“Each photograph gives the viewer a feeling of human intervention in a natural space, with eerie and quiet beauty. ..”
By Nina Oleynik
The theme for Studio Gallery’s Summer All-Member show is “Rituals”. The show statement reads: “Rituals make up the human experience; there are infinite variations and kinds. A ritual can be religious or personal, jocular or sacred, light-hearted or solemn”. Each piece reflects the artists’ own representations of rituals, whether it be concrete activities like beach combing and art-making, or more abstract ideas and interpretations of the theme.
Two pieces that stand out to me are photographs by Jo Levine. The pieces are titled Blossoms and Footsteps and are displayed in a vertical stack, perfectly echoing one another. The first is of flowers scattered on the beach and the second is of indentations in the sand. Each gives the viewer a feeling of human intervention in a natural space, with eerie and quiet beauty. These photographs communicate the theme of rituals to me through repetition. The repeated flower or sand imprints signify something that is done over and over again, with purpose.
The show spills over onto both floors, leading the viewer from work to work in a rhythmic flow. The exhibition is bursting with vibrant color, saturated with cool blues and greens – the colors of summer. The space is transformed with each participating member’s unique variation on rituals.
Rituals is on display until August 12th, 2017. Visit our Instagram page for daily updates.