Bruce Giffin

Photographer, Kresge Fellow in the Visual Arts 2011. Former Metro Times photographer. Bruce has probably explored more of Detroit than any other photographer.

Painted Ladies: Detroit Style by Bruce Giffin.

Somewhere in Detroit: Vinnie's Hamburger Stand by Bruce Giffin.

Current exhibition

2020 All Media Exhibition, juried by Hubert Massey, at Detroit Artists Market. Opened January 17 and slated to run to February 15.

Upcoming exhibitions

Various plans.

Past exhibitions

All Media Exhibition at Detroit Artists Market. January 18, 2019 – February 16, 2019.
The Auto Show, with Bob Beras at Hatch Art. January 5 – 26, 2019.
Art4Detroit6 at the Swords into Plowshares Peace Center and Gallery. October 26, 2018 – December 30, 2018.
2018 Biennial All Media Exhibition at Detroit Artists Market. April 27, 2018 – May 26, 2018.
Detroit! We Ain't Dead Yet at the Boll Family YMCA in Detroit. September 7, 2017 – ??? ??, 2017.
With Bowen Kline at Galerie Camille. January 20, 2017 – February 4, 2017.
Art4Detroit4 at the Swords into Plowshares Peace Center and Gallery. October 28?, 2016 – December 30, 2016.
...probably missing a few...
Greetings from Detroit: Wish You Were Here at Detroit Artists Market. July 29, 2016 – August 27, 2016.
With Donita Simpson and Amy Sacka at the Boll YMCA. April 7, 2016 – ??? ??, 2016.
Exploring the Figure at Janice Charach Gallery. January 10, 2016 – February 18, 2016.
...I feel like I'm missing a few of his recent exhibits...
Actual Size Biennial 2015 at Atrium Gallery. December 12, 2015 – January 23, 2016.
313 by Seven with Jim Aho, Alex Alexander, Judi Bommarito, Felecia Hunt-Taylor, Ralph Jones and Jenny Risher at the Boll Family YMCA. August 5, 2015.
in the blink of an eye at Live Coal Gallery. June 5, 2015 – July 24, 2015.
Abstraction: Artist | Viewer | Dialog at Detroit Artists Market, May 1 – 30, 2015.
A Tribute to Rosa Parks & Gilda Snowden at Live Coal Gallery, January 16, 2015 – February 6, 2015.
If You Build It They Will Come at Detroit Artists Market, August 1 – 29, 2014.
313 A celebration of Detroit's 313th birthday at Detroit Artists Market. June 6, 2014 – July 12, 2014.
Capture: A Dialogue Between Paintings & Photographs at Corktown Studios. February 15 – 22, 2014.
...a few more...
Detroit: The Geometry of Time, with Bruce Giffin and Jef Bourgeau at the Museum of New Art, May 18, 2013 – June 22, 2013.
...many more going back years...

External links

Kresge Fellowship profile page

News

Kate Wells, "Detroit after dark: a photographer, his dog, and a pickup truck", Michigan Radio, September 11, 2013.

Reviews

Michael H. Hodges, "Swords into Plowshares hosts Detroit art exhibit", The Detroit News, October 28, 2016. "In the front of the gallery, Bruce Giffin’s extra-large portraits of ordinary Detroiters read like a visual essay in income inequality. Particularly likable is “Kyriaki,” in which a wizened, older woman demonstrates plucky sartorial style, despite clearly being down on her luck."
Michael H. Hodges, "Midtown art shows puts the Motor City into persepective", The Detroit News, August 10, 2016. "Bruce Giffin’s “Michigan Central Depot” is a moody black-and-white shot of Detroit’s train station beneath an unruly sky."
Michael H. Hodges, "Show at Artists Market features pop colors, elegance", The Detroit News, May 13, 2015. "Mutely expressive, as well, is one of the few photographs in the show — Bruce Giffin’s “Blackboard Jungle,” a subtle, intriguing essay in geometry and color."
Jim Welke, "Detroit: The Geometry of Time, at MONA", artifizz, May 30, 2013. "All of the images share a deep-focus documentary feel. Looking at these pictures, you do not get the sense that Mr. Giffin goes for shots that make things appear other than what they are. He does not seem to play around with shallow depth of field to blur backgrounds (or foregrounds, for that matter), or tweak the contrast or grain much. I’m guessing the man who shot these images does not often refer to himself as an artist. (Although I think he knows better.)"