Most people who know me know that I spent several years growing up in England, from age twelve to eighteen. My parents and three sisters still live there today. Every time I go back for a visit, I always do a lot of shooting, often going away for a few days on my own to shoot. I've sold some of these pictures for book covers, some as fine art prints or posters, and one even went on a national ad campaign for bottled water a couple years ago. For a long time, I thought of approaching the British Consulate (like an embassy but smaller) here in Chicago and seeing if I could decorate their walls with some of my prints.
The years went by and I never made contact with anyone about my idea. Then about three months ago I bumped into a friend I hadn't seen for a few years, who now works at the Consulate. I told him of my idea, and a month later, I was in Chicago talking with them about putting some prints up. The Consulate is in the Wrigley Building, but they have a penthouse apartment where the Consul General (the Director) lives, and has receptions for people wishing to do business in Britain, as well as British groups coming to Chicago. It's in a great location, just off Michigan Avenue, sixty stories up, with a panoramic view of the city.
Last night, thirteen prints made their debut at a party to mark the British elections, where about 150 guests gathered to mingle, eat fish and chips, sausage rolls, drink British beer and watch the results come in. These are the largest prints I've ever had made, including two 16x48 inch panoramas, a 36x48 print and a triptych of 20x30 prints.
The prints will be on view for at least the next three months. Unfortunately, the suite is private so you'll have to enjoy them from the gallery I've posted. I'm always looking for other venues to show my work; if interested, send me a message.
5 comments:
That's awesome, Mike! Great photos as usual! (Both of the event and the ones hanging on the walls.)
Wow. How much fun is that to have your pictures in such an amazing space - thanks for posting pictures of the space too - what a view!
I should send you a picture of where we have your picture hanging in our house. Have you put together a collection of where your pictures hang!
Mike, that is so neat!! What a great idea and how fun to see it come to fruition! Congrats :)
change-man... who are you? I'm curious- and email me a pic of it hanging in your home. I may post it on here.
I love to look at photography; who doesn’t. I found that the photos that you used to decorate the Consulate in the Wrigley Building were gorgeous. This photography lives and breathes when seen on office walls. Dressing the walls of the consulate penthouse apartment where the Consul General (the Director) lives must have been a challenge. It’s apparent that huge international receptions for countries looking for British business will be a real showcase for your photography. It can become an international hit to have a series of Hudson’s gracing office walls. The British groups coming to Chicago will view the art photos with great interest, they may decide it’s time for them to redecorate with photography and art . Michigan Avenue is the crem de la crème for building sites. Your work can be seen sixty stories up now. You have to capture the panoramic sweep of the city as it lays far below the consulate.
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