The School of Visual Arts has a new, atypical photography exhibition.
The exhibition, titled “Undisclosed Image,” opened March 11 in the Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery in Norick Art Center, under the direction of Andy Mattern, who curated the exhibition.
Heather Lunsford, visual art director, said she approached Mattern about curating a photography exhibit that would make students stop and think.
“I asked him to create a show about photography that would surprise students and make them think, ‘that’s photography?’ He said, ‘I can do that,’” Lunsford said.
Mattern said his inspiration for the exhibit came from a book about abstraction in photography.
“It’s called the ‘Edge of Vision’ edited by Lyle Rexer,” Mattern said. “The title of the show I chose was ‘Undisclosed Image’ which refers to a chapter of his book. I was interested in his idea of the ‘Undisclosed Image.’”
Mattern said the title is meant to point out the juxtaposition between the assumptions people make about visual art and the reality of what is possible.
“When you look at most photographs, you see a picture of a thing and you usually know what it is. It’s disclosed. It tells you what it is,” Mattern said. “None of the photographs at this show do that. Instead, we have to contend with our own imagination, and we have to enter the world of the artist.”
Lunsford said a show on abstract photography should be interesting to both art majors and nonmajors due to the modern emphasis put on pictures as a way to view the world.
“The students of today are a part of a very cellphone-oriented generation. We’re constantly taking and documenting images on our phones, on Instagram, on Facebook,” Lunsford said. “We’re an image-conscious society. Go to concerts or events, and instead of people engaging with it, they are engaging with their phones.”
Mattern said abstract photography within itself is a rich element of the history of photography and is often overlooked due to pre-established assumptions in society.
“The history of photography itself is complex and vast and plural. That’s a part of what I’m trying to do: carve out an area that points to that complexity and diversity.” Mattern said. “When people say photography, many people have expectations for what that is. As someone who works in this medium, I am committed to expanding it.”
Mattern said the exhibit will feature the work of Brenda Biondo, Carol Golemboski, Meggan Gould, Martin Venezky and Ariel Wilson. All of which, he said, are intentionally chosen due to their diversity of experience.
“I reached out to the individual artists, told them what I was trying to do, and communicated back and forth about which of theirs would work best with this,” Mattern said. “I was looking for a spectrum of aesthetics as well as a spectrum of ages where we are featuring people who are just getting started like Ariel, who just finished grad school a few years ago, and those who have been in the field for 20-30 years, like Martin.”
Mattern said he is less of a curator and more of an artist and a fan. As a result, he said he wanted to create parameters for the show while still giving the artists an opportunity to express themselves.
Lunsford said Biondo will attend the opening and will be available to discuss her work with anyone who attends.
“Undisclosed Image” opened March 11 at 5 p.m. in the Gallery in Norick Art Center.
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