After
nearly 20 years of dealing in ethnographic art and
photography in New York, I began two years ago to
collect vernacular photographs in my adopted home
of Bali, Indonesia. It was an attempt to gain a
deeper understanding of the culture I now live within.
Collecting these photographs has given me a very
intimate glimps into the lives of a people for whom
I have a profound empathy.
When
I opened Richard Meyer Culture in May of 2004, I
established a mandate of exhibiting primarily photographs
taken by Indonesian photographers of Indonesian.
That continues to be our main focus, but over time
I will include inventory from the West & elsewhere,
dating from all historical periods & showcase
contemporary fine art photography as well, both
domestic & international.
The
New York branch of the gallery will for the time
being, be open by appointment, as we concentrate
on establishing the Bali gallery as our base and
developing our website. We intend to present four
thematic exhibitions a year with selections from
our ever-expanding inventory.
Collecting
vernacular photography is a very affordable way
to build a personal photography collection that
can also be of historical importance. We look forward
to encouraging & assisting anyone who has a
curiosity & desire to learn about the art of
photography.
