David Sokosh: Olana Project
Nov 12-Jan 15, 2026
CREATE Offsite: Hudson Amtrak Station
69 S Front St, Hudson, NY 12534
ARTIST STATEMENT
Working in collaboration with The Olana Partnership and funded in part by an SCR through Create Council, David Sokosh presents three Cyanotype prints at the Hudson Amtrak Station as part of his “Olana Project.” The three images are collages combining various patterns and elements photographed at Olana and inspired by the Persian design of the Historic House.
“Olana Project” involves creating photographic art using the architecture, objects and landscape of Olana State Historic Site in Hudson, NY as subject. Images will be printed in the 19th century process of Cyanotype. Work has already begun, making photographs inside and outside the historic house and in the landscape.
By sharing pictures and information with the Hudson Valley community, I’ll show familiar features of Olana in new ways, reveal objects in the collection that are hiding in plain sight, share my experiences working on the project and express how the collection has relevance today.
An illustrated artist talk on November 14th, 2026 at Olana’s Wagon House and the talk will coincide with the publication of a zine relating to “Olana Project”.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
I am a photographer and filmmaker living in Columbia County, NY and have been a collector of antique objects for most of my life. My practice is deeply rooted in American Material Culture and Historic Photo Process. For over two decades, I have explored the art of handcrafted photography, combining 19th-century techniques with a contemporary sensibility, using vintage objects as subject. My work brings great things and ideas from the past into the present and tells their stories through still and motion photography.
I employ medium and large format cameras to shoot black-and white film, creating limited-edition prints using the historic process of Cyanotype. Expanding beyond traditional photo prints, I also create multimedia Cyanotype works, including artist books, photographic objects and videos (Cyanimation Moving Pictures).
My ongoing project, titled “Past/Present-Memory/Loss”, celebrates a passion for the decorative arts, historic process, typography and storytelling which drives me to create photographs that give the viewer a glimpse into a world of vintage objects and intriguing stories. The work can be humorous or upsetting, soothing or stimulating, telling stories of memory, isolation, desire, history and a love of beautiful things, all while exploring still-life photography as portrait/self portrait.
ARTIST BIO
David Sokosh is a photographer and filmmaker based in Columbia County, NY. He shoots on film and creates photographic prints using the 19th Century process of Cyanotype. He also produces Photographic Artist Books, Photographic Objects and Cyanimation Moving Pictures all using Cyanotype.
His ongoing project: “Past/Present-Memory/Loss” celebrates American Material Culture while exploring still-life as portrait/self-
portrait. The project consists of editioned cyanotype prints and a Photographic Artist Book.
He is currently photographing for his “Olana Project”, a study of the objects, architecture and landscape of Frederic Church’s Olana in Hudson, NY. This project has received funding through an SCR via Create, to produce a zine and artist talk, coming in November 2026.
Raised in Connecticut, Sokosh began taking pictures at an early age. He holds a BA in Photography from WCSU and received a 20×24 studio grant from the Polaroid Corporation.
His work has been included in: “Objects of Affection” at Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson, NY; “BluePrint of a Collection: Cyanotype Photographs by David Sokosh” solo show at Shelburne Museum, VT; “PhotoBookWorks 2023” at Spark Gallery, Denver, Colorado. Alicia Bailey of Abecedarian Artists’ Books Curator; “Exposure 2022” at PRC Boston Catherine Edelman Juror (review in the Boston
Globe).
Hudson Amtrak Station
69 S Front St
Hudson, NY 12534
Free to public
