Photography of Peter Rodd on display this month at CCAC

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The “intentional camera movement” photography of photo artist Peter Rodd is on display at the Charles City Arts Center during June.

Rodd, born in England in 1955 and now living in Iowa City, is the current featured artist at the CCAC, and his exhibit will be on display through the end of the month.

“The show doesn’t really have a name, but if it did have one it would be ICM,” Rodd said. “That stands for intentional camera movement.”

Rodd said ICM is a style of photography where the photographer keeps the shutter open and deliberately moves the camera. It was made famous by Ernst Haas, an Austrian-American photojournalist and color photographer. During his 40-year career, Haas bridged the gap between photojournalism and the use of photography as a medium for expression and creativity.

Rodd said he has been greatly influenced by Haas’s work, as well as the work of Bill Brandt, Paul Hill, Rod Fry, Sebastião Salgado, Graciela Iturbide, and many others.

Rodd is self-taught, and said he was “the kid who was always bringing the camera along” on school trips. He is also interested in art, documentary and contemporary photography, among other styles. Some of those styles are featured at this month’s CCAC exhibit as well.

He came to Iowa City with his wife, who he met in Japan, and has been an Iowan since 2004.

“In my case, the photos turn into somewhat abstract photography,” Rodd said. “I do utilize a lot of white space, which was a technique I learned in Japan, so I’m bringing a bit of the orient to northern Iowa.”

He said empty spaces — what is called negative space — comes from the idea that you relieve your anxiety of the busy part with the empty space.

“We need the busy part, to be stimulated in life, but the quietude of the empty part is a place where we can relieve ourselves of the stress and anxiety,” Rodd said.

Rodd said he has visited the CCAC before and was drawn to it, so jumped at the opportunity when given the chance to exhibit there. He has held shows and exhibits all over the world, including Italy, England and Japan.

“Charles City is probably the smallest place I’ve had a photo exhibition,” Rodd said. “It’s small, but perfectly formed, and I think the arts center there is such a great space.”