Philip Perkis, RECIPIENTS OF THE 2008 METTLE AWARD

NOMINATOR'S STATEMENT
Philip Perkis is a photographer, and last year something terrible and unexpected happened: he lost the vision in his left eye, his 'shooting eye'. He was very decidedly left-eyed, left everything and he realized, after this happened, that just about everything he likes to do involves seeing. Becoming monocular also meant losing his superior sense of spatial relations. Driving, using power tools, fishing, preparing food-- everything was affected. Depressing, very. What's strange is that he had just completed preparation for a monograph of his work (that represents his entire 50 year career) entitled "The Sadness of Men" when this happened. He felt the book to be his tombstone-- and that's before he lost the eye. However, Philip did not give up, he has been photographing daily since this occurred. Slowly he is learning to use his right eye. The results are very different. The images are very dark, simpler, and more emotionally raw than he had done before. One could say they 'go further'. A recent viewer called the new images "masterworks". A group of these new images was included in the exhibition that opened in February 2008 to coincide with the book's publication.  Philips mettle was tested, and he really showed his stuff and pulled through, spectacularly.

2007 The Mettle Award Recipient

2006 The Mettle Award Recipient

2005 The Mettle Award Recipient

2004 The Mettle Award Recipient