Photographer Kip Praslowicz has a show opening Thursday, November 21 at the Kruk Gallery on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Much of his work has a very matter-of-fact feeling to it, a straightforward documentation of places, people and scenes. But there is a dry sense of humor in his work, especially when taken in as a larger collection. This week we get a preview of the show, and hear how the pieces for the show were chosen.

Was there a criteria for the images selected for this show?

1) The exposure made sometime between 2010 and 2019
2) The exposure was made on color, medium format film. 6x6cm or 6x9cm

Does this exhibit somehow fit together with other themes you’ve had in your work – theBeer signs, the portraits, or abandoned cars?

Everyday Mayhem, at its most fundamental, could be described as a series of snapshots. The selected images were never really intended to work together as a cohesive theme. And most exist merely out of me carrying some new camera or lens with me during my day to day to learn if I like it before committing to work with it on some thematic project. This day to day photography also serves as a method to explore various subjects and ideas to see if any themes start to bubble to the top as something that should the target of a project.

4th Street Tree Removal – Duluth, MN, December 2015

For a long time, I’ve struggled with what to do with many of these photographs. In a short timeframe of such photos, the randomness of various subjects paired together often come off as odd or incoherent. But I think as the timeline increases for the age of the photographs, the pairing images in a body of work starts to paint a broader, more interesting and encompassing vision.

King of Norway – Duluth, MN, October 2011

This is something I learned after discovering the life works of the French photographer Jacques Henri Lartigue. Lartigue just photographed his life and wasn’t discovered until he was in his sixties. At this point, he had such an impressive body of day to day photographs that they just worked when displayed together.

This mentality is kind of how I look at this body of work. A retrospective of ideas during the past decade of my life. Some of which have found homes in other projects, and some of which have been in the dark since the day I made the exposure.

Thunder Bay – Duluth, MN, September 2013

Any other upcoming projects?

I have a few ideas and themes that I’m silently working on. Some are still in the “Which gear will best serve this subject” phase, and some in the process of being photographed. However, the details of such I’m keeping to myself. I’d rather present a fully formed project all at once, rather than hype something I might eventually abandon.

Twig Renaissance Festival – Twig, MN, June 2010

Where can people see your work?
As for physical prints, the best way to see my work at the moment would be to attend one of our Duluth and Northern Minnesota Film Photographers meetups where I often bring prints of stuff I’m working on.

Michigan Street – Duluth, MN, August 2011

Links:
Website: kpraslowicz.com
YouTube: youtube.com/c/kpraslowicz
Instagram: instagram.com/praslowclicks
Everyday Mayhem Facebook Event

Kraus-Anderson Bike Duluth Festival – Duluth, MN, August 2014