By Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy
Trick or treat! In New England, it’s as if a switch was flicked: the weather has turned chilly, the days are growing noticeably shorter, and we are (finally) getting some drenching rains. In a leap of faith, individuals and institutions alike are behaving as if the Covid pandemic has fully retreated. We are caught in a dual reality, thrilled to be physically socializing once again while fearing false optimism. Events in the world at large only magnify feelings of conflict. And as so often happens in turbulent times, a surge of creative energy bursts forth in response. Whether you are longing for empathy, respite, escape or inspiration, we invite you to engage with the most enticing photographic exhibits and events around Boston and New England, listed geographically for your convenience. As always, please feel free to check back, as we update our listings throughout the month.
BOSTON PROPER
J. R. Eyerman, “Audience watches movie wearing 3-D spectacles, 1952” Gelatin silver print. The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Charitable Trust. Photo by J. R. Eyerman. © LIFE Picture Collection.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – LIFE Magazine and the Power of Photography journeys through a tumultuous period in American history and culture, featuring imagery from the celebrated magazine’s archives. Published weekly from 1936 to 1972, the magazine’s photo essays capture some of the defining moments—celebratory and traumatic alike—of the last century, from the Birmingham civil rights demonstrations to the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. The exhibit reveals the collaborative efforts behind many now-iconic images and stories by photographers such as Margaret Bourke-White, Larry Burrows, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Frank Dandridge, Gordon Parks, W. Eugene Smith and J. R. Eyerman (above). Three immersive contemporary “moments” feature works by artists active today who offer their critical reflections on photojournalism. On view from October 9th, 2022 – January 16th, 2023.
For more information, go to: https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/life-magazine-and-the-power-of-photography
“Perennial” 2006 by David Hilliard, courtesy of the artist, Yancey Richardson Gallery, NYC and MFA, Boston.
Also at 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 are all 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 David Hilliard (above), Adam Fuss, Kenro Izu, Abelardo Morell, and Olivia Parker, 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
“Petunias” 2020 by Cig Harvey, courtesy of the artist and Robert Klein Gallery, Boston.
Robert Klein Gallery – Cig Harvey’s solo exhibit “Eat Flowers” features her vibrant sensorium of flora and fauna. The show will open with an Artist’s Reception and booksigning on Saturday, October 22nd, 2022.
For information, go to: https://www.robertkleingallery.com/upcoming
Photograph by Joe Greer from “A Photographic Journey,” courtesy of the artist and Leica Gallery Boston.
Leica Gallery Boston – Joe Greer’s solo retrospective “A Photographic Journey” will feature work from his global adventures, ranging from commercial portraits to street photography. On view from October 13th – November 14th, 2022, there will be a Reception with the artist on Thursday, October 27th, 2022 from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
For information ad free registration, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-photographic-journey-exhibit-reception-with-joe-greer-tickets-428001763797?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
Photograph by Jaina Cipriano, courtesy of Boston University Art Galleries.
808 Gallery at Boston University – Jaina Cipriano’s “Dreamscapes: Finding the Light Through Immersive Design” presents dramatic photographic scenarios alongside immersive set designs in which the viewer is invited to create their own moments of vivacious boldness and contrasting vulnerability. Cipriano’s work explores themes of struggle, growth and self-discovery with ebullient energy. LAST CHANCE! On view through October 13th, 2022.
For more information, go to: https://www.bu.edu/art/dreamscapes-finding-the-light-through-immersive-design/
SOWA – Boston’s South End Arts District
“Reaching Out To You” 2021, by Liz Liguori, courtesy of the artist and Abakus Projects, Boston.
Abakus Projects – Working at the intersection of art and science, Liz Liguori blends high and low technology to create large-scale abstract imagery that invites meditation on form, function and chance. Her solo show “The Eye Is Not A Camera” will be on view every Sunday in October from Noon – 4:00pm and by appointment. In addition, there will be an Opening Reception on First Friday October 7th from 6:00 – 8:30pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.abakusprojects.com/upcoming-exhibitions
“Departure” by Clint Baclawski at Abigail Ogilvy Gallery. (Installation photograph by Suzanne Révy)
Abigail Ogilvy Gallery – Clint Baclawski’s five-panel, twenty-five foot wide, scrolling photographic installation Departure conveys the majesty of Grand Teton National Park at awe-inspiring scale. As the image scrolls, it morphs from a seemingly idyllic landscape picture to the negative in an almost apocalyptic red at the end. The scroll waves slightly, mimicking the bend and movement of Snake River, which winds through the National Park for 50 miles. LAST CHANCE! On view through October 16th, 2022.
For our review, go to: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/departure-clint-baclawski-at-abigail-ogilvy-gallery/
For more information, go to: https://www.abigailogilvy.com/departure
FORT POINT NEIGHBORHOOD
Photographs from the series Lost and Found by Michael Joseph, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
Photographic Resource Center (PRC, Boston) at fp3 Gallery – In his stunning series Lost and Found, photographer Michael Joseph creates portraits of “travelers,” a sub-culture whose tattoos, piercings, ragged clothing, and spare belongings comprise a visual storybook of the adventure or escape they seek on the roads and rails of America. On view at the fp3 Gallery through November 18th, 2022, with a free public Reception on Wednesday, October 19th from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
For directions, hours and more information about the exhibit, go to: https://www.prcboston.org/lost-and-found-photographs-by-michael-joseph/
CAMBRIDGE
Students in MIT’s Creative Photography Laboratory at work.
MIT Museum – Celebrate the move from the museum’s old, cramped quarters to its brand new space in Kendall Square with a host of exhibits. Master photographer Minor White was the founding director of MIT’s Creative Photography Laboratory (CPL) in 1965, ushering in one of the country’s important venues for new photography. To Look and Learn: The Creative Photography Laboratory at MIT presents an ongoing exhibit of White’s exquisite photography, video interviews with former students and faculty, manuscript letters, and other records, illuminating the innovations and far-reaching influence of this unconventional curriculum and the photographer and educator behind it.
For more information, go to: https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/visit/hours-admission-directions
From “Campesino Cuba” by Richard Sharum, courtesy of the artist and Bridge Gallery, Cambridge, MA.
Bridge Gallery – In his solo show “Campesino Cuba,” Richard Sharum shares images created while imbedding himself for four years in the remote, rarely visited, countryside documenting the lives of the Campesinos, the peasant farmers who are the lifeblood of the Cuban agricultural system. On view October 15th – November 19th, 2022, there will be an Opening Reception and booksigning with the artist on Saturday, October 15th from 5:00 – 9:00pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.bridge.photos/shows
BROOKLINE
Installation view of “Fractured & Found” by Jessica Burko, courtesy of the artist.
Brookline Arts Center – The teetering structures in Jesica Burko’s installation Fractured & Found are a pointed and poignant exploration of life’s conflicting roles, demands, and emotions, embodied by photographic self-portraits compartmentalized in reclaimed wooden drawers. Origin Stories, photographs chronicling Burko’s discovery of the furniture, enliven nearby walls. On view at the Beacon Street Gallery through January 15th, 2023. There will be an Opening Reception with the artist TOMORROW Friday, October 7th from 6:00 – 7:30pm.
For more information, go to: https://www.brooklineartscenter.com/beacon
THE BURBS
“Nohemy” by Lisa Elmaleh, 2021, from the series Promised Land, courtesy of the artist and the Griffin Museum of Photography.
The Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester – The Arnold Newman Prize for New Directions in Photographic Portraiture is given each year under the auspices of the Maine Media Workshops where the late photographer was a regular instructor each summer. This year’s winner Lisa Elmaleh’s series Promised Land documents people and places along the U.S. and Mexico border. Exhibiting finalists include Anna Grevenitis, Rania Matar and Andrew Kung. On view through October 30th, with an online reception TONIGHT!
For more information: https://griffinmuseum.org/show/2022_mmanp/
SX-70 Polaroid from “Then and There: Mardi Gras 1979” by Harvey Stein, courtesy of the artist and Griffin Museum of Photography.
Also at the Griffin Museum – In the Griffin Gallery, Harvey Stein’s Then and There: Mardi Gras 1979 showcases vintage SX-70 Polaroids that are colorful in every sense of the word. In the Griffin Atelier Gallery, Rachel Portesi’s Standing Still explores motherhood, aging and femininity utilizing Polaroid, wet-plate collodion, film and 3-D imagery. On view October 30th, 2022,
To read our review: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/shootapalooza-harvey-stein-rachel-portesi-griffin-museum-of-photography-ma/
For more information: https://griffinmuseum.org
“Chandelier Hair” Polaroid grid from “Standing Still” by Rachel Portesi, courtesy of the artist and Griffin Museum.
“Mothercraft” by Toni Pepe Dan, 2022, from the exhibit An Ordinary Devotion, courtesy of the artist and Danforth Art, Framingham, MA.
Danforth Art Museum, Framingham – Three artists tackle timely and topical issues around gender roles, domestic politics and broader societal divisions utilizing installation, appropriated photography and still-life: An Ordinary Devotion by Toni Pepe Dan, Othering by Lisa Rosowsky and Family Matters by Jane Szabo. On view from October 8th, 2022 – January 29th, 2023, there will be a Reception with the artists on Saturday, October 22nd from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
For more information: https://danforth.framingham.edu
“The Missing” 2016, from the exhibit Othering by Lisa Rosowsky, courtesy of the artist and Danforth Art, Framingham, MA.
“I Wish it Weren’t So” by Jane Szabo, 2017, from the exhibit Family Matters, courtesy of the artist and Danforth Art, Framingham, MA.
“BU Terrier Invitational Day” by Pelle Cass, from the series Crowded Fields, courtesy of the artist, DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and Abigail Ogilvy Gallery, Boston, MA.
DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln – New Formations celebrates the human body in athleticism and performance through painting, video and photography including work by Pelle Cass, Heather Rasmusson and Philip Trager. Contemporary photographs will be 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. All exhibitions are on view from October 7th, 2022 through March 12, 2023.
For more information: https://thetrustees.org/program/decordova-exhibitions/
Feature Image: “Zoomorphic #34 (Flamingo)” 2021 from the series Zoomorphics by Shelby Meyerhoff, courtesy of the artist.
Concord Free Library, Concord – Zoomorphics, Shelby Meyerhoff’s solo exhibit of extraordinary self-portraits, explores human connections with flora and fauna of the natural world. Her vibrant embodiments underline both our bonds and frailty with eye-popping vivacity. On view through October 29th, 2022, there will be a Closing Reception with the artist on October 29th from 3:00 – 4:30pm.
For more information about the exhibit and related public programming, go to: https://www.shelbymeyerhoff.com/concord
“Piranha, Museum of Comarative Zoology, Harvard University” by Rosamond Purcell, courtesy of the artist and the Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA.
Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover – Rosamond Purcell: Nature Stands Aside is the first retrospective of this Boston-based photographer and conceptual artist who has influenced Mark Dion and Sally Mann among others. Working alongside paleontologists, anthropologists and other scholars, Purcell explores the human drive to collect and inspect in an effort to understand the world. On view through December 31st, 2022. Also at the Addison, Harry Benson: Four Stories offers a dive into the legendary photojournalist’s archive, emphasizing his coverage of the building of the Berlin Wall, the Beatle’s first American tour, the James Meredith March Against Fear and the Robert F. Kennedy assassination. On view through January 30th, 2023.
For more information: https://addison.andover.edu/Pages/default.aspx
“Pillow Fight, Paris” by Harry Benson, 1964, 44″x44″ gelatin silver print, gift of Eileen and Jonathan Otto, courtesy of the Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA.
“Valeriia” by Faith Ninivaggi, from the series Unwavering Spirit, courtesy of the artist.
Hoon Keith Quiet Study Lounge Gallery, Curry College, Milton – In Unwavering Spirit, photojournalist Faith Ninivaggi’s uses a 4″x5″ camera and black and white film to make portraits of Boston area Ukrainian students. She accompanies the portraits with interviews that reveal their anxieties and fears and how they supported each other in the wake of Russia’s unprovoked attack on their country. On view from October 14th through January 23rd, 2023, a reception is planned for November 3rd from 6:30 to 9:30pm.
For more information: https://www.curry.edu/student-life/student-center/hoon-keith-quiet-study-lounge
“Jackdaws flying and Self-Portrait” by David Krooshof, chronograph from the series Dark Trails, courtesy of the artist and the Schiltkamp Gallery, Clark University.
Schiltkamp Gallery in the Traina Center for the Arts, Clark University, Worcester – Curated by Stephen DiRado, The Affected Landscape brings together four artists – David Krooshof, Peter Mauney, Anne Rowland and Seth David Rubin – who explore landscape through photographic experimentation, manipulation and appropriation, resulting in fractured or liquid forms across the images. On view through November 30th, 2022.
For more information: https://www.clarku.edu/departments/visual-and-performing-arts/facilities/schiltkamp-gallery/
“Ritual Dance, Bhutan” by Ron Rosenstock, 2009, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.
Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg – Ron Rosenstock’s World in Color presents saturated studies from global travels of this the central Massachusetts based photographer. Known primarily for his black and white pictures and overseas workshops, this is the first time the photographer presents his color work. On view through March 15th 2023.
For more information: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/ron-rosenstocks-world-in-color/
William Thomas Saunders (1832–1892)
Feather, 1860–s1880s
Albumen print
10 5/8 × 8 1/8 inches (26.7 × 20.6 cm)
Peabody Essex Museum
Museum Collection, 1981
PH23.2
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
“Horseshoe vs. Skates” by Amy Heller, courtesy of the artist and the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA.
Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM), Provincetown – Out of the Blue brings together three Cape Cod artists exploring the creative possibilities of the historic Cyanotype process. Curated by Michelle Law, it features Midge Battelle, Rebecca Bruyn and Amy Heller, on view through November 13th, 2022.
To read our review: https://www.whatwillyouremember.com/out-of-the-blue-midge-battelle-rebecca-bruyn-amy-heller-provincetown-art-association-and-museum-ma/
For more information: https://paam.org/out-of-the-blue-cyanotypes-by-midge-battelle-rebecca-bruyn-and-amy-heller/
ROAD TRIP!
Connecticut
Installation by Komatsu Hiroko, courtesy of the artist and the Joseloff Gallery at the Hartford Art School, University of Hartford.
Joseloff Gallery at Hartford Art School, University ofHartford, West Hartford – The first large scale exhibition in the U.S. of Japanese artist Komatsu Hiroko: Second Decade will bring together hand made artist books, photograms, 8mm films in an immersive installation. On view from October 27th through December 10th, 2022. For more information: https://www.hartford.edu/academics/schools-colleges/art/galleries/default.aspx
Maine
“Kate and Rachel Van Der Zee, Lenox, MA” by James Van Der Zee, 1909, courtesy of the Portland Art Museum, Portland, ME.
Portland Museum of Art, Portland – Presence: The Photography Collection of Judith Glickman Lauder highlights a broad range of 20th century photography, including works by James Van Der Zee (above), Berenice Abbot, Diane Arbus, Sally Mann, Gordon Parks and Roman Vishniac among others. The exhibition marks Lauder’s promised gift to the museum of some six hundred works, which will transform and enhance the museum’s photography holdings. On view through January 15th, 2023.
For more information: https://www.portlandmuseum.org/exhibitions
“Maine, 2016” by Judy Glickman Lauder, courtesy of the artist and Maine Jewish Museum, Portland, ME.
Maine Jewish Museum, Portland – Following the Light represents a departure from Judy Glickman Lauder’s decades of B&W film and darkroom photographs. In this solo show, Glickman’s digital color work veers toward introspection, “With a sense of inner-presence, the purity of color itself and its deepest shadows, I am stepping into the light, into the image itself. Through abstraction, patterns and different perspectives, photography has continued to allow me to immerse and express myself.” On view through October 27th, 2022, there will be a First Friday Art Walk on October 7th from 5:00 – 8:00pm.
For more information, go to: https://mainejewishmuseum.org/exhibits/
“Spread your Wings” by Sue Michlovitz, 2019, courtesy of the artist and Cove Street Arts, Portland, ME.
Cove Street Arts, Portland – Portland Debuts introduces eight photographers to Portland’s photography audiences. Curated by Bruce Brown, the exhibition features imagery by Will Brown, Michael Heathers, Diane Hemingway, David Manski, Sue Michlovitz (picture above), Ellen Toby Slotnick, Suzanne Theodora White and Adam Daley Wilson. On view through November 19th, 2022.
For more information: https://www.covestreetarts.com/exhibitions-1/portlanddebuts
Vermont
From the exhibition Renata Aller: Between Memory and Expectation, courtesy of the artist and the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro, VT.
Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Brattleboro – Renata Aller: The Space Between Memory and Expectation invite viewers through immersive landscape photographs of glaciers and mountains to peer into the details and discover the subtle shifts in seasons and how climate change is impacting the planet. On view from October 22nd through February 12th, 2023.
Semaj Campbell from the 2022 Open Juried Exhibit, courtesy of the artist and the Vermont Center for Photography.
Vermont Center for Photography, Brattleboro – Co-curators Joshua Farr and Davida Carta discovered works that explore identity among their 2022 Open Juried Exhibit submissions. They bring together nine artists whose work raises questions around not only identity, but gender and family history as they relate to place. Participating artists are Clare Benson, Krystal Boney, Semaj Campbell (above), Lisa Cassell-Arms, Diane Cheren Nygren, Logan CW Kinney, Yorgos Efthymiadis, Karen Spears and Yshao Lin. On view through October 30th, 2022.
For more information go to: https://vcphoto.org
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