Explorer, 2011 © Cara Barer/Courtesy of Klompching Gallery, New York City.

Houston-based photographer Cara Barer photographs outdated, abandoned and obsolete books and magazines—but only after transforming them into sculptural objects of beauty. Coiled and crumpled, they segue into a considered commentary on the changing role of libraries, society’s relationship with how it accesses and values knowledge and, in a technologically advanced world, her work questions the future of the book itself. Additional photographs by Cara Barer can be seen and puchased as part of Klompching Gallery‘s Print Room in New York City.

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© Miho Aikawa

From “Engagement in Tokyo,” an adorable collection of engagement photos shot by Miho Aikawa. This photograph won the the Grand Prize place in the 2012 Top Knots: The new school of wedding photography contest. The 2013 Top Knots contest is open now for submissions.

© Henry Leutwyler. Ballet, 2012. 60 x 40 inch Chromogenic print

After collaborating with the New York City Ballet for many years, Henry Leutwyler was granted unprecedented backstage access to the NYCB during the winter of 2012. Using his 35mm Leica, he explored the performers’ personal space and produced honest, unguarded moments of more than 80 dancers from the company. From classes, to rehearsals, to the moment when the curtain rises, Leutwyler’s images reveal details of the ballet that few of us have been granted the opportunity to see.  The exhibition, Henry Leutwyler: Ballet opens today, November 28, from 6- 8pm at the Foley gallery.

© François Pesant/NEUS

François Pesant’s work centers on human rights and environmental issues. The Montreal-based freelance photographer is presently working on a project about the impact of rape in the US military.

Pesant explains, “One American soldier out of seven is now a female. These women are more at risk of being raped by a brother in arms than of being killed by the enemy. In 2011, 19,000 women were sexually assaulted in the US military. Only 3200 denounced the crime, and less than eight percent of these reported cases went to trial. Sexual assaults have deep life-long consequences for service women. But denouncing them is risky. Many have been demoted or forced out of the military after reporting a rape.”

Chatelaine magazine recently published part of Pesant’s ongoing story and photographs here. (more…)

© Liu Bolin/Courtesy of Galerie Paris-Beijing.  Hide in the City, Panda, 2012.

Liu Bolin, also known as ‘the chameleon man’ is a Chinese artist (b. 1973) who disguises himself in his surroundings, constantly playing along the boundary between visibility and invisibility. Using various media including sculpture, body art, painting, and photography, Liu Bolin creates performance art installations where he poses motionless for hours, completely swallowed up by the environment. He eschews Photoshop post-production, and makes meticulous use instead of painting and perspective–and many test shots–to capture the camouflage effects of his installations on film.

Liu Bolin’s solo exhibition, Hiding in the City, will open on January 10th in the gallery‘s Paris space and remain on view until March 9, 2013.

-Courtesy of Galerie Paris-Beijing.

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