BIOGRAPHY:

Claire Rosen is a fashion and fine art photographer, video artist and educator. She loves big dresses, vintage taxidermy and adventures.  Much of her inspiration comes from fairy tales, fables and other children's stories.  She is drawn both to beauty and darkness as it exists in life, and her images explore this duality.

In 2010, Claire's commercial work was recognized by Communication Arts Photography Annual, International Photography Awards, Prix de la Photographie, Sony World Awards, Artists Wanted: Exposure as well as The Art Project: W Magazine.  Her fine art series has received awards in the self portrait category of the International Photography Awards in 2010 and the Prix de la Photographie in 2009. 

Claire is currently represented by Verve Gallery, Gallery 51 and Asymmetrick Arts; her fine art work has been exhibited widely and is included in many public and private collections.  She has been featured in Direct Art, Creative Quarterly Journal, Photocine News and The Montclair Times.  Her client list includes Random House Publishing, Neiman Marcus Short Hills, Doubleday Magazine, Prevention Magazine, Mia Magazine, N.E.E.T Magazine, The London Sunday Fashion Times, Bangz Salon & Spa, Alex Randall Bespoke Lighting, Ryan Wilde Millinery, Alex Young and Cora Pearl Underpinnings. 

In addition, Claire lectures and teaches courses around the world in photography through the New Jersey Visual Arts Center, Unique University, The Yard School of Art, The Compelling Image, Gulf Photo Plus and NORDphotography.  Claire is sponsored as one of Dynalite's VIP shooters.

Claire graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006 with a BFA in photography.  She received her AA from Bard College at Simon's Rock in 2003.


INTERVIEW WITH CLAIRE ROSEN:

Which work will you be exhibiting? What's the story behind this image?
"Bear, Pelican, Pony, Bear" is from the series Dolls in the Attic.

Throughout history, dolls have been a haunting presence in the human imagination.  Either as toys or collectibles, they are cherished by the people who own them.  Often given to young girls as playthings, dolls allow children to simulate grown-up activities and responsibilities, and enforce gender roles in a startling way at a very early age.  Children then grow up and leave these objects behind.

In these photographs the dolls and toys have been stripped of their context.  The use of a black background allows the viewer to impose their own imagined histories upon them.  They are weathered, show signs of aging, the veneer is tarnished, the porcelain’s sheen dulled, the fabric faded, and one can imagine that they provided hours of entertainment for children who are now gone.  They offer insight into the culture and sociology of their time period and are now more historical artifacts than playthings.

The dolls were created to be beautiful, but years past their creation, the real beauty exists in their worn and faded aesthetic and in the suggestion of a life experienced.

This series has both a light and dark side; sometimes humorous, sometimes disturbing.  It is fascinating to imagine their history, their lives, and the people who owned them.  As time passes, a child grows physically from within and without.  Dolls do not.  Dolls age through wear and tear but do not change from within: they do not grow.  They are eternally child-like, preserved in their perfect youth forever, locked in their attics waiting to be rediscovered. 

What is your charity or cause? Why did you select this? Where does community work fit in with your ethos as an artist?
My charity is the International Rescue Committee (IRC) specifically supporting their refugee youth arts programs.  This program provides valuable support to refugee children during a difficult transitional period and the arts gives them an opportunity to express what they are going through.

I regularly donate prints for fundraising auctions to a number of organizations that support the arts and youth programs.  In addition, I recently volunteered my time to teach a week long basic photography course to Iraqi refugee kids resettled in Cairo, Egypt and it was one of the most rewarding teaching experiences I ever had and I hope to do it again soon.

Edition One Hundred is founded with the idea of providing artists the opportunity to transform new technology into a tool to both produce affordable art while simultaneously connecting to non-traditional art collectors. What are your thoughts on Edition One Hundred?
I think it is a wonderful idea to support young/new collectors and artists while giving back to an organization.  It's a win-win.  

How do you see this as a platform to reach a broader audience for your work?
It is an opportunity to reach a new audience I would not have had access to otherwise.

What are your thoughts on Art in the Digital Age?
Advances in technology in the digital age provide amazing opportunities for artists, both in image creation; we as artist now have the ability to create anything our mind's can come up with but also with distribution; images and ideas can be instantly shared over a vast network creating new possibilities for collaboration, publishing, and new media based projects.  I think it is very exciting, the possibilities are endless and we have yet to see the full potential of this media fully explored.

As an artist, regularly producing work is a manifestation of your distinctive view. Also it has a lot to do with influence by the work of others. Do you collect art? If so, who do you collect? And if you had all the money in the world, who would you buy and why?
I am absolutely influenced and constantly inspired by other photographers and artists.  I am just starting my collection, which includes photographs by Joyce Tenneson, Cig Harvey, Ron Haviv, Maggie Taylor, Drew Gardner, Jennifer Schlesinger, Jason Florio and a number of fantastic emerging artists.

There are many artist I would love to own, Paolo Ventura, Tom Chambers, Robert and Shana Parke Harrison, Roger Ballen, Beth Moon, Sarah Moon, Tim Walker, Ellen Von Unwerth just to name a few (the list goes on).  These are just a few of the photographers that I am inspired by - I never get tired of looking at their images and find new stories/details each time.

Why should people buy art?
I think there are a number of reasons people should buy art; because it intrigues them, tells a story, alters their perceptions, forces them to question something, adds beauty to their lives or they are drawn to a piece and aren't sure why.