The photography of John Kohl-Riggs

Madison Arts Commission Presents Selections from Succession

The Mayor's Conference room will feature the Wisconsin landscape photography of John Kohl-Riggs from the January through April 2009. Kohl-Riggs' ARTspace exhibition contains 6 large-format color ink print photos selected from a large body of Kohl-Riggs most recent work. These beautiful, powerful images portray the natural succession of the stages of the land as a result of both natural and man-made forces. The Mayor's Conference room is a very high-profile civic space; meetings are scheduled in that room constantly throughout the day, so the venue will provide great exposure for John Kohl-Riggs, who just jumped back in to the Madison arts scene after after a 38-year long hiatus from exhibiting. However, for those of us who don't spend a lot of time in conference with the Mayor, for us, fortunately there is another wonderful opportunity to see the culmination of Kohl-Rigg's most recent body of work. Images from his Succession series comprise the current exhibition Overlooks and Perspectives: the photography of John Kohl Riggs at the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters at the Steenbock Gallery from January 5-February 15, 2009 (gallery hours 8:30-4:30 M-F). You are invited to meet the artist and attend the opening of Overlooks and Perspectives opening reception on Friday, January 9th 2009 from 5:30-7:30pm (Foul weather date Sunday January 11th, 2:00-4:00pm if Madison schools close Friday) at the Steenbock Gallery 1922 University Avenue, Madison 53705. (3 blocks west of Breeze Terrace.) Parking available behind the building or on most adjacent side streets. There is also ample parking at the University Foundation Building one block to the East (towards downtown) of the Academy at 1848 University Ave. Parking there is free after 5:00 PM. It is then just one short block to walk. FROMTHE ARTIST'S STATEMENT: "We don't have grandeur here in Wisconsin-we have the everyday rocks, trees, and hills, close at hand. The dramatic tectonic uplifts required to form mountains and grand vistas, thankfully, took their business elsewhere, leaving the great granite Wisconsin Shield to slowly develop a more stable, more subtle temperament. The Overlooks and Perspectives presented here were produced by much gentler forces, and the resultant topography is always up close and personal, with a middle distance you can reach out for, but never quite touch." The Madison Arts Commission's ARTspace program is open to all Madison visual artists who would like to showcase original two-dimensional works in highly utilized city spaces. For more information visit www.cityofmadison.com/mac/exhibit