Exhibit: September 11 through November 15, 2024
Artist Reception: Thursday, October 10, 2024, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Artists Reception: October 10, 5:30-7:30PM

Anything But Still aims to expand the traditional concept of the ‘still-life’ beyond the simplistic definition of an arrangement of objects. Each of the artists included has a unique approach to their work and demonstrates the vast possibilities of interpreting the documentation of objects within their photography practice.

Huiyin Zhou - Care Work

Artists throughout history have used objects as subjects to capture a moment in time and, in the case of the 17th-century Vanitas theme, assign meaning and symbolism. Each item within this motif was selected for its symbolic representation of the ephemeral condition of life and the fleeting futility of worldly possessions. Examples may include a skull or hourglass to show the passage of time, shells, exotic fruits, and coins representing wealth and travel.

 Yana Slutskaya has a traditional approach with a contemporary take, “I approach each composition by envisioning the objects as dynamic characters, each playing a role in a captivating narrative.” Her colorful compositions incorporate natural light as an additional subject. Meanwhile, Derrick Davis captures random events from everyday life, “I’ve been exploring still life photography in a nontraditional way. I love to create images that dramatically reflect the energy of a moment.” And with that energy, Davis questions if, indeed, a still life needs to be still.

Derrick Davis - GoBlackboyGoBlackboyGo

We view these objects and can’t help but wonder about their histories, how they came to be, what circumstances brought this moment together, and who may have encountered and interacted with them. The scenes are much more dynamic than the initial surface appreciation of the image and our attachment to material things. Through this photography, we can examine the relationships between art, the object, and society. The still life can be reflective of our times – what we are experiencing economically, politically, and socially.

Leah Sobsey-Mary Somerville

Leah Sobsey’s new body of work “The Echoing Green” captures this relationship between history and objects seamlessly, [using] “the non-toxic chlorophyll photographic printing process to honor prominent historical women in the arts and sciences who were often overlooked in a male-dominated world.” Delicate and haunting portraits develop through photosynthesis, creating a fusion of art and science.

Perhaps hiyin zhou’s statement captures it best and expands the idea and genre of the classical still life, “[their] selected photo sequence reinterprets Still-Life in the politics of hope and endurance: as we are witnessing and living through multiple pandemics, genocides and ecocides, still, there is life.”