By Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy
February may be a short month, but this one has some tantalizing new exhibits and events percolating around metro Boston and New England to help usher us through the cold days ahead. As always, we present listings geographically for your planning convenience and invite you to check back throughout February for updates.
SOWA BOSTON
Feature Image: “Cacophony, 2020″ (pictured, a 24″x 60″section of the 24″ x 408” archival pigment print) by Matthew Monteith, courtesy of the artist and Abakus Projects, Boston.
Abakus Projects – In his solo show, Matthew Monteith probes the way photography shapes our views of history and how those viewpoints alter the way we perceive the world. His entrancing, spectacular juxtapositions in the extended wall mural Cacophony (detail, Feature Image & above) and his paired images from the series Parallax astutely recognize elements of our current sense of dislocation and polarization. On view Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Noon – 4:00pm. There will be an Opening Reception with the artist on First Friday, February 3rd, 2023 from 6:00 – 8:30pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.abakusprojects.com/
“Untitled (white hat)” from Coney Island Beach Sleepers, 1977 by Karl Baden, courtesy of the artist and Anderson Yezerski Gallery, Boston.
Anderson Yezerski Gallery – In his solo exhibit Coney Island Beach Sleepers, 1977, Karl Baden proves that even his earliest street photographs trick the eye and tease the mind in the most clever, delightful ways. In this show, there’s the added attraction of a bit of nostalgia for lazy summer days at what remains one of the most iconic beaches in the United States. On view from February 17th – March 25th, 2023, there will be an Opening Reception with the artist on Friday, February 17th from 5:00 – 8:00pm.
For more information, go to: https://andersonyezerski.com/upcoming
“Pond Light Enchantment” from the series Duet by Emily Belz, courtesy of the artist and Gallery Kayafas, Boston.
Gallery Kayafas – Here are three enticing reasons to visit Gallery Kayafas: Emily Belz is showing her ephemeral, poignant photographs from two recent series, Duet (above) and He Hid His Face Amid A Crowd of Stars; Vanessa Leroy builds visual bridges between past & present, myth & experience, with inkjet, gelatin silver and cyanotype prints in as our bodies lift up slowly; and Bill Franson’s spiritual, jewel-like cyanotypes emanate lyrical serenity in Landscape in Blue. On view from February 15th – March 18th, 2023, there will be an Opening Reception with the artists on Friday, February 17th from 5:30 – 8:00pm.
NOTE: Gallery artist Jack Lueders-Booth will be having a book signing for “The Orange Line,” accompanied by a public portfolio preview on Saturday, February 25th, 2023 from 3:00 – 6:00pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.gallerykayafas.com/
“Becoming” 2019 from the series as our bodies lift up slowly by Vanessa Leroy, courtesy of the artist and Gallery Kayafas, Boston.
“Weeping Beech” 2018 from the series Landscape in Blue by Bill Franson, courtesy of the artist and Gallery Kayafas, Boston.
BOSTON PROPER
“Today’s Life and War #8” 2008, by Gohar Dashti, courtesy of the artist and Robert Klein Gallery, Boston.
Robert Klein Gallery – Today’s Life & War speaks to the legacy of political conflict, movingly conveyed through the irony, poignancy and beauty of imagery by contemporary Iranian photographers Gohar Dashti (above), Shadi Ghadirian, and Tahmineh Monzavi. Comprised of work from a variety of their projects spanning the last two decades, this exhibit will be on view February 11th – April 22nd, 2023. There will be an Opening Reception with the artists on Saturday, February 11th from 3:00 – 5:00pm.
NOTE: There will be a conversation with artist Gohar Dashti and Kristen Gresh, Estrellita and Yousuf Karsh Curator of Photographs at MFA, Boston on Saturday, February 18th at 3:00pm. RSVP to inquiry@robertkleingallery.com for free registration.
For more information, go to: https://www.robertkleingallery.com/exhibitions/
“Tent Camera Image: View of Vineyards, St. Remy de Provence, France” by Abelardo Morell, courtesy of the artist and the Krakow Witkin Gallery, Boston, MA.
Krakow Witkin Gallery- Abelardo Morell’s colorful studies of southern France made with his “tent camera” evoke the ethos of Van Gogh as he wandered in the 19th century master’s footprints. On the Ground: In the Footsteps of Van Gogh will be on view through February 25th 2023. NOTE: There will be an Artist Talk at the gallery on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 at 3:00pm.
For more information: https://www.krakowwitkingallery.com/exhibitions/abelardo-morell-on-the-ground-in-the-footsteps-of-van-gogh/
” Butterfly” by Adam Fuss (English, born in 1961) 2002, daguerreotype photograph, The Lane Collection © Adam Fuss, Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – The Stillness of Things: Photographs from the Lane Collection presents nearly 60 innovative photographs grouped thematically across two galleries. The special treat is that they include enchanting departures from the traditional still-life and span the entire history of photography. Featuring photographs from the 1840s by William Henry Fox Talbot to the work of contemporary artists such as Olivia Parker, David Hilliard, Adam Fuss (above), Kenro Izu, and Abelardo Morell, the exhibit will be on view through February 27th, 2023.
For our review, go to: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/stillness-of-things-photography-exhibit-at-the-museum-of-fine-arts-boston/
For more information, go to: https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/the-stillness-of-things
Jess T. Dugan “Ingrid and Okolo” (detail, 2006-8. Photograph, dye diffusion print (Polaroid). Gift of the artist. ©Jess T. Dugan. Courtesy of MFA, Boston.
Don’t miss the MFA, Boston’s Frances Vrachos Gallery / Mary Stamas Gallery (Gallery 148), where you’ll find arresting, nearly life-size photographs from the series, Coupled, Jess T. Dugan’s portraits of LGBTQ couples created using a rare and massive Polaroid camera in the years after the 2004 legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. Ongoing.
For more information, go to: https://www.mfa.org/gallery/jess-t-dugan-coupled
“Blind Seer” by Ann Prochilo from the series This is Water, courtesy of the artist and Panopticon Gallery, Boston.
Panopticon Gallery– The annual portfolio showcase First Look 2023, juried by Alexa Cushing and Connor Noll of Panopticon Imaging, features a wide variety of imagery by Austin Cullen, Porter Gifford, Owen McCarter, Ann Prochilo (photo above) and Catherine Panebianco. On view from February 3rd to March 31st, 2023, there will be an Opening Reception on Thursday, February 9th, from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
For more information: https://www.panopticongallery.com/first-look-2023-1
SOUTH BOSTON
Lou Jones exhibit at Spoke Gallery in conjunction with Medicine Wheel.
Spoke Gallery – In conjunction with Medicine Wheel, the gallery hosts Lou Jones’ 6 Continents, drawing photographs from five of his series: Cuba, Olympics, panAFRICA project, COVID-19, and Every Color Has a Different Song. The ensemble underlines candid moments that synergize very divergent times into our collective history. On view through February 24th, 2023.
For information go to: https://spoke-art.com
CAMBRIDGE
Photograph by Matilde Simas.
Bridge Gallery – Documentary photographer Matilde Simas’ arresting portraits from the Omo Valley in southwest Ethiopia will be on view in the window at 5 Pemberton Street on a continuously rotating basis through February 11th, 2023.
For more information, go to: https://www.bridge.photos/shows
THE BURBS
“Kitchen Shelf” 2019 by Becky Behar, courtesy of the artist.
Kniznick Gallery at the Brandeis Women’s Studies Research Center, Waltham – In her signature, luminescent still-lifes and portraits of her children’s transition to adulthood, Becky Behar’s solo show Interlaced draws connections between narratives of personal and generational identity, past and present, dreams and realities – all bathed in symbols of the home. On view through February 22nd, 2023. NOTE: There will be an Artist-guided tour of the exhibit on Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 at Noon.
For more information and free registration, go to: https://www.brandeis.edu/wsrc/arts/current.html
From “Family Photographs” by Bjorn Sterri, courtesy of the artist.
Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester – (Main Gallery) Coming hot off the heels of holiday gatherings, Family Album invites viewers to fathom the intimate relationships of two internationally celebrated photographers who have chronicled their own families for decades. Utilizing large format cameras and B&W film, American Judith Black and Norwegian Björn Sterri reveal exceptional sensitivity to personality and filial rapport in compositions charged with telling gesture and expression. This exhibit and the ones that follow are on view through February 26th, 2023.
To read our review, go to: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/family-album-at-griffin-museum-ma-featuring-judith-black-bjorn-sterri-parker-thompson-james-lustenader-and-thirteenth-annual-photobook-exhibition/
For more information about Family Album, go to: https://griffinmuseum.org/show/family-album-judith-black-bjorn-sterri/
“1982.07.09, Dylan, Laura, Johanna, Erik (Leaving on Vacation), July 9, 1982” by Judith Black, courtesy of the artist.
From the archive Always Been curated by Parker Thompson, courtesy of Always Been.
In the Griffin Gallery at the Griffin Museum- Parker Thompson is the curator behind Always Been, an archival project focused on the humanity, dignity, and joy of Black life as seen through the lens of found photographs. In Intimacies, Long Lost, he offers viewers a selection of his vernacular collection of American photographs celebrating an illuminating and all-too-rare perspective.
For more information, go to: https://griffinmuseum.org/show/parker-thompson-intimacies-long-lost-selections-from-the-always-been-collection/
“Sydney” by James Lustenader, 2013, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
In the Founders Gallery at the Griffin Museum – In Point/Counterpoint, street photographer James Lustenader offers his playfully subversive counterpoint to six images from the archives of museum founder Arthur Griffin.
For more information, go to: https://griffinmuseum.org/show/james-lustenader-point-counterpoint/
In the Griffin Atelier Gallery at Griffin Museum – The 13th Annual Photobook Exhibition, juried by Crista Dix, Griffin Executive Director and Karen Davis of the Davis Orton Gallery, features 27 artist-made books.
For more information, go to: https://griffinmuseum.org/show/13th-annual-photobook-exhibition/
“Photo multigraph #1 (Long Mirror and Socks on Teal”” by Heather Rasmussen, courtesy of the artist and the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.
DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln – New Formations celebrates the human body in athleticism and performance through painting, video and photography, including work by George Georgiou , Pelle Cass, Heather Rasmusson (above) and Philip Trager. Contemporary photographs are installed along with a collection of vernacular pictures recently donated to the museum from the Peter Cohen Collection. In addition, the museum presents Downstream using photography and video with an element of fluidity to evoke the disparities in living conditions during this age of climate change, featuring photographs by Paul D’Amato, Charles “Teeny” Harris, Arno Rafael Minkkinen, and Abelardo Morrell among others. New Formations is on view through March 12, 2023 and Downstream has been extended to August 6th, 2023.
For our review, go to: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/new-formations-and-downstream-at-decordova-sculpture-park-and-museum-in-lincoln-ma/
For more information: https://thetrustees.org/program/decordova-exhibitions/
Acton Senior Center – Veteran landscape photographer Neal Rantoul advocates an active retirement in The Retirement Show. Ten luscious prints chronicle each year of his retirement from directorship of the photography program at Northeastern University, sharing colorful perspectives from the far west to familiar home territory (as Covid required) with his signature eagle eye. LAST CHANCE! On view through February 10th, 2023. NOTE: Neal Rantoul will give a Gallery Talk on Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 during a reception from 2:00 – 4:00pm.
For more information, go to: https://actoncoa.com/Calendar.aspx?EID=3013&month=2&year=2023&day=8&calType=0
“Superman With Coffee, 2013” (after Hopper) from the series Michael, 20×30 inch archival pigment print by Rick Ashley.
Marblehead Arts Association, Marblehead – Rick Ashley presents a selection of photographs from his series Michael, a loving exploration of the dreams and realities of his brother-in law with Downs Syndrome. One of the images from this series was a winner of the prestigious “Outwin American Portraiture” competition conducted by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and has been exhibited in Washington, D.C. and traveled to museums across the country. On view through February 26th, 2023.
For more information, go to: https://marbleheadarts.org/upcoming/
John Thomson (1837–1921)
Hongkong girl, 1868–72
Albumen print
7 5/8 × 5 3/4 inches (19.4 × 14.5 cm)
Peabody Essex Museum
Gift of George J. Harrington Jr., 1993
PH27.35
Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), Salem – Power and Perspective: Early Photography in China explores how the camera transformed perceptions of 19th-century China through more than 130 extraordinarily rare photographs accompanied by paintings, decorative arts, and prints. Exhibit co-curator Stephanie Hueon Tung, PEM’s Byrne Family Curator of Photography lends perspective on the show: “Photography has never been a neutral technology of documentation; who and what gets captured and the stories that these photographs tell is a function of power.” The show incorporates work from a collaboration with current emerging photographers in China, who responded to images in the exhibit with works that offer their personal insights into China today. On view through April 2, 2023.
For more information, go to: https://www.pem.org/exhibitions/power-and-perspective-early-photography-in-china
Cindy Sherman (US American, b. 1954), Untitled (Cosmo cover girl), 1990, chromogenic print, 17” x 11”. Gift of Judy Goldman, 2021.122.
Fitchburg Art Museum (FAM), Fitchburg – In the Eye of the Beholder considers the ways in which photographers have used the “gendered gaze” across the early 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibit highlights the museum’s iconic favorites along with recent acquisitions—including work from Gertrude Kasebier, Cindy Sherman (above), and Yasumasa Morimura. On view from February 4th – September 10th, 2023.
For more information, go to: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/moving-objectsstrongemin-the-eye-of-the-beholder-gender-through-the-camera-lens-em-strongmoving-objects/
ROAD TRIP!
Rhode Island
Behind the Lens 2023: Everything is Different or Six Degrees at Rhode Island Center for Photographic Art.
Rhode Island Center for Photographic Art, Providence – Every year, RIPCA celebrates Women’s History Month with Behind the Lens, a curated exhibition of women artists. This year, Everything is Different or Six Degrees features works by Emily Belz, Brooke Hammerle, Fruma Markowitz, Shelby Meyerhoff, Laurie Peek and Jean Schnell. On view from February 16th – March 10th, 2023, there will be an Opening Reception with the artists on February 16th from 5:00 – 8:00pm.
NOTE: There will be a Zoom conversation with the artists on Tuesday, February 28th at 6:30pm Eastern Time
Registration in advance is required for this free event.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpc–vqDgpGNCUwZPQ9mPFCR9MBidRRZiE
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
For more information, go to: https://www.riphotocenter.org/behind-the-lens-2023-everything-is-different-or-six-degrees/
New Hampshire
“North Africa, Bizerte, Loading LST’s for Italy” by Margaret Bourke White, from the portfolio World War II, Army Service Forces, no, 7, 1944, gelatin silver print, Gift of Jane and Raphael Bernstein; 2020.46.1.7. © Getty Images, courtesy of the Hood Museum.
Hood Museum, Dartmouth College, Hanover – Known for making the photograph that graced the first cover of Life Magazine, Margaret Bourke White spent her career covering the industry, poverty and wars of the 20th century. Margaret Bourke White World War II and Life Magazine features a selection of prints from a portfolio made near the end of the war. On view through September 30th, 2023.
Vermont
“Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile” by Renate Aller, 2019, from the show The Space Between Memory and Expectation, courtesy of the artist and the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, VT.
Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Brattleboro – “The interval—the space in between—is about the moments during which apparently nothing happens; but without these moments, change is impossible. The Space Between Memory and Expectation is another way to describe this stillness and transition.” In Renate Aller’s solo exhibition (and accompanying monograph, Kehrer Verlag 2021) she uses large-format photographic installations to create “picture windows” that invite the viewer to enter and absorb the textures of the landscapes and all that they imply: movement, change, time, and human influence. LAST CHANCE!! On view through February 12th, 2023.
To read our review: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/renate-aller-the-space-between-memory-and-expectation-at-brattleboro-museum-and-art-center/
For more information: https://www.brattleboromuseum.org/2022/06/10/renate-aller-the-space-between-memory-and-expectation/
Connecticut
“Shipyard #11, Quili Port, Zhejiang Province, China” by Edward Burtynsky, 2005, Chromogenic color print, private collection, courtesy of the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT.
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT – Forty year’s worth of industrial landscapes and and images that emphasize the impacts of human activity and consumerism on our environment are presented in a large retrospective of the Canadian photographer in Edward Burtynsky: Art Observed on view through April 16th, 2023.
For more information: https://nbmaa.org/exhibitions/edward-burtynsky-earth-observed
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