MOCA Studio Practice: Pinhole Camera Photography with Tanner Pletzke

Interested in film photography, but totally mystified by the process? Do you hear your friends talking about film cameras, but don't really get the hype? Alongside viewing MOCA’s current exhibition, MOMENTS IN TIME: Defining Moments in the History of Photography, taking this class may answer some of those questions for you and leave you wanting more!

Pinhole cameras are some of the earliest recorded "machines" used to record images. Using nothing more than a light-tight container with a piece of light-sensitive material inside and a glass-free pin hole as a lens, you can create a lasting image of a moment in time. Pinhole cameras exploit the peculiar nature of light as a material to create a permanent "shadow" on a highly precise and sensitive piece of photo paper. This shadow, or negative, can then be used to create a positive image - a black-and-white photograph higher in detail than most digital cameras for a fraction of the price.

In this class, groups of students will construct a pinhole camera in class. Groups will set up their cameras in the windows of the MOCA classrooms while Pletzke teaches exposure basics and explains what's happening inside. At the end of the class students will develop their negatives to reveal the shadow of the image they just took. This class is recommended for high-school students and adults.

Studio Practice is a monthly series of hands-on, practical art classes where students of all levels learn to create in varying media with the instruction of a local artist. Open to adults and teens in the company of an adult.

MOCA Members $10* | UNF Students, Faculty, and Staff $10 | Non-Members $20Supplies are included

If you would like to claim the MOCA Member discount, and additional perks such as complimentary parking and invites to exclusive events, !

*The MOCA Member price does not include NARM and SEMC reciprocal members. Reciprocal members receive free general admission at MOCA Jacksonville.

Questions? Contact [email protected] and to get in contact with someone the day of the event, please reach out to MOCA Guest Relations at .

SPACE IS LIMITED. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

About Tanner Pletzke
Raised in South Florida, Tanner Pletzke attended engineering school in Boston before briefly living in Jacksonville, Florida, with his sister. Fascinated by the revelations of nature that an engineering degree brings but disillusioned by job prospects in defense or mass production, he started a career shortly thereafter in Los Angeles as a video producer. Creative ambitions always brewed beneath the surface, and the relative silent existence borne out of the pandemic of 2020 allowed Pletzke to explore the film photography medium and visual art unencumbered.

It was not until his move to New York City in 2021 to freelance in the creative field that his explicitly artistic craft gained traction in earnest. Memories of the lonely, primordial biomes of Florida and California sublimated with the human frenzy of New York post-pandemic in Pletzke's visual contributions to musical performances at EMPAC in Rensselaer, New York. Frequent cross-country road travel begat frenetic photographic collages from the interior, which sparkled in photo-sculptural solo shows in Brooklyn.

Increasing connections to artists from the East Coast scene spun into avant-garde photo gigs in Berlin and travels across greater Europe. These frequent travels allowed Pletzke to produce his largest pieces, his "parabolas:" curved, backlit gossamer panoramic photographic collages which invite the viewer to step inside and share the same viewpoint as the artist in the moment of creation.

Now, re-settled in Jacksonville permanently, Pletzke has focused on percolating new ideas borne out of the North Florida social-biological environment and its constituent artists at CoRK and beyond. Recent works skew towards the grungy, revealing the process of creation as well as the viewpoint. Works have changed in scale from region-spanning panoramas of cities to the smaller, micro-world of endemic flowers and insects blown up to massive proportions. His practice features home-processed film and prints as a foundation, but increasingly encroaches into sculpture, with a focus on the written word as tactile object and direct connection to memory - a transcendent piece of Pletzke's artistic puzzle being his years-spanning memoirs, often used as a backdrop and context to photographic pieces on display. Pletzke types these stream-of-consciousness recollections onto rolls of butcher paper, hanging works from the ceiling and inviting audiences to make of one man's life what they will.

About MOCA

Located in the heart of historic Downtown, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville is one of the city’s most significant cultural assets. As the oldest art museum in Northeast Florida and one of the first contemporary art museums to be established in the United States, MOCA is focused on promoting the discovery, knowledge, and advancement of the art, artists, and ideas of our time.

Among the most prominent contemporary art museums in the Southeast, MOCA’s exhibitions and programs set the pace for arts and art-integrated programming on a regional and national stage. Renowned in this community, MOCA casts the spotlight on Jacksonville as a burgeoning, vital arts destination.

The museum is also a cornerstone of Jacksonville’s multibillion-dollar downtown revitalization plan with exhibitions and programs that bring new visitors to the civic core during the day, at night, and on weekends.

MOCA JACKSONVILLE PROGRAM CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

At MOCA Jacksonville, we understand that plans can change. We strive to accommodate the needs of our guests while ensuring that our events and programs continue to run smoothly for everyone involved.

Cancellation by the Guest:

• More than 2 days before the program: Full refund available minus Eventbrite ticketing fee.

• 1-2 days before the program: Refund requests must be sent to museum contact.

• Less than 24 hours before the program: Refunds are not available.

Rescheduling:

• Guests may request to be rescheduled to a later program, subject to availability, with no penalty if done more than 2 days in advance of their program.

Cancellation by MOCA Jacksonville:

• MOCA Jacksonville reserves the right to cancel any event due to unforeseen circumstances or events beyond our control. In such cases, a full refund or rescheduling option will be offered.

Notification:

• All cancellations or rescheduling requests must be made in writing to our Education Department at [email protected]. Please include your event details and contact information for prompt processing.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with our cancellation policy. Our goal is to provide a seamless experience for all our guests and patrons.

MOCA JACKSONVILLE MEMBERSHIP TICKET POLICY

Ticket Allocation:

• Individual Members: Individual members are entitled to reserve or purchase one (1) member ticket for each event or program in which a member level ticket is offered.

• Dual Members and above: Dual level memberships and above are entitled to reserve or purchase two (2) member tickets per event for each event or program in which a member level ticket is offered.

• Avant Garde Circle Members and above: Members at this level and above are entitled two (2) free tickets to one program of their choice per year. Contact Development at [email protected] to reserve.

Membership Level Association

• Your membership level is directly associated with your ticket privileges. We encourage you to explore the various levels of membership to find the one that best suits your cultural interests and event attendance desires.

• Donor Circle Members may request additional event and program tickets by contacting the Development Department at [email protected].

• Your membership number may be required to complete certain reservations. This can be found printed on your membership card. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance locating your membership number.

Policy Adherence:

• We kindly ask that all members adhere to the ticket allocation policy. This ensures fairness and opportunity for all members to participate in our exclusive events.

Ticket Transfer:

• Tickets are non-transferable and are intended for use by the member(s) registered under the membership account. Identification may be required at the event entrance to match our membership records.

Enjoyment for All:

• Our policy is designed to maximize enjoyment for all our members. We believe in the power of art to connect, inspire, and engage our community.

We thank you for your understanding and for being an integral part of MOCA Jacksonville. Your support as a member allows us to continue offering a diverse range of events and programs.

Please feel free to reach out to our membership services team at [email protected] if you have any questions or need further clarification on your membership benefits.

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