By Elin Spring
The prolonged, forced isolation we have just endured has demonstrated in no uncertain terms how precious and precarious our relationships can be. Even in the best of times, we look to artists of every ilk – writers, musicians, dancers, photographers, even scientists – to illuminate the mysteries of our attachments. The year of the pandemic has only intensified these desires. As if answering the call, EXPOSURE 2021 juror Kris Graves, artist and Editor at Kris Graves Projects, has selected images by fourteen photographers whose work exemplifies a heightened sensitivity to human connections and interactions. The visually and emotionally compelling 25th Annual PRC Juried Exhibition will be on view at the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University through August 20th, 2021. Join the artists and juror at an online Opening Reception TONIGHT, Tuesday, July 13th, 2021 at 7:00pm.
Register for free at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exposure-2021-online-reception-tickets-156172294537
Installation view of EXPOSURE 2021, on view at the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University (Photo courtesy PRC, Boston).
“Up the Hill” 2021, by Katie Golobic, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Battle Dance” 2020 by Elizabeth Libert, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Tube Top” 2019 by Kristen Joy Emack, courtesy of the artist and Gallery Kayafas, Boston.
“America” 2019 by Norman Aragones, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
Our first relationships are formed at home. The complex and nuanced politics of these bonds lay the groundwork for all our subsequent relationships and are embraced by several exhibiting artists. Katie Golobic is an adept witness to the dynamics of her young kids, with contrasty B&W compositions mirroring their frenzied activity. Elizabeth Libert’s lush color portraits pinpoint the emotional center of boyhood. Kristen Joy Emack’s pensive B&W images of her growing daughter center on identity, whereas the portraits by Norman Aragones focus on the expectations and disappointments that attend childhood.
Installation view of EXPOSURE 2021, on view at the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University (Photo courtesy PRC, Boston).
“Before the Waterfall” 2020 by Diana Cheren Nygren, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Ties” 2019 by Jo Ann Chaus, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Fringes” 2020 by Becky Behar, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
A diversity of themes based on family are expressed imaginatively by several of the exhibiting photographers. Diana Cheren Nygren weaves together familial generations with lyrical layers in nostalgic hues. Jo Ann Chaus’s dramatically lit, symbolic scenarios convey a sense of longing and disconnection. Becky Behar’s collaborative studies with her children explore metaphoric narratives of comfort and control interlaced with the tradition of knitting.
Installation view of EXPOSURE 2021, on view at the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University (Photo courtesy PRC, Boston).
“Ancestral Home” 2019 by Tira Khan, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Take my energy” 2019 by Cindy Weisbart, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“The Flags” 2019 by Diane Bennett, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Pound Cake” 2020 by Michael Joseph, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
Many photographers recognize an expanded definition of family. Boston photographer Tira Khan discovers an ancestral past she never knew in her romantic images of the land and people of Rampur, India. Cindy Weisbart’s emotionally charged B&W photographs of a community college basketball team and their coach chronicle a robust sense of kinship. Diane Bennett’s striking B&W images of people gathered in public places consider the special significance of collective experiences. Michael Joseph’s color Polaroid street portraits offer a riveting perspective on individuality and diversity in the unique community of Provincetown, Massachusetts.
“Old Births, New Deaths” 2020 by Hannah Altman, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
Some EXPOSURE 2021 photographers muse on larger-scale relationships. Hannah Altman’s allusive color images contemplate the cycles of life and death. David Gardner’s meticulous, sweeping landscapes examine the exploitation or preservation of natural ecosystems while Lee Day’s digitally disrupted urban landscapes ponder our relationship to a computerized ecosystem.
“Ivanpah Thermal Solar Plant, CA. Study #24. (35°34’10.782″ N 115°27’54.18″ W)” 2018, by David Gardner, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
“Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 35°29’47.869″ N 139°40’54.289″ E” 2019, by Lee Day, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
Installation view of EXPOSURE 2021, on view at the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University (Photo courtesy PRC, Boston).
Juror Kris Graves’ selections for EXPOSURE 2021 reflect the profound importance of our relationships, whose primacy has been brought into sharper focus by the exhausting ordeal of Covid-19. Following last year’s forced online exhibition, it is a real treat to have this annual PRC show in an actual gallery again. The space and installation at Worcester State University truly amplifies the meaning and interrelationships of enchanting, fresh perspectives by a selection of gifted photographers. Three of them will receive PRC Choice Awards for their work at tonight’s online Opening Reception with juror Kris Graves and the exhibiting artists. For free registration, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exposure-2021-online-reception-tickets-156172294537
On view through August 20th, 2021, for directions, exhibition hours and more information about EXPOSURE 2021, go to: https://www.prcboston.org/exposure-2021/
Feature Image: “Puppet Show” 2020 by Katie Golobic, courtesy of the artist and PRC, Boston.
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