The Alternative Press

This summer’s show at the Paterson Museum will be an exhibition of photographs presented by

        Bob Cantius… On exhibit will be images from his “Paterson Portfolio”; images from the inner-city

        going back to 1967. Paterson, N.J. is Bob’s hometown, where he grew up and was inspired to

        start photographing as an Artist in 1967, and continued that work up to 2002.

 

        Bob’s work overlapped with a contemporary, George Tice (another N.J. artist).. who also photo-

        graphed there in the late 60’s… …in concert and comparison, Bob’s work has involved many

        close-up hours and years within the Paterson inner-city environs; engaging with the people there,

        sharing  the hope and potentials of life in the rapid transition of Paterson on a daily basis.

        Bob’s inner-city work (inc. other cities) has continued and increased in depth over the past 40

        years. There are many portraits included in this “Paterson Portfolio” making “connections”

        and “juxtapositions” related to “filmic concepts” (cinematic). Bob studied at the NYU Film

        Institute as a filmmaker and writer where he received a Masters Degree in 1967… he also

        describes how his undergraduate studies at Montclair State University in Fine Arts helps him

        complete the “concept, content and composition” … “an artistic communication evolving

        within a personal “gestalt” and as a direct  tactile experience… and as Bob explains it ; into

        an “anthropological, photographic Artistic expression of time and place… as the photo-

        graphic  medium “reveals and opens to us the passions of human perception and interaction”

 

       Paterson, N.J. (once “the Great Silk City”) was founded as the “first industrial city” in America

       by Alexander Hamilton; and as has  many Northeastern cities in America, has gone through

       many difficult and drastic changes, as the manufacturing industries departed to the South and

       overseas…but …the people stay, stand and remain…the communities face new and severe difficulties,

       and the people are constant; and always resourceful with daily “solving” and always creating new

        hope and ways, for their families, neighborhoods, streets and cities. Paterson’s  “downtown”

       district continues to evolve and still remains (as Bob remembers it from his growing up) the

       “gathering” and “communal” place and focus for the people of this ”hometown” …

 

        Bob Cantius’ interest in inner-city life and “photographic/ anthropological” studies has extended

        beyond Paterson, N.J. including cities like Holyoke, Springfield and Turners Falls, Ma. … and

        including other Northeastern cities including Trenton and Newark, N.J. and Scranton, Pa.

 

        Bob is also a writer of “screenplays”, short plays and poetry …He is currently forming a group

        of “players and writers”; theater and video people in the Brattleboro, Vt. area to develop the

        production of a series of filmic/theater pieces he potentially defines as hometown stories”.

 

        Bob Cantius is a very active exhibiting member of the Vermont Center for Photograph and

        a continuing exhibitor at the Hooker Dunham Gallery, both in Brattleboro Vt. ….

 

 

        Bob can be contacted at : rcantius@verizon.net   [Web Site]  www.streetwisepic.com  (copy-righted)