA
"The New World’s Old World: Photographic Views of Ancient America", AXA Gallery, New York
"Steve Fitch: Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains", University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM
"Maker’s Marks in the Landscape", Amon Carter Museum, Ft. Worth, TX
2002
"Visions from America: Photographs from the Whitney Museum of American Art, 1940-2001", Whitney Museum of American Art, NY
"The Artist and the American West", Amon Carter Museum, Ft. Worth, TX
2001
Shifting Landscapes", Landmark gallery, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2000
"Steve Fitch: The Archeology of Abandonment", Richard Levy Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
"Steve Fitch: Recipient of the 1999 Eliot Porter Fellowship", Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM
1997
"Steve Fitch: Diesels and Dinosaurs and Beyond", Paul Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1991
"Steve Fitch: Photographs", Art Gallery, The University of New Mexico at Los Alamos
1988
"Steve Fitch: Color Photographs", SRO Gallery, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
1987
"Steve Fitch: Photographs, Drawings and INsane-O-Matic", Graham Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
"Steve Fitch: Photographs", Art Gallery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Group Exhibitions
2001
"Shifting Landscapes", Landmark Gallery, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
1998
"The West: Recent Acquisitions", The Art Museum, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
"Drive-ins: Disappearing Summer Cinema", Yancey Richardson Gallery, New York, NY
1996
"The Perpetual Mirage", The Whitney Museum, New York, NY
1995
"The Archaeology of Abandonment: Photographs from the High Plains, 1991
to 1995" O’Sullivan Arts Center, Regis University, Denver, CO
"Theaters", Paul Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1994
"California Photography From a Seventies Perspective: Part II", Seagram Gallery, New York
1993
"Art in the Machine Age", University Art Museum, The
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
"Arts ‘93", Fine Arts Museum, Santa Fe, NM
1992
"Personal Portraits/Intimate Photographs", Colorado Gallery, Arapahoe College, Denver, CO
1991
"Swan Songs: Images of Love and Lament for the Land", Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, CO
1990
"Abandoned Sites: Photographs by Rick Dingus and Steve Fitch", Sol
Mednick Gallery, The University of The Arts, Philadelphia, PA
"The Art of Photography: Steve Fitch and Stephen Perloff"
James Michener Arts Center, Doylestown, PA
1989
"Displaced References: Rick Dingus, Steve Fitch, Roger Sweet"
James/Schubert Gallery, Houston, TX
"Picturing California: A Century of Photographic Genius",
Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA
1988
"Road and Roadside" San Francisco Museum of Art
1987
"Road and Roadside" The Art Institute of Chicago
"Photography and the West: The 80’s" The RockwellMuseum, Corning, NY
Graham Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
1986
"Visions of the West" Etherton Stern Gallery, Tucson, AZ
Exhibition traveled to: Harrison Museum of Art, Utah
State University’ Sioux City Art Center, IA’ Scottsdale
Center for the Arts, AZ; Museum of Photographic Arts,
San Diego, CA; Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, Pueblo, CO
Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, CO
"New Landscapes" Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, TX
"Crosscurrents II" San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
"On the Road" photographs from the permanent collection
The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA
Collections
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
Museum of International Photography, George Eastman House, Rochester, NY
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, TX
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, IL
Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, AZ
Art Museum, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA
University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM
Rhode Island School of Design, Art Museum, Providence, RI
Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX
Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, NM
National Museum of American Art, Washington DC
Spencer Art Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
Grunweld Center for the Graphic Arts, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Rockwell Museum of Western Art, Corning, NY
Sheldon Art Gallery, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NB
California Museum of Photography, Riverside, CA
Australian National Gallery, Australia
The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA
Humanities Research Center, University of Texas, Austin, TX
La Jolla Museum of Art, La Jolla, CA
Security Pacific National Bank
Seagram Corporation
New York Public Library
And others.
Publications
The Archeology of Abandonment, Univversity of New Mexico Press, 2003
Vintage Neon, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., Atglen, PA, 1999
Perpetual Mirage The Whiney Museum, New York, NY, 1996 (catalog)
Picturing California: A Century of Photographic Genius, Oakland, CA, 1989 (catalog)
Night Photography: A Survey of 20th Century Night Photography, Hallmark
Photography Collection, Kansas City, KS, 1989 (catalog)
Marks in Place: Contemporary Responses to Rock Art, University of New Mexico Press, 1988
Photography and the West: The 80’s, Rockwell Museum, Corning, NY, 1987 (catalog)
Highway as Habitat, University Art Museum, Santa Barbara, CA, 1986 (catalog)
20th Century Photography, University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM, 1980 (catalog)
Beyond Color, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA, 1980 (catalog)
Diesels and Dinosaurs, Long Run Press, Berkeley, CA, 1976
Light and Substance, University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM, 1973 (catalog)
Publications/Monographs
GONE: Photographs of Abandonment on the Great Plains, University of New Mexico Press, 2003, 72 photographs in color, 2 in B&W, 4 essays.
Diesels and Dinosaurs, Lon Run Press, Berkeley, CA, 1976; 88 pps., 50 duotone reproductions and an introduction.
Marks in Place; Contemporary Responses to Rock Art, University of New Mexico Press, 1988; 20 Photographs reproduced and an essay.
Publications/Exhibition Catalogues
The Archeology Of Abandonment, University Of New Mexico Press, 2003
Vintage Neon, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., Atglen, PA, 1999
Perpetual Mirage, The Whiney Museum, New York, NY, 1996
Swan Songs: Images Of Love And Lament For The Land, Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Colorado, 1992.
New Dimensions, Agfa Corporation, 1990.
Picturing California: A Century Of Photographic Genius. Oakland, CA, 1989.
Night Photography: A Survey Of 20th Century Night Photography, Hallmark Photography Collection, Kansas City, KS, 1989.
Photography And The West: The 80's, Rockwell Museum, Coming, NY, 1987.
Highway As Habitat, University Art Museum, Santa Barbara, CA, 1986.
Crosscurrents II, San Francisco Museum Of Modem Art, CA, 1986.
New Views: Landscape Photographs Prom Two Continents, University Of Missouri, St. Louis, MO, 1986.
The Art Collection, Federal Reserve Bank Of San Francisco, CA, 1986.
Kiote Landscape Project, Tempe, AZ, 1985.
Current Works, Society For Contemporary Photography Exhibit at the Morgan Gallery And The Nelson Art Museum, Kansas City, MO, 1984.
Exposed And Developed: Photography Sponsored By The National Endowment For The Arts, National Museum Of American Art, Washington, DC, 1984.
American Roads, Catalog for the Portfolio, Landweber/Artists, Los Angeles, CA, 1982.
20th Century Photography, University Of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM, 1980.
Visitors To Arizona: 1846 To 1980, Phoenix Art Museum, AZ, 1980.
Beyond Color, San Francisco Museum of Modem Art, CA, 1980.
New California Views, Catalog for the Portfolio, Landweber/Artists, Los Angeles, CA, 1979.
Attitudes: Photography In The Seventies, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Santa Barbara, CA, 1979.
130 Years Of Ohio Photography, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH, 1978.
The Aesthetics Of Graffiti, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA, 1978.
Young American Photographers, Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI, 1975.
Emulsion '73, Civic Arts Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA, 1973.
Light And Substance, University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, NM, 1973.
Publications/Reviews
The Magazine, The Marion Center Exhibition Of "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains", September, 2003. (review)
The Chronicle Review, "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With 3 Photographs Reproduced, July 18, 2003. (excerpt)
Crosswinds Weekly,
The Marion Center Exhibition Of "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On
The High Plains" With 3 Photographs Reproduced, July 10~17, 2003.
(article)
The Albuquerque Journal,
North, The Marion Center Exhibition Of "Gone: Photographs Of
Abandonment On The High Plains" With 3 Photographs Reproduced, July 11,
2003. (article)
Harper’s Magazine, "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With 1 Photograph Reproduced, June, 2003. (book mention)
High Country News, "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With 2 Photographs Reproduced, June 23, 2003. (review)
Photo District News, "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With 2 Photographs Reproduced, March, 2003. (review)
View Camera Magazine, "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With 4 Photographs Reproduced, March/April 2003. (feature article)
Pastiempo, The New Mexican, "Gone Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With 5 Photographs Reproduced, February 7, 2003. (feature article)
Albuquerque Journal, "Gone: Photographs Of Abandonment On The High Plains" With One Photograph Reproduced, February 2, 2003. (book review)
Pastiempo, The New Mexican, "The Archeology Of Abandonment" Series With 6 Photographs Reproduced, January 14,2000. (feature article)
Vintage Neon, Fifteen Photographs Reproduced Along With Extensive Quotes; By Len Davidson, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, Pennsylvania, 1999.
The New York Times, "The West" At The Princeton University Art Museum, Sunday, August 2, 1998. (exhibition review)
The American Drive-In Movie Theater By Don And Susan Sanders, Motorbooks International, Osceola, WI, 1997, Ten Photographs Reproduced.
New Mexico Designer/Builder, "Neon", 5 Photographs Reproduced And A Story, Pps. 21-23, September 1994.
New Mexico Magazine, "Neon Nights", 6 Photographs Reproduced And A Story, Pps. 22-27, February, 1988.
Center Quarterly, The Center For Photography At Woodstock; One Photograph Reproduced, P. 8, Issue #37, 1988.
Artspace Magazine, Spring 1988, Pps. 8- 12. (review)
American Photography: A Critical History By Jonathan Greene; Abrams, New York, NY, 1984; Pps. 92,155,178-9.
Artspace Magazine, "Steve Fitch: Radiation Pines And Other Works", Spring, 1984, Pps. 20-22. (article)
Rocky Mountain Magazine, Photographs Reproduced July/August, 1979, Pps. 27-32 And July/August 1980, Cover.
Artforum Magazine, May 1980, Pps. 86-87. (exhibition review)
Blue Sky,
Anniversary Of An Alternative, 1975 To 1980, Photograph Reproduced P.
69 And A Short Biographical Statement P.92; Published By The Oregon
Center For The Photographic Arts, 1980.
Village Voice, February 19,1979, P. 75. (exhibition review)
Picture Magazine, Photographs Reproduced And Discussed, April, 1979.
A Ten Year Salute;
A Selection Of Photographs In Celebration, The Witkin Gallery 1969-
1979 By Lee Witkin, Addison House, Danbury, NH, 1979; P. 159.