File:Priola DishTowel 1995.jpg

Photograph by J. John Priola, Dish Towel (gelatin-silver print, framed 24" x 20", 1995). The image illustrates a key early body of work in J. John Priola's career from the early 1990s, when he produced black-and-white, gelatin-silver photographic series of small prints focused on everyday objects and odd personal mementos set against depthless black backgrounds. Critics described these images, such as this one from his "Saved" series as haunting, somber and commemorative works that transformed humble objects into things of wonder and nobility. These photographs were publicly exhibited in prominent venues, discussed in major art journals and daily press publications, and acquired by museums.

Artist J. John Priola. Copyright held by the artist.

J. John Priola

Entire artwork

Yes

The image serves an informational and educational purpose as the primary means of illustrating a key early body of work in J. John Priola's career beginning in the early 1990s: his black-and-white, gelatin-silver series of formally elegant, painterly works largely focused on objects elevated to portraits. These small works captured everyday objects and odd personal mementos—jewel box, old notebook, fragment of lace, broken plastic horse—isolated against black backgrounds. Writers situated them among a generation of post-deconstruction photographers that sought to re-establish faith in the medium's connectedness to its subjects, identifying an evocative quality that rendered recognizable objects enigmatic and open to emotions and narratives. Because the article is about an artist and his work, the omission of the image would significantly limit a reader's understanding and ability to understand this stage and body of work, which brought Priola early recognition through exhibitions in major venues, coverage by major critics and publications, and museum acquisitions. Priola's work of this type and this series is discussed in the article and by critics cited in the article.

There is no free equivalent of this or any other of this series by J. John Priola, so the image cannot be replaced by a free image.

The image will not affect the value of the original work or limit the copyright holder's rights or ability to distribute the original due to its low resolution and the general workings of the art market, which values the actual work of art. Because of the low resolution, illegal copies could not be made.