Mirrors: Alex Kopps, Dana Shaw, Iris Robert, Kanoa Zimmerman, Lex Santos, Miles Jackler, Paul Ferraris, Perry Gershkow, and Stephen Amato-Salvatierra curated by David Muller

Eleanor Harwood Gallery is thrilled to continue our backroom gallery program where we hand over our small gallery space to the main gallery artist and allow them to curate an exhibition. Mirrors is the 4th exhibition curated by the artist exhibiting in the main space. The Opening Reception will be November 9th, 2024, 5-7 pm

Mirrors is a group exhibition curated by David Muller whose concurrent solo show, Between You and Me is in the main gallery. Mirrors features nine artists; Alex Kopps, Dana Shaw, Iris Robert, Kanoa Zimmerman, Lex Santos, Miles Jackler, Paul Ferraris, Perry Gershkow, and Stephen Amato-Salvatierra.

The artists are knit together by the geography of San Francisco’s Outer Sunset (the neighborhood by Ocean Beach, a surfing spot characterized by big waves and vicious undertow) and their collective love of the ocean. Many of the artists are surfers and are deeply entrenched in California surf subculture. The culture shares a sense of risk and aesthetic appreciation of the sea as well as a deep respect for the intrinsic smallness and fragility of “us”, both bodily and in relation to the massive scale of the ocean.

Muller’s criteria for the work selection was aimed at highlighting the “off cuts” or b-roll photos or stills that deviate from the artists’ typical, more commercially viable work. Mirrors includes images that celebrate the ephemeral nuances of accidental circumstances and unpredictable materials (such as expired/fried film).

Artist Statements & Bios

Alex Kopps
Alex lives in San Francisco and attended the California College of Arts. At CCA he focused on graphic design and painting while continuing to make and show fine art. Alex was introduced to filmmaking through the amateur Super8 and VHS movies as he made traveling and surfing. This eventually led to directing music videos, commercials, short documentaries, and other film-related work such as title design, motion graphics, and creative/art direction roles.
Alex has worked in many mediums including painting, drawing, photography, and a variety of filmmaking styles and techniques.

Dana Shaw
Shaw has been drawn to storytellers since he “was smaller than a stingray”, paying close attention to the verbal histories they keep, why they keep them, and how they are told.I like to make work that is cut from that cloth for brands and people who appreciate those subtleties. Stories that share the human sparkle we know and love. Whether it’s a commercial, a short-form film, or a feature documentary, that is the goal.

Miles Jackler
Born and raised in California, Miles is a child of the sea and a son of the mountains. His intentions with photography are to share a moment, to convey a feeling, and to do so with others. To share what he sees with you. Jackler seeks to capture the subtleties of common subjects and to find an alternate perspective. He enjoys working with like-minded artists and organizations to produce imagery that can tell a story and ignite the feelings of the journey to the viewer. For commissions and print inquiries –> milesjackler@gmail.com

Iris Robert
Iris Robert is a creative traveler, always chasing blue waters and perfect waves. She was born in San Francisco and has lived across the coasts and oceans. She began her journey into photography in college and continues to hone her craft by finding inspiration in sunrises, coastal textures, and empty beaches, as well as testing out new techniques.

Kanoa Zimmerman
Kanoa Zimmerman’s work explores the underwater ocean environment, our interaction with it, and its illusionary effects on our perceptions. As a child, he was exposed early to snorkeling, a favored activity shared with his parents in Hawai’i. The family also spent time in Iowa studying and practicing meditation, which enriched his understanding of and experiences with free diving. As Kanoa says, “I’ve had overlapping experiences with free diving and meditation. The repetition of breathing and diving has a calming effect. There is a dreamlike quality to being underwater, a feeling of being removed from yourself.” Kanoa attended The New School University in New York and the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. He has exhibited in Honolulu, San Francisco, New York, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne, Osaka, Fukuoka and Tokyo. Kanoa lives and works in San Francisco.

Lex Santos
Lex Santos is an analog photographer who studied Photography at SJSU and was too much of an introvert to show work in galleries or participate in group shows when younger. Fast forward to his thirties, while living in San Francisco was finally nudged to show photos in group shows. Current work focuses on the minorities of Ocean Beach, the San Francisco surf scene, and the natural environment. All photos are taken with Nikonos II and V cameras shot with various 35mm film stocks.

Paul Ferraris
Paul Ferraris is a San Francisco-based surfer, photographer, and filmmaker. Spending his youth in the gritty culture of downtown Los Angeles, Paul later became an educator to teach inner-city kids in the arts. When not in the classroom, Paul takes his film cameras worldwide to document the ever-changing world of surf culture. His work has appeared in Surfer, The Surfer’s Journal, and exhibited at Mollusk Surf Shop.

Perry Gershkow
Cinematographer and director Perry Gershkow was raised exploring and adventuring in Marin County, CA, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. From an early age, Perry formed a love and curiosity for the outdoors that would later develop into a career. Since his early foundations in surf filmmaking, Perry has been exceptional at capturing beautiful imagery through the use of light and framing. In branded and documentary production, Perry has maintained the authenticity and understanding of subject and nature that shines in much of his local and international work.

Stephen Amato-Salvatierra
Stephen Amato-Salvatierra is a sailor and surfer based out of San Francisco. Drawn towards the ephemeral fringes where land and water meet, he can often be found in or near the waters of San Francisco and beyond with a camera in hand.

Please Visit The Eleanor Harwood Gallery Website to View the Show