Reviews of "Fallen Trees" artist's book:
Photo-eye Gallery blog post, by Anne Kelly and Jovi Esquivel.
https://blog.photoeye.com/2023/02/new-work-by-kevin-oconnell.html
Through his lens, O'Connell explores the concept of Mono No Aware, a Japanese aesthetic that recognizes the transience of all things and the sadness of their passing. In his photos, the fallen trees embody the fleeting nature of life, reminding us of the delicate balance between growth and decay. Alongside this, O'Connell also captures the essence of Yūgen, a subtle and profound awareness of the universe that sparks a feeling of wonder and mystery. His work invites the viewer to contemplate the larger forces of nature and our place within it, inspiring a sense of reverence and awe.
The World of Fallen Trees by Gabriel Rosenstock, in Tuairisc Irish language newspaper.
Wikipedia has a long article entitled If a Tree Falls in a Forest because it relates to a difficult question raised by the (supposedly) Irish philosopher George Berkeley: if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound at all? I'll leave it to you to figure out that tough question for yourself: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_a_tree_falls_in_a_forest
I once attended a lecture given by Caoimhín MacGiolla Leigh on the Diranean and if I understand it correctly, Berkeley's reflections had such an effect on the poet that it appeared to him that Árann did not exist at all and would not until that he himself would be present to confirm that he was there for the place. . . and even then, can one be sure? Is there really anything solid? There was an Indian philosopher, UG Krishnamurti, who claimed that he himself did not exist at all. The mind is just a myth!https://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/UG-Krishnamurti-Mind-is-a-myth.pdf
Photographer Kevin M O'Connell would probably say that there must be trees, fallen or standing, if he is able to photograph them. He self-published this delightful book, the book of felled trees.
By Jonathan Blaustein, In Sunshine and Olly photography blog.
The opening essay is terrific. Clean, poetic, intelligent writing, setting the scene as dense, lush forests in the Pac Northwest.
Purchase "Fallen Trees" here:
https://www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm?catalog=ZK241&i=&i2=
Purchase "Inundation" here:
www.photoeye.com/bookstore/citation.cfm
Reviews for "Inundation" artist's book:
Review of "Inundation" exhibit at Robischon Gallery by Michael Paglia, August 2016:
"The prints are technically fine, as you might expect from O’Connell, and you’ll find yourself marveling at the effects he’s able to achieve. It looks like he’s painted over the photos in places, as the images seem layered. But trust me, he hasn’t."
www.westword.com/arts/review-environmental-issues-at-robischon-and-michael-warren-galleries-8183955
Review of "Inundation" exhbit at Robischon Gallery by Cori Anderson, August 2016:
"...O’Connell created a six-minute abstract video with sounds that you would hear by the water and underwater. The passing images and listening to the gurgles and bubbles creates a sensation of swimming or drowning. O’Connell accompanied this exhibition with a poetic text he wrote himself, the first line of it being, “I dreamt of the ocean. There was no gentleness—only ferocity.” ...these photographs—which appear like paintings very close up—will demand a visceral reaction from you."
303magazine.com/2016/08/sea-sky-robischon-gallery/
Review of "Memories of Water" at Robischon Gallery by Michael Paglia, October 2014:
"There's an extremely elegant simplicity to these photos, as might be expected, given the subject of flat land and flat water. Heightening the minimalism is the fact that many are large."
www.westword.com/arts/review-our-vulnerable-western-landscape-stars-in-two-solo-shows-at-robischon-6050592
Santa Fe New Mexican, on "Everything Comes Broken", February 2014:
www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/art/gallery_openings/lovely-detritus-ugly-innovation-kevin-o-connell-evaluates-the-nation/article_9326324a-eeae-58de-b37a-7de901f66896.html
Interview at photoeye Gallery, February 2014:
vimeo.com/86935758
"Asking Questions" Jackalope Magazine, February 2014
"His images of one such (wind) farm brings the viewer all the way from the edge of the plains into the nuts and bolts of a wind turbine, all within the aesthetic of a soft pastel color palette. In addition, ...O’Connell has included two looped video installations of wind turbines in action including their unique sound."
jackalopemagazine.com/2014/02/20/asking-questions/
Public Radio Interview, August 2009:
https://www.cpr.org/search/?s=kevin%20o%27connell
Gallery Guide for Everything Comes Broken at Museum of Contemporary Art Denver: