The camera is ubiquitous. Embedded in our phones, it sits in every pocket and purse; drilled into the walls of businesses and subway stations; fixed to traffic lights and the masonry of buildings. Its lens and spiraling aperture, recording and passive, document moments both absurdly pedestrian and of special importance, unquestionably more the former these days. The glut of photographs — now digital, ephemeral — renders our image of ourselves disposable, making for a curated life that belies reality. None of these missives are unique. Explications on the societal ramifications of the photographic image stretch from Benjamin to Barthes to Sontag and beyond. We pose for photographs as often as we take them, certainly more than we truly think about them. What is relatively unique, however, is encountering photographs wherein the subjects are at total ease, unbothered, quiescent, not … [Read more...] about CANDID AND UNHEEDING

This is a love story. A mesmerizing tale about two people who’ve shared their life more than 51 years, but, in actuality, the “love story” began long, long before that — over 1,100 years ago in English trees. That’s when certain trees began their life, and many centuries later entwined the lives and passion of a couple of artists named Lawrence and Victoria Elbroch. It’s complicated, you see. They are from different geographic areas. She, the United Kingdom. He, New York City. They met and found thattheir mutual love and respect of trees was a key factor in ultimately melding their lives and art together. A love story indeed. With many deep roots. Victoria works in mixed media. Ink, watercolor wash and on a grand scale. The detail, patterns and textures she captures in unforgiving mediums leaves one in awe. Her husband, an accomplished photographer in his own right, often collaborates … [Read more...] about SOLITARY SURVIVORS

“Designing the Dream State” is a solo exhibition by Hartford Art School’s inaugural Whitney Artist-in-Residence Chiraag Bhakta. The show will be held in the Joseloff Gallery from February 23 to March 25. Bhakta, a Hartford Art School  graphic design alumnus, is an artist and designer who works in “archival research, storytelling and collaboration in a variety of media” to unveil “the history, legacies and ongoing impact of western imperialism in our everyday lives.” “Designing the Dream State” addresses empire building and the evolution of South Asian-American identity. Bhakta takes on modern U.S. immigration policies, which brought highly educated South Asians to America in pursuit of the “American Dream.” Very much a multidisciplinary artist, Bhakta includes new works of video, sculpture, screen-printing and assemblage in the show. He also expands upon his ongoing photo-documentary … [Read more...] about FLIPPING TRADITION ON ITS HEAD

Lisa Houck’s solo exhibition at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, Massachusetts, features her prolific and vivid versatility, with about a dozen watercolors, small (6” by 7”) to large (50” by 20”), around 40 framed mosaics ranging from (8” by 8” to 30” by 12”), a smattering of linoleum block prints and one oil on wood, three panel folding screen: “Unusual Bird Behavior Confounds Scientists.” The title typifies her themes, as well as the theme of the exhibition, which is “Botanical Explorations.” All these mostly new works are based on her “interest in plants and trees, the way plant forms take on personalities,” Houck said. Houck grew up in Ohio but stayed in Boston after attending the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied printmaking. She’s lived in Cape Elizabeth, Maine since 2020. “I love to make things, I want to understand materials, that’s why I move between … [Read more...] about MOSAIC MASTERPIECES

Recently I visited sculptor Nora Valdez at her studio at Humphreys Street Studios in Dorchester, Massachusetts, to get a preview of her upcoming exhibition “A Common Thread,” which takes place from March 1 through April 2 at Boston Sculptors Gallery. During our studio visit, Valdez carefully reached into a portfolio taking out vintage-looking garment pieces on which she had drawn with black ink. Her idea was that these drawings would soon become part of an installation for the show. What Valdez had done was deconstruct white cotton shirts that she then pressed flat before drawing on the surfaces. I noticed there were depictions of the human heart, which she said “represented love and sometimes the missing of love” in her life. I also saw images of lush trees with deep roots, boats and other things exploring thoughts about life’s transitions. Valdez is an accomplished sculptor and … [Read more...] about BECOMING ONE

New England’s legacy of textile and innovation relives its heyday. Its fiber art time! We have seen a resurgence of fiber art, and the trend is rising. Historically most associated with a feminist movement and today no longer restricted to gender, fiber art has been shaking the art world, while defying the limits and boundaries of art technology. The textile evolution continues to impact all areas of art, business and economy worldwide. Textiles secured prominent value in museums, biennials, art fairs and among academic subjects and research topics. Textile literature is vastly available, and the skills and techniques required to manipulate these materials have been recognized as a force in art. Textile and fiber art cross all geographic and cultural borders, reaching and impacting our everyday life. Contemporary artists, the merchants of fiber art, have been experimenting with … [Read more...] about A REMARKABLE COLLECTION