Art City Asks is a feature of JS Online. My interview with Bill Zuback was posted there on May 27:
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Amanda, from the Dress Series |
Who are you? How do you feel about yourself? How do you present
yourself to the world around you? These and other fundamental, sometimes
uncomfortable, often complex, questions of identity drive much of
Milwaukee photographer
William Zuback's
creative output. Zuback may be motivated by newsworthy social issues
such as bullying, discrimination and stereotyping. He might as easily
find inspiration in a poem or other literary sources.
Like identity, which can be a thick stew
of psychological, social, emotional and experiential ingredients, it is
hard to categorize Zuback's photography. The work ranges from
straightforward, almost classical nude figure studies to bizarrely
surreal still-life confections.
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Life on the Margin, from a series called “shutters/deadends/lens/pens” |
Two things do unify a prodigious and
diverse artistic practice. In a field gone digital and overwhelmingly
done in color, Zuback chooses traditional studio processes and a
time-honored palette of black and white tonalities. And although the
force of his subjects' personalities can be powerful, his metaphors are
subtly evocative, his compositions nearly always carefully and overtly
constructed.
We met at the secluded lot in West Allis
where Zuback lives and works. He ushered me into the windowless garage
that serves as his studio. I was invited to sit in an old cushioned
armchair while he sat on a folding chair. The dimly lighted space was
cluttered with a wide variety of objects, including many dolls and
manikins in various states of dress and dismemberment. Bill's calm, warm
demeanor made it all feel inviting.
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Jane Doe, from the Identity Series
The artist's disarming serenity might
explain how he attracts subjects and convinces them to reveal themselves
physically and emotionally to his probing camera. After graduating from
well-regarded Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara,
California, Zuback returned to his West Allis roots where he and his
wife raised two now-adult children. He supports his personal practice as
the supervisor of the photography studio at Kalmbach Publishing Co.
Zuback is represented by the Frank Juarez
Gallery in Sheboygan. His work has been shown at a variety of local
venues including the Wustum Museum, the Museum of Wisconsin Art, and the
Charles Allis Museum.
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Ashley, from the Dress Series |
"The Dress Series," Zuback's current body
of work, was inspired by a poem called "A Dress of Fire" by Dahlia
Ravikovitch. The series will be the subject of a solo exhibition at the
University of Wisconsin-Parkside in September. These images continue his
fascination with identity and explore the psychological and social
implications of feminine formal attire.
To read Bill's thoughtful responses to the interview questions go to
Art City Asks.
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