Before "Fake News", Photograph from my NoShow series at Eyes on MAIN Street, Wilson NC

Before "Fake News", Photograph from my NoShow series at Eyes on MAIN Street, Wilson NC

In the early spring of 2016, amidst the media blitz of the 2016 Presidential Election, I noticed something very strange happening online. All across the United States, Facebook users, some real some fake, were creating event invitations for obscure and hard to believe public concerts in unlikely places. The first to catch my attention was “Fred Durst LIVE at Rose's Department Store”. Thousands had RSVP’d and many commented, shared, and argued about the veracity of the event. I knew I needed to show up. The day of the event I made portraits of the those who showed up. The fake event sparked a several months journey for me as I attended dozens more of these events across the country that summer. The project as I could sense was touching on one of the real world examples of how the uncharted territory of social media was falsely shifting peoples opinions, beliefs and even actions. More of the series NoShow can be viewed here.

The day before the 2016 Presidential election I was interviewed on the BBC’s technology program Click and months later the project was introduced as a major solo exhibition in Merignac France for the Merignac Photographic Festival in 2017.

Most recently, one of the images from NoShow was selected for a group exhibition here in my home state. I am excited that the photograph “Hoods Up, 2016” will be on display in large format for the 5th Edition of EYES on MAIN Street in Wilson, NC. The festival officially opens April 27th, 2019 and I’m so excited to be showing at this exhibition once again.

Hoods Up, 2016 / Morganton, NC

Hoods Up, 2016 / Morganton, NC

Studio Update, The Global Edition

Studio Update, The Global Edition

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So much exciting news that only some of it will fit in this update. Here are the happenings from last winter to now, from India, to Switzerland, to Vietnam and back again. The biggest and most current news is that Thursday I will travel to Vietnam for an exhibition of new "Removed" photographs that were supported by The World Economic Forum. More information on that and much much more below! As always thank you so much for your support. Huge things are happening and I am trying to be better at keeping you up to date with all of it. 

Collect

I am incredibly fortunate to be working with Rick Wester Fine Art  who has now made my work available online via ARTSY . Please support my practice and my family by collecting my prints.

I am incredibly fortunate to be working with Rick Wester Fine Art who has now made my work available online via ARTSY. Please support my practice and my family by collecting my prints.

Exhibitions - Current and Past

Here I Live / Media Congress
Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia

I have been waiting for, and working on this exhibition all year! I met the prolific curator Francois Cheval while in Lianzhou, China last fall. When I told him about NoShow  he was immediately enthusiastic about bringing the project to France. This will be my first major solo exhibition in Europe and will include photographs, video, audio, and sculpture. More information about the series can be found here . The exhibition ran from early October to mid December 2017.

I have been waiting for, and working on this exhibition all year! I met the prolific curator Francois Cheval while in Lianzhou, China last fall. When I told him about NoShow he was immediately enthusiastic about bringing the project to France. This will be my first major solo exhibition in Europe and will include photographs, video, audio, and sculpture. More information about the series can be found here. The exhibition ran from early October to mid December 2017.

Three pieces from Removed are still on their journey around the world as part of the exhibition,  Hello, Robot. Design Between Man and Machine . The five year tour began at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, it was later installed at Design Museum Gent in Belgium and is currently on display at the Switzerland based museum Gewerbemuseum Winterthur .

Three pieces from Removed are still on their journey around the world as part of the exhibition, Hello, Robot. Design Between Man and Machine. The five year tour began at the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, it was later installed at Design Museum Gent in Belgium and is currently on display at the Switzerland based museum Gewerbemuseum Winterthur.

INTERFACE
neo:gallery / Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK

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Zenith Nadir
Charlotte, NC

Last year I helped with the student gallery and workshops for the kids of Wilson to create an exhibition of their work. This year I was asked to be one of the 100 participating artists in the Eyes on Main Street Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival. My photograph "Jamie, Jody, and Aiden, 2014" was selected this year and was on exhibit in downtown Wilson, NC from April until August. I will have work from my NoShow series in next years festival.

Last year I helped with the student gallery and workshops for the kids of Wilson to create an exhibition of their work. This year I was asked to be one of the 100 participating artists in the Eyes on Main Street Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival. My photograph "Jamie, Jody, and Aiden, 2014" was selected this year and was on exhibit in downtown Wilson, NC from April until August. I will have work from my NoShow series in next years festival.

I to Eye
Israel Museum, Jerusalem

"Every day we encounter family members, friends, visitors, and strangers; over the course of our lives, our social circle continues to expand. Modern technology makes us feel more connected than ever, allowing us to “meet” endless friends at any time through our screens and to feel like we are never alone. Is this true? This exhibition uses artworks to examine the changing social landscape of the virtual age, illuminating the importance of real relationships in our lives. Visitors are invited to witness encounters – from their first moments to their eventual conclusion – and rediscover the value of face-to-face encounters. Such meetings present invaluable opportunities to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the other, and therefore of ourselves." Curator: Shir Meller-Yamaguchi

"Every day we encounter family members, friends, visitors, and strangers; over the course of our lives, our social circle continues to expand. Modern technology makes us feel more connected than ever, allowing us to “meet” endless friends at any time through our screens and to feel like we are never alone. Is this true? This exhibition uses artworks to examine the changing social landscape of the virtual age, illuminating the importance of real relationships in our lives. Visitors are invited to witness encounters – from their first moments to their eventual conclusion – and rediscover the value of face-to-face encounters. Such meetings present invaluable opportunities to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the other, and therefore of ourselves."
Curator: Shir Meller-Yamaguchi

DIAPOSITIVE
CASSILHAUS, Chapel Hill, NC

Several pieces from my Holder Series are currently on display at Cassilhaus as part of the group exhibition Diapositive. The exhibition will be up during the Click! Photography Festival and I will give a shared artist talk with the incredibly hardworking and prolific artist and friend of mine,  Amy Herman  on October 17th, 2018. Information to RSVP for the event is listed both on the Click!  and Cassilhaus website.  

Several pieces from my Holder Series are currently on display at Cassilhaus as part of the group exhibition Diapositive. The exhibition will be up during the Click! Photography Festival and I will give a shared artist talk with the incredibly hardworking and prolific artist and friend of mine, Amy Herman on October 17th, 2018. Information to RSVP for the event is listed both on the Click! and Cassilhaus website. 

Upcoming Exhibitions

Removed
The World Economic Forum on ASEAN Summit / Hanoi, Vietnam

The World Economic Forum recently reached out to me with the idea of creating new Removed photographs that would represent a glimpse into digital culture across Southeast Asia. In June I spent several weeks photographing across Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, and Indonesia. On September 11th, 2018 a selection of the photographs will be revealed at The World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018 Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam where I will engage with economic leaders on the topics surrounding my work. I'm very excited about the new photographs and can't wait to see where they end up after the summit. 

The World Economic Forum recently reached out to me with the idea of creating new Removed photographs that would represent a glimpse into digital culture across Southeast Asia. In June I spent several weeks photographing across Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, and Indonesia. On September 11th, 2018 a selection of the photographs will be revealed at The World Economic Forum on ASEAN 2018 Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam where I will engage with economic leaders on the topics surrounding my work. I'm very excited about the new photographs and can't wait to see where they end up after the summit. 

Collaborations

tlkn™
Mumbai, Kolkata, Shillong, Rishikesh, New Delhi, India

Last November I travelled all across India with the film maker Jessica Sadana and her amazing crew creating Removed photographs and interviewing dozens of people. Our journey was recorded and is now being finalized as a short documentary film which will be released in the next few months. Please keep an eye out for that. I think it will be a film as moving as the photographs I made. 

Last November I travelled all across India with the film maker Jessica Sadana and her amazing crew creating Removed photographs and interviewing dozens of people. Our journey was recorded and is now being finalized as a short documentary film which will be released in the next few months. Please keep an eye out for that. I think it will be a film as moving as the photographs I made. 

Workshops

The amazing photo consultant and my lovely agent,  Julie Grahame  and I will be heading down to Georgia for a workshop on our professional best practices and I'm sure some insight to the horror stories as well. It should be a really fun time together. Sign up if you are in the area!


The amazing photo consultant and my lovely agent, Julie Grahame and I will be heading down to Georgia for a workshop on our professional best practices and I'm sure some insight to the horror stories as well. It should be a really fun time together. Sign up if you are in the area!

NoShow Exhibition - Merignac Photographic Festival

NoShow Exhibition - Merignac Photographic Festival

Below are photographs from my exhibition of the project NoShow at the Merignac Photographic Festival in Merignac, France. The exhibition took place at the Médiathèque in the center of the city. I was thrilled to be able to attend the festival, spend more time with Francois Cheval as well as the additional exhibiting artists and the hundreds of wonderful people who supported the festival. 

Photographs by Sébastien Sindeu 

Here is an interview with me that the festival put together about my thoughts on photography and the exhibition.

Interview Erick Pickersgill - Mérignac Photographic Festival 2017

Les faux évènements Facebook, vous connaissez ? Eric Pickersgill, l'un des artistes du Mérignac Photographic Festival, les as traqués et vous présente son travail à la Médiathèque jusqu'au 17 décembre à travers l'exposition photo "No Show". #MPF2017

Posted by Mérignac on Friday, November 24, 2017

End of Summer Studio Update!

End of Summer Studio Update!

I finally carved out the time to put together this email newsletter which highlights the best and most exciting things I have going on this year. Things are going to be VERY busy starting next month so I thought I'd keep this update manageable by doing it now. I will reach out again in October with an update from my exhibition in France and I will also be live updating during my trip to India in November. Stay tuned and thanks for following along with me on this incredible journey.

Lianzhou Foto Festival Removed Exhibition Travels to Chongqing, China

Lianzhou Foto Festival Removed Exhibition Travels to Chongqing, China

Selections from "As Entertaining As Possible" exhibition at the Lianzhou Foto Festival traveled to Chongqing for a stunning re-installation at the Testbed 2 Cultural Creative Park.

Thank again to everyone on the team at Lianzhou Foto Festival, especially Duan Yuting, Francios Cheval, Audrey, and Hu as well as so many others who put in tremendous hours to make the festival and this traveling exhibition possible.

"Melissa, 2014" Gelatin Silver Print at AIPAD

"Melissa, 2014" Gelatin Silver Print at AIPAD

One of the first silver prints from Removed to make a public appearance is this photograph titled Melissa. The 24" x 20" print is hanging in the Rick Wester Fine Art booth #506 at AIPAD The Photography Show in its new location at Pier 94 in New York City.

Thanks to my wonderful agent and photo consultant superstar Julie Grahame for sending me this quick shot.

"Melissa" at The Photography Show '17 / RWFA Booth #605 / Photo by Julie Grahame

"Melissa" at The Photography Show '17 / RWFA Booth #605 / Photo by Julie Grahame

Removed at Vitra Design Museum, Germany!

Removed at Vitra Design Museum, Germany!

I am thrilled to announce that three photographs from Removed are on display in the exhibition "Hello, Robot. Design between man and machine" at The Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany.

Click here for more information about the exhibition.

The exhibition was curated by Amelie Klein (Vitra Design Museum), Thomas Geisler, Marlies Wirth (MAK) and Fredo de Smet (design museum Gent, consultant curator) The curators were supported by an international advisory board. Science fiction writer Bruce Sterling belongs to him as well as the design researcher Gesche Joost, the Turin architect and director of the MIT Senseable City Lab Carlo Ratti, the media expert Sabine Himmelsbach and the cultural and media scientist Paul Feigelfeld. 

After the Vitra Design Museum debut the exhibition will travel internationally for several years-

February 11 to 14 May 2017: Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein
June 21 to 1 October 2017: MAK, Vienna
October 27, 2017 - April 14, 2018: Design museum Gent
May 12 to November 4 2018 Gewerbemuseum Winterthur
More destinations TBA

Fellow Columbia College Chicago  Alum Cocar Barton-Wooty Woo  with his beautiful family visiting my work at the Vitra Design Museum  exhibition #hellorobot . The work will travel to Vienna and Gent later this year!

Fellow Columbia College Chicago Alum Cocar Barton-Wooty Woo with his beautiful family visiting my work at the Vitra Design Museum exhibition #hellorobot. The work will travel to Vienna and Gent later this year!

As always, thank you to the team at Rick Wester Fine Art for handling all of the logistics that made this exhibition possible!

Removed series brought me all the way to China for Lianzhou Foto Festival

Removed series brought me all the way to China for Lianzhou Foto Festival

I have to thank curator Francois Cheval for being not just an irreplaceable figure in the world of historical and contemporary photography but for also being so warm and welcoming and supportive of my work. He found Removed like so many others online and immediately reached out to me with an invitation to exhibit the series in Lianzhou, China. Francois is the kind of photography lover who oozes with passion and excitement over images.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to China for the exhibition and festival and to spend time with Francois and his team which turned out to be a trip of a lifetime. I spent late nights singing at the KTV and making new friends, all of which were gathering to celebrate the incredible Lianzhou Foto Festival.