Top to Bottom—The Hudson River
Photographs by Ted Kawalerski
Q&A with the Artist
Saturday, November 8 at 4 p.m.
Philipse Manor Beach Club © 2008 Ted Kawalerski
New exhibit showcases Kawalerski's 20-year love affair with the river and its people
With this photographic exhibit, Top to Bottom—The Hudson River, Kawalerski shares with viewers his deep personal connection to the Hudson River and his affection for the multicultural diversity of people who live along its banks. The photographs convey his unique perspective on what people who live in river communities see every day, as well as what he has personally witnessed during this 20-year project. From a large area of the coastline that has been industrial for many years to old manufacturing facilities, train tracks and power lines – all are part of the landscape and worthy of inclusion in his rich tapestry of light, nature, humans and manmade form. Rather than look away, Kawalerski carefully integrates this aesthetic with the untouched and pristine elements of the river.
At first glance, one immediately grasps both the visceral and ethereal relationship Kawalerski has established with the river’s expanse, which begins at Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondacks and ends in lower Manhattan. His photographs – all black & white – illustrate the majestic beauty of the Hudson’s landscape, along with its blemishes, and combine both to create a perspective that is honest, accurate and sincere. Equally impressive are the portraits of those who live along the river’s banks. Kawalerski has captured the essence of their being, often visiting with his subjects several times without ever lifting the camera to his eye. The result is an amazing collection of visual stories told through the eyes of those who invited Kawalerski into their lives. These images reveal the inner stories of his subjects and their sense of pride as if they were the personal gatekeepers and protectors of the river.
“Humans and nature meet on the banks of the world’s rivers and estuaries with profound consequences for each,” asserts John Cronin, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Beacon Institute, noting that Kawalerski’s work is an artistic complement to Beacon Institute’s mission to create and maintain a global center for scientific and technological innovation that advances research, education and public policy regarding rivers and estuaries. “Ted Kawalerski’s photographs capture with depth and clarity both the beauty and the heartbreak of humankind’s intimate and complicated relationship with the Hudson.”
“I am very excited to have my photographs of the Hudson River exhibited at the Beacon Institute,” says Kawalerski, a New York City-based photographer who lives in Sleepy Hollow, just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge in Westchester County, where he was inspired to begin his exploration of the wonders of the Hudson. He has worked on assignments for corporations, graphic design firms and advertising agencies for over 30 years and regularly travels worldwide for clients such as AIG, Chevron, Energy East, Ernst & Young, Harris Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Liberty Mutual, MasterCard, Medco, Praxair, The Hartford, United Technologies Corporation, Xerox and many others.
Kawalerski continues, “This exhibit is the culmination of a labor of love that began two decades ago and has grown and evolved into a complex body of work that represents my most personal and treasured views of the river and its people. For me, there is no better venue through which to share my photographs of the Hudson River and the stories of the people and landscapes along its banks.”
The exhibit opened with a public reception on Saturday, October 4, at the Institute’s gallery at 199 Main Street in downtown Beacon. The opening reception was generously underwritten by the Gellert & Klein, P.C. Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of Dutchess County.
Mr. Kawalerski will hold a Q&A session at the Beacon Institute on Saturday, November 8 at 4:00 p.m. The talk is free and open to the public.
Gallery, bookstore and gift shop hours:
Weekdays: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturdays: 11a.m. – 5 p.m. (second Saturdays until 8 p.m.)
Sundays: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
(Please note: We occasionally close the space for special meetings.)
