• “Second Hand”

Charlotte’s statement:

Julie Winokur wrote in her essay Slow Down, Aging Ahead that “everyone wants to live a long time but no one wants to grow old.”  The passage of time, how we attempt to control it, what we do to preserve it and its impact are themes I am interested in capturing through photography. Time and purpose are especially relevant topics for me as a member of the “Baby Boomer” generation. There are over 10,000 of “us” turning 65 years old every day.   “Second Hand” is a project that explores aging, the power of relationships, purpose and artifacts for preserving memories and worth.  It is also a visual metaphor for what society views as obsolete and what others value.

Charlotte Niel is a self-taught artist residing in Oakland, California with her two dogs, Benny and Molly.  She has been exploring photography for the last 20 years and has been influenced by a wide range of photographers including Diane Arbus, Cindy Sherman, Francesca Woodman, Cartier Bresson and Sebastião Salgado.

Recently she has been photographing the Central Valley of California.  This has resulted in several new bodies of work including “Porterville: All America City” and “Second Hand”; both cultural commentaries exploring concepts of loss, change, community and purpose.

Her work has been published both internationally and nationally. National venues where her work has been exhibited include Cooper Union Gallery, New York City, the Sussex Community College Gallery, Newton, New Jersey, the Barbara Anderson Gallery, Berkeley, California, the Panopticon Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts, the Corden|Potts Gallery and the Rayko Photo Center, San Francisco, California.  She was recently selected as a top 200 finalist of Critical Mass, 2016.

Charlotte’s website is www.cnielphotography.com

Kent Krugh is a fine art photographer living in Cincinnati.
kentkrugh.com