“BALKOWITSCH” Documentary To Screen At Human Rights Film Festival at Heritage Center
The feature length documentary “Balkowitsch” will screen at the 2019 North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival. The film will screen in Bismarck, North Dakota on Saturday, November 2 at 7 p.m. at the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum. Directors Greg DeSaye and Chelsy Ciavarella will participate in question and answer session following the screening.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11929442/
Everyone has a purpose, but most spend their lives searching. For one man, his purpose came late in life and has been fueled with passion, spreading like wildfire across the prairies and now spanning the world.
Shane Balkowitsch has found his voice through the lost art of wet plate photography. He is archiving history, preserving bloodlines and capturing his visions in silver on glass for future generations.
"Brothers" Native American Bison Captured Wet Plate Collodion with Allan Demaray
"Mideegaadi" with Allan Demaray captured in the historical wet plate collodion process of silver on glass. The word for bison in Hidatsa is Mideegaadi. Different tribes on the plains have their own words to describe the sacred animals. I have also been informed that the word “Buffalo” is being used improperly to describe these animals in North America. Bison is the proper terminology and that is how I will refer to from them from this day forward.
Last year I chased the wild herd on the open plains for 8 hours at Standing Rock. The shot eluded me and I always knew I needed revisit the thoughts in my head. As I tell the college students when the visit my studio every year, "Do whatever it takes to get the shot, the final image in whatever form is all that matters". I applied that ideology yesterday.
Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm lens, f11, 3 seconds of exposure outside my studio in natural light, 8x10" black glass ambrotypes.
My bond with my brother Allan Demaray is becoming stronger every time we create together. My good friend Tom Wirtz was on hand to assist on the set and he also took some behind the scene images of our adventure together.
Tokeya Waci U Richardson the Great Great Great Grandson of Sitting Bull in Wet Plate
The Great Great Great Grandson of Sitting Bull, Tokeya Waci U Richardson "Comes Dancing First", Oglala Lakota / Haliwa-Saponi, for my series "Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective".
8x10” black glass ambrotype, Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm lens, f4.5, naturally light through Northern facing windows and skylights, 10 seconds of exposure.
Visit his artist page below:
https://youtu.be/bN0C9WvmM-A
"The Throne of Gods" A Wet Plate Collodion Collaboration
"The Throne of Gods" a wet plate collaboration took place at the State Library in Bismarck on July 20th, 2019. Over 45 collaborators came together for the day to recreated Zeus on his throne with his gods. Shane Balkowitsch, Ambrotypist from Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio in Bismarck was the resident photographer for the shoot.
THE THRONE OF GODS
A Wet Plate Collaboration
July 20th, 2019
Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio
at the North Dakota State Library, Capitol Grounds
Bismarck, North Dakota
Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio, Shane Balkowitsch, Ambrotypist
LIST OF COLLABORATORS
Cast:
Derek Harper (Zeus)
Steve Schirber (Poseidon)
Greyson Balkowitsch (Mercury)
Ben Pace (Pan)
Amber Sams (Medusa)
Pat Toepke (Cronos)
Bonnie Balkowitsch (Metis)
Abby Balkowitsch (Calliope)
Michele Oster Renner
Sharon Balkowitsch
Gregory Schmidt
Mahliya Balkowitsch (Cherub)
Alyvia Balkowitsch (Cherub)
Alex Nelson (Eileithyia)
Tricia Romanyshyn
John LaLonde
Winona Clarice (Artemis)
Emily Brandt
Support Staff:
Marek Dojs, Director
Michele Oster Renner, Wardrobe
Tom Wirtz, Assistant w/ Camera
Ivy Brown Jacobson, Hair
Jason Lueder, Master Carpenter
Mike LaLonde, Photography
Moira McNichols, Make-up
Chad Nodland, Head Photographer
Paul Noot, Painter & Art Direction
Dustin White, Writer & Poet
Laine Pope, Medusa Headdress
Kimberly Reuer, Assistant
Rissa Williams, Cloud Design
Andrea Fagerstrom, Art Consultant
Laura Barker, Tent and Assistant Marcus Johnson, Photography
Troy Balzer, Photography
Melanie Kuntz Malsam, Make-up
Phillip Litton, Videographer
Lance Loken, Set Assistant
Chelsy Ciavarella, Videographer
Greg DeSaye, Videographer
Michael Stevenson, Harp & Costumes
Steve Schirber, Blacksmith
Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm lens, f11, 2.5 seconds of exposure, 8x10” black glass ambrotype in the historic wet plate collodion process of pure silver on glass, Alessandro Gibellini camera called “Red Molly”.
Congresswoman Deb Haaland Captured in Wet Plate Collodion by Shane Balkowitsch
Congresswoman Debra Haaland, “Crushed Turquoise”, Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico’s 1st District, captured in the historic wet plate collodion process of pure silver on glass. This was one of the most important honors of my photographic journey. She traveled very far to be part of “Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective”. She arrived as a stranger and left as a friend.
This plate will be indefinitely archived at the North Dakota Historical Society here in Bismarck. A second plate will go to New Mexico’s Historical Society as well.
8x10” black glass ambrotype, Carl Zeiss Tessar 300mm lens, f4.5, 9 seconds of exposure, natural light through Norther facing windows and skylight. Thank you Margaret Gonzalez-Yellowbird for being by my side and assisting with this historic series of plates.
A quote by the Congresswoman in the front of the "Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective":
“Shane’s work shines on its artistic merit and for its collaborative
nature. It is genuine and enthusiastic on a human level. For the folks
of many different Indian tribes who sit for his portraits, and who often
become his life-long friends, Shane builds lasting rapport. It is this
rapport, and the importance of honest collaboration between people
of different cultures, that is so vital for our country and is at the heart of
moving forward as a nation. I strive to emulate the rapport that Shane
has achieved in his art in the work I’m doing in Congress. Shane’s
photographs are not only beautiful, they convey the best example
of good people working together to achieve something great.”
March 21st, 2019, Congresswoman Debra A. Haaland
After some reflection, I have determined that this plate, plate #3194 which is plate #319 for my series "Northern Plains Native Americans: A Modern Wet Plate Perspective" will go to the State Historical Society of North Dakota permanently. It has always been my goal to give my best work to our state archive. I also received confirmation from Congresswoman Deb Haaland that this was also her favorite plate of the day. Cementing for me this important decision.
As I stated in my speech on Sunday: "I can make all the work in the world but without their expertise and commitment to curation, this series would be scattered to the wind by time."
I still have to determine which plate to donate to the Congresswoman's Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections in New Mexico. Providing an original plate to her Historical Society is a promise I made to her months ago.
I will then gift a plate to our lady and will keep one for my wall to share with visitors to my natural light studio. It will be displayed with pride and serve as a reminder of our time together. All four plates will be shared and accounted for.
Thank you Chad Nodland and Chris Hagen (High Plains Reader) for capturing these behind the scene images.
