Tony Worobiec
Introduction
Tony Worobiec trained as a Fine Artist and headed a large design faculty in Dorset for over 20 years. He has won awards for his work in the UK and internationally. He has exhibited at Londons Barbican Gallery and Bradfords National Museum of Photography.
Tony's philosophy
A founder member of Arena, Tony has always been passionate about working through extended personal projects.
His first published project, Rhythms of the Land, featured monochrome landscapes which focused primarily on the structure of the land and the rhythm it creates. The photographs range from the broad sweeping vistas of the North American landscape to the intimate details of the coastline near his Dorset home.
Tony is possibly better known for an extensive body of work which, in conjunction with his wife Eva, he sought to illustrate those parts of America which did not make it. Over a 6 year period, he travelled extensively in rural USA, particularly North and South Dakota, Montana and western Nebraska. In this empty, beautiful but often harsh and unforgiving landscape he photographed farms, ranches, schools, grain elevators, diners and trucks all in various stages of disrepair. All of Tonys images were shot on 6x7 medium format black and white film. Many of the images were then toned and carefully hand-tinted, very much in the manner of a 1950s postcard. This work, alongside his wife Evas more conventional full-colour work, was published by AAPPL. Ghosts in the Wilderness; Abandoned America evokes a nostalgic atmosphere seen by few Americans, and even fewer non-Americans, but recognised by us all. This ambitious publication was warmly reviewed by The Guardian and The Independent newspapers in the UK, The Washington Post and the German magazine Stern. Inspired by the figurative artist Edward Hopper and the American photographer Joel Meyerowitz, he is currently documenting the declining icons of small town America. Working exclusively in colour, he has methodically scoured the old highways in search of the dwindling glamour of many of the independent diners, motels, hotels, launderettes and theatres that still continue to survive despite the odds. This work, due to be published early in 2008, attempts to celebrate the iconic beacons which epitomize the American dream. All the photographs have been shot at dusk, or early dawn, in order to capture the visually compelling neon lighting.
Whilst Tony Worobiec steadfastly continues to work with scanned film, he warmly embraces the digital revolution. A regular feature writer for various magazines both here in the UK and the US, he has particularly sought to connect traditional darkroom workers with digital alternatives. He has also recognised that working digitally has opened many new avenues which allow the photographer to explore issues that could not have been contemplated using more traditional methods. A great admirer of the American pop artist Robert Rauschenberg, he particularly enjoys working with seemingly disparate images, often from different sources, to create new and visually challenging composites. Some of his influences also stem from abstract and folk art.