Shoot Portraits, Not People
Jason Siegel & Keith D’Angelo
November 24 – December 25
RECYCLED CAMERA EQUIPMENT BECOMES WAR WEAPONRY IN ANTI-VIOLENCE ART INSTALLATION
COMING TO SANTA FE
Santa Fe, NM (November 9, 2017):
This November, EVOKE Contemporary’s Railyard gallery space transforms
into a military cache with Jason Siegel and Keith D’Angelo’s innovative sculptural art installation, Shoot
Portraits, Not People. Sniper rifles, Uzis, claymore mines and even a 1947 Willys Jeep will occupy the gallery
in a jarring and immersive display of military paraphernalia. Upon closer inspection of this provocative
exhibit, however, we find lenses disguised as grenades, photo winders in place of triggers and film canisters
strung together as ammunition belts. Denver-based duo Siegel and D’Angelo, professional photographer
and accomplished metal artist respectively, build anatomically correct weapons from sourced camera parts
to create interactive and powerful installations that comment on the violent abuse of these artful machines,
while cleverly exposing the shared vocabulary associated with photography and weaponry. Shoot Portraits,
Not People opens Friday, November 25 th during the Railyard’s Last Friday Art Walk and remains on display
through December 25 th .
Siegel is a lifestyle photographer whose work in the music and apparel industries has aligned him with
brands like Steve Madden, Finish Line and Under Armour Women’s along with publications such as Rolling
Stone, Billboard and Hypebeast. His conception of Shoot Portraits, Not People evolved from a simple flat
lay photo of camera equipment organized in the shape of a rifle, which amassed a viral response from his
online following. The idea of a physical iteration simmered in Siegel’s mind for over a year until he joined
forces with D’Angelo through the recommendation of a mutual friend. On November 24 th , 2016, exactly one
year before the project’s second debut at EVOKE Contemporary, Siegel showed up in D’Angelo’s metal shop
with a box of disassembled camera parts and photographs of initial designs. The photographer-sculptor
team has since developed two series’ of their assemblage sculptures; the first debuted and sold in Aspen
during the 2017 X-Games at a local pop up gallery, and the second arrives in Santa Fe this month. For the
installation at EVOKE, new “guns” will be available for sale along with limited edition photographic prints of
each piece. Dog tags attached to each sculpture will serve as the price tag and certificate of authenticity.
The first unveiling of the controversial project was met with mixed responses from the public; the Aspen
exhibit was even subject to a few police investigations on the supposition that high-powered weaponry was
being sold at an art exhibit. Overall, Shoot Portraits, Not People has gained excited international attention
with continued momentum. Visions for the future involve more interactive components like military train
cars, tanks and even a “gun” that can be used to shoot actual photos. EVOKE Contemporary is proud to
support the project in its early stages as it continues to travel to major arts destinations, raising important
questions and perspectives on gun-violence in America. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to benefit
the victims of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
EVOKE Contemporary, located in the pre-eminent Railyard Arts District in the heart of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is
committed to exhibiting provocative and compelling artwork by a wide range of established to emerging American
and international contemporary artists. The gallery’s goal is to provide collectors with the excitement of early
acquisitions by up and coming artists, as well as that of mature talent in contemporary art.
-Kelly Skeen