Art the Material Image Is a Photography

Art

The Material Image is a photography exhibition at the Marianne Boesky Gallery, which is curated by Debra Singer. The exhibition includes work from eighteen artists: Michele Abeles, Lucas Blalock, Sam Falls, Ryan Foerster, Amy Granat, Rachel Harrison, Leslie Hewitt, John Houck, Barbara Kasten, Jason Loebs, Nick Mauss, Ken Okiishi, Arthur Ou, Anthony Pearson, Marina Pinsky, Mariah Robertson, Matt Saunders, and Chris Wiley. The material images are displayed throughout the Marianne Boesky Gallery, a heritage building imparting a naturalistic feel and setting for which to view and interact with the imagery. Warm wood finishes and doorframes in the interior enhance the presentation of the photographs, while the stark white walls allow each image to stand out. The classic heritage building serves as an ironic counterpoint to the exhibition, which challenges the definition of photography and stretches the ultimate boundaries of the art. The style of The Material Image is eclectic, modern, and bordering on abstract. The goal of The Material Image is to expand the potential of the art and stimulate discussion on how digital imagery and technology are transforming photography. Many of the images do not immediately appear like traditional photographs, and some are sculptural in their effect. For example, the work by Michele Abeles and Rachel Harrison is geometric in scope.

Although the architecture does not change from room to room, each interior space does unfold differentially during the course of the visit. As the viewer travels from room to room, elements of the building reveal themselves and the gallery starts to feel increasingly like someone's personal home. For example, the fireplace in one room imparts the feeling of warmth that encourages the viewer to linger and ponder the imagery as if in front of a crackling fire. Interestingly, the image selected to grace the mantle of the fireplace could be interpreted to resemble a piece of firewood that is cracking from surrounding white heat. Several pieces that are significantly smaller than the large one above the mantle help to accentuate the main image, and encourages flow of traffic in the room. Footsteps creaking on the wooden floorboards, and the smooth feel of the dark wood bannister on the spiral staircase add a tangible dimension. With sonic and touch dimensions, The Material Image has a multisensory impact when it is on display at the Marianne Boesky Gallery.

Still, the visual dimension of The Material Image is tantamount. One piece contains geometric images such as horizontal and vertical lines that impart the sense of a grid. The grid parallels the staircase bannisters. Similarly, one image that has human subject graces a room and makes it seem like the person is actually present. Artists like Michele Abeles and Lucas Blalock do challenge notions of what it means to be, and to look, human. The only limitation of the Marianne Boesky Gallery is the lack of seating in the rooms that would enable a deeper analysis and contemplation on the works of art displayed. The confluence of natural and artificial light also begs the question of how different types of lighting might impact the viewer's experience. In one room, a large bay window floods the space with light and enhances the images there. Yet work displayed in the hallway are bereft of natural light.