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People often ask me where the idea for my Bodyscapes® originated. I have to confess
that it didn't come from an interest in photographing nudes or from studio photography.
Self taught as a photographer, I was originally trained as a social psychologist.
Bodyscapes® evolved from my study of psychology.
During the 70's I was involved in teaching and academic counseling at the University of
Pennsylvania, and had volunteered as a drug counselor at a free clinic in Philadelphia. I
had begun to feel that traditional academic psychology wasn't really addressing the issues
of the inner journey or the way in which we view the world.
Books on consciousness, mysticism, meditation, drug experiences and altered realities
were just beginning to make it into popular culture. As a result, my interests began to
evolve and my teaching became less traditional. I began teaching my students to meditate.
We were reading the Tao Te Ching, The Bhagavad-Gita, books by Ram Dass, Carl Rogers.
Castenada, Huxley, Watts and others. The concepts of altered realities, subjective
reality, and mystical consciousness were becoming a part of my thinking.
I wanted to demonstrate in art the ideas that I was studying and teaching. The theme
that occupied my thoughts was one of multiple realities. I had read many accounts of
adventures in mystical consciousness and was certain that the most basic concept to
understand and accept is that two realities can exist simultaneously. Both can be correct
even though each is different. In 1975 I turned to photography as the medium to illustrate
the coexistence of two realities.
I remember the moment that the idea for Bodyscapes® came to me. I was thinking that
the shape and structure of the universe repeated itself at every level and suddenly I had
the image in my mind of a skier going down a breast. This was it - the universe repeating
its shapes - a body looking like a mountain. It was also an example of two realities
coexisting. The picture could be seen as a landscape and it could also be seen as a body.
Although they were different, both perceptions were right at the same time. I knew
instantly that I had an entire series of images waiting to be captured on film.
Within a week or two I had my first model and began shooting. I was a complete newcomer
in the world of art. I had never taken a course in photography, art, or art history, and
had no idea that other people had ever thought of the similarity of bodies and landscapes.
So I approached the project with naive energy, convinced that I was breaking new ground
with each exposure.
I created these images by placing toys and miniatures on the body and shooting the
picture as a single exposure. I knew it was possible to produce multiple exposure images
such as photo montages, but felt that if it were to appear real to the viewer, it had to
actually be real at some level...with the figure and the body together at the same time.
Furthermore, I didn't want to resort to camera or darkroom tricks as that would make the
work less credible.
Over the years I have discovered that art can be fun and serious at the same time. I
have always believed that in the end an artist needs to communicate to the viewer, and
involve them in the work to complete the experience. I feel that my art is complete when a
viewer reacts to it. I have enjoyed creating Bodyscapes® and I enjoy sharing them with
others and seeing their response.
It is always fun and interesting to see people discover for the first time, that the
landscapes that they were looking at were really human bodies. Some people never see it
until their friends point it out to them. Some look at the whole collection and then ask
me what I mean by "Bodyscapes"®, or ask me which mountains I photographed. It's
hard to keep a straight face as they puzzle over the photographs - knowing they are
missing something and looking for clues to the answer.
My favorite story is about a couple with a young boy who appeared to be five years old.
His parents asked him if he knew where the photographs had been taken. He answered with
great certainty.'Yes", he said, 'California'! Some parents use the photographs as a
teaching opportunity - pointing out the beauty of the naked body as a landscape. Several
times I have seen young children explain to their older, less observant parents, the
hidden truth of the images.
Some people hang these images in their homes and offices and their families and friends
do not realize for years that the images contain bodies. Therapists tell me they could
psychoanalyze me because of this work. I have had people tell me I am "sick"
(usually with a smile!), and others tell me that I brighten their day and give them a new
way of looking at the world. Some ask where I get the "little people", and
others ask where I find a landscape that looks just like a body. Some are serious, some
are joking - but, in the end, I find that people are generally fascinated by them.
My interest in photography began when I received my first camera at the age of 13. In
both high school and college I was the photography editor of the newspaper and yearbook. I
then put photography on hold while I pursued a career in psychology. I began the
Bodyscapes in l975 and left academics in l981 to devote my full time to art photography.
Most of the Bodyscapes® were shot with a medium format Mamiya RB67 and either
Tri-X or T-Max film. The regular edition Bodyscapes® are printed on Ilford
Multigrade paper, and the collector's edition is printed on Agfa Classic 118 fiber paper.
Bodyscape® photographs are issued as signed and numbered limited edition prints. My
camera is a medium format Mamiya RB67.
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ALLAN I. TEGER
2125 Seagrape Drive
Vero Beach, Fl. 32963
1-800-679-0788
e-mail:alteger@aol.com
ONE PERSON SHOWS:
2009 Yours truly Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
2000 Art and Soul Gallery, Woodstock, NY
1999 Forms Gallery, Delray, Fl
1996 Lake Avenue Gallery, Lake Worth, FL
1995 Hooloomooloo, Boston, MA
1995 Gallery On the Square, Roanoke, VA
1994 James Beard Foundation, New York, N.Y.
1988 Susan Spiritus Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA
1986 Neo Deco, Chicago, IL
Gallery at Young & Rubican, NYC, NY
1985 Quinn-Frank Gallery, Denver, CO
1984 Jacqueline's, NYC, NY
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GROUP SHOWS:
2009
Pennellos Gallery, Cleveland, OH
Detroit Dirty Show, Detroit MI
Dabbert Gallery, Sarasota Fl (two person show)
CPop Gallery, Detroit, MI
Seattle Erotic Arts Festival, Seattle, WA
Art Undressed, Miami FL (traveling to 5 cities in USA)
2008
Pennello Gallery, Cleveland, OH (two person show)
Streetwise Gallery, Detroit, MI
Detroit Dirty Show, Detroit, MI
Hibiscus Center Traveling Exhibition,
Vero Beach Fl
Kinsey Institute Juried Art Show, Bloomington, IN
James Schot Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Erotic Signature Traveling Exhibition,
Miami , Montreal, Berlin
New England International Erotic Art Show, Provincetown, MA
2007
Dabbert Gallery, Sarasota, FL (two person show)
James Schot Gallery, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Severence Gallery, Detroit MI.
Orlando Nude Night, Orlando, FL
2006
Lake Wales Art Center, Lake Wales Fl
2005
Backus Gallery, Ft. Pierce, Fl
Bonnet House Museum, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl
Dog and Pony Show Gallery, Naples, Fl
2004
Eisemann Center, Richardson, TX
Barnsite Gallery, Kewaunee, WI
Washington Gallery of Photography, Bethesda, MD.
Orange Country Center for Contemporary Art,Santa Ana, CA
1999
Woodstock Artists Association, Woodstock, NY
Li Daniels Gallery, Rosendale, NY
1997
Liss Gallery. Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
1996
Swann Gallery, Detroit, MI
1995
Museum of Our National Heritage, Lexington, MA.
1994
Griffin Ctr. for Photographic Art, Winchester, Ma.
Westport Art Center, Westport CT.
1991
Vermont State Craft Center, Middlebury, Vt.
1990
Photographic Image Gallery, Portland, OR
Newton Art Center, Newton, MA
1989
Alternatives 89, Siegfried Gallery, Athens, OH
|1988
Jannes Art Gallery, Chicago, IL
Douglas Albert Gallery, State College, PA
1987
Susan Spiritus Gallery, Newport Beach, CA
1986
Quinn-Frank Gallery, Denver, CO
1985
Mills Gallery, Boston, MA
Quinn-Frank Gallery, Denver, CO
1983
PhotoShow Intl.Gallery, touring United States
Mills Gallery, Boston, MA
Atelier 564, Newton, MA
1981
Mazur-Mazur Gallery, Deerfield, IL
Sylvia Ullman's Crafts Gallery, Cleveland, OH
1980
PhotoShow Intl. Gallery, touring United States
1979
Mobilia, Cambridge, MA
PhotoShow Intl. Gallery, touring United States
1978
Mobilia, Cambridge, MA
Wadsworth Gallery, Devon, PA
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PUBLICATIONS:
2009
Sunshine Artists (cover story)
Posters, GBeye, UK
Echo of the Planet, Moscow, Russia
World’s greatest Erotic Art of Today, vol. III (in press)
2008
The Worlds Greatest Erotic Art of Today, vol.II
Digital Photography Magazine UK
Digital Photography Magazine Spain (cover story)
2007
Macro Photography, Kamps, H.J., Wiley
Times of the Island, Sanibel, Fl (cover story)
American Social Psychology Quarterly (cover story)
Twin Cities Luxury and Fashion, Minn. MN
2006 Art Fairs International Magazine
2005 Uptown Show Poster, Minneapolis, MN
2004 FHM (Hungary and Indonesia)
Deco Posters , Posters International, Toronto Canada
2003 GQ (Italy and Spain)
FHM (U.K. and Singapore)
2002 Esquire Magazine
2002 Dreamscape Posters, Posters International, Toronto Canada
1999 Bodyscape images published in various magazines in Australia and
Germany
1995 BODYSCAPES™ Book, Shade Tree Press, Ft. Meyers, FL
1994 Cover photo of Soc. of Commerical Arch. magazine
CD record album cover, Jay Anderson's "Local Color"
1992 DINER Calendar, Pomegranate Publications
1992 Posters, Art Resources, Brewster, N.Y.
1991 Greeting cards, Pomegranate Publications
1989 Posters, Waterline Publications, Boston, MA
DECO Calendar,Landmark General, Novato, CA
1988 BODYSCAPES™ Poster, Capital Concepts Publishing, VA
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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
2009
Boca Museum art festival, Merit Award
Cape Coral Art Festival, First in photography
2008
Pigeon key art festival, First in photography
Space Coast art festival, Merit Award
2007
Melbourne Masters Show, Best in Show
Arts, Beats, and Eats, Award of Excellence
Pigeon Key Art Festival, First in Photography
Celebration Art Festival, Award of Merit
2006
Medina OH Arts Festival - Best in Show
Celebration FL Arts Festival - Best in Show
Ft. Myers Art Fest, 1st place, 2-dimensional
Pigeon Key Art Festival, 1st place, Photography
Vero Beach Art Club, 1st place, photography
2005
Vero Beach Art Club, 3rd place photography
Pigeon Key Art Festival, 2nd place, Photography
Bonita Springs Art Festival, Award of Distinction
2004
Pigeon Key Art Festival, 2nd Place, Photography
Fine Art at the Village, Rochester Hills, MI, 2nd place, 2-D
Port Clinton Art Festival, Highland Park, Il. Merit Award
Medina Art Festival, Medina, OH Third Place, Non-traditional, 2-D
Melburne Art Festival, FL. 1st Place, 2-D
2003
Pigeon Key Art Festival, 2nd place, Photography
Old Saybrook Art Fesitval, Best in Show
Lac Ste.Claire Art Festival, 2nd Place, 2-D
Bayou City Arts Festival, Houston, Best in Photography
2002
Boston Mills Art Fesitval, 1st Place, Multiple Images
Armonk Art Festival, honorable mention
Festival of the Masters, Merit Award
Pigeon Key Art festival, 2nd Place, Photography
2001
Key Biscayne Art Festival, Merit Award
Atlanta Dogwood Festival, 3rd Place, Fine Art
Boston Mills Art Festival, 1st Place ,Multiple Images
SoNo Arts Celebration, Excellence in Photography
1999
Poster Artist, Gasparilla Art Festival
Woodstock Artists Association, Honorable Mention
Key Biscayne Art Festival, Merit Award
Televised interview on German television
1998 St. Stephens Art Festival, 1st Place
1998 Key Biscayne Art festival, 1st Prize, Photography
1997 Shadyside Arts Fesitval, Jurors Award
1995 Boca Fiesta Art Festival, First Place
1993 Miami Beach Festival of Art 1st Prize, Photography
1992 Armonk Art Festival 1st Prize, Photography
Coconut Grove Art Festival, 2nd Prize, Photography
1990 Beaux Arts Festival, Best in Photography
Society of Commercial Archeology Photo Contest, Runner up.
1989 Images 89, Award of Commendation
Beaux Arts Festival, Award of Distinction
Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair, Award of Distinction
1988 Miami Beach Art Festival, 2nd Prize, Photography
1986 Coconut Grove Art Festival, 2nd Prize, Photography
Nationally televised interview: Playboy Video Network
1985 Coconut Grove Art Festival, 1st Prize, Photography
1984 Invited Address: New York Art Directors Club, NYC, NY
1978 Printing Institute of America, Award Certificate
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COLLECTIONS & INSTALLATIONS:
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
California State University Musem, Long Beach, CA
IBM, Atlanta, GA
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
The Sycamores, Altadena, CA
Emerald Square Mall, Attleboro, MA
Kinsey Institute collection
EDUCATION:
B.A Lafayette College, 1964
M.A. University of Delaware, 1966
Ph.D. State University of N.Y., Buffalo, 1969 |
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