I first encountered the work of Nik Cotten at Petaluma’s Slough City Studios in 2023. “Nik and Tiger (Brown’s) Art Show,” a collection of Cotten’s photography and flyers by Brown, was a part of the first wave of exhibits that has since secured the venue’s vibrant and risk taking reputation.
Cotten’s energizing presentation of black and white prints depicted gravity-defying skate tricks, euphoric crowds of punks and soulful portraits of his contemporaries in their natural habitat.
Having frequented the Phoenix Theater myself for the past 30 years, I picked up works featuring our patron saint, Tom Gaffey, as well as an image of what appears to be the precise moment before a skateboard was released into the photographer’s face.
Cotten’s comprehensive online photo portfolio goes further—demonstrating a natural aptitude for studio work and a journalistic eye for catching the moment at peak feeling.
There is speculation in the arts regarding the ways that new technologies have corrupted what was once a highly specialized form of image making. What is it now that sets a photographer apart from the every-person content generator armed with an iPhone?
While it’s generally agreed that camera phones can capture an award winning shot, I rely on photographers to tell the story of humanity and give context to our shared history. Cotten’s work does more than broadcast his likes and dislikes; it adds value to his interests by capturing the impact his subjects have on him.
Cotten’s work and photos by Matt Sharkey, Ando and Sean Dolinsky are on display at Jess Brown, 144 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Reception from 7 to 9pm, Saturday, March 29. Copies of ‘Nik Cotten: Black and White’ are available at Copperfield’s Books.
