Monday, July 20, 2009

Bay Area Townie: The Photography of Peter Tonningsen




Second In a Series on Bay Area Artists:
Inspired by the "This Town" Exhibit at Eclectix Gallery, Thru August 16th

Peter Tonningsen is a fine art photographer, living in the SF Bay Area. His work runs truly eclectic - historical documenting, street portraits, scientific archiving of postmortem birds, to found art collections from the shorelines of the San Francisco Bay. The one common thread through-out all his works is his impeccable technical skill and luscious printing, beautiful statements on the past and current world we inhabit. From a look at his mother's dressing table and it's daily decor, to desolate naval stations, to street punk rockers and abandoned buildings, he captures the moods and feelings with graceful artistry.

In his "Flotsam & Jetsam" series; things that were discarded, left-behind or washed ashore become discovered anew. A rubber ducky, an old jar or a lost glove- poetic symbols of our culture arranged in hauntingly beautiful, specimen-like presentations. A fun and unique approach to re-cycling our memories and appreciating our histories.

See the "Flotsam & Jetsam" series and four of his street portraits in the "This Town" exhibits, thru August 16th, 2009 at Eclectix Gallery.