Peter Riesett

ARTIST STATEMENT:

TESTAMENT is a photographic series that documents the packing up of a life after death. After my grandfather's passing in 2003, I routinely returned to this space to capture what I could before this dwelling disappeared. Much like an archeological dig, souvenirs, texts, and objects filled the space, allowing me to have wordless conversations with the objects of disuse. With every visit the void and absence of life became greater within these walls. Through the wandering process of investigation, compositions were revealed, often transcending into metaphor.

Personality traits become unveiled by how and what is accumulated, stockpiled, and often cherished. These attachments and idiosyncrasies, portrayed through the collision, placement, and relationship of everyday objects intrigue me. Through the gaze of photography, I am led to explore, uncover, contemplate and question my surroundings.

The action of photography becomes a way to integrate myself into any given situation. Not manipulating the found scene, working with available light, and using an unflinching documentary approach, I strive to engage viewers in a dialogue that is both physical and emotional. This is a call to witness.

BIO:

Peter Riesett currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. His interest in photography began at a young age, when he recognized the deeper meaning behind a static image. A graduate of Maryland Institute College of Art (B.F.A.) and the Pratt Institute (M.F.A.), he continues to pursue his passion for photography and the dialogue that follows. His work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, and also resides in the permanent collection at The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. Last year, Peter was recognized as a winner of the Flash Forward 2007: Emerging Photographers Competition, through The Magenta Foundation. Most recently, he has been awarded 'Honorable Mention' for his book of the series Testament by Blurb's Photography.Book.Now International Competiton, which included a traveling salon showcasing the winners in San Francisco, London, Cologne and New York. His work will soon appear in the November 2008 issue of Esquire magazine (Russian edition), to illustrate an essay by David Sedaris.