The Phantasm Collection is a body of work which presents a conceptual interpretation of voyeurism. The works compel the viewer to engage the subject of discretely viewing nudity from a safe, somewhat obscured viewpoint. The images have been purposely photographed and post processed in a manner that further obscures and obfuscates the focus on the nude figure. The mind interprets the nude figure from a distance and compels the viewer to move closer to the image to get a closer look thereby engaging the viewer as a voyeur; but to the frustration of the voyeur as the viewer gets closer to the image the figure becomes so obfuscated that the entire image fades into abstract forms of light, color, and texture. (View a larger image by clicking the [FS] button at the lower right of the gallery window.)

Beyond the technical construct that binds this body of work is the emotional connection with the subject. The subjects are truly voyeuristic “objects of desire” appearing nude in front of “the window” of the camera. The subjects were photographed through a sheet of rice paper which prevented them from seeing the photographer and were asked to express their feelings of being watched through gestures. Some chose to become exhibitionists, some chose to ignore the viewer, and some chose to express fear or surprise.

The rice paper which obscures the focus on the subject is further abstracted using a posterization filter which adds textures and sharpens edges in the deep shadows. The overall effect is to create an ethereal distance. This ethereal distance speaks to our cyber society where so much of our social lives are conducted across the Internet and sexual fantasies are brought to us through the screen of the computer. The ethereal distance can be interpreted spiritually as in the fantasy of a deceased person visiting from the afterlife, a dreamworld fantasy of the subconscious mind, or a cyber sex fantasy – all of which place the viewer at a distance to only observe and interact with the subject as a voyeur.

Photos from the Phantasm Collection were accepted for the ACP Portfolio Review on Saturday, October 16, 2010. The portfolio reviewers are:

Caroline Wall is the Director of the Robert Mann Gallery. Specializing in photography, the gallery is located in Chelsea in New York City. Celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year, Robert Mann Gallery is among the leading galleries in the industry, well recognized for it’s substantial holdings and expertise of masters in the field including Ansel Adams, Robert Frank, O. Winston Link, Aaron Siskind and W. Eugene Smith. The gallery has also helped to launch and maintain the careers of many significant artists such as Jeff Brouws, Joe Deal, Laurent Millet and Richard Misrach and most recently emerging artists including Holly Andres, Julie Blackmon, Gail Albert Halaban and Mary Mattingly.
Robert Mann Gallery mounts approximately eight exhibitions each year focusing on the broad roster of emerging and mid-career contemporary artists that the gallery represents as well as mounting curated exhibitions of vintage and historical works. Additionally, Robert Mann Gallery participates in multiple domestic and international art fairs each year including Paris Photo, Pulse Miami, Tokyo Photo, Art Basel and Art Chicago. The Robert Mann Gallery has been a member of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers for over twenty years and has served for over ten years on the Executive Board of Directors.
Caroline has been the Director of Robert Mann Gallery since 2006. Prior to this position, Caroline was the Associate Director of Jonathan O’Hara Gallery and the Assistant Director of the O’Hara Gallery – both galleries specialized in the work of impressionist and modern masters including Marc Chagall, Robert Rauschenberg and Alexander Calder.
Caroline holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University in Art History and has a certificate in Marketing from Concordia University in Montreal. Caroline is a member of ArtTable and has served on panels and participated in portfolio reviews in New York City over the past several years.

Michael Kochman is the Creative Director in the Image Management Department at Turner Broadcasting, where he oversees the photography for all of Turner’s brands. Prior to his position at Turner, Michael was based in Los Angeles and was the Deputy Photography Director at Entertainment Weekly Magazine from 1994-2009. At EW, Michael was responsible for all LA based cover and feature photo shoots and special research projects. It was also where Michael forged relationships with many of the biggest names in modern celebrity portrait photography. From 1984-1993, Michael was the photo editor for Paramount Pictures Theatrical Marketing Department. He worked on such iconic films as BEVERLY HILLS COP, TOP GUN, FATAL ATTRACTION, THE UNTOUCHABLES, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF and THE GODFATHER Part 3.
Michael taught a course called ENTERTAINMENT PHOTOGRAPHY at the Art Center College Design in Pasadena from 2002-2009.
In 2008 he curated “24: REDEMPTION CAPTURED IN AFRICA,” a traveling exhibition of photographs shot on Location in South Africa by the makers of the Emmy Award winning Fox drama “24.”
Michael studied Film Studies at Brooklyn College. His professors included noted film historians and authors Foster Hirsch, Alister Sanderson and Elisabeth Weis as well as Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Leo Seltzer.
Michael is interested in seeing photographers who want to create eye-catching, modern, impactful portraits.

David Bram is a fine art photographer and the editor, founder, and curator of Fraction Magazine, an online venue dedicated to fine art photography, showcasing the work of both emerging and very established fine art photographers. Fraction Magazine is now published on a monthly basis. Fraction Magazine was founded in 2008 and is currently on it’s sixteenth issue and has shown portfolios from more than 95 photographers.
Mr. Bram has been reviewing portfolios at various events including Review LA, Review Santa Fe, PhotoNOLA and Fotofest. He was also a juror for Review Santa Fe in 2010 as well as a juror for Critical Mass in 2009 and 2010.
Mr. Bram is interested in seeing cohesive portfolios that are expertly produced and ready for promotion. Although not interested in seeing commercial work, Mr. Bram and Fraction Magazine maintain an open mind and have a true love of photography. In addition to offering feedback on the individual portfolio, Mr. Bram can also offer direction as to promoting work, particularly in online, contemporary formats and venues.

Danielle M. Avram joined the High Museum as a Curatorial Assistant in 2008. Avram came from the University of Texas at Dallas where she was an instructor in the Photography department. Prior to UT Dallas, she taught in the Photography department at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Avram also worked at the Hunt Library at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she created a student-run gallery that has continuously featured work produced by Museum School students since 2004. Her third exhibition at the High, titled Beyond the Frame, will feature over 100 photographs from the permanent collection, and is slated to open in February, 2011. A trained studio artist, Avram received her B.A in Art and Performance from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2002, and her M.F.A in Visual Art from Tufts University and The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in 2006.
Danielle is most interested in reviewing work that is intended for exhibition in a fine arts context, whether it be a publication, museum gallery or public art forum. She is not interested in reviewing commercial work intended for stock or advertising.

Model, Melissa Cheng, for the Phantasm Collection.