For Immediate Release    Contact:

 

Thursday, December 11, 2008    Lorraine Oback

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“My Neighbors: A photographic tribute to the smaller side of Silicon Valley business”

 

Photo Portrait Exhibit Opens at San Jose’s King Library

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. — An aura of pride in accomplishment emanates from the assembled photographic portraits currently on exhibit on the second floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library (150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose). The images convey both the cultural and occupational diversity of small business owners in the region of downtown San Jose anchored by the Adobe Towers. Proprietors of Chinese, Thai, East Indian, African, Australian and European descent gaze with self-assurance at the viewer; behind them a hint of the services they provide, be it a café, salon, auto repair, tattoo parlor, jeweler or gallery.

 

      The purpose of the exhibit is conveyed in its title—“My Neighbors: A photographic tribute to the smaller side of Silicon Valley business.” The exhibit, photographed and mounted by downtown San Jose resident Joe Claus, seeks to reveal the side of business that is so easily forgotten. In his words, the photos represent “niche businesses that, in the shadow of San Jose's massive corporations, provide local people with the localized services they need.” In his quest to capture the essence of his neighborhood, he found these businesses to be the perfect starting point. If there is an overall message, it would be that hard work and perseverance pays off in the end.

 

      These black and white photographs represent a growing monograph that consists of more than 100 photographs. Captured on film with a medium format camera, 150 mm lens, Fuji NEOPAN 400 film, tripod, and a cable release, they are printed in a variety of sizes: from 30 X 30 inches to 5 X 5 inches.

 

      “My Neighbors” will be on view through the end of January 2009 and accessible during all library hours: Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; Monday – Wednesday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Hours will expand somewhat when San Jose State University’s spring semester begins, late January.

 

About the Photographer

 

Joe Claus was born in South San Jose in 1975. He currently resides in downtown San Jose while working in the Bay Area. He graduated from San Jose State University in December of 2007 with a B.A. in Photography and a B.A. in Design. The exhibit represents his first monograph entitled "My Neighbors: A Tribute to the Smaller Side of Silicon Valley Business." Claus’ work has been published in JPGmag, Lightleak, and Reed magazines. Additional exhibit credits include Kaleid and Works Galleries. In 2009, the artist plans to continue photographing "My Neighbors," seeking funding through grants, fellowships and sponsorships to advance "My Neighbors and host exhibitions at local venues.

 

About the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

 

The 475,000 sq. ft., eight-story library stands proudly on the northwest corner of the San José State University campus, symbolizing a tangible link between town and gown. Its unique and innovative collaboration—the first of its kind between a major city and university—provides a richness of opportunities for lifelong learning that makes it an educational hub for the downtown area, the City of San Jose and indeed, the entire South Bay region.

 

 

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