ARTIST BIO
Originally from the east coast, Robert Gideon has called Los Angeles home for the past 10 years. An engineer by training, he brings a careful and measured eye to his photographic work, tempered by a deep understanding of the technology being used and its limitations. Robert is largely self-taught and first learned the art of photography using his dad’s Exakta Varex IIa back in the 1980’s, shooting black and white negatives and developing them in his high school dark room. He is an award-winning photographer whose work is held in private collections. His photos have been on exhibit in juried group shows in the SoCal area as well as in galleries, museums, and community art spaces across the United States.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Photography is fundamentally documentary. Whether it be the simple act of recording a moment in time for others to experience later, or the more complex layering of emotion and interpretation onto a black and white canvas, ultimately the best photographic works communicate effectively to the viewer to elicit an emotional reaction. I find my photographic art at the intersection of human empathy and emotion with a desire to express my understanding and appreciation of the small wonders in the world around me. I’ve often heard artists express a deep need to paint regardless of whether anyone else sees or appreciates their work. I feel similarly, but for me it is a compulsion to visually scan the world around me for subtle patterns and meaning in context and shadow. My artistic practice consists of daily visual meditation on these oft overlooked and humble features. It’s there that I find transcendent beauty and it's my hope that through my photos I may help the viewer to appreciate it as well."
