Don't Miss Craig Abell-Champion's Who Murdered Me? At Public Works

By Julia Weeman in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 17, 2012 9:00PM

Craig Abell-Champion has been creating hauntingly beautiful conceptual photography for over 20 years. The Los Angeles-based artist's work is described as "a series of shed skins marking… his passage from one life to the next." Currently a screenwriter and commercial director, he has been a surfer, a farmer, a sailor, a professional snowboarder, a navy recruit, and a singer for a heavy metal band. He also served as the cinematographer and co-photographer for Chicago-based design studio Ohio Girl, and co-founded the clothing company The Quiet Life.

Public Works' two-decade survey of Abell-Champion's work, entitled Who Murdered Me?, highlights his panoramic work. His use of camera shifts, light leaks, and double exposures gives the mix of colossal prints and intimate pieces an otherwordly feel. In this series of black and white photographs, Abell-Champion layers "pasts, presents, and alternate realities" to create work that seems to linger just beyond reality.

All proceeds from the show will be donated to help cover accrued medical and memorial expenses for Reggie Destin, a pillar of the Chicago skateboarding community who was tragically struck by a car while skateboarding in Wicker Park in October.

Who Murdered Me? runs through January 25 at Public Works Gallery, located at 1539 N. Damen Ave. in Wicker Park. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. or by appointment.