Gallery Opening, Essay 1

Jennifer Mann

ENC 1102   31^st Annual College-wide Photography Competition

Essay # 1 – Gallery Critique (edited to make essay fit within this box, indents show new paragraphs, conclusion starts with Overall)

 “Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created.  It is a major force in explaining man to man.”

Edward Steichen

 Scene: Gallery opening at Kent Campus, expectation: feeling of hope in this year’s photography selections, and view: joy and some shock.  This year’s gallery opening was a drastic change from last year, some good and some bad.  There was a stirring of emotion from some of the viewers of the various works of art and their chosen portrayals.  There were some that showed nature’s true beauty, some that evoked raw feelings due to recent tragic events, and some that played to a more novelty sense of life.  

              John Shippee excelled in the area of portraying nature’s true beauty.  His work “Cemetary Beach” was awe-inspiring.  The use of natural lighting from a storm on the horizon captured the details of the fallen trees with simplistic elegance.  The way that the dead trees lay on the beach is as if they were placed there by a machine, neatly lined up in some areas but then draped over one another is truly majestic.  The color of the sky is a stormy blue with grey and white puffy clouds as if they were painted for the perfect background to the beach.  John Shippee also had “The Coming Storm” on display.  The blue, grey, orange, yellow and white in the sky look as though there were brushed on and meet the ground so effortlessly.  Nature’s fury can be seen if you look very closely within the darkness of the clouds.  I can imagine being on the beach watching the lightning dance off the water and watching this awesome storm rolling in.  The air is probably thick with electricity and the wind is whistling warning all to clear the way of its vicious wrath. 

              “Paralyzed” by Susan Tassin struck a raw nerve within me and I am sure many others upon being viewed.  The recent tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut that claimed the lives of twenty children, six adult staff members and the shooter’s own mother makes me wonder why anyone would choose to depict such a violent image.  The sheer terror that is on the woman’s face as a gun is held there is not one I would hope to see on anyone now or in the future.  Seeing this image sparked immediate anger and rage that was almost blinding.  I cannot imagine why anyone would want to depict such an image especially so close to a horrific tragedy.   Using guns in a violent manner is not a form of art in my world, although violent images are widely viewed in many media outlets and are one of the most widely viewed on the internet. 

              “Dark Life Web” by Piere Weber made me think of a trilogy of books I have read recently, “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E L James.  At first glance you see a dream catcher with chains hanging down, upon further inspection the true nature of this photograph comes out.  At the center is a small masquerade mask and the chains actually have little handcuffs attached at their ends, this seems as a bow to the darker side of life or kinkier if you so choose.  Within the books by E L James, the characters are thrust into the BDSM community, but privately and the female role does wear a mask and is restrained with handcuffs.    “Other Bag”, also by Piere Weber, shows a bag of goodies for the naughtier side of life.  Ropes, handcuffs, lingerie all scream for a little fun for the right situation.  It is almost as if this “bag” was tumbled onto the floor in error and a coy smile is to follow the one who discovered it.  I will admit I saw the depicted photos as they truly are and the ploy at which they were trying to get at.  In many cases, your run of the mill every day person could be hiding a “bag” of tricks in the trunk of their car. 

             Daniela Ortiz displayed “Lost in Wonderland”.  Her work showed me the whimsy of a young girl with silky blonde hair and striped tights, who appeared to be lost and looking for her friend in vastness of the forest.  Alice is a character I grew to love as a child and I have seen her depicted as sweet and naive in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland looking for the White Rabbit and then the darker, fighter side in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.  This particular photograph depicts Alice as sweet and naïve as does Disney’s version.  I do admire the use of the black and white image for this photograph versus color, because most of us having read the book or seen the movie, know what Alice looks like and her typical wardrobe. 

Overall this year’s gallery opening was spectacular with as many talented artists as there were last year.  The  flow of the works was well presented and organized.  I do feel that some of the photographs should have been taken a different perspective when being chosen by their artists.  I always enjoy viewing artistic creativity and gaining insight into the minds of the artists featured.  I look forward to the next event and what it may hold for personal enrichment.