©2008"Gimme that." by Tyler Curtis as instructed by Victor Skrebneski
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
1988 GEORGE EASTMAN HOUSE, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
1989 MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY, CHICAGO
1992 MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, NEW YORK
1992 LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
1996 MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY, CHICAGO
1998 LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
1999 MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY, CHICAGO
He also isn't afraid to tell you what he thinks. And I couldn't be more grateful. I gave Victor my card at a Marc Jacobs Party a few months ago, hoping in my fantasy world that he would check out Matt's and my work from the after dinner set on darkroomdemons.com. When he walked in and greeted me warmly, he said "You're a good photographer. You take good pictures." and began glad handing another admirer. He looked back
"Did I see your work in Town and Country?" he smiled.
"God, I wish. We're gonna make a run at the big boys this year." I replied. "You know, Vogue, Harper's, wink wink." I said this half-jokingly and half serious. Victor melted into the crowd of High Society and I whirled about, wondering if indeed Victor had seen anything we've done. Later, I caught him by two rows of original Dali lithos in the hallway with the home's owner and asked him to pose in front of the pics. He bit into me right away.
"Ok, whats your angle? How are we gonna do this. Straight on? Not much room..."
I gave it a shot with my flash held out straight left.
" Is it good?"
"No." we both agreed. I tried again. Shit. He looked at me quizzically.
"Why do you have a side light? Do you see my face?" He tapped his nose and pointed out the shadow on the picture. "Straight on this time."
It was then requested that we shoot Victor in front of Kristos's "The Gates" at Central Park sketch that adorned the stairway landing. Its a gorgeous piece depicting the path gates in the Park with the city charcoaled in and everything. I never got to NY to see the real thing, but somehow I feel I saw a better perspective of it from the artists POV. I found my frame from a few steps up, but couldn't find the light to make it plausible. Mind you, I'm shooting at a cocktail party and don't want to occupy one of the more sought after guests.
"Goddamn reflection in the glass from the piece. I gotta get rid of that." I moaned. Victor gave me an 'its ok that you lost the game. Just don't do it again, son.' look. I missed again.
"Use it," he said. I raised an eyebrow."Use the reflection. Rather, create one. Here, I'll hold the light." He reached out his 79 year old hand softly for the flash and smiled. I fired the trigger. I held my breath and checked the display (Yes, it was digital. Shut up. I still got him on film earlier) The bounce card landed the reflection not on the glass behind him, but smack in the middle of his eyes. I gasped. It looked like a Man Ray, only in color. Victor peered at it for a minute.
"It looks like Man Ray." he laughed as I nearly finished his sentence for him. I then digressed into talking about Sokolsky as we sauntered back into the party. I told him I just read the coffee table book about the 60's greatest commercial photographer.
"What did you think?"
"I just love that he hearkened back to Margritte and the masters for his composition and concepts. Just amazing. Renaisannce, you name it"
"Great, right? He used everything."
He melted back into the crowd and I began making more people my victims, hoping that I could apply this divine knowledge immediately. I began to use everything.
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