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A Few Words by
Alida Fish


"ALTERED IDENTITIES"

In a sense, life casts replicate in three-dimensional form the instantaneous moment captured by the camera. Time is frozen and we are given only a very particular view and extremely specific selected information. Both the cast and the photograph become an archaeological artifact void of context. They become contemplative objects neutralized by the specificity of a moment removed from the continuum. As a viewer, we select our own interpretation of the cast and of the photograph; we personally alter otherwise pure and unencumbered objects.

In these images the casts and the photographs interweave their factual clues. Manipulated through photographic translation, the prints give little or no reliable concrete information. When all is said and done, the prints are simply a testament to the beauty and sensuality of process and form.

Process Information: The original image is photographed with a 4x5 view camera using conventional black and white film. The negatives are printed in the darkroom with a specialized print developing system which combines Activator, Stabilizer, and print developer. (Each print is unique due to the printing process.)

Some of the images are computer modified: the original negatives are scanned on a flatbed scanner. The scanned images are reworked on the computer with Photoshop in order to create visual shifts--shifts between animate skin and inanimate sculptural texture, between portrait and cast, and between life mask and death mask. The reworked Photoshop images are written to conventional black and white film. The final digital negatives are printed in the darkroom.


The resume of
Alida Fish


	
	EDUCATION
	Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 1976    M.F.A.
	Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1969
	Smith College, Northampton, MA, 1967    B.A.
 	University of Florence, Florence, Italy, 1965-66

	SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
	1994-	Schmidt-Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA  
	1993-	Morris Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of Art, Philadelphia, PA
	1992-	Schmidt-Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 
	1991-	Penn State, Harrisburg, PA
	1990-	Schmidt-Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
		Centre Gallery, Jamestown Community College, Olean, NY
		Gallery 913, University of Delaware, Wilmington, DE
	1988-	Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago, IL
		Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
		Robert May Gallery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 
	1987-	Mednick Gallery, Philadelphia Colleges of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
	1986-	Perkins Center Gallery, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
	1985-	Delaware State Arts Council Gallery, Wilmington, DE
	1984-	University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
	1982-	Project Arts, Cambridge, MA
		Lightfantastic Gallery, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
	1981-	Southern Light Gallery, Amarillo College, Amarillo, TX
		E. J. Bellocq Gallery, Louisiana Tech. Univ., Ruston, LA
	1979-	Portland School of Art, Portland, ME
	1977-	University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
	1976-	Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
	1973-	Bermuda Arts Society, Hamilton, Bermuda

 	SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 
1995-	"Beyond The Looking Glass:  Contemporary Women Photographers," David Adamson Gallery, 
		Washington, DC
	The Temple Gallery, Tyler School of Art, Elkins Park, PA
1994-	"The Camera Rediscovered," Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA
	"Relatively Speaking:  Mothers and Daughters In Art," 
	            traveling exhibition:
		Sweet Briar College Art Gallery, Sweet Briar, VA
		Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
		Rockford Museum of Art, Rockford, IL
		Rahr West Museum, Manitowock, WI
		Hofstra Museum, Hempstead, NY
	"Works by Women Artists: Selections from The Scott Collection," Bryn Mawr College, PA
	"Continuum of Creativity," The University of Delaware, Newark, DE	
1993-  	"Photo L.A.," Butterfield & Butterfield, Los Angeles, CA
	"Undercurrents," Stedman Gallery, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 
1992-	"Wild Animals," Vista Gallery, Middleburg, VA
1991-	Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE  (3 artists)
	Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO 
	"Ten Years of Excellence," (Delaware Individual Artist Fellowship Recipients 1980-89) 
			traveling exhibition:
		Delaware Division of the Arts, Wilmington, DE
		Rehobeth Art League, Rehobeth, DE
		Delaware State College, Dover, DE
		"Pennsylvania Photo Educators," Blatent Image/Silver Eye, Pittsburgh, PA  
		"Endangered Landscapes," Hicks Art Center, 
		Bucks County Comm. College, Newtown, PA
1990-	The Booktrader Gallery, (AIDS benefit), Philadelphia, PA
	Photo Faculty Exhibition, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA 
	Faculty Exhibition, Penland School, Penland, NC
1989-	Pennsylvania School of Art and Design, Lancaster, PA  (3 artists)
	"Surface Appearances: The Painted Photograph,"
	 John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI
1988- 	Nexus, Philadelphia, PA
	"Summer '88 Faculty," Arrowmont School, Gatlinburg, TN	
	"Hothouse," John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI	
	Tianjin Fine Arts College, Tianjin, China
l987-	"69th Delaware Exhibition," Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE
	"Duchampou," University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
	The Booktrader Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
l986-	"Venture Fund Recipients," Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery,
	Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia, PA
	"9 at 33," School 33 Art Center, Baltimore, MD
l985-	Photocollect, N.Y.C., NY
		"Works on Paper," Tianjin Fine Art College, Tianjin, China
l984-	Morris Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
l983-	Nexus, Philadelphia, PA
	"Photographic Portraits," Jeffrey Fuller Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA
	"Alternative Photographic Imagery," John Michael Kohler Arts Center,
		 Sheboygan, WI, and Toledo Museum, Toledo, OH,
	Center for Contemporary Art, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
l982-	"Garments as Image," Roanoke College, Salem, VA, (Guest Curator)
	"Contemporary Photography as Phantasy," Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 
			Santa Barbara, CA, 
			traveling exhibition:
			Malone Art Gallery, Loyola Marymount University, 
				Los Angeles, CA
			Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, AL
			Columbia Museums of Art and Science, Columbia, SC
			Daytona Beach Community College, Daytona Beach, FL
			East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
			University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
l98l-	Cameravision Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
	"The Magic Silver Show, "Murray State College, Murray, KY, (Award)
l980-	Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
l979-	Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY
	Capen Gallery, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
l978-	Moming Art Center, Chicago, IL (Award)
	Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA (Award)
l977-	"Light II,"Humboldt State Univ., Arcata, CA  and College of the Redwoods,  
	Eureka, CA, (Award)
l976-	Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY
	Pacific Northwest Assoc. of Photographers, Pendelton, OR
	"New Photographics/76," Central Washington State College, Ellensburg, WA 
	"Art From  Dreams,"Association of Humanist Artists, San Francisco, CA   
l975-	Portland Museum of Art, Portland, OR
l973-	"Focuserie," Erie Art Center, Erie, PA

 	SELECTED PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
	The Philadelphia Museum of Fine Arts
	The State Museum of Pennsylvania
	George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography, Rochester, NY
	Standard Oil of Indiana
	Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA
	Triboro Electric Corp., Warminster, PA
	Morton, Lewis, King & Krieg, Knoxville, TN
	Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
	Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
	Murray State University, Murray, KY
	
	GRANTS
	National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowship, Photography, 1994-95.
	Delaware State Arts Council, Individual Artist Grant 
		(Established Professional), l985-86.
	Venture Fund, The University of the Arts, 1995, 1992,1988, 1984 .
	Technologies Development Grant, The University of the Arts, 1990.
	Pennsylvania Lilly Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, 1982 .
	Polaroid Corporation, 1980.
					
	TEACHING EXPERIENCE:  WORKSHOPS
	-Penland School, Penland, NC:  photography program advisor 
		and visiting artist 1983-87
		summer teaching:  1995, '92, '90, '87, '85, '81-'83, '77, '75.
	-Vision 21, the annual conference of The Pennsylvania Art Educators Association 
		(PAEA), 1994
	-The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA, "Handcolored Photography 
		Workshops for Secondary
 		School Art Educators," 1993-'94.  (Funded by The McGonigal Trust)
	-Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass Village, CO, summer, 1991.
	-Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, summer, l988
	-Roanoke College, Salem, VA, Sept. l982.  (Non-silver processes)
	-Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY, summer, l98l.  (Non-silver processes) 
	-Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deere Isl., ME, summer, l979.
	-University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, l977. (Non-silver processes)
	-Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, l977.
	-Peters Valley Craftsmen, Layton, NJ,  summer workshops l977-79
	-Naples Mill School, Naples, NY, summer workshops 1974-76.
	
	LECTURES/PANELS
	1994-	Nexus Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
	1991-	Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA
	1990-	Pennsylvania Academy of Art, Philadelphia, PA, Panel:  
		"Pushing the Limits of Media:
  		Making Photographs, Not Just Taking Photographs."  
		Jamestown Community College, Olean, NY
		Tyler School of Art, Elkins Park, PA  "Contemporary 
		Still-life Photography."
		The University of Delaware, Wilmington, DE, 
		"Still-Life Considerations."
	1989-	Pennsylvania School of Art and Design, Lancaster, PA
	1988-	Nesbitt College, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 
	1987-	Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE.
	1985-	Pennsylvania Academy of Art, Philadelphia, PA,  The Morris Gallery 
	1984-	University of Delaware, Newark, DE
	1983-	Moore College of Art, Philadelphia, PA
		Beaver College, Glenside, PA
	1982-	University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
		Roanoke College, Salem, VA, "Garments as Image."
		Smith College, Northampton, MA . Panel:  "Careers in the Arts."
	1980-	University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
		Virginia Intermont College, Bristol, VA
		Roanoke College, Salem, VA
		Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
		CEPA, Buffalo, NY
	1979-	Goddard College, Plainfield, VT	
	1977-	Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI
	
	CONSULTING
	School of Art and Design, New York State College of 
		Ceramics at Alfred University, 1993.
	Connecticut College, New London, CN, 1993.
	Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, MA 1988 and 1986.
	
	PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
	Society for Photographic Education, Board of Trustees, 1992-present
	The Photographic Arts Center of Philadelphia, Board of Trustees, 1993-present.

PERSONAL	
Employment:		Professor of Photography
1981-present		Chairman, Media Arts Dept. (Photo/Film/Video/Animation)
			The University of the Arts

 	SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
	
	Seven Arts, Sarah M. Jordan, February, 1995, A. C. Publishers, Inc., 
		Philadelphia,  p. 20
	Relatively Speaking:  Mothers and Daughters in Art, Charlotta Kotik, 
		Sept. 1994. (exhibition catalogue)
	Art Matters, "Artists Rediscover Photography As We Know It," 
		Helene Ryesky, November, 1994, Philadelphia.
	The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Pinhole to Painterly," 
		Edward J. Sozanski, Nov. 6, 1994, Philadelphia.
	Lancaster New Era, "Photographic Visions, New Experimental Work," 
		Marcus R. Wohlsen, June 30, 1994, Lancaster, PA
	"Philadelphia Photography Programs," 
		American Society of Media Photographers.  Spring, 1993,  interview.
	Undercurrents, Nancy Maguire, Rutgers, The State University of 
		New Jersey, Feb. 1993. (exhibition catalogue)
	Photographic Possibilities, Robert C. Hirsch, Focal Press, Stoneham, MA, 1991.
	Photo Metro, "Letter From:  Philadelphia/New York, No. 18," A.D. 
		Coleman, Nov. 1990, San Francisco.
	The Philadelphia Inquirer, Edward J. Sozanski, November 23, 1990, Philadelphia.
	The Photo Review, "Photography In and Around Philadelphia"  A.D. 
		Coleman, 1990, Philadelphia.
	Olean Times Herald, "Sometimes the Camera Does Lie," John T. Eberth, 
		October 2, 1990.
	Philadelphia Daily News, "The Best of the City's Photographers 
		Showing Off," Howard Gensler,  March 2, 1990.
	The News Journal,  Wilmington, DE, "Off the Wall:  Lush, bizarre imagery," 
		Penelope Bass Cope,  March 9, 1990.
	Chicago Tribune, "Alida Fish," Alan G. Artner, April 28, 1988.
	The Philadelphia Inquirer, "On Galleries," Edward J. Sozanski, 
		January 14, 1988
	Searching out the Best, ed. Jacolyn A. Mott, The Pennsylvania Academy 
		of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1988. 
	Exploring Color Photography, Robert C. Hirsch, Wm C. Brown Publishers, 1988.
	John Michael Kohler Arts Center, bi-monthly publication, "Hothouse," p. 2, 
		May-June, 1988.
	John Michael Kohler Arts Center, bi-monthly publication, "Hothouse,"  
		cover and p. 2, July-August, 1988
	The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Showcasing women's art from clay to fabric," 
		Charles McCurdy, October 11, 1987.
	The Philadelphia Inquirer, "How photographers develop through 
		seminars, critiques," Brian Peterson, January 1, 1987.
	The Polaroid Newsletter for Photographic Education, "A Teacher's 
		Notes:  Group Icebreaker," Winter, 1986.
	American Photographer, "Gumming Up Their Works," Henry Horenstein, 
		CBS Inc., Los Angeles, August, l985.
	Quiver, "Artists Stamps," No. l0, Vol. 2, No. 5, Temple Univ., 
		Philadelphia, PA, 1985.
	Delaware Artline, "The Artists Register - Alida Fish," Susanna 
		T. Saunders, March-April, 1985.
	Philadelphia Inquirer, "Art:  Statements through a lens," Edward J. Sozanski, 
		March 14, 1984.
	In This Academy, "Contemporary Philadelphia Photographers," Judith 
		Stein, Winter/Spring, 1984
	The Alternative Image, An Aesthetic and Technical Exploration of 
		Nonconventional Photographic Printing Processes, John Michael Kohler 
		Arts Center, Sheboygan, l983.
	Gainesville Sun, "UF Art Depoartment features photography, January 28, 1983.
	Contemporary Photography as Phantasy, Frederick R. Parker, 
		Santa Barbara Museum of Art,  Santa Barbara,  l982.
	Roanoke Times & World News, "These clothes aren't put-ons," Ann Weinstein, 
		October 10, 1982.
	Los Angeles Times, "Showing Phantasies in Photos," Suzanne Muchnic, 
		August 9, 1982
	The Boston Sunday Globe, "Waking Dreams," Kelly Wise, November 2, 1982.
	Camera, C. J. Boucher Ltd., Lucerne, Switzerland, February, l979.
	Women See Woman, Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers, N.Y.C., l976.
	Ms., "The Family of Woman," August, l976, Ms. Magazine Corp., N.Y.C.
	Modern Photography Magazine, N.Y.C., May, l976.
	Camera 35 Magazine, N.Y.C., July, l974.