Eye/Flow

My furry children

2009-12-27T03:53:00.001-05:00

From back to front, Oktober, Xandar and Boogey!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-27T03:52:00.002-05:00

New Self Portrait

2009-12-27T03:50:00.002-05:00

In other news...

2009-11-01T19:40:00.003-05:00

Oktober the cat, had a wonderful Halloween this year. He got a lot of attention!

Organic textures

2009-11-01T19:13:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, I attended the PhotoPlus Expo '09 where I had the good fortune to purchase the 21-mpeg Canon 5D Mk II, from Midwest Photo Exchange who were most helpful and had the best prices around. Highly recommended.

I've been testing the new camera in a variety of lighting and so far it's performing far better than expected. The automatic ISO switch is a favorite in situations where you have to act fast. And I can't believe how unnoticeable the grain is even at 1600 ISO! The color is pretty incredible as well!

Here are two examples illustrating sharpness and color, taken earlier today at the Reading Terminal Market:

Vaunt III

2009-09-15T20:48:00.002-04:00

model: Vaunt
MUA: Anna DeMeo
Wardrobe stylist & designer: Spiral Stitching

Vaunt II

2009-09-15T20:43:00.003-04:00

model: Vaunt

MUA: Anna DeMeo
Wardrobe stylist & designer: Spiral Stitching

My workspace

2009-09-15T20:40:00.001-04:00

on a busy day:

Echeveria Runyonii Monstrosa

2009-08-30T23:11:00.000-04:00

Dryad

2009-08-30T20:00:00.001-04:00

Anna DeMeo Makeup Artist

Spiral Stitching Clothing Designer
Mlle Anna DeMeo Hair Stylist
Vaux Model

Blinds

2009-08-30T19:59:00.001-04:00

I installed blinds in my studio. Yay for privacy!

New Self Portrait

2009-08-20T22:29:00.003-04:00

I tend to have trouble with these, but this one didn't come out too badly.

Daughters of Siam

2009-08-20T19:02:00.001-04:00

models: Marcella & Marlenah
wardrobe, makeup,photography & editing: Evi Numen
featuring Wallpaper by Colonial Wall Paper Co and hats designed by Evi Numen

Colonial Wall Paper Co
707 E Passyunk Ave Philadelphia,
PA 19147-3016
(215) 351-9300

Bird Girl

2009-08-16T23:47:00.000-04:00

model: Jennifer X.
Fashion, Makeup, Art direction, Photography, etc, etc by yours truly :)
Birdcage earrings by Hand of Fatima Design.

Trisha McBride

2009-08-11T11:38:00.001-04:00

trishamcbridedance.com/

With Ascension

2009-05-27T01:06:00.002-04:00

with my piece Ascension at the opening of the Penn MFA Thesis Show.

"Art Criticism"

2009-05-20T20:35:00.004-04:00

It's amazing what passes for art criticism these days.

This past Saturday, when I came home from the MFA Thesis Show, I was shocked to find out that Andrew Thompson, one of my portraits subjects had written a review of the show he never visited, of work he never saw in person, two days before the show actually opened.
But as I soon realized, it wasn't a review by any means, but a personal attack and a rather underhanded one at that. As I explain in my response to the article (also posted here), Andrew never expressed discomfort or displeasure with my work until he made his feelings public in the citypaper article. Wouldn't this whole thing have been avoided had he approached me and request that I remove his image from my series?
Only, Thompson didn't wish to avoid any drama- he strived to create it actually, to fabricate a more sensational story in his efforts to break into the art scene. Thompson essentially proved that he is what he accused me of making him look like: weak.

My response:

I have several points I'd like to make in response to Andrew Thompson's article on his experience as a sitter for my thesis work [Arts, "Sick Like Me," May 14, 2009]. Andrew responded to a Craigslist ad I posted asking for volunteers for my series of portraits on people with mental health conditions and providing a link to a gallery of examples of such portraits (evinumen.com/section/67902.html). After having seen my work including the series of portraits in question, Thompson sent me an e-mail saying, "I wouldn't mind being photographed for your project." One might wonder why he approached me to be included in my project if he didn't like my previous work, and didn't agree with how the portraits were done.

Furthermore, if he didn't agree with how the actual photo shoot took place, he wasn't obliged to sign the model release form. Even after having signed it, if he found himself feeling uncomfortable with a stark depiction, he could have made a request and I would gladly have removed his image from my project and the exhibition. Instead, when I asked him if he wanted to be included in the thesis show, if it would help the article he was writing about me, he requested that I include his portrait. Suffice it to say, I feel manipulated, as it is clear to me now that his motives had more to do with fabricating an angle for a story than helping an artist with her project.

Despite what Thompson writes, I don't have a single image of him smiling. In fact, I remarked upon the fact that in the 36 frames I have of his portrait, his expression remained disturbingly unchanged. My posing instructions ("relax your face") were geared toward getting a different expression from him, rather than making him look sick or weak. That said, this particular series of portraits is not meant to be flattering or resemble smiling yearbook images, but to depict the turmoil that all of us experience in the face of adversity. Thompson fails to mention that I have included my self-portrait in this project, putting myself in the same position as my other sitters.

Moreover, I was rather shocked by the fact that Thompson wrote his article without ever having seen the work in person. Printed 30 by 40 inches and hung higher than eye level, the portraits loom over the viewer, reversing the power relations that usually exist between the depicted and the beholder. I would be hard-pressed to find anyone looking "helplessly weak" in this presentation. On the contrary, the sitters look self-sufficient, confident yet honest, and perhaps vulnerably human. I'm not a therapist by any means, but I would suggest that the article is hardly about the work and more about Thompson's own self-image as a mental health sufferer. Thompson, like all the other sitters, agreed to be part of this project knowing full well what it entailed, and he should take responsibility for his own actions.

Finally, it is regrettable that the PennDesign MFA Thesis Show was misrepresented in this way. I wish that a proper review might be written by someone who has actually visited the show, to be fair to both myself and the other artists participating.

Evi Numen

evinumen.com

p.s. If you feel so inclined, please don't hesitate to post a comment on the article's page in my defense, or in the defense of proper art criticism!

Caelum, this Friday!

2009-04-21T02:04:00.002-04:00

Temporary Portfolio is up!

2008-10-23T17:53:00.001-04:00

till I find the time to complete my website....

evinumen.com

Art show tomorrow!

2008-10-23T17:51:00.000-04:00

Trapped

2008-10-16T23:22:00.000-04:00

JennA

2008-10-10T14:22:00.002-04:00

Strip (work in progress)

2008-10-03T17:49:00.003-04:00

Recount

2008-10-03T17:48:00.001-04:00

Memory II

2008-10-03T17:46:00.001-04:00

Memory I

2008-10-03T17:44:00.001-04:00

Zoe Jakes

2008-07-07T00:15:00.000-04:00

Zoe at Union Pool, NYC

2008-06-30T23:35:00.000-04:00

Vikki

2008-06-23T02:43:00.000-04:00

of Hypnosis

click for larger

Vote for me!!!

2008-06-18T00:16:00.000-04:00

http://www.artistwanted.org/evi_numen

Evi Numen
Philadelphia, PA

Biography:
I'm based in Philadelphia, born in Athens, Greece, in 1983. I discovered photography in 2000 and it has become my primary personal and professional focus ever since. rnrnI'm interested in creating scenes, telling stories and highlighting characters. I'm very passionate about what I do and it consumes my every waking moment.

Portfolio: http://www.evinumen.com

I submitted two images from each of my projects to this competition in hopes of winning $2000 and an exhibit in New York. So please vote for me at http://www.artistwanted.org/evi_numen . You can vote once every 24 hours.

Thank you!!

Princess Farhana

2008-05-31T17:34:00.000-04:00

Princessfarhana.com

Mishaal

2008-05-28T02:41:00.002-04:00

This woman's performance blew my mind!

mishaal.com

TribalTique

2008-05-27T23:29:00.000-04:00

Blue Lotus Tribe

2008-05-27T15:39:00.000-04:00

Blue Lotus Tribe performed with Karim Nagi of Turbo Tabla:

Asharah

2008-05-27T15:18:00.000-04:00

asharah.com

Sashi

2008-05-27T15:17:00.000-04:00

and the finale:

ascendtribaldance.com/

Anaar

2008-05-23T14:29:00.000-04:00

Alyce

2008-04-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

Anna

2008-04-16T00:30:00.000-04:00

Kelly

2008-04-15T01:24:00.001-04:00

Sunny

2008-04-15T01:22:00.001-04:00

A selection from the belly dancer series

2008-04-11T00:20:00.002-04:00

Janet

2008-04-10T19:53:00.001-04:00

Chris & Jaz

2008-04-10T16:28:00.001-04:00

Toni

2008-04-10T16:26:00.002-04:00

Christiane of Ak'Ana

2008-03-25T01:09:00.002-04:00

click for larger

click for larger

Jaz

2008-03-24T01:01:00.001-04:00

Cerisa

2008-03-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

Harbinger

2008-03-22T17:50:00.000-04:00

click for larger

Robert & Tanya

2008-03-22T16:53:00.002-04:00

click for larger

Rachel B.

2008-03-05T12:02:00.001-05:00

The Blue Room (final version)

2008-03-02T17:16:00.000-05:00

Alyce

2008-02-23T14:17:00.001-05:00

Abstract

2008-02-22T20:35:00.001-05:00

Lupe

2008-02-20T14:13:00.002-05:00

model: Lupe La Loba

St. Francis de Salles

2008-02-05T23:45:00.000-05:00

Side building of the church.
Six different exposures shot at 9pm, 30" @ f5.6

Panoramas

2008-02-05T23:42:00.000-05:00

The view from my studio window.
Ten different exposures shot at 5pm, 13" @ f11.

The view from our roof.
Seven different exposures shot at 6pm, 20" @ f8.

The Blue Room (ii)

2008-01-30T00:05:00.001-05:00

The Blue Room

2008-01-23T23:42:00.000-05:00

This is the draft for the first psychological room image for the series I'm working on these days.

Nymph

2008-01-11T20:18:00.001-05:00

Blindfolded

2007-11-19T21:38:00.000-05:00

Wither

2007-09-22T02:32:00.000-04:00

Sunflower

2007-09-22T02:29:00.000-04:00

Lost

2007-09-22T02:28:00.000-04:00

Midsummer Daydream

2007-09-22T02:26:00.000-04:00

Retreat

2007-07-31T22:20:00.000-04:00

Bloom

2007-07-31T22:14:00.000-04:00

Colin in black and white

2007-06-19T18:14:00.000-04:00

visit his site: promethea.org

Colin

2007-06-07T16:12:00.001-04:00

click for larger

The Mirror (v.1)

2007-06-05T22:48:00.000-04:00

click for larger

model: Adrianne Anderson

Here is my first attempt at a cover illustration for Natalia Lincoln's first novel, The Mirror.
I really enjoyed doing this, I want to do more illustrations! (p.s. rates are reasonable)

Body show opening on May 2nd!

2007-04-26T01:04:00.000-04:00

Click for larger view.

Rebekah

2007-04-17T23:25:00.000-04:00

The Caretaker

2007-03-20T21:37:00.000-04:00

model: Davin

The Caregiver

2007-03-20T00:20:00.000-04:00

model: Davin

Naija Blue

2007-03-12T13:48:00.000-04:00

portfolio link

Robert

2007-03-12T13:46:00.000-04:00

Robert is a local actor and musician.

Valentine

2007-02-21T01:32:00.000-05:00

model: Sabrina

Untitled

2007-02-19T15:20:00.000-05:00

model: Sabrina

Patched

2007-02-12T02:26:00.000-05:00

model: Sabrina

A Matter of Self-Sufficiency II

2007-02-02T01:03:00.002-05:00

Unforgiving

2007-01-27T03:19:00.001-05:00

A Matter of Self-Sufficiency

2007-01-23T03:43:00.000-05:00

Sylvia

2007-01-04T15:11:00.000-05:00

Sylvia is an aspiring film director from Austria.

I shot this with my new lensbaby G3. Ingenious lens.
The blur effect gives a nice "fleeting memory" effect
to portraits that's delightfully impressionistic
without chanellind the cheesy soap opera dream sequence.

Happy holidays!

2006-12-27T00:05:00.000-05:00

Click for larger view

Lifeline

2006-12-21T02:46:00.001-05:00

model: Marquise Jynx

Silence

2006-12-21T02:46:00.000-05:00

model: Mo Pain

Nostalgia

2006-12-05T21:18:00.001-05:00

Corponeural

2006-11-23T22:03:00.000-05:00

model: Ivy Jane

Manscapes

2006-11-20T21:31:00.000-05:00

Folio v. 1

2006-11-03T02:57:00.001-05:00

Stiffled

2006-11-03T01:36:00.000-05:00

self-portrait

Desperate Times

2006-11-03T01:34:00.000-05:00

model: Io

Apparitions

2006-10-08T01:25:00.000-04:00

Group exhibit featuring the work of Vince Snyder, Dave Christman, Keith Minion, Evi Numen
Opening on Friday, the 13th of October, 2006
7.00-10.00 pm
@ The Gallery at Barone Studio,
on the corner of 7th & Arch, in Historic Perkasie, PA [directions]

I will be exhibiting 10 pieces from the esp series, including some you 've never seen before, featuring Mo Pain, Mikey Hell, Queen Ginny & Stoya. Come out and say hi, this will be an awesome show to see!

The Dance (Solo)

2006-09-15T20:40:00.000-04:00

the river
in my mind
flows into a room
dripping dry
till I fall into dreams
of music

2006-09-04T21:00:00.000-04:00

click above :)

Negative Exposure

2006-09-02T02:04:00.000-04:00

Sidenote

2006-07-22T00:18:00.000-04:00

I'm currently in the slow but, steady process of designing my personal website. When that is complete, this page will be moved to http://www.evinumen.com/blog

Cast Shadow

2006-07-19T05:18:00.000-04:00

According to Nadar, Honore de Balzac and a few others held a bizarre belief reffered to as the Theory of Spectres born as a side-effect of the emergence of automatic image-capturing; photography. Side-effect is a proper phrase for this theory that held that the human soul or character as a matter in fact is made up by layers and layers of thin veils, cast shadows if you will, that are stripped away witch each click of the shutter, till the subject becomes -well- a shadow of his former self.

Echoneural

2006-07-17T18:06:00.000-04:00

I believe that places have memory; marked by their inhabitants,
rooms echo voices lifted in anger or desire, steps dragged,
glances exchanged swiftly. They retain the sounds of past
incidents within mortar and brick, images to be revisited by the
careful listener.

Mirrors

2006-07-11T02:43:00.000-04:00

model: Queen Ginny

Images reflected in mirrors, endlessly, a copy after a copy. They are insufficient as they can never match the imagined, though, sometimes they surpass the expected. Nevertheless, the dissonance between the dream-image, the imagined, and the actual two-dimensional rendering of pixels or grain remains painfully evident to the image-maker...There's always more to accomplish, further to reach in the neverending quest for beauty and spirit.