Join us for a conversation with Joe Greene about his exhibition hanging on the walls of the Griffin, Concealed. Happening Thursday night January 28th at 7pm EST, Joe will discuss his creative path and how this series went from idea to vision.
About the series – Concealed
© Joe Greene, Glass Gun
Webster defines concealed as “to place out of sight, to conceal evidence, carrying a concealed weapon, to prevent disclosure or recognition or conceal the truth”.
At one time or another, everyone has something to conceal, emotionally or materially. When we place an object in our pockets and purses, we conceal it from public view. Just as easliy, we may decide to put a smile on our face even when we disagree with one another.
Joe’s photographs of vintage purses and toy guns act as a metaphor for the secrets we keep from each other and the fear in America right now.
About Joe Greene
Starting out as a painter, Joe was encouraged by his public school teachers to spend class time studying painting at an artist’s studio in Harvard Square, Cambridge. Since the studio specialized in copying classic contemporary works of arts, Joe had to learn how to paint just like the masters; including using a stick to drip paint Pollock style. He says, “Painting the same paintings over and over again helped me understand how light, color and textures work together.”
When he couldn’t get his ideas onto canvas fast enough, Joe picked up a camera. By the time he reached high school, he had a darkroom, two clients and was studying with artist and cinematographer, Ken Brown. Joe also learned the art of the psychedelic light show, by helping out at the Boston Tea Party concert hall. “I had a front row seat ( from the light show booth ) for Cream, Led Zepplin and the J Geils Band,”said Greene.
College was an exercise that broadened Joe’s horizons, it was at Mass College of Art where he became an honor student as a dual major in graphic design and photography, studying with the teaching team of Gus Kayafas and the late Paul Muller.
“I can spend years studying a subject, genre or lifestyle. My recent book, “Bike Week”, covers 5 years of shooting portraits at Laconia Bike Week. Other book titles include “Track”; the last few live race days at Suffolk Downs, Wolf; photographs of legendary rocker Peter Wolf and a new collection of found objects entitiled “Shiny Things,” Greene said.
