Time Management Techniques
Sept 24, 2022–Jan 8, 2023
Darrel Ellis, Untitled (Street Scene), 1987. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 11 × 14 in. (27.9 × 35.6 cm); image, 9 1/2 × 12 1/4 in. (24.1 × 31.1 cm). Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc. in memory of Jon D. Smith Jr. © Estate of Darrel Ellis
Time Management Techniques showcases photography by artists who examined the medium’s relationship to time between 1968 and 2019. Drawn from the Whitney’s permanent collection, the exhibition features many recent acquisitions alongside works that have never before been exhibited. Each of the artists, despite employing vastly different techniques, aesthetics, and conceptual frameworks, works against the immediacy often associated with photography to reflect a passage of time that is slowed down, expanded, or nonlinear.
Some artists employ a personal archive, reaching back into their individual and familial histories to challenge the linear way stories are often told. Others use photography for its self-referential properties, recording the duration and labor of making photographs and allowing the process to dictate the final form. Still others consider performance and photography together, using the camera to mark a moment and suggest countless more that remain uncaptured. By making works that reflect on varieties of duration, all of these artists reveal the slipperiness of time and articulate the artificial ways we attempt to divide, mark, and come to terms with its passing.
This exhibition is organized by Elisabeth Sherman, Assistant Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Katherine Hubbard
7
Katherine Hubbard fashioned ten identical plastic boxes, each designed to accommodate a sheet of 4 x 5-inch film. At the base of each box, she cast a cement support that held the film at increasingly steep angles, from zero to ninety degrees. After positioning the film in each box, Hubbard filled the containers with water she collected from New York Harbor and, using a large freezer in her studio darkroom, froze the water, encasing the film in a block of ice. Once the ice had formed, she exposed each sheet of film using the light from an enlarger. Hubbard then left the ice to thaw, which took up to an entire day to completely melt and reveal the exposed film. After the film dried, she sent it to a lab for processing into negatives that she used to create the final prints.
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 1 of 10, from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee and Kristen Dickey and James Dooley 2020.135.1. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 2 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.2. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 3 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.3. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 4 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.4. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 5 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.5. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 6 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.6. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 7 of 10, from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.7. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 8 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.8. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 9 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply..., 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.9. © Katherine Hubbard
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Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 10 of 10 from the series Bend the rays more sharply…, 2016. Gelatin silver print: sheet, 16 × 19 7/8 in. (40.6 × 50.5 cm); image, 8 × 10 1/4 in. (20.3 × 26 cm). Edition 4/5. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; purchase with funds from the Photography Committee 2020.135.10. © Katherine Hubbard
Essay
Installation Photography
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 1 of 10, 2016; Lew Thomas, TIME EQUALS 36 EXPOSURES (positive and negative sections), 1971. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 2 of 10, 2016; Blythe Bohnen, Marking four points equidistant from a center and from each other; pencil on paper and time lapse photograph, #4 pair, 1968; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 3 of 10, 2016. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Muriel Hasbun, ¿Sólo una sombra?/ Only a Shadow (Lejzor), 1994; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 4 of 10, 2016; Dawn Kasper, Jarvis, 2012; Dawn Kasper, Joanne’s Eye Patch, 2012; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 5 of 10, 2016. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Shannon Ebner, A Hudson Yard: April, 2015, 2014-2015; Shannon Ebner, A Hudson Yard: March, 2015, 2014-2015; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 6 of 10, 2016; EJ Hill, An Extended Hand (after Roger Noble Burnham), 2018; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 9 of 10, 2016; Sky Hopinka, The outside being here right now, 2019; Sky Hopinka, This is eidos and caprice, 2019; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 7 of 10, 2016. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 7 of 10, 2016; Darrel Ellis, Untitled (Street Scene), 1987; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #13, October 18, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #22, October 25, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #57, January 2, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #63, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #13, October 18, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #65, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #66, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #17, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #68, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #69, January 4, 2009, 2009; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 8 of 10, 2016; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 10 of 10, 2016; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 1 of 10, 2016. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Corin Hewitt, Untitled #13, October 18, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #22, October 25, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #57, January 2, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #63, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #13, October 18, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #65, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #66, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #17, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #68, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #69, January 4, 2009, 2009; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 8 of 10, 2016; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 10 of 10, 2016. Photograph by Ron Amstutz
Installation view of Time Management Techniques (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, September 28 – January 8, 2023). From left to right: Darrel Ellis, Untitled (Street Seen), 1987; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #13, October 18, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #22, October 25, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #57, January 2, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #63, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #13, October 18, 2008, 2008; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #65, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #66, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #17, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #68, January 4, 2009, 2009; Corin Hewitt, Untitled #69, January 4, 2009, 2009; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 8 of 10, 2016; Katherine Hubbard, Bend the rays more sharply (Photographic print made from a negative embedded in ice at increments of ten degrees between zero and ninety.) No. 10 of 10, 2016. Photograph by Ron Amstutz