Today we are celebrating our current solo exhibition, What We See by Beverly Logan! This month, our staff favorites are centered around Logan’s stunning collection of photographs. You can view her show in person at Studio Gallery until July 15th, or online by clicking here.
Abigail says:
As already featured on our Instagram, Seinfeld Tourists is my favorite piece out of all of the amazing works in What We See. While I was assisting with installation, I spoke with Logan about our shared experiences of attending undergrad at Columbia and living on the Upper West Side--a connection which became all the more clear when I turned around and saw one of my (and Beverly's!) usual haunts on the wall behind me. I could even see the dorm building I used to live in during my freshman year in the background.
Tom's Restaurant brings up so many memories for me: I've sat there during late nights with a coffee, watched a game with friends over an omelet, and shared a milkshake with a friend to comfort her after a break-up.
However, this personal connection is besides the point; not only does Logan know how to pick the exact spots that evoke such feelings in people for her photographic collages—tourists or residents alike—but she also knows how to change the composition to add extra layers of complexity and humor that truly make her work riveting.
Seinfeld Tourists by Beverly Logan
She creates moments of slow looking throughout her show, not just in this one particular example. It's incredible to realize that our brains try so hard to make the images cohere; initially, the rough parking lot seems like it could fit right in outside of 112th Street. The magical moment is the one of second glances and the feeling of the cogs inside all of our brains turning, realizing that we have to pay more attention than we thought. This experience is particularly rare in the digital era, as Logan acknowledges, and was for me and so many others quite needed.
Logan’s work is both an homage to her years of living in the city, her travels, and also a meditation on perspectives and attention. This piece provided me with a new way of looking at a familiar place, something that I think the show will do for all of its viewers.
Caroline says:
My personal favorite work in Beverly Logan’s What We See exhibition has to be Paree, a photographic collage that captures the hustle and bustle of a Parisian street. I spent my final semester of college studying abroad at the Sorbonne in Paris, and so when I first saw Logan’s depictions of Parisian life, I was flooded with a rush of happy memories and feelings from the time I spent there.
Paree by Beverly Logan
Something I love about Logan’s work is her ability to capture motion, specifically the constant change occurring in urban spaces. In Paree, one views a snapshot of pedestrians hurrying on to their next destination, but also just strolling and enjoying the sunshine and architecture around them. The normalcy of the scene is interrupted by a model superimposed over the other figures, casually leaning against the building in the foreground. Her pink, flowy dress and impeccable style contrast with the more everyday looks of the people around her, and bring a touch of whimsy to the scene. The model encapsulates the idea of Parisian chic, and perhaps pushes us to reckon with the veracity of this stereotype, as her look is so different from that of the other Parisians.
When I was in Paris, I spent a lot of time wandering through the ancient streets, people-watching and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city I was experiencing in real time. Logan’s photograph bottles this sensation, and allows me to feel as if I am there once more, from all the way across the ocean.
As I stand in front of Paree, in the United States, I am able to reminisce on my time in France, and make up stories in my mind for the people I see before me, a favorite pastime of mine that I would often take up whilst sitting on the terrace of a cafe. Logan’s work allows us to connect with and relate to people from across the world by placing us into their lived environments; this is a talent that I think is very much needed in our current world, a world that often feels disconnected and isolating.
Madison says:
One of my favorite works in Beverly Logan’s What We See exhibit is Bloomingdale’s. I interpret this piece as a thought-provoking piece that delves into the complex dynamics of our contemporary society. Through the depiction of the inside of a shopping store, the artwork explores the themes of materialism and superficiality, inviting viewers to reflect on the state of our culture. At first glance, the composition of the artwork appears bustling and lively, filled with shoppers engaged in their own pursuits. However, upon closer inspection, the three photoshopped women in the foreground draw attention. Each of them is depicted using pocket mirrors to retouch their makeup, seemingly absorbed in their own appearance. This portrayal symbolizes the pervasive influence of societal pressures to conform to beauty standards and the constant need for external validation.
Bloomingdale’s by Beverly Logan
The juxtaposition of the women engrossed in their self-image and the background of the artwork further reinforces thise underlying message. The shoppers descending on the escalator and entering through the store’s entrance represent the continuous flow of individuals driven by consumerism. It highlights how society places emphasis on material possessions, often prioritizing superficiality over deeper values and connections.
When I look at and interrogate Bloomingdale’s, the piece challenges me to question the consequences of this materialistic and superficial aspects of popular culture. It encourages all viewers us to consider the impact of our obsessions with appearances and the pursuit of material wealth.
Halley says:
My staff pick from What We See is Dream Land! This collage immediately resonated with me the moment I first laid eyes on it in the gallery. There is a sense of futurism, magical realism, and romance in this composition that leaves me yearning for more. I find myself imagining the scene coming to life, as though Beverly has captured a still from a movie. The juxtaposition of the dark night sky beyond the windows and the warm sunlight filtering into the café make Dream Land such a complex artwork with many interpretations.
There is a geometry to the image in terms of color and composition that feels both painterly and measured, vintage and futuristic… making this a timeless artwork in my eyes. Even the positions of the figures feel symbolic, with two figures bathed in sunlight, one facing off into the distance and the other with her face clearly in view.
The last figure is sitting faced away from the camera, likely taking a sip of a strong cappuccino or reading a newspaper just out of our view. His black suit echoes the velvety darkness of the outside world, and we are left to wonder what expression he bares on his face. It isn’t every day that an artwork inspires my imagination to run wild the way that Dream Land inspires me. It is a very special piece, and Logan’s loving attention to detail and tendency towards thoughtful whimsy is extremely evident here.
Dream Land by Beverly Logan
Come see the final days of Logan’s show before it closes on July 15th! If you will not be able to make it, please visit our online catalogue where all of Logan’s works are on view (and still for sale!). Her works allow us to experience the slow looking we all need in this digital age.
Written by staff contributors
Caroline Finken, Madison King, Abigail Sullivan, and director Halley Sun Stubis.