Art Exhibition Opening: "Other Realities/Divergent Paths: Montages" by Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor
Eleanor D. Wilson Museum 8009 Fishburn Dr, Roanoke, Virginia
Artists Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor both construct montaged works of art out of collected images or objects, yet the creative journey each employs are very divergent paths. Uelsmann is a pioneer in the world of photographic image manipulation. Since the 1950s he has been assembling multiple silver-halide negatives and working with multiple enlargers to create haunting, highly improbable realities that connect with the viewer on a subconscious level. Taylor, on the other hand, has embraced new digital technology and software to create dreamlike, fantastical imagery using what she calls her “menagerie of found objects” along with photos she has taken and vintage photos from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Seen alongside each other, their works share some symbolism and attributes, especially images of water, boats, and houses, yet the difference in feel between the black and white work of Uelsmann and the color-filled work of Taylor is distinct. Although no longer a couple - they were married for years - the two still share neighboring studios and exhibit together often. Exhibition through April 23.