© Laura Bell

Motifs of macabre and mysticism have been visible in art since it’s inception. The curiosity of both the tragic and the transcendent dates back to pre-historic cultures, and remain a common theme in contemporary art. Since the advent of the photograph , people have attempted to capture on film what is unseen by the naked eye. From the crime scenes of Weegee to the ever-popular genre of spirit photography, we are compelled to document that which questions and transcends our earthly existence.

“Macabre & Mysticism” marks the inaugural exhibition at Red Roots Gallery, an exhibition and event space created to support emerging artists by providing a platform for the exchange and outreach of new ideas and projects in the arts.The show includes thirty works of art, both photography and video, carefully chosen by Guest Curator Corinne May Botz.The exhibition is rooted in dark narratives that lie just beneath the surface of everyday life, and includes sixteen artists, whose work was selected from an open call for submission.

In collaboration with Conveyor Arts, the Red Roots Gallery will feature exhibitions curated from open-call submissions, including themed group exhibitions, solo artist shows and new curatorial projects. They will also feature organized critique groups and put on artist lectures, panel discussions and other events that create an open arena for artists and the community to expand ideas and take them further.

-courtesy Red roots Gallery.

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© Tom Mangelsen.

Renowned nature and wildlife photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen spent the majority of this spring and summer documenting two grizzly bear families in Grand Teton National Park. Known for raising her cubs near roadside habitat in 2007 and 2008, Grizzly 399 brought her second set of triplets to the roadside this year. Amazingly her daughter Grizzly 610, from the previous litter, appeared in the same area with twin cubs of her own. Here 610, on the hunt for calves, splits a herd of elk while keeping an eye on one of her tiny cubs barely visible above the tall grass.

Mangelsen will be sharing the stage with fellow greats Frans Lanting and Art Wolfe to discuss their illustrious careers and conservation-minded photography at PDN’s PhotoPlus Expo. They will present “Lanting, Mangelsen, Wolfe: A Force Of Nature” on Saturday, October 29th at 12PM.

© Roxanne Lowit.

Legendary fashion and celebrity photographer Roxanne Lowit photographed Pamela Anderson and David LaChapelle on their way to the Academy Awards. As she was photographing them, Roxanne said to Pamela, “Your panties are showing.” Pamela gave Roxanne a look as if to say, “Yea…so what?…”. The photograph ended up on the cover of Lowit’s 2001 book, People (Assouline).

Roxanne will speak about her 30-year career and the photographs that have made her a legend in the field this afternoon at PDN Photo Plus Expo in New York City. For more information visit: PPE seminar.

© Chris Buck.  Above: David Cross.

Chris Buck made news this summer with his Michele Bachmann Newsweek cover but he’s been kicking around celebrities and other dogs for over twenty years. We’re excited that he’ll be speaking at PDN’s Photo Plus Expo on Friday October 28th at 1:30 PM, BUCK NAKED: The Secrets Behind Master Photographer Chris Buck.

Mr. Buck begin his photography career 23 years ago, but you probably didn’t notice him until fairly recently, which, he believes, is one of the central keys to his success. In this entertaining session he’ll take us back to those crucial early years, where his unorthodox decisions led him to the success and creative freedom he enjoys today. Buck keeps no professional secrets as he takes you through his colorful career.

And, even though he swears that he rarely bad-mouths clients on his new blog, he is proud of it nevertheless.

All Photos © Fred Mayer.

Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha is a major influence on Swiss photographer Fred Mayer’s life and work over a six-decade photographic career. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hesse’s death, Mayer traveled with his wife Ilse to Varanasi, India, to retrace in images the life of Hesse’s protagonist in the time of Buddha. Their personal, spiritual response to the novel features local subjects acting out scenes for the camera. With an endorsement from Hesse’s grandson Silver Hesse adding cachet, in September 2011 Mayer self-published a 280-page homage to Hesse in a jubilee edition with Blurb. Mayer’s work is one of twenty notable projects featured in the seventh annual Best of ASMP, a publication of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP). From Thursday, October 27 to Saturday, October 29 ASMP will be an exhibitor at PDN’s PhotoPlus Expo at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. Stop by booth #1276 to pick up the print edition of the Best of ASMP or read extended interviews with all twenty featured photographers here.

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