Images from new photography show stick with visitors
Some of the images may haunt visitors to a photography show, curated by Christa Blackwood, at JRB Art at The Elms, 2810 N Walker.
A University of Oklahoma graduate who got her masters degree at New York University, Blackwood said she "addresses identity, gender, art/photo history and popular culture."
Most haunting and seeming to look at us directly from the past, are four men and a woman in vintage garb, from Andy Mattern's "Visage" series.
An art professor at Oklahoma State University, Mattern uses a camera he custom-built to make large gelatin silver prints of small old photos he bought.
Haunting, too, are two large cotton fabric tapestries, depicting an upsidedown female saint and female Jesus figure, by Gabi Magaly. Based in San Antonio, Magaly celebrates her Mexican-American identity in her self-portrait photographs and recreations of Bible stories.
Women in passport type color photos by Ghazal Foroutan may be more engrossing, because they're concealed by dark or patterned robes. White frames and white backgrounds only increase the impact of the photos by the Iranian artist, who got her masters at Oklahoma State University, and lives in Augusta, Georgia.
Referencing her life as a twin, often in a nearly surreal way, are the gilded platinum prints of Austin artist Leslie Nowlin Blessing. Especially intriguing is Blessing's "Fearless," in which two gesturing women fall in front of windows in a multi-story building, hair masking their faces.
Multiple exposed faces help Brian James Culbertson explore such things as "Confusion" and "Lack of Concentration" in his superb "Adverse" series of salt prints.
Stirred up waters may suggest the "ambivalent yearning for connection" of a person plunging into a pool in a color photo by New York City artist Jennifer McClure.
Partial nudity, and a self-portrait, called "Lighten Up," assist New York state photographer Andi Schreiber in examining "insecurities of middle age."
Austin-based curator Blackwood also contributes two ambiguous, multicolor photos of what she calls "Boy Play." The photo show is highly recommended in its run through Oct. 30. Running through the same date, and recommended as well, is a show of animal sculptures by Oklahoma State University professor Jessica Teckemeyer.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, with masks recommended. Call 405-528-6336 or go to http://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/ mRKiCNkKM9CZ85yBjumwPtX?domain=jrbartgallery.com for information.