San Francisco : Le Scarpe by

Corden|Potts Galleryy presents Le Scarpe, a new series of photographs by San Francisco-based photographer Max Kellenberger through October 17th, 2015.  Le Scarpe–Italian for The Shoes–is an apt title for the show given that the sensually rich images are of empty shoe boxes. “Maybe it was my fascination with empty space,” Kellenberger says that inspired him to keep and then photograph empty shoeboxes. “Last fall, after many years of collecting shoeboxes and various failed attempts to capture these feelings I decided to try again.” This time he succeeded.
The toned cyanotypes are much more than ordinary cyanotypes. They require a long and tricky process that includes toning, which softens and enriches the typical “blue-print” blue of traditional cyanotypes. They are then bleached to bring out the highlights. It’s not until after careful washing and drying for several days that the artist knows the final color he has achieved.

As with Kellenberger’s other work, these expressive photographs use texture, light and shadow to convey emotions in intimate images. Simple everyday objects, like shoe boxes, viewed through his lens have become melancholy, personal stories, startling in their beauty and depth.
A native of Switzerland, Max Kellenberger has been exhibiting work in the United States and Europe since 1972. His international exhibits include the Polaroid Collection at the Nikon Gallery in Zürich, Switzerland, and a solo exhibition at the Galerie Kunsthäuschen in Herrliberg, Switzerland.

Kellenberger’s recent photography exhibitions include A One Man Show at Gallery 16 in San Francisco, Cyanotypes at Photo LA, Blues at Smith Anderson North in San Rafael, Quietude at Corden|Potts, One: Unique Photographs at Klompching in Brooklyn, NY and Four Photographers at TUTTIARTlucerne in Lucerne, Switzerland.

He has been a recipient of the 20×24 Camera Grant from Polaroid and the winner of the Golden Light Award from the Maine Photographic Workshop as well as a Professional Photographers Award from The Santa Fe Workshops. His photographs are in numerous private collections, such as those of Graham Nash and Joaquim Paiva as well as in major collections such as the Polaroid Collection.

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