Exhibition: ESSENTIAL IMAGES
July 28, 2020
Posted In: Exhibitions, Gallery Exhibitions
The exhibition is free and open to the public. Visitors are required to practice social distancing and wear a mask while on the Anderson Ranch campus.
ESSENTIAL IMAGES highlights the perspective of seven documentary photographers who have been making work during the COVID-19 pandemic. From different vantage points, this collection of images speaks to the current moment of navigating the dualities of our internal and external lives. They act as timely visual narrations that explore grief, intimacy, parenthood, scarcity, activism and self-connection.
In mid-March, the global pandemic sent much of the world into lockdown and with it emerged a new slowness of pace, and a heightened awareness of self. Many people felt isolated and trapped in domestic environments, combating the loneliness of being socially distanced away from loved ones. Others experienced familial tensions while quarantining together, propelling further anxieties about homeschooling, working from home and financial instability.
On May 26th, after the killing of George Floyd, the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the United States and in cities around the globe. Despite the pandemic, remaining complacent in a world of upheaval and civil unrest no longer feels like a viable option for many. In this moment of reckoning, documentary photographers capture the truth, often putting themselves at risk to do so. Whether on assignment or made from home, these works provide a historical record of this time as we all adapt to a “new normal.”
“In a moment where our worlds have been turned upside down by this pandemic, photographic art and self expression is a vital form of storytelling that connects our intimate experiences in a more universal way. The photographic artists in this exhibition reflect the various ways image makers are creating new works while often sequestered to their homes, while also cementing the common themes of humanity we all must remember at this time.” -Ed Kashi, Faculty of The Center at Anderson Ranch.
