The McGrath Gallery is pleased to feature Poetic Visions: A Look at Humanity and Space, an exhibition showcasing the work of students in Intermediate and Advanced Photography. The collection will be on display from February 14 through March 7.
Exhibition Description:
"One of the life lessons that photography offers is the capacity to hold two truths together, expanding our brains with cognitive flexibility. Photography allows us to hold opposites while building bridges to bring counterparts together because images emerge in that interaction between the repetition and the breaks.
From light to shadows; from the scientific elements of camera functions to the artistic expression of ideas; from predictable patterns to their rupture; from mathematical compositional tools (welcome Fibonacci sequences and golden triangles) to flowing elements that seem to float in space; from becoming compassionate witnesses to the world in front of us to creative directors bringing visions to life; from personal narratives to accurate documentation. Photography allows us to embrace the totality of the human experience.
Poetic Visions is an attempt to capture part of those dichotomies. As poetry, photography uses symbolism, rhythm, and aesthetics to bring our existence's most authentic, raw elements into palatable expressions that blend reality and subjectivity. Students in Intermediate and Advanced Photography have been developing their visual languages. They have practiced the art of intentionally placing their intention on what matters to them, one day witnessing the world from the sidelines and at others, directing their subjects with kindness. Some projects allowed them to document their world, including the unique people and places in them, and in others, they were asked to create imaginative worlds that seemed as personal as interesting. Students have also learned how to take the pictures they want using the proper camera settings and bend what is possible using digital techniques. Projects could be full of art, observation, and even commercial uses.
Regardless of the assignments, as you can probably witness in their work, students have developed images that show you parts of their world, what calls their attention, and what they want to bring attention to. These students are photographers and poets in the making, translating what they see and feel into beautiful, moving narratives.
We hope you enjoy these images, connect with them, and see how they result from many opposite forces colliding and being held in perfect balance. And just as in the most moving poem, you find that the most authentic expressions can be both artistic magic and reality, brain and heart, and a bridge that connects it all."
Join us in celebrating the creativity and dedication of these student photographers!