Momentum Artist: Kurt Nagy

Kurt Nagy, Oklahoma City
Do I Dare
Pinhole Photography
Q: What was your concept behind your work?
KN: To be honest, the main concept behind my work was to get a properly exposed negative the first time. Ha! Pinhole photography, similar to other alternative processes, sometimes involves several attempts before success. The upside to this is you can get some very happy “mistakes: in the process that you end up loving more than your initial plan.

Q: Explain the technique and/or process you used for the piece.
KN: This particular piece began with the building of the camera used to take the picture. The great thing about pinhole photography is that you're involved through the entire process; building a unique camera, determining (or sometimes guessing) exposure and spending time in the darkroom developing/printing. Sometimes when using a standard 35mm, especially with autofocus, I feel like I've just cheated; I didn't really work for the results.

Momentum Tulsa 2009 includes visual art by artists aged 30 and younger. The exhibition is free and open at Living Arts, 307 E Brady, Tulsa, until October 24. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Sunday 1-5 pm, until 9 pm on Thursday and Friday.

Curators Scott Perkins & Frank Wick selected 93 artworks by 66 artists from all over the state for the exhibition. Also, three Spotlight artists created bodies of work on display, Nick Bayer, Dustin Boise, and Emily Kern. Intern Ashley Romano interviewed the artists to learn about their creative process. Watch for more profiles throughout the run of the exhibition.