“For the curious, life is one continuous effort after meeting,” writes Hillary Quella in her artist’s statement for The Moon Is Always the Moon. The Moon print took second place at the “Fourth Annual Midwest Juried Photo Exhibition,” hosted by Walker’s Point Center for the Arts (WPCA).
In Quella’s black-and-white photograph, a woman dressed in flowing white is seen lying across the metal bars of playground equipment as a thin, rectangular light shines down on her from the night sky. The print may inspire mystical, spiritual recollections in viewers. Many of the photos from the 34 artists in the exhibition express metaphysical and/or conceptual images in this excellent, nontraditional photographic collection.
Ruth Yasko’s print Urban Footprints overlays shoe markings from the shadows of soles uncovered in the Historic Third Ward. Bernie Newman’s photo Galaxy portrays a massive flower field that imitates a starry heaven. Vicki Reed’s tiny (5 inches by 5 inches) Dancing Trees captures a dream-like landscape developed with an antique lith process that produces a singular image resembling a silver gelatin print.
Two photographs by Shane Welch, Notes and Workspace,recall recent memories of Welch’s younger brother suddenly leaving home, with family members having no knowledge as to his whereabouts. These poignant photos capture his brother’s room at a time when the family could only hope for his safe returnan artistic means to document their daily anxiety.
Placed alongside each piece is information that includes the name of the print and the photographer, as well as articulate statements that further explain the image. This format arouses the viewer’s curiosity and encourages her/him to recast the image in another context, perhaps one previously unseen.
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Melissa Pinney’s large-scale color portrait Sarah garnered the first-place prize. In a testament to the exhibit, which is sponsored by the Coalition of Photographic Arts (CoPA), every photograph displays a provocative perspective worth observing.
The exhibit offers a closing reception 5-9 p.m. Jan. 21.
