Philadelphia Daily News previews FOCUS, photography exhibition

Posted on: Friday, December 9th, 2011

PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS
December 2, 2011
The Abstract Lens (Art Attack)

Photography may be the most familiar artistic discipline—everyday we see photographs in newspaper, on Facebook, on billboards along the highway.

Although most photography aims to document, not all photos are so explicit.  Some photography provides us with a view of everyday objects and scenes so abstracted that we may not even recognize them.  This month, LGTripp Gallery explores photography’s multiples perspectives with “Focus,” its fourth annual Abstract Photography exhibition.

“Abstract photography is fueled by the desire to take an object and remove it from its original form,” said Luella Tripp, gallery owner and curator.  Think of close-up detail shots that hide an object’s identity, or distorted photographs of things in motion that de-emphasize the subject in favor of the action.  This is, of course, not picture-postcard photography, nor is it what you’ll find in most galleries.  “We bring a very particular focus on abstract to nonobjective work,” Tripp said of this exhibition.  “It’s rare to see a pure abstract photography show.”

Each of the seven artists on display in this year’s exhibit is new to the gallery.  The show includes work by Chris Forelli that focuses on instruments, Alyssha Csuk’s photos of slate from mines, and views of light from Jenny Lynn and Paul Rider.  Visitors can expect to see familiar objects such as drum cymbals or swaying branches, although what they are isn’t always apparent.  But deciphering these photos isn’t the point.  Instead, it’s an opportunity to see the world from a different perspective.

—Mary Sydnor

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