About
American artist Joni Sternbach was born in the Bronx and is a native New Yorker. She is a Visiting Artist at Cooper Union School of Art and faculty member at the International Centre of Photography and The Penumbra Foundation in New York, where she teaches wet plate collodion. Sternbach uses early photographic processes to create contemporary landscapes and environmental portraits and her work centres on man’s relationship to water. Her long-term projects involve the pursuit and understanding of the Western landscape and the series Surfland, which features tintype portraits of surfers. The photographs are a unique blending of subject matter and photographic technique. Joni works with large-format cameras and the historic wet-plate collodion process that must be prepared and developed on location. The raw quality and immediacy of collodion suits my subject matter, giving it a distinctive appearance and echoing important traditions of nineteenth-century anthropological photography.
Joni Sternbachs’ work is included in many public collections, with recent acquisitions from the Joslyn Art Museum, Harn Museum, MOCA, Jacksonville and National Portrait Gallery in London. She is the recipient of several grants and prizes including the Clarence John Laughlin award, NYFA and 2nd prize winner in the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize competition 2016. Her monograph, Surf Site Tin Type was published by Damiani Editore in March 2015.
EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS
.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
.
2019
The Momentary Wave MOAH Art Museum, Lancaster, CA
2018
Ocean Side Galerie Catherine et Andre Hug, Paris, France The Momentary Wave, Halekulani Gallery, Honolulu, HI
2017
VAST: Sea Salt, Sand, Sky, The Harn Museum, Gainesville, FL
2016
Her Wave Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Surfland Helder Supply, Biarritz, France Surfland Galerie Hug. Paris, France
2014
The Passengers Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC
2012
Surfland Revisited, 2006-2012 Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC Surfland Southeast Museum of Photography. Daytona Beach, FL
2011
Sea Creatures Joseph Bellows Gallery 2010
New Photographs Kenise Barnes Fine Art 2009
Surfland Peabody Essex Museum. Salem, MA
Surfland Blue Sky Gallery. Portland, OR
Lishui Photo Festival. Lishui, China
Surfland String Room Gallery. Wells College. Aurora, NY
2007
Surfland Edward Cella Art + Architecture. Santa Barbara, CA 2006
New Photographs Kenise Barnes Fine Art
2005
Abandoned Galerie BMG, Woodstock, NY
2004
What is This Heaven East Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2000
Untitled Silhouettes Kenise Barnes Fine Art
1995
Untitled Silhouettes Bergdorf Goodman, NY
1992
Untitled Silhouettes Julie Saul Gallery, NY
.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
.
2019
Shelburne Art Museum Time Lapse: Contemporary Analogue Photography Bullivant Gallery, St Louis, MO California Dreamin’
2018
JP Morgan Chase, Paris Photo Special Exhibition This Must Be The Place ‘Costlines’ Circle Contemporary Gallery, Cornwall, England
Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Talk To Me
L. Parker Stephenson Photographs, NYC Coast To Coast
2017
Panopticon Gallery, Boston, MA At Sea
Pingyao Photo Festival, China. Old School/New School Huntington Beach Art Center, Women in Surfing: Art & History.
2016
National Portrait Gallery, London, UK Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 MOCA Jacksonville, FL Retro-spective: Analog Photography in a Digital World Candela Gallery and Books, Richmond, VA Unbound 5
Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, Netherlands. Arena, Noordelicht Photo Festival Musée de l’Elysée|Memory of the Future
2015
Gallery at the School of Design at Mount Ida. Newton, MA New Visionaries: Photographers Who Bridge Art + Commerce
2014
Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC Not Long Hidden
2013
The Fralin Museum of Art. Charlottesville, VA Looking at the New West
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City, MO About Face: Contemporary Portraiture
Light Factory, Charlotte, NC Sometime Other Than Now: Alternative Processes in Contemporary Photography United Photo Industries, Brooklyn, NY Drawn To Water
2012
KT Fine Art. East Hampton, NY She Sells Seashells by the Seashore Candela Books & Gallery. Richmond, VA Unbound
Santa Barbara Museum of Art Portrayal / Betrayal
Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC AIPAD, PULSE
Space 15 Twenty. Los Angeles, CA Hellawood
Photo Center NW. Seattle, WA surFACE: Contemporary Wet Plate Collodion Portraiture
2011
Rick Wester Fine Art. Miami, FL PULSE Art Fair
Lúz Gallery. Victoria, BC IMPRINT :: 2011
Joslyn Art Museum. Omaha, NE American Landscape: Contemporary Photographs of the West
Jennifer Schwartz Gallery. Atlanta, GA Wet Plate and Mirrors: Photographers Working with Historical Processes
The Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA Surf’s Up
Museum of Ventura County. Ventura, CA Splash: Celebrating Ventura County Beach Culture and Ocean-Inspired Art Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Paris, France L’Objet Photographique
Bric Rotunda Gallery. Brooklyn, NY Water Water Every Where
Houston Center for Photography. Benfeit Auction
2010
Aperture Foundation Benefit Auction NYC
Space 15 Twenty Gallery, LA, CA Stoked on Summer Gallery 1500, Sao Paulo, Brazil SP Arte
2009
Bonni Benrubi Gallery. NYC Hot Fun in the Summertime
Scheinbaum and Russek Gallery. Santa Fe, NM Summer’s Amost Gone
Sue Scott Gallery. NYC We’re All Gonna Die
Art Strand Gallery. Povincetown, MA It’s all about Photography
Edward Cella Art + Architecture. Los Angeles, CA Transforming Photography NY Photo Festival. Brooklyn, NY All Over The Place curated by William Ewing Clark Gallery. Lincoln, MA Float
2008
RayKo Photo Center. San Francisco, CA Into The Ether Pulse Art Fair. NYC Artware editions at the VIP lounge 23 Sandy Gallery. Portland, OR Resurrection
2007
Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum. Santa Barbara, CA Glass Love: Contemporary Art And Surf Silvermine Guild Arts Center. New Canaan, CT SPECTRA ’07: National Photography Triennial
Kinz, Tillou + Feigen. NYC By Invitation Only
Edward Cella Art + Architecture. Santa Barbara, CA Welcome to Our Neighborhood
2006
Chicago Art Source. Chicago, IL Nostalgic Noir
Lennon, Weinberg Gallery. NYC Wallpaper Lab
Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Houston, Texas Photo Forum
St Louis Art Museum. St Louis, MO Recent Landscape Photography: The Intimate and the Sublime
2005
Jenkins Johnson Gallery, NYC Inaugural Exhibition Foley Gallery. NYC When We Were Young
Photo Eye Gallery. Santa Fe, NM OnLine/OnSite
2004
Senior and Shopmaker Gallery. NYC Permutations on the Picturesque
Hofstra University. Hempstead, NY Where the Island Begins
Lehman College Art Gallery. Bronx, NY Images of Time and Place: Contemporary Views of Landscape
2003
Kenise Barnes Fine Art. Larchmont, NY Two Person Show
White Room Gallery. Los Angeles, California Inspirations and Interpretations 2002
Islip Art Museum. Islip, NY Body Language
Akus Gallery. Eastern Connecticut State University. Willimantic, CT Permeable Borders Washington Square East Galleries. NYC Small Works
2001
Sideshow Gallery. Brooklyn, NY 21st Suffragette Kenise Barnes Fine Art. Larchmont, NY Aqua Marine
2000
Silver Eye Center for Photography. Pittsburgh, PA
1994
Paul Kopeikin Gallery. LA, California Hidden Faces Art In General. NYC Little Things
1993
Salena Gallery. Long Island University. Brooklyn, NY Two Person Exhibition
Triangle Theater, Long Island University. Brooklyn, NY Body And Soul Collaborative Installation University Of Texas at Austin A Second Look: Women Photographers at the HRHRC Catalogue
1991
Museum Of Modern Art. NY Pleasures And Terrors of Domestic Comfort
1998
Houston Center For Photography. Houston, TX The Other Catalogue
Bayfront NATO Center for The Arts. Erie. PA Totem Polemic Or, The Family Emblem
1986
Stokker Stikker Gallery. NYC Two Person Exhibition
Light Work Gallery. Syracuse, NY Three Person Exhibition
GRANTS, AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2018
MacDowell Colony Artist in Residence
2016
National Portrait Gallery, London. Taylor Wessing Award, 2nd Prize
2013
Ucross Foundation. Clearmont, WY
2012
Ucross Foundation. Clearmont, WY
Kimmel Harding Nelson. Nebraska City, Nebraska
2011
Clarence John Laughlin Award. New Orleans Photo Alliance The Art Park. Byron Bay, NSW Australia
2010
The Santo Foundation, Artist Grant
Center for Land Use Interpretation. Wendover, UT
2008
Photo Lucida Hard Cover Monograph
Center for Land Use Interpretation. Wendover, UT
2004
Honorable Mention. Silver Eye Center for Photography
1992
Polaroid Artists Support Grant
1987
Light Work. Syracuse, NY Artist In Residence Grant
1986
New York Foundation For The Arts
Artists Space. NYC Exhibition Assistance Grant
1982
Creative Artists Public Service
PROJECTS & COLLECTIONS
MOCA Jacksonville
National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Peabody Essex Museum
J.P. Morgan Chase
Tate Museum of Art, Library Collection
Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Paris, France
Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
SF MoMA
Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Washington, DC
The Cleveland Museum of Art
St. Louis Art Museum
University Of Texas At Austin. Harry Ransom Center
Polaroid International Collection
Bibliotheque Nationale
International Center Of Photography
Center For Photography at Woodstock
Light Work
Surfing by Jim Heimann published by Taschen 2016
The Memory of the Future, published by Musée de l’Elysée edited by Tatyana Franck 2016 Surf Site Tin Type, published by Damiani Editore – Monograph 2015
The Passengers published by Cafe Royal Books 2014
Promise Land published by Cafe Royal Books 2013
The Photograph Not Taken by Will Steacy 2012
Face to Face: Ocean Portraits by Huw Lewis-Jones 2010
SurfLand, published by Photolucida essay by Phillip Prodger – Monograph 2009 Pleasures and Terrors of Domestic Comfort by Peter Galassi – published by MOMA 1991
DOWNLOAD LOOK BOOK
EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS
.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
.
2019
The Momentary Wave MOAH Art Museum, Lancaster, CA
2018
Ocean Side Galerie Catherine et Andre Hug, Paris, France The Momentary Wave, Halekulani Gallery, Honolulu, HI
2017
VAST: Sea Salt, Sand, Sky, The Harn Museum, Gainesville, FL
2016
Her Wave Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Surfland Helder Supply, Biarritz, France Surfland Galerie Hug. Paris, France
2014
The Passengers Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC
2012
Surfland Revisited, 2006-2012 Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC Surfland Southeast Museum of Photography. Daytona Beach, FL
2011
Sea Creatures Joseph Bellows Gallery 2010
New Photographs Kenise Barnes Fine Art 2009
Surfland Peabody Essex Museum. Salem, MA
Surfland Blue Sky Gallery. Portland, OR
Lishui Photo Festival. Lishui, China
Surfland String Room Gallery. Wells College. Aurora, NY
2007
Surfland Edward Cella Art + Architecture. Santa Barbara, CA 2006
New Photographs Kenise Barnes Fine Art
2005
Abandoned Galerie BMG, Woodstock, NY
2004
What is This Heaven East Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2000
Untitled Silhouettes Kenise Barnes Fine Art
1995
Untitled Silhouettes Bergdorf Goodman, NY
1992
Untitled Silhouettes Julie Saul Gallery, NY
.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
.
2019
Shelburne Art Museum Time Lapse: Contemporary Analogue Photography Bullivant Gallery, St Louis, MO California Dreamin’
2018
JP Morgan Chase, Paris Photo Special Exhibition This Must Be The Place ‘Costlines’ Circle Contemporary Gallery, Cornwall, England
Von Lintel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Talk To Me
L. Parker Stephenson Photographs, NYC Coast To Coast
2017
Panopticon Gallery, Boston, MA At Sea
Pingyao Photo Festival, China. Old School/New School Huntington Beach Art Center, Women in Surfing: Art & History.
2016
National Portrait Gallery, London, UK Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 MOCA Jacksonville, FL Retro-spective: Analog Photography in a Digital World Candela Gallery and Books, Richmond, VA Unbound 5
Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, Netherlands. Arena, Noordelicht Photo Festival Musée de l’Elysée|Memory of the Future
2015
Gallery at the School of Design at Mount Ida. Newton, MA New Visionaries: Photographers Who Bridge Art + Commerce
2014
Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC Not Long Hidden
2013
The Fralin Museum of Art. Charlottesville, VA Looking at the New West
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City, MO About Face: Contemporary Portraiture
Light Factory, Charlotte, NC Sometime Other Than Now: Alternative Processes in Contemporary Photography United Photo Industries, Brooklyn, NY Drawn To Water
2012
KT Fine Art. East Hampton, NY She Sells Seashells by the Seashore Candela Books & Gallery. Richmond, VA Unbound
Santa Barbara Museum of Art Portrayal / Betrayal
Rick Wester Fine Art. NYC AIPAD, PULSE
Space 15 Twenty. Los Angeles, CA Hellawood
Photo Center NW. Seattle, WA surFACE: Contemporary Wet Plate Collodion Portraiture
2011
Rick Wester Fine Art. Miami, FL PULSE Art Fair
Lúz Gallery. Victoria, BC IMPRINT :: 2011
Joslyn Art Museum. Omaha, NE American Landscape: Contemporary Photographs of the West
Jennifer Schwartz Gallery. Atlanta, GA Wet Plate and Mirrors: Photographers Working with Historical Processes
The Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA Surf’s Up
Museum of Ventura County. Ventura, CA Splash: Celebrating Ventura County Beach Culture and Ocean-Inspired Art Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Paris, France L’Objet Photographique
Bric Rotunda Gallery. Brooklyn, NY Water Water Every Where
Houston Center for Photography. Benfeit Auction
2010
Aperture Foundation Benefit Auction NYC
Space 15 Twenty Gallery, LA, CA Stoked on Summer Gallery 1500, Sao Paulo, Brazil SP Arte
2009
Bonni Benrubi Gallery. NYC Hot Fun in the Summertime
Scheinbaum and Russek Gallery. Santa Fe, NM Summer’s Amost Gone
Sue Scott Gallery. NYC We’re All Gonna Die
Art Strand Gallery. Povincetown, MA It’s all about Photography
Edward Cella Art + Architecture. Los Angeles, CA Transforming Photography NY Photo Festival. Brooklyn, NY All Over The Place curated by William Ewing Clark Gallery. Lincoln, MA Float
2008
RayKo Photo Center. San Francisco, CA Into The Ether Pulse Art Fair. NYC Artware editions at the VIP lounge 23 Sandy Gallery. Portland, OR Resurrection
2007
Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum. Santa Barbara, CA Glass Love: Contemporary Art And Surf Silvermine Guild Arts Center. New Canaan, CT SPECTRA ’07: National Photography Triennial
Kinz, Tillou + Feigen. NYC By Invitation Only
Edward Cella Art + Architecture. Santa Barbara, CA Welcome to Our Neighborhood
2006
Chicago Art Source. Chicago, IL Nostalgic Noir
Lennon, Weinberg Gallery. NYC Wallpaper Lab
Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Houston, Texas Photo Forum
St Louis Art Museum. St Louis, MO Recent Landscape Photography: The Intimate and the Sublime
2005
Jenkins Johnson Gallery, NYC Inaugural Exhibition Foley Gallery. NYC When We Were Young
Photo Eye Gallery. Santa Fe, NM OnLine/OnSite
2004
Senior and Shopmaker Gallery. NYC Permutations on the Picturesque
Hofstra University. Hempstead, NY Where the Island Begins
Lehman College Art Gallery. Bronx, NY Images of Time and Place: Contemporary Views of Landscape
2003
Kenise Barnes Fine Art. Larchmont, NY Two Person Show
White Room Gallery. Los Angeles, California Inspirations and Interpretations 2002
Islip Art Museum. Islip, NY Body Language
Akus Gallery. Eastern Connecticut State University. Willimantic, CT Permeable Borders Washington Square East Galleries. NYC Small Works
2001
Sideshow Gallery. Brooklyn, NY 21st Suffragette Kenise Barnes Fine Art. Larchmont, NY Aqua Marine
2000
Silver Eye Center for Photography. Pittsburgh, PA
1994
Paul Kopeikin Gallery. LA, California Hidden Faces Art In General. NYC Little Things
1993
Salena Gallery. Long Island University. Brooklyn, NY Two Person Exhibition
Triangle Theater, Long Island University. Brooklyn, NY Body And Soul Collaborative Installation University Of Texas at Austin A Second Look: Women Photographers at the HRHRC Catalogue
1991
Museum Of Modern Art. NY Pleasures And Terrors of Domestic Comfort
1998
Houston Center For Photography. Houston, TX The Other Catalogue
Bayfront NATO Center for The Arts. Erie. PA Totem Polemic Or, The Family Emblem
1986
Stokker Stikker Gallery. NYC Two Person Exhibition
Light Work Gallery. Syracuse, NY Three Person Exhibition
GRANTS, AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2018
MacDowell Colony Artist in Residence
2016
National Portrait Gallery, London. Taylor Wessing Award, 2nd Prize
2013
Ucross Foundation. Clearmont, WY
2012
Ucross Foundation. Clearmont, WY
Kimmel Harding Nelson. Nebraska City, Nebraska
2011
Clarence John Laughlin Award. New Orleans Photo Alliance The Art Park. Byron Bay, NSW Australia
2010
The Santo Foundation, Artist Grant
Center for Land Use Interpretation. Wendover, UT
2008
Photo Lucida Hard Cover Monograph
Center for Land Use Interpretation. Wendover, UT
2004
Honorable Mention. Silver Eye Center for Photography
1992
Polaroid Artists Support Grant
1987
Light Work. Syracuse, NY Artist In Residence Grant
1986
New York Foundation For The Arts
Artists Space. NYC Exhibition Assistance Grant
1982
Creative Artists Public Service
PROJECTS & COLLECTIONS
MOCA Jacksonville
National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Peabody Essex Museum
J.P. Morgan Chase
Tate Museum of Art, Library Collection
Maison Européenne de la Photographie. Paris, France
Museum of Photographic Arts San Diego
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
SF MoMA
Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Washington, DC
The Cleveland Museum of Art
St. Louis Art Museum
University Of Texas At Austin. Harry Ransom Center
Polaroid International Collection
Bibliotheque Nationale
International Center Of Photography
Center For Photography at Woodstock
Light Work
Surfing by Jim Heimann published by Taschen 2016
The Memory of the Future, published by Musée de l’Elysée edited by Tatyana Franck 2016 Surf Site Tin Type, published by Damiani Editore – Monograph 2015
The Passengers published by Cafe Royal Books 2014
Promise Land published by Cafe Royal Books 2013
The Photograph Not Taken by Will Steacy 2012
Face to Face: Ocean Portraits by Huw Lewis-Jones 2010
SurfLand, published by Photolucida essay by Phillip Prodger – Monograph 2009 Pleasures and Terrors of Domestic Comfort by Peter Galassi – published by MOMA 1991
DOWNLOAD LOOK BOOK
Buy Online
Print & Editions
15.09.13 #1 Lightning Bolts + Brewer, Hossegor, France 2015
CIRCLE have a selection of original tintypes and limited edition prints available by Joni Sternbach. Please contact us for framing, delivery or sale enquiries.
Exhibitions & Events
2ND PLACE - Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, National Portrait Gallery, London
16.02.20 #1 Thea+Maxwell was taken in February 2016 at Davenport Landing, Santa Cruz, California, USA. Sternbach says: “This is the first image I made in February when I was invited to give a talk and book signing in Santa Cruz. My hosts and I planned a shooting day prior to the event and they arranged for several local surfers to have their portraits taken. Maxwell was the first to arrive and he brought along his lovely girlfriend ...
CIRCLE Summer Mixed
CIRCLE Summer Mixed is featuring a variety of latest works by our core group and guest artists showing across two floors, focusing on painting, textile, sculpture and limited edition prints. CIRCLE has an eclectic approach to sourcing and presenting artists from the UK, Europe and further afield. Strong personal style and excellent craftsmanship are prerequisite as well as showing artists whose work stems directly from the living landscape.
CIRCLE Spring Mixed
CIRCLE Spring Mixed is featuring a variety of latest works by our core group and guest artists showing across two floors, focusing on painting, textile, sculpture and limited edition prints. CIRCLE has an eclectic approach to sourcing and presenting artists from the UK, Europe and further afield. Strong personal style and excellent craftsmanship are prerequisite as well as showing artists whose work stems directly from the living landscape.
Online Feature: The Fold Mag
The New York native’s love of the ocean is evident in her work, which she generously shares with the world through her Instagram account. Sternbach is able to capture both surf culture and adoration of the sea through the stillness of the early photography practices she’s embraced. While much of modern surf photography centers on capturing the graceful motion, Joni’s work is based in portraiture, capturing the powerful presence and stillness of the surfers, harkening back to the golden era of surf photography of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, with a nod to the earliest surf images of the 19th century. It is clear that Sternbach shares that same special relationship with water that her subjects do ...
Coastlines
Joni Sternbach and Caroline Vera Marrack are contemporary artists who favour analogue photography. In a world of digital media their photographs are taken with the constraints of vintage film cameras – resulting in poetically arresting images ...