April 2008 - Nr. 4
I Am Elvis
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'I Am Elvis' CONTACT 2008 Selects Henrieta Haniskova Show as Feature Exhibit TORONTO ... 'I am Elvis,' a collection of Elvis impersonator portraits by Toronto photographer Henrieta Haniskova has been selected as a Feature Exhibit in the CONTACT, Toronto Photography Festival which runs from May 1 through 31, 2008. Shot at the Collingwood Elvis Festival last year, 'I am Elvis' presents a compelling series of images capturing the look and gestures of Elvis Presley "tribute artists" ranging in age from 11 to 71. When Elvis Presley died in 1977, there were approximately 170 Elvis impersonators in the world. Today that number has grown to an astonishing 85,000. 'I am Elvis' offers a window into the Elvis phenomenon through the intimate eye of portrait photography. The result is an exploration, both of the magical hold of Elvis Presley on the public imagination, and the individuality of each of the tribute artists. "The humor in these images is the entry point for examining the phenomenon of Elvis impersonators,² said Bonnie Rubenstein, festival director of CONTACT. "Within the context of this year¹s theme, 'Between Memory and History,² Henrieta¹s series 'I Am Elvis' explores the strength of star power and nostalgia." "This project was a lot of fun because the subjects could really play in front of the camera," said Henrieta Haniskova. ³I got some great Elvis performances right there in my improvised studio!" For Haniskova, shooting people in costume is also a powerful tool in portrait photography. "I am intrigued by the interplay between the subject and the role they are playing and by how their 'mask' often reveals more than it hides." Now in its eleventh year and featuring over 500 artists at more than 200 venues around the city, the Contact Toronto Photography Festival is the largest photography event in North America. 'I am Elvis' is the third time Haniskova's work has been included in the festival. "I am Elvis" opens at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West, in Toronto with a reception including (what else?) live performances by Elvis impersonators. About Henrieta Haniskova Raised in socialist Czechoslovakia, Henrieta Haniskova has called Toronto home for the last 13 years. She spent her first paycheck in Canada on a black and silver Olympus OM1 and studied photography at the Toronto School of Art and Ryerson University. She has worked with many of the city's best photographers including Hasnain Dattu, Dan Couto, as well as well known names from out-of-town such as Rankin and Patricia von Ah. Henrieta¹s focus is portraiture where she explores the personas we present to the world reaching into the individual behind the "mask." Her work has been featured in shows and publications and won first prize in SNAP 2002, third place at the Naked in the House (2004), finalist at the HP Gallery in Contact 2007, as well as being selected as a Feature Exhibition for "I am Elvis," her first solo show, in Contact 2008. For more information visit www.henrietahaniskova.comAbout the CONTACT Toronto Photography Festival CONTACT is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1997. As the largest photography festival in world, with over 500 local, national and international artists participating at more than 200 venues across the GTA, CONTACT attracts over one million visitors. CONTACT is devoted to celebrating and fostering an appreciation of the art and profession of photography. For more information, visit www.contactphoto.com |
